Christina Hoag's Blog, page 11
October 31, 2016
On the blogs: Why I write about gangs
Romantic suspense author Brenda Whiteside features me talking about why I write about gangs, on her blog today!
http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
Read on:
I'm so pleased to have Christina Hoag as my guest today. And her post is so interesting. Read on and enjoy!
Having written both a nonfiction book and a fiction book about gangs, people often ask me why gangs?
I first encountered gangs as a young newspaper reporter in New Jersey, when I was assigned to write a story about a notorious motorcycle gang delivering Christmas toys to a local hospital. I went to interview them in a small suburban house, very normal-looking apart from the bunch of Harley choppers out front and its rather gloriously hirsute occupants, who insisted they belonged to a “club” not a gang. I was fascinated by them and their chosen lifestyle. They had established their own society with its own rules, dress, language and culture within mainstream society. What drove people to do that? I wondered. A side note: A couple years later, I saw one of “club members” at a New Jersey prison where I’d gone to interview an inmate for another story. So much for the “club,” I thought.
Years later, on a magazine assignment, I interviewed gang members deported from Los Angeles to El Salvador, where they had landed like fish out of water because they’d left Salvador as babies and small children during the civil war. It was a country that they identified with, but really didn’t know. Some of them barely spoke Spanish. They had joined and formed gangs in Los Angeles because their families had moved to predominantly Mexican-American neighborhoods that had long-entrenched gangs.
The Central Americans formed their own groups for protection, but because they weren’t U.S. citizens, they later were vulnerable to deportation when the government started cracking down on immigrants with criminal records. The stories of the young men I interviewed were really rooted in an unusual outcome of both a civil war and the immigrant experience. They ended up staying in my mind to form the genesis of my novel, Skin of Tattoos.
Talking to the young men in El Salvador also reignited that previous interest in gangs from when I had interviewed the motorcycle guys, and I started reading about and researching gangs in earnest over the following years. I covered numerous gang issues as a reporter for the Associated Press in Los Angeles, talking to gang members, people who worked with them, people who worked against them, ie. cops. Again, I was struck how they live in a parallel universe that is driven by values that are completely the antithesis of mainstream society, as in the more violent and feared you are, the more respect you gain.
There are many factors leading to gang formation, but in essence, gangs are driven by the human need for belonging to and approval of a group, and because some sectors of our society feel excluded from mainstream society, they form their own societies instead. Gang culture is alien to most of our lives and an extreme consequence of socioeconomic marginalization, but everyone can relate in some way to feeling excluded, of needing to belong, of wanting approval. That’s the universal theme that’s inherent in writing about gangs.
http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
Read on:I'm so pleased to have Christina Hoag as my guest today. And her post is so interesting. Read on and enjoy!
Having written both a nonfiction book and a fiction book about gangs, people often ask me why gangs?
I first encountered gangs as a young newspaper reporter in New Jersey, when I was assigned to write a story about a notorious motorcycle gang delivering Christmas toys to a local hospital. I went to interview them in a small suburban house, very normal-looking apart from the bunch of Harley choppers out front and its rather gloriously hirsute occupants, who insisted they belonged to a “club” not a gang. I was fascinated by them and their chosen lifestyle. They had established their own society with its own rules, dress, language and culture within mainstream society. What drove people to do that? I wondered. A side note: A couple years later, I saw one of “club members” at a New Jersey prison where I’d gone to interview an inmate for another story. So much for the “club,” I thought.
Years later, on a magazine assignment, I interviewed gang members deported from Los Angeles to El Salvador, where they had landed like fish out of water because they’d left Salvador as babies and small children during the civil war. It was a country that they identified with, but really didn’t know. Some of them barely spoke Spanish. They had joined and formed gangs in Los Angeles because their families had moved to predominantly Mexican-American neighborhoods that had long-entrenched gangs.
The Central Americans formed their own groups for protection, but because they weren’t U.S. citizens, they later were vulnerable to deportation when the government started cracking down on immigrants with criminal records. The stories of the young men I interviewed were really rooted in an unusual outcome of both a civil war and the immigrant experience. They ended up staying in my mind to form the genesis of my novel, Skin of Tattoos.
Talking to the young men in El Salvador also reignited that previous interest in gangs from when I had interviewed the motorcycle guys, and I started reading about and researching gangs in earnest over the following years. I covered numerous gang issues as a reporter for the Associated Press in Los Angeles, talking to gang members, people who worked with them, people who worked against them, ie. cops. Again, I was struck how they live in a parallel universe that is driven by values that are completely the antithesis of mainstream society, as in the more violent and feared you are, the more respect you gain.
There are many factors leading to gang formation, but in essence, gangs are driven by the human need for belonging to and approval of a group, and because some sectors of our society feel excluded from mainstream society, they form their own societies instead. Gang culture is alien to most of our lives and an extreme consequence of socioeconomic marginalization, but everyone can relate in some way to feeling excluded, of needing to belong, of wanting approval. That’s the universal theme that’s inherent in writing about gangs.
Read my interview on Mystery Shelf!
Shannon Muir kindly gives me space on her Mystery Shelf blog today: here's the link and interview! Thanks Shannon!
http://mysteryshelf.com/author-interv...
What initially got you interested in writing?
I won a prize for “writing interesting stories” when I was six years old so I guess writing was always there. It came out as soon as I literally learned how to put pen to paper. I discovered journalism in high school so I knew that’s what I wanted to do as a career. I’ve written fiction on and off my whole life.
What genres do you write in?
I write gritty, realistic crime fiction: thriller, mystery suspense, but I like to develop character-driven stories in these genres. A lot of work in these genres is very formulaic, which gets boring after a while, so I’m about incorporating more character into these types of plots. I also have a YA romantic thriller out, which is about teen dating violence. That was sort of a one-off for me, as I like to write adult fiction.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
I love delving into the seamy side of life and what drives people in that world, which is very different than mine! I like to see how extraordinary events, which often happen in the context of crime, affect character so that’s what I write. In the case of the YA, “Girl on the Brink,” it was more of a personal thing for me.
How did you break into the field?
It really took a long time. I started writing short stories and sending them out to literary journals. There are tons of them online these days. I also wrote poetry and creative nonfiction essays. I got them all published. Besides building a portfolio, the process got me used to submitting, being rejected and being persistent. Then I started writing a novel. I still haven’t finished that first novel, but I will! It’s undergone numerous rewrites. “Skin of Tattoos, my recently released thriller, is my second novel and “Girl on the Brink,” my third.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
I have social messages in all my books. The two I have out now are about making bad decisions and learning and recovering from them, and translating that into hope for the future. I want my stories to be different enough to be memorable.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
I love creating worlds and characters, but I also love writing itself: the lyricism of language, ordering words and sentences, coming up with metaphors. I’ve always loved writing anything, from a corporate report to speeches to fiction.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
Just the amount of time it takes to complete a novel! They are huge, unwieldy projects. Both my published novels have taken years to finish. Not only do novels require numerous rewrites, but you have also to let them sit for a while so you can come back to them with a fresh eye and see what needs fixing, and do yet another rewrite! I wish there was a way to speed up the process.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Believe in yourself and that you have something worthwhile to say. Don’t let anyone steer you from your path. Develop a thick skin to deal with rejection, later, bad reviews! And most importantly, just don’t give up.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
Besides crime-oriented stuff, I love what is known as “upscale women’s fiction,” a cross between literary and commercial, books where things actually happen but have a literary writing style. I’m also drawn to books with foreign settings. I always learn something when books are set in other countries and cultures.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
I came to the United States when I was 13 years old. I lived in six other countries growing up: New Zealand, where I was born, Fiji, England, Sweden, Nigeria and Australia. As an adult, I’ve lived in Spain, Guatemala and Venezuela. I’m a total nomad. Travel is my second passion after writing, and I’ve travelled all over the world.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
My website, www.christinahoag.com, has the most information about me and a contact form. Facebook.com/ChristinaHoagAuthor is where I post updates, and I’m on Twitter @ChristinaHoag. Any of the above works!
http://mysteryshelf.com/author-interv...
What initially got you interested in writing?
I won a prize for “writing interesting stories” when I was six years old so I guess writing was always there. It came out as soon as I literally learned how to put pen to paper. I discovered journalism in high school so I knew that’s what I wanted to do as a career. I’ve written fiction on and off my whole life.
What genres do you write in?
I write gritty, realistic crime fiction: thriller, mystery suspense, but I like to develop character-driven stories in these genres. A lot of work in these genres is very formulaic, which gets boring after a while, so I’m about incorporating more character into these types of plots. I also have a YA romantic thriller out, which is about teen dating violence. That was sort of a one-off for me, as I like to write adult fiction.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
I love delving into the seamy side of life and what drives people in that world, which is very different than mine! I like to see how extraordinary events, which often happen in the context of crime, affect character so that’s what I write. In the case of the YA, “Girl on the Brink,” it was more of a personal thing for me.
How did you break into the field?
It really took a long time. I started writing short stories and sending them out to literary journals. There are tons of them online these days. I also wrote poetry and creative nonfiction essays. I got them all published. Besides building a portfolio, the process got me used to submitting, being rejected and being persistent. Then I started writing a novel. I still haven’t finished that first novel, but I will! It’s undergone numerous rewrites. “Skin of Tattoos, my recently released thriller, is my second novel and “Girl on the Brink,” my third.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
I have social messages in all my books. The two I have out now are about making bad decisions and learning and recovering from them, and translating that into hope for the future. I want my stories to be different enough to be memorable.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
I love creating worlds and characters, but I also love writing itself: the lyricism of language, ordering words and sentences, coming up with metaphors. I’ve always loved writing anything, from a corporate report to speeches to fiction.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
Just the amount of time it takes to complete a novel! They are huge, unwieldy projects. Both my published novels have taken years to finish. Not only do novels require numerous rewrites, but you have also to let them sit for a while so you can come back to them with a fresh eye and see what needs fixing, and do yet another rewrite! I wish there was a way to speed up the process.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Believe in yourself and that you have something worthwhile to say. Don’t let anyone steer you from your path. Develop a thick skin to deal with rejection, later, bad reviews! And most importantly, just don’t give up.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
Besides crime-oriented stuff, I love what is known as “upscale women’s fiction,” a cross between literary and commercial, books where things actually happen but have a literary writing style. I’m also drawn to books with foreign settings. I always learn something when books are set in other countries and cultures.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
I came to the United States when I was 13 years old. I lived in six other countries growing up: New Zealand, where I was born, Fiji, England, Sweden, Nigeria and Australia. As an adult, I’ve lived in Spain, Guatemala and Venezuela. I’m a total nomad. Travel is my second passion after writing, and I’ve travelled all over the world.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
My website, www.christinahoag.com, has the most information about me and a contact form. Facebook.com/ChristinaHoagAuthor is where I post updates, and I’m on Twitter @ChristinaHoag. Any of the above works!
October 23, 2016
Girl on the Brink: "Every teenage girl should read it."
Four stars from Dana's YA Bookpile.
This book takes a look at how relationships can turn in an instant and before you know it, the guy you thought you knew is a total stranger. Every teenage girl should read it. Domestic violence/dating violence is not okay-but it can be hard to break away from when you're stuck in the middle of a situation. The author did a good job of illustrating this. 4/5
https://danasyabookpile.blogspot.com/...
October 22, 2016
5 stars for Skin of Tattoos
thrilled to see this new reader review on Amazon!
"Usually I wouldn't be drawn to a book about gang life (in this case, Los Angeles gangs), but a friend recommended this book to me, and I loved it! In a mere couple of pages, I went from being skeptical that I'd even want to finish the book, to being completely drawn into the protagonist's world and wanting to find out (and fearing to) how it would all shake down. Great storytelling, great suspense, great characters....Former journalist (and co-author, with Aqui Basheer, of "Peace in the Hood: Working with Gang Members to End the Violence), Hoag paints such a convincing portrait of young Magdeleno and his life among the homies that I had to remind myself several times that she is a female author and was never a part of that world. Definitely recommend."
October 21, 2016
Girl on the Brink: "I felt for these characters a lot"
From Nightly Reading 4-stars:
https://nightlyreading.wordpress.com/
I often find that I really enjoy these books that have to do with dating abuse. I think that it is because I can relate. I had a bad experience with an ex that was not as bad as this situation but bordered on mental abuse. It was very difficult to get out of that relationship so I really felt for these characters while reading.
I enjoyed the character of Chloe a lot. She is a smart kid whom may not have made all the correct decisions but was smart enough to know when to get out. I could feel her loneliness when she was experiencing trouble with her friends and her boyfriend all at the same time. I really felt saddened during those times.
At first, Kieran, was perfect. I even fell for him but he quickly became obsessive and domineering, not to mention physically abusive. By the end of the book, I no longer had a liking for him and parts seemed to be written to make the reader feel a little bad for all he had gone through, but I did not.
I would suggest this book for any teen that may be going through an abusive relationship or any teen whom is starting to date just so that they know the dangers and can see the warning signs.
October 20, 2016
3 4-star reviews in for Girl on the Brink!
From Joli at Actin Upwith Books:http://actinupwithbooks.blogspot.com/
"I've read several books about teenage domestic abuse, but this one more than others has left me taken aback."
Veronica at V's Reads:
https://vsreads.com/
"There’s a lot of honest self-reflection in the story, and guides the reader to understand the underpinning signs of abuse, and emotional manipulation. "
From Kendra at Kendra Loves Books:
http://kendralovesbooks.blogspot.com/...
"All in all, I absolutely recommend this book!!!"
I'm interviewed about Skin of Tattoos!
The way I See it interviews me, runs an excerpt and the Kirkus Review of my literary crime novel.
http://anindiangirlrants.blogspot.in/...
Interview:
When did you decide to become a writer?
I won a prize for “writing interesting stories” when I was six years old so I think writing was something I was born with. As a kid, I loved books – I devoured them and I knew I wanted to write one when I grew up. I discovered journalism in high school - a career that would pay me to write! Now I’m focusing on developing my fiction.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
It may be a tall order, but I’d love to be able to write fiction fulltime without having to write other stuff to make a living. My career has been in journalism, but now I do a lot of corporate communications writing and editing to pay the bills.
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special?
Hubris. Magdaleno is a gang member who decides he wants to leave the gang, the Cyco Lokos, but he gets wrapped up in a bunch of circumstances – the gang’s a source of good income and he can’t find a job, he loves hanging with his homies, his only friends who give him the respect he craves, but then the biggest factor comes along - he falls victim to his inner demons - pride and ego. He wants revenge when he sees his rival take Mags’s place as gang shotcaller, or leader. Like many of us, he just can’t let it go and that proves his downfall.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
I’m definitely a morning writer. My best stuff comes when I’m fresh so I really organize my day around that. I get up early and get going. I like to stop writing early afternoon and attend to emails, marketing stuff, errands and so on.
Where do the ideas come from?
Working as a journalist for many years has deeply influenced my fiction. As a reporter, you have an entrée into many subcultures, slices of life and people that normally you would not have access to. “Skin of Tattoos,” for example, was sparked by a story I did in El Salvador about Los Angeles gang members being deported to a country they had left as small children. International themes really call to me. I grew up around the world and I’m a passionate traveller.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
I’ve learnt, the hard way, that it’s best to write with some type of outline first, to know where you’re going, at least have some type of ending in mind. I’ve done the “winging it” thing and ended up completely lost in the story with no exit, like getting trapped in a labyrinth. I've since found that periodically mapping out the next scenes is very helpful. Of course, characters can take you on unexpected journeys, which is great, so you have to be flexible.
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
When I get stuck, I take a break. Sometimes even just walking to the kitchen is enough to jog my brain and the solution will come. Another remedy I’ve found is to move ahead to a section that I do have in my head and come back to the problem section. Luckily, I don’t get stuck too often, but it happens!
What can we expect from you down the line?
I’m hoping to complete a sequel to “Skin of Tattoos” so I can finish Mags’ story. I’ve got some of it written, but it’s messy. But first, I’m making myself finish two novels that are both near completion. One is called “The Revolutionaries,” a literary political thriller based on the 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela, where I was living at the time. An expat couple are the protagonists and they get wrapped up in opposite sides of the political debate, which drives a wedge in their marriage. The other is called “Angel’s Lust,” a detective mystery set in Los Angeles with a Latin American twist to the mystery. If that develops into a series, each mystery plot will have an international element to it.
http://anindiangirlrants.blogspot.in/...
Interview:
When did you decide to become a writer?
I won a prize for “writing interesting stories” when I was six years old so I think writing was something I was born with. As a kid, I loved books – I devoured them and I knew I wanted to write one when I grew up. I discovered journalism in high school - a career that would pay me to write! Now I’m focusing on developing my fiction.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
It may be a tall order, but I’d love to be able to write fiction fulltime without having to write other stuff to make a living. My career has been in journalism, but now I do a lot of corporate communications writing and editing to pay the bills.
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special?
Hubris. Magdaleno is a gang member who decides he wants to leave the gang, the Cyco Lokos, but he gets wrapped up in a bunch of circumstances – the gang’s a source of good income and he can’t find a job, he loves hanging with his homies, his only friends who give him the respect he craves, but then the biggest factor comes along - he falls victim to his inner demons - pride and ego. He wants revenge when he sees his rival take Mags’s place as gang shotcaller, or leader. Like many of us, he just can’t let it go and that proves his downfall.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
I’m definitely a morning writer. My best stuff comes when I’m fresh so I really organize my day around that. I get up early and get going. I like to stop writing early afternoon and attend to emails, marketing stuff, errands and so on.
Where do the ideas come from?
Working as a journalist for many years has deeply influenced my fiction. As a reporter, you have an entrée into many subcultures, slices of life and people that normally you would not have access to. “Skin of Tattoos,” for example, was sparked by a story I did in El Salvador about Los Angeles gang members being deported to a country they had left as small children. International themes really call to me. I grew up around the world and I’m a passionate traveller.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
I’ve learnt, the hard way, that it’s best to write with some type of outline first, to know where you’re going, at least have some type of ending in mind. I’ve done the “winging it” thing and ended up completely lost in the story with no exit, like getting trapped in a labyrinth. I've since found that periodically mapping out the next scenes is very helpful. Of course, characters can take you on unexpected journeys, which is great, so you have to be flexible.
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
When I get stuck, I take a break. Sometimes even just walking to the kitchen is enough to jog my brain and the solution will come. Another remedy I’ve found is to move ahead to a section that I do have in my head and come back to the problem section. Luckily, I don’t get stuck too often, but it happens!
What can we expect from you down the line?
I’m hoping to complete a sequel to “Skin of Tattoos” so I can finish Mags’ story. I’ve got some of it written, but it’s messy. But first, I’m making myself finish two novels that are both near completion. One is called “The Revolutionaries,” a literary political thriller based on the 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela, where I was living at the time. An expat couple are the protagonists and they get wrapped up in opposite sides of the political debate, which drives a wedge in their marriage. The other is called “Angel’s Lust,” a detective mystery set in Los Angeles with a Latin American twist to the mystery. If that develops into a series, each mystery plot will have an international element to it.
October 19, 2016
'Suspense, intrigue, real life struggles'
From Aurora at Owl Always be Reading:
"Girl on the Brink is a debut novel filled with suspense, intrigue drama and real-life struggles. When I started reading the book, I truly found it to be engrossing and filled with realistic situations that could happen anywhere if we are not cautious with our hearts.
In the book, while conducting an important interview for her summer internship, 17-year-old Chloe Quinn encounters Kieran Dubrowski for the first time. While first-time meetings might not be full of sparks, this one was certainly filled with some intrigue. After the meeting, it is obvious that Kieran is obviously interested in her. And, Chloe is going through some struggles that could lead to her giving in to his heavy advances.
For Chloe, her life might be filled with some abandon. Currently, her brother and her bestie are both at camps, her mother escaping her marriage-related difficulties with meds and alcohol, plus her father is living with his new girlfriend in New York City, the Big Apple…with all these situations, Chloe is lonely and attention is just what she might need in her life now, and she seeks it eagerly and with passion.
In the end after some hesitation, Chloe not only agrees to go out with Kiernan, but finds his attention completely exciting like many teens would. She totally ignores his possessiveness, and thinks his violent temper can be changed. Coming from a broken home for Kiernan is hard and he seems like a sweet guy…so she stays with him. As her friends come to her worried, Chloe doesn’t listen…until things go awry and Kiernan’s behavior gets so out of control that she decides to end things…only to have things get worse and Kiernan blames her for the end in an aggressive manner. Will she ever be able to survive this relationship? We are eager to find out as we devour the book, which I did in a couple of days.
In the novel, we root and hope for Chloe to realize just how bad this relationship is, yet we really feel for her as she battles with his demons and her confusion. Hoag truly writes from the heart, with realistic and not frothy or overly idealized teen characters. While there are some subtle hints of Kieran’s attitude issues and problems, we do like him a lot in the start…and we relate to Chloe’s interest in him. As the book’s narrative unravels, we can agree that her abandonment issues is what led to her gravitating towards him and we hope that in the end the issue is resolved.
I recommend this novel, for it is realistic and engrossing. In the end, we learn a lesson and so will the young adult set about how dangerous this type of love can be."
http://www.owlalwaysbereading.com/
Playlist & movie cast for "Skin of Tattoos"
Books Chatter ran a post today with my "Skin of Tattoos' song: Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve, as well as a movie cast and an interview with yours truly! Phew!
The haunting "Bittersweet Symphony" is so totally Mags's song. It gives me a pang when I hear it. I love blasting it in the car.
Check out the post and enter an Amazon card and ebook giveaway!
http://bookschatter.blogspot.co.uk/
The haunting "Bittersweet Symphony" is so totally Mags's song. It gives me a pang when I hear it. I love blasting it in the car.
Check out the post and enter an Amazon card and ebook giveaway!
http://bookschatter.blogspot.co.uk/
More great reviews in f
My blog tour, organized by Ya Book Bound Tours for
, is rolling along!
More great reviews in today:
5 stars from YA Book Divas:
http://www.yabookdivas.com/2016/10/bl...
"Well developed story line and characters that reel you in right from the start. This emotional roller coaster ride that deals with domestic abuse should be read by one and all and you won't be disappointed with the message this read imparts. Have a box of tissue next to you and be prepared to have a hard time putting this book down."
And from Caroline Andrus http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/re... "my favorite thing about this book is that it’s not preachy. It doesn’t read like an after school special. It’s just a good teen contemporary romance… that takes a dark turn into abuse."
From Never Too Many To Read:
https://never2many2read.blogspot.com/...
"This one was a very emotional read for me and it still hits me even as I sit here typing."
Thank you all. My message is getting out there. I really hope my book does some good in the world.
, is rolling along!More great reviews in today:
5 stars from YA Book Divas:
http://www.yabookdivas.com/2016/10/bl...
"Well developed story line and characters that reel you in right from the start. This emotional roller coaster ride that deals with domestic abuse should be read by one and all and you won't be disappointed with the message this read imparts. Have a box of tissue next to you and be prepared to have a hard time putting this book down."
And from Caroline Andrus http://www.carolineandrus.com/blog/re... "my favorite thing about this book is that it’s not preachy. It doesn’t read like an after school special. It’s just a good teen contemporary romance… that takes a dark turn into abuse."
From Never Too Many To Read:
https://never2many2read.blogspot.com/...
"This one was a very emotional read for me and it still hits me even as I sit here typing."
Thank you all. My message is getting out there. I really hope my book does some good in the world.
