C.L. Hoang's Blog, page 6

Defining success

Okay. It's still a brand spanking new year, so it's still time for some new year's resolutions, right?

I must admit, though, that for a long time now I've been out of the habit of setting those. Not that I have anything against them, it's just that I figure I usually have some idea of what I'd like to accomplish in a new year so there's no real need to write it all down. It's kind of like my (sloppy) approach in writing: Before I sit down at the computer and start sweating out the details for a new story, my mind has already painted broad sketches of how the story is going to unfold. I work better, I think, from that mental scratch pad than from a paper outline or plot chart.

Then just last week I was invited to join two other authors and share our thoughts on---gulp---how we define writing success and how we've been going about achieving ours. Hmm, this sounded to me like I would have to go back and tally up my past year's results and then set goals/resolutions for this new year. The thought made me cringe. I'm still very much a novice at this writing/publishing business, and whatever lists I might come up with would surely not be very extensive. But then I remembered how helpful and comforting it had been for me to learn about other new writers' experiences: their various struggles and lessons learned, and what motivated and sustained them in their journeys. In the end, I decided to accept the invitation and throw in my two cents. Hopefully, what little I had to share could be of some use to someone just starting out; if not, there would be plenty of food for thought from my fellow panelists, who are amazing authors with inspiring stories to tell.

So click on this link: http://bit.ly/15bXsGa to read how each of us defines success for her- or himself and about the different paths we have taken in trying to achieve our goals. I hope you enjoy it. Happy writing, and best wishes with your publishing endeavors.

Check out my Amazon book page at:
http://amzn.to/1ydeuP7


C.L. Hoang

2014: A Memorable Year

At first glance, the above picture shows a postcard winterland that brings to mind a white Christmas. But take a closer look. See the drooping palm tree standing forlorn in the background? And what's that on the snow-sprinkled shrub in front of it? It can't be right, but aren't those orange-colored spots actual flowers? Birds of Paradise no less, for goodness' sake.

The picture was snapped last week before New Year's Day by my friends Kirk and Christy who live in Temecula, just north of San Diego. The cold, gray pond in that wintry scene was actually their swimming pool, believe it or not. Now, I'd seen antiquated black-and-white photos of snowfalls in Southern California (San Diego, Palm Springs) in picture frames hanging on walls of historic buildings, but never had I imagined I'd witness a true winterland practically in my own backyard. Sure, there had been frost on the front lawn, and the birdbath's water had frozen over a few times over the years, but a blanket of snow? Never. Not since I moved from Colorado some thirty years ago.

And such was the unusual ending to a memorable year for me. Just as 2013 had signaled a turning point in my writing life as I wrapped up my six-year-long project in preparation for publication, 2014 marked another significant milestone as Once upon a Mulberry Field made its foray into the wilderness of publishing. Looking back on the past ten months since the book was released on Valentine's Day of 2014, it all seems like a dream---a lifelong dream finally realized, but not without twists and turns, a few high points and many moments of anxiety and frustration. All in all it's been a thrilling ride, one that I wouldn't have missed for the world, and I have you, all my friends and supporters, to thank for it. Your encouragement and unwavering support have meant everything to me.

So here goes: May 2015 bring you and your loved ones great health, much happiness, and plentiful prosperity. I hope to have more good news to share with y'all over the next twelve months. Happy New Year, everyone!

Once Upon a Mulberry Field
C.L. Hoang

Book Review (Writer's Digest 2014 Book Awards)

The main objective in entering any book contest is to get a rough idea how your work may be viewed by people outside of your supportive network of family and friends. Unfortunately, for practical reasons most book contests only give you a Pass/fail Win/lose categorical answer that leaves you with more questions than clues as to what things went right or wrong with your labor of love. Writer's Digest Annual Book Awards, now in its 22nd year, is one of but a few competitions that aim to provide some such feedback to contestants.

It was thus with great anticipation that I was looking forward to the promised judges' commentary from Writer's Digest Annual Book Awards, and I'm most happy to share it here with all of you, my friends and supporters. Fully realizing that I still have a long way to go, the commentary nevertheless gives me some much-needed positive reinforcement that at least I've started out on the right track. So, without further ado, here goes.

Books are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “needs improvement” and 5 meaning “outstanding”.

Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5

Production Quality and Cover Design: 5

Plot and Story Appeal: 5

Character Appeal and Development: 5

Voice and Writing Style: 5

Judge’s Commentary: ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD by C.L. Hoang is a heartfelt story that takes the reader deep into the Vietnam War through characters that ring with authenticity and make us think about the human condition. Those who want to know more about the war in Vietnam would do well to read this wonderful novel. The reader will have no doubt as to why this touching novel took the author six years to complete.

The cover is graced with one of the most lovely pictures I have seen in a long time. I love the colors. The lush landscape and brilliant orange and yellow sunset come to life despite being what could be called "marred" by the presence of the helicopter. I wonder what the young woman is thinking as she looks upon the scene. Very emotional and moving cover. Kudos to the artist.

Immediately I was drawn into the book and wanted to find out what happened. The author chose a point of view that not every author can handle with skill -- first person -- but the author does a fine job with this perspective. This wasn't an era I knew much about, but what I especially like about the story is that it goes beyond the events and makes the thoughtful reader contemplate the larger issues of life and death we all must face. With deep inner and outer conflict, romance, characters we can all care about, and a superb plot, ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD is a book well worth the reader's time. I hope it won't take C.L. Hoang six more years to write another novel!

In celebration of this wonderful review, I've put the Kindle edition of ONCE UPON A MULBERRY FIELD on sale during the holidays ($3.99, or 43% off the regular price of $6.99).

Check out my Amazon Kindle Book Page at:
http://amzn.to/1vXkZ7F

Writer's Digest 2014 Self-Published Book Awards

I'm so appreciative and excited to have some good news to share with you: A couple of days ago, I was notified that my book, Once Upon a Mulberry Field, had received an Honorable Mention as a finalist in the Writer's Digest 22nd International Self-Published Book Awards.

In this day and age, one hears a lot of talk about the importance for authors to "brand" themselves in a way that would differentiate them from the rest of the field. Since the early 1920's, Writer's Digest has firmly established its own international brand as the number one resource for the writers' community, having published the first Writer's Market manual in 1921, and then every year since. Over the decades, this annual publication has come to be known as "the bible for writers."

I am very happy and thankful to have been chosen as a finalist in the Writer's Digest 22nd International Self-Published Book Awards, one of the original and longest-running awards for DIY authors. As always, I wanted to share this great news with all of you, my friends and supporters. Your steadfast encouragement has given me the fortitude to begin the journey---and to keep pushing on with more confidence.

Once Upon a Mulberry Field has received warm response from people who have had a chance to check it out. Exposure is everything. I hope you will all continue to help me spread the word to introduce the book, and its message of healing and hope, to many more readers out there.

Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend!

Once Upon a Mulberry Field
C.L. Hoang

A look back at the first six months

August marked the six-month anniversary of the release of my novel Once Upon a Mulberry Field. It seems much longer than that, yet it also feels like just yesterday. On this last day before Fall, I’d like to take a moment to look back on that first leg of the journey and share some milestones with you, my friends and supporters.

It still boggles my mind, the fact that I have finally achieved the dream that had seemed so out of my reach just ten years ago. I was finally able to grab on to those stories that had haunted me most of my adult life and wrestle them down onto paper, and then, thanks to technological advances and other important changes in the publishing industry, I was able to bring those stories directly to readers out there in the form of a finished book, both in print and in electronic format. That I am today a published author is nothing short of a small miracle, for which I am truly grateful.

It took me a while to establish and maintain a website and a social media platform on the Internet. They serve as my home base from which I reach out to the general public beyond my support network of family and friends to promote my book. And even though I still have a long way to climb on my steep learning curve, I’ve been getting more comfortable each day treading those previously uncharted waters for me.

Not a salesman by nature, I’ve also had to adjust to being the spokesperson for my published work as I made the rounds of radio and blog interviews and book talks at public libraries, book clubs, and other organizations. Public speaking is a developed skill, and I hope to hone mine as time goes on.

The paperback edition has sold on Amazon.com as well as through expanded channels like Barnes & Noble and Ingram. The two eBook editions (mobi and epub) have recorded sales through online eBook stores to all the popular eReaders such as Kindle, Nook, iPad, Kobo/Sony, and also to some public libraries. Thanks to the support of relatives and friends overseas, my book has also seen sales, albeit modest, in Canada, the UK, France, and Germany.

Thus far, I feel very fortunate and thankful that most readers have seemed to like the book, enough to leave 5-star ratings with kind words of encouragement on my book page on Amazon.com, including some from Amazon hall-of-fame top reviewers. Once Upon a Mulberry Field has also been awarded the Gold Medal in the 2014 Global Ebook Awards, the Fiction Grand Prize in the 2014 Book Contest sponsored by LuckyCinda Publishing, and a Finalist placement in the 2014 National Indie Excellence Book Awards. I am humbled by and extremely grateful for the recognition and generous support.

So, friends, you can probably see now how these past six months have flown by in a blur for me—a breathtaking ride that leaves me drained with excitement, and all but speechless. I couldn’t have made it through without all the help and encouragement from my wonderful support network, and from all you kind readers out there who believe enough in me to invest your money and time in Mulberry Field. I thank each and every one of you with all my heart, and I hope you will continue to help me spread the word about the book so that we can make the next six months even more exciting, with new milestones that I can share and celebrate with you soon.

Once Upon a Mulberry Field
C.L. Hoang

Under the Evergreen

Long ago, in my younger years, I used to go camping (almost) every summer.

My favorite camping grounds were scattered throughout the Eastern Sierra Mountains, from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks to Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite, to Lake Tahoe. It was impossible to pick a favorite among those as they each have their own unique setting and atmosphere, and I enjoyed them all. They were my quick escapes from the bustling world, and I always came home from those camping trips with a fresh perspective on things.

It was thus an easy decision some years ago as I started writing Once Upon a Mulberry Field that my protagonist, Roger Connors, should be from that area. Besides getting to live vicariously through him in that paradise on earth, I also thought it might be interesting to watch how this young man who had grown up in such serene environment would manage to cope with the turbulent changes of the sixties and the brutalities of the Vietnam War. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch from reality since back in the days, like Roger himself, young men of all different backgrounds had been ripped from their familiar surroundings and expedited to the front line.

On a less somber note, if you have read Mulberry Field, would you have guessed Roger Connors as a man with a few lines of verse in his heart? I would maintain that that's quite plausible, given his sensitive nature and the breathtaking element in which he had grown up. Do you suppose the following short poem might have occurred to Roger on one of his backpacking treks through the Sierra wilderness?

Under the Evergreen*

In the shadows of green mountain ranges
Where the winds of time etch out slow changes
By a tumbling stream on its lifelong quest,
The weary traveler has come home to rest.

Ashore sunny lakes with lofty pine trees
Where mirrored blue skies shimmer in the breeze,
Dream happy dreams among dancing flowers
As soft clouds languish above stone towers.

In the bright dawn over alpine meadows,
With the morning mist whirl away sorrows.
Simple joys and hopes from long gone summers:
To eternity flow gentle rivers.

Free as white birds on the far horizon,
The soul awakens: new spring has risen.

*Copyright 2014 by C. L. Hoang

Once Upon a Mulberry Field

Gold Medal eBook Award for "Once Upon a Mulberry Field"

Just a short post to share the latest good news with my friends and supporters.

Yesterday I got word that Once Upon a Mulberry Field had been named the Gold Medal Winner (for Historical Literature Fiction — Contemporary) in the 2014 Global Ebook Awards.

This is one of the biggest eBook awards, organized by Dan Poynter and decided by a panel of 200 judges ranging from book bloggers to book reviewers, librarians, book club & reading circle members, publicists, book shepherds, as well as professional critics and subject-matter experts in the category they prefer.

Dan Poynter is a well-respected authority in the publishing industry who has authored more than 130 books and has received numerous awards over his long career. Since 1979, his book The Self-Publishing Manual and its subsequent editions have been considered by many independent authors as the bible of self-publishing.

I am truly excited and honored to be awarded the Gold Medal in the 2014 Global Ebook Awards.

For the third month in a row, I have been very fortunate to have encouraging news to share with my supporters. Thank you all so much for your support and for believing in me. Please continue to help me spread the word and help other readers find the book.

Thank you again, and have a fantastic rest of the summer!

Once upon a Mulberry Field

Memories of Summer

What comes to mind when you think of summer?

Surf, sun and fun at the beaches? Hiking and camping in the mountains? Lazy days and balmy nights---and spontaneous road trips to unknown destinations?

For me, though, summer evokes a particular image imprinted on my mind since my early childhood in Saigon, Vietnam. But isn't it always summer weather over there, you might ask. Well, you are partially correct in that it's hot all year around in Saigon, but believe it or not, there is a distinct summer season there, too: From April to October, the southwest monsoon sweeps in from the Indian Ocean, bringing warm rain and higher temperatures that are so propitious to the native vegetation. Bathed in that soggy, steamy climate, every living plant naturally blooms its head off.

But one tree in particular stands out among that explosion of growth and colors: the royal poinciana tree. It's called Phượng Vỹ in Vietnamese, which means "phoenix tail," I'm not sure because of its fern-like leaves that weave a dense foliage or because of its clusters of glorious red flowers. This beautiful, stately tree grows effortlessly on all the streets of Saigon and everywhere else in South Vietnam, so much so that it has often been suggested that it be named the official tree of the country.

Such popularity springs not only from the tree's physical attractiveness, as evidenced in the picture above, but also from the deep affection that schoolchildren of all ages feel toward it. For you see, every year in May or June when the royal poinciana flowers start to bloom profusely and the cicadas begin their wailing concert, it is the official sign that summer has arrived and school is letting out. Much earnest poetry has flowed at such time from innocent young hearts agonizing over the impending separation from their schoolmates and friends. Especially if those friends are leaving school for good, as some of mine were during the war years to be drafted into the armed forces.

It is why, after all those years, the image of flaming poinciana trees still remains the symbol of summer for me. While writing my book Once Upon a Mulberry Field, that image came back to me more vivid and brilliant than ever. It even inspired a scene at the Saigon Botanical Garden where Liên and her American friend Roger strolled together to the lotus pond along stands of century-old poinciana trees raining down red flowers all over them . . . I just wished I could have included a picture like the one above in that passage. But short of that, I thought I would share with you that little insight about the book, and my memory of summers back home. It was the least I could do.

New Book Award for "Once Upon a Mulberry Field"

It's pretty obvious: Writing is a lonely pursuit.

One holes up in one's "office" (any place conducive to a self-hypnotized state) for hours on end, hoping to sweat out precious words onto blank pages. Day in and day out. Rain or shine. Inspired or not. But always consumed by a desire to project abstract thoughts into just the right words that would spring alive on paper so that one can share them with the world.

Therein lies the biggest challenge that many writers, including this one, wrestle with. For writing is both self-expression and an act of sharing. One always strives to stay true to oneself, but depending on the set of skills one is born with (talent) or has acquired over time (craft), the result of such self-expression may resonate with the public at large or simply end up a fallen tree in the forest---with nobody around to take notice.

Thus any feedback from readers becomes a link that connects writers to the world and lets them know if their lonely effort has cast some ripples out there. And positive feedback means connection with like-minded people, about the biggest reward a writer can hope for unless he or she happens to write just for the pure joy of writing. A kind word from readers is more than a stroke for the writer's ego; it's a connection made.

It is therefore with joy and gratitude that I welcome any positive feedback from my readers, be they friends and relatives or unknown strangers who have cared to pick up a copy of my book. It feels even more special when such encouragement comes from peers in the industry---fellow book lovers, writers, editors, publishers, reviewers etc. On this holiday weekend, I am very happy and humbled to share that I have just received a thumbs-up from such a circle of peers: Earlier this week, Once Upon a Mulberry Field was chosen as the 2014 Grand Prize Winner (for Fiction) of the annual book contest sponsored by LuckyCinda Publishing in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area). This area is fertile writing ground since many "snowbirds" and artists retire there to write, so there was plenty of competition.

One tiny ripple in the vast pond of readership. One major boost of confidence to a fledgling author. Some how, some way, by trial and error and good fortune, I have managed to get a couple of things right.

Enjoy the rest of your Fourth of July weekend, everyone!

Once upon a Mulberry Field

A Choice of Deadly Importance

When I first saw this May 24, 2014 article in the New York Times, my mind flashed back to the recent news of the two hundred schoolgirls kidnapped from their public school in Chibok, Nigeria, and to another related tragedy from a couple of years earlier---the near-death shooting of another schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, in Pakistan. Those two horrific incidents had shocked the international community into the stark realization that even now, in the 21st century, shameful injustice and inequality still abound for young women in many parts of the world, especially in regards to education.

It makes this story from current-day Vietnam all the more noteworthy, not just because of its rare happy ending, but also because it highlights yet another root cause of this widespread, complex problem: pure and simple economics---the immediate urgency of day-to-day survival versus the long-term benefits of education. In this happy graduation season, I share with you the story of this remarkable young woman who made a pivotal choice for her own life, rose above her family conditions, and through sheer perseverance, attained the impossible.

Click here to read.