Title: A Better View of Paradise Author: Randy Sue Coburn Publisher: Ballantine Books
First sentence:Pele is far from Stevie's mind on the warm September morning that her new garden is scheduled to open.
My Synopsis: Stevie Pollack is an accomplished landscape architect who has hit a rough patch in her career. A park that she designed in Chicago isn't turning out as she planned. In addition to that, her boyfriend has recently dumped her, as seems to be par for course for her love life. She decides to escape to her family's house in Hawaii only to discover that her father is there - and is dying of cancer.
She has never really been close to her father, spending much of her growing up years with her mother outside of the States. Even so, she is surprised to learn that her father had a sister and a niece, Margo. Margo appears to have had as difficult a relationship with her mother as Stevie has had with her father.
As Stevie grows closer to her father and learns about his life, she also starts to realize some things about herself. Helping her along is a pup who wanders onto her property that she names Pip and the handsome veterinarian Japhy she meets because of him.
My thoughts: Loved the book. The characters had a lot of depth and it was a great read getting to know them. The setting was beautiful, and though I have never been to Hawaii, it let my imagination soar. This was my first Coburn book, but will choose to read more by her in the future!
TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to: Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given! Please avoid spoilers!
He moves along with an almost sprightly air, wagging his cane in greeting to some of the people he knows, stopping to embrace others who once worked with him at the Coco Grove Hotel--the people who made up what Beryl always contended was his real family, the people who saw him only in the roles of genial host or generous employer and still held him in high, uncomplicated regard. Stevie lags behind with the leashed puppy, who insists on meeting other dogs--a shihtzu entranced by Pip's butt, a Pomeranian intent on mounting him, a neutered pug clearly threatened by that lone crypt-orchid ball of his. (A Better View of Paradise, uncorrected proof, p85)
Teaser Tuesday is hosted at Should be Reading. Come on over and share your teaser, too!
A Better View of Paradise Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009 ISBN: 978-0345490360 368 pages
Everyone - Please help me welcome Randy Sue Coburn to Books and Needlepoint today! She has graciously answered some questions about herself and her new book - A Better View of Paradise.
1. A Better View of Paradise is your third novel - can you give us a quick synopsis?
This book is about love, death, baseball, with a little intervention from Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, thrown in for spice. Stephanie Pollack, better known as Stevie, is a landscape architect who’s been calibrated to achieve by Hank, her difficult, demanding father. When Hank is diagnosed with a terminal illness, she drops everything to be with him at her childhood home on the island ofKaua`i.Hank’s impending death, on top of her recent career catastrophe and romantic disaster, force Stevie into finally trying to live up to her secret Hawaiian name—Makalani, eyes of heaven. Along the way in this shared journey of contention and healing, grief and resurrection, Stevie’s heart opens not only to her father and the eccentric cousin she never knew she had till now, but to a man who challenges all her constricted notions of intimacy and life’s possibilities. As for baseball, Hank is a lifelong Cubs fan, and one of Stevie’s dreams for her father is that before he dies, he’ll see his team play in the World Series. Like Hank, my own father was a lifelong Cubs fan, and in the aftermath of his death, I wanted to focus on the father-daughter bond, and its profound influence on a woman’s life.
2. Redbook Magazine chose this novel as their Red Hot Summer Read for 2009. How did that come about and how did it feel?
Since Redbook’s key editors considered a number of novels, it was gratifying to hear that what impressed them most was the quality of writing in Paradise. Years ago, when I was just starting to write fiction, I submitted one of my first short stories to Redbook, and it was rejected in such a kind and encouraging way that I still have the letter. So I’m not exaggerating when I say that having an entire novel of mine endorsed by Redbook, which has published so much wonderful fiction over the years, is a dream come true.
3. It has been 10 years since you published your first novel, Remembering Jody ; have there been big changes in your life or in the way you write since that first one was published? Is there anything that you learned back then that influenced A Better View of Paradise?
Maybe the biggest change in my life since Jody is that I’ve been able to spend more time working on novels and less time writing screenplays and teaching writing to subsidize writing my novels. This is huge for me, since I’m not a great multi-tasker. Also, I’ve benefited enormously from the input of editors and fellow novelist friends. I love being part of a community of writers, and that’s an aspect of my life that’s changed a lot since Jody, when I was just beginning to befriend other writers of make-believe. I interviewed dozens of different authors in my other life as a journalist, everyone from Margaret Atwood and Judy Blume to John Irving and Tom Robbins. And while that was enormously educational, writing in the trenches with your pals has a much more direct and daily impact.
4. This book is set in Hawaii - Did you spend much time/any time there while writing it? (I know I would have!)
I was fortunate enough to be able to spend time in Kauai while I was researching the book, but before I ever knew I would use the island as a major setting for a novel I had been there a half a dozen different times, so I had experiences from those visits to draw on as well.
5. Where do your ideas for your novels generally come from? Are characters ever based on you or anyone you know?
I always end up writing about relationships that reflect my own experiences, from growing up Jewish in the South (Remembering Jody), obsessive love (Owl Island), or the death of a difficult, demanding father (Paradise). The seeds of characters often come from people I’ve known, but then they sprout off in different, invented directions.
6. Do you have much input in the titles or covers of your books?
None of my own working titles have been as good as the titles they end up with. As for the covers, I can take no credit for the fact that each one has been better than the last, but since I equate water with emotion and the emotional lives of my characters are so important to me, it makes me happy that water is an element in them all.
7. Let's lighten it up a bit now - What would your favorite holiday destination be and why?
Either Paris, because it’s such a stimulating city with a female sensuality and the food and wine are so wonderful,or Kauai, because I love the island’s splendor and spirit.
8. Do you have any favorite books or authors that have influenced you?
Oh, there are so very many that if I started listing I might go nuts! What I’ve tried to do is write the kind of relationship-oriented novels that I’ve always loved reading, from Anne of Green Gables to Anne Tyler, from Jane Austen to Richard Russo, Stephanie Kallos, and John Irving.
9. While on this tour, has there been any comments or questions that have taken you by surprise?
I’ve been surprised in the best possible way by how generous the appreciation has been from actual readers who can relate the challenges of Stevie’s life to their own.
10. Do you have anything you are working on currently? Is there anything that you would like to add for my readers?
I’m just beginning to write my next novel, and hope that if your readers enjoy Paradise—or even if they have a bone to pick—they’ll let me know. I can be contacted through my website, http://randysuecoburn.com.
Thank you Randy Sue. I can't wait to hear about your next novel!
A Better View of Paradise by Randy Sue Coburn (touring Aug 3-Aug 28) Publisher: Ballantine Books
About the Book:Dramatic, moving, and exquisitely written, A Better View of Paradise explores the tender bond between fathers and daughters, ponders the delicate nature of healing, and celebrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and love.
Thirty-six-year-old Stevie Pollack has come into her own as a celebrated landscape architect. Her designs, famed for their evocative natural beauty, reflect her upbringing amid the splendor of Hawai‘i. But when critics blast her latest efforts and her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, Stevie seeks solace in her roots among the dazzling flowers, and comforting traditions of the islands and their calming waters. Still, in the back of her mind, Hawai‘i holds troubling memories of a childhood with Hank, her emotionally distant father, and a reserved British mother.
Despite her irascible father’s presence, the trip home promises Stevie a welcome departure from her trials on the mainland. But the shocking news that Hank is dying forces the pair’s reunion into high gear. As father and daughter attempt to rekindle their bond, Stevie discovers sides of Hank she never knew, including family secrets that have shaped their lives. And what started as a holiday escape for the beleaguered architect becomes a chance for transformation, one as exciting as it is uncertain. Inspired by her father’s insight, and energized by the attentions of an attractive local veterinarian, Stevie learns to surrender her inhibitions and seize the day.
About the author:Randy Sue Coburn is a former newspaper reporter whose articles and essays have been published in numerous national magazines. She is the author of Owl Island and Remembering Jody, and her screenplays include Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, the critically acclaimed Cannes Film Festival selection that received five Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Screenplay. She lives in Seattle. (all info is from Pump Up Your Book Promotion Blog)
You can find more information about Randy and her new book at these participating blogs: Come back here Aug 20th for an interview with Randy and Aug 21st for my review!
Blogcritics l This Book for Free l A Bookish Mom l The Writer’s Life l Cafe of Dreams l One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books l As the Pages Turn l You GOTTA Read This l Bookin’ with Bingo l Between the Lines l Dear Author l Beth’s Book Blog l Luxury Reading l Books and Needlepoint l First Chapters l A Book Blogger’s Diary l Bookworm with a View l A Book and a Chat Radio Show with Barry Eva l The Review from Here l Marta’s Meanderings l Falling Off the Shelf l The Minding Spot
A Better View of Paradise Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009 ISBN: 978-0345490360 368 pages
I received this book for a Pump Up Your Book Tour in August.
About the book: Dramatic, moving, and exquisitely written, A Better View of Paradise explores the tender bond between fathers and daughters, ponders the delicate nature of healing, and celebrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and love.
Thirty-six-year-old Stevie Pollack has come into her own as a celebrated landscape architect. Her designs, famed for their evocative natural beauty, reflect her upbringing amid the splendor of Hawaii. But when critics blast her latest efforts and her boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, Stevie seeks solace in her roots among the dazzling flowers, and comforting traditions of the islands and their calming waters. Still, in the back of her mind, Hawaii holds troubling memories of a childhood with Hank, her emotionally distant father, and a reserved British mother.
Despite her irascible father’s presence, the trip home promises Stevie a welcome departure from her trials on the mainland. But the shocking news that Hank is dying forces the pair’s reunion into high gear. As father and daughter attempt to rekindle their bond, Stevie discovers sides of Hank she never knew, including family secrets that have shaped their lives. And what started as a holiday escape for the beleaguered architect becomes a chance for transformation, one as exciting as it is uncertain. Inspired by her father’s insight, and energized by the attentions of an attractive local veterinarian, Stevie learns to surrender her inhibitions and seize the day. (from Barnes and Noble website)
About the author:Randy Sue Coburn is a former newspaper reporter whose articles and essays have been published in numerous national magazines. She is the author of Owl Island and Remembering Jody, and her screenplays include Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, the critically acclaimed Cannes Film Festival selection that received five Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Screenplay. She lives in Seattle. (from Barnes and Noble website)
A Better View of Paradise Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009 ISBN: 978-0345490360 368 pages
