Winner @ The Book Bag

My giveaway for A Contented Mind 


by Samantha Hoffman 

is over and a winner has been chosen.

I loved this book! 

My thoughts about A Contented Mind are here.

So now, on to the important stuff ~~ the winner is........

Entry #19 Beth D. 

Congratulations Beth! An email is on it's way to you.

Guest Post: Samantha Hoffman, author of A Contented Mind

I am so excited to have Samantha Hoffman here today. Yesterday was my stop on the CLP Blog Tour. I posted my thoughts about her book A Contented Mind. You can read my thoughts here. Lovin' it! Visit the rest of the tour stops here.

I asked Samantha to comment on the question I like to ask authors ~~ 

I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories? 

Let's find out if Samantha has voices in her head. I also have a giveaway going on for a print copy of A Contented Mind at the end of this post.  

Hello Susan!

Although I feel most writers have a touch of inspired lunacy, as of yet, I don’t hear voices in my head. But I cannot speak for what tomorrow may bring...(smile). Instead, I see the story. And I think that is why A Contented Mind reads a bit like a movie. Or at least many have commented that while reading it, they see the story as if it were a movie playing in their mind.

I see, feel and hear the story - then work to articulate what’s in my mind. The same is true for my children’s stories; I just articulate them differently. 

A Contented Mind started with one image that sat in my mind for nearly a year. And for reasons I’m not entirely sure of, I was convinced the scene was intended for a different story (the one I’m currently writing; Safe People, which is mentioned in ACM). A Contented Mind came about one day when I had been struggling with a suffocating bout of depression. I threw open my laptop and hammered out a few lines; lines so dark, I knew no one would want to read them. So, I tried again. Four weeks later, A Contented Mind was finished, in a very lengthy, rough form. I later cut it down by more than a third. And those first-hammered out dark lines later became song lyrics within ACM.

The sequel to ACM and all the stories I’ve written since have not emerged in the same forceful way. A Contented Mind sits like a deep, rich, complex dessert. Some love it to the extent they wake at night wanting another bite and others just don’t have a taste for it at all. One can’t create and please all at the same time. It’s impossible. ACM is written with soft prose, and with a singular rhythm. I never once fashioned one sentence intentionally. Nothing was premeditated. Heck, I didn’t know how the blasted thing was going to end! In many ways, it wrote itself. For the most part, all my stories write themselves. They flow, as they flow. For better or worse.

If the story can’t be seen within my mind, then I can’t write it. Once I relax and listen to music, the images take shape. And much like being the Invisible Man, I’m allowed to be in the presence of these characters, without them even knowing. My hope is that I do them justice when I put into words what I see. Because their lives feel almost as real as that of my own. 

Thank you for the opportunity to meet you and your readers. It was a joy ~ 
Samantha 

Author Bio 

Samantha started writing books as a child. Although those roughly hewed works are kept under lock and key, they possess the same need to understand life as her current novels. In the past, Samantha has written numerous columns on health and spirituality for a local newspaper. Currently, she writes the popular blog: Insanity - A Writer’s Commentary On All Things, as well as two novels: A Contented Mind, it’s sequel, Chasing Nirvana, and the children’s chapter book series: Dainty Delaney. Currently she is at work on her third novel. On May 18th, 2012 Samantha will be featured in Art & Entertainment section of The Traverse City Record Eagle newspaper.

Life can get rough at times, loving oneself shouldn’t be. That, in a nutshell, is the message that is imbued within the books Samantha writes.

Connect with Samantha!

Website | Blog | Buy her book 

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On Tour and a Giveaway: A Contented Mind by Samantha Hoffman

Sometimes it takes seeing the dream before we find the courage to face the nightmare.

Without realizing it, bestselling author Meg Scott, stepped into the life of her dreams. A new beachfront home on the West Coast; a far cry from her secluded home shared only with her faithful Irish setter on Martha’s Vineyard. A gig playing violin with a world renowned rock band about to depart on a European acoustic tour; friends that easily became the family she lost when young. And upon shaking hands with the band’s drummer, Jadon Hastings, she found love and desire never known beyond the stories she wrote.

Under a hazy California sun, Meg’s dream sits in clear view. To make it her own, she’ll have to confront not only her past, but her future. In doing so, she discovers - those you trust - can’t always be trusted. ~~synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts on A Contented Mind ~~

Once again, such a beautiful cover! A Contented Mind is such an amazing love story. I found myself feeling all of the emotions, love, angst and confusion that Meg felt after she moved to California to escape her past. She is immediately welcomed by the band and the members become family to her. What a special person she must be, to be loved and accepted so quickly by all of them. Well, really not all, almost all. She is attracted one member in particular but it seems it is just not meant to be.

I was immediately drawn into Meg's world by this beautifully written story by Samantha Hoffman. The words created a magical, loving world that I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of. I felt like I became a friend of Meg's and just wanted her to be happy.

A part of the book that was very personal for me was when they were discussing which was better ~ Cheezits or Goldfish? My fav cracker has got to be Cheezits, but Goldfish do come in as a close second. This is one small part of the book that made the story and characters seem real to me. 

I have to admit that I am not quite done reading this story as I am writing this post. I really do need to get back to Meg's world to make sure everything is okay with her. That's what friends do, right?

Samantha Hoffman is a great writer and I am really excited to read more of her words. Here is another author that will be added to my 'must read' list. Thank you Samantha for writing such a beautiful story for all of us!

I received a copy of this book as part of the CLP Blog Tours 
in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Other stops on the tour are located here.

And stop back here tomorrow when Samantha will be talking about writing A Contented Mind.

Author Bio

Samantha started writing books as a child. Although those roughly hewed works are kept under lock and key, they possess the same need to understand life as her current novels. In the past, Samantha has written numerous columns on health and spirituality for a local newspaper. Currently, she writes the popular blog: Insanity - A Writer’s Commentary On All Things, as well as two novels: A Contented Mind, it’s sequel, Chasing Nirvana, and the children’s chapter book series: Dainty Delaney. Currently she is at work on her third novel. On May 18th, 2012 Samantha will be featured in Art & Entertainment section of The Traverse City Record Eagle newspaper.

Life can get rough at times, loving oneself shouldn’t be. That, in a nutshell, is the message that is imbued within the books Samantha writes.

Connect with Samantha

Purchase A Contented Mind

Enter my giveaway below to win this beautiful book.

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