And without further chit chat - here's a bit more from the author himself about Blind Spot:
In this comedy/drama, based very, very loosely on my own experiences, a middle-aged father of three named Doug Kaplan appears to have it all. An attractive and supportive wife, three healthy boys, and a successful career. He doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities as a father or as a son to his aging parents, and he is valued and respected at work. However, all his life he has been plagued by the accusation that he does suffer from one significant character flaw, a subtle but substantial penchant for being selfish, a flaw that he is largely oblivious to.
Doug Kaplan’s life was progressing about as well as he could have hoped for. In addition to his loving wife and family, he and his wife Kelly had finally purchased a house in lovely Seaford, Long Island, and while it may have been a fixer-upper, it was still going to be their dream home. Despite his selfish streak, which by his wife’s own admission could be off-putting, he might never have found his blessed existence sidetracked, until he encountered the elderly woman next door who proved to be a seemingly unavoidable obstacle. Who knew that their home on the cul-de-sac known as McGregor Court would be nestled next to the biggest know-it-all and budinsky in the entire Metropolitan area. Yes, Trudy Fleischmann was a force to be reckoned with. Emigrated from Germany as a little girl at the end of World War Two, Trudy has known suffering and sacrifice, but she is also wise and caring, and why shouldn’t she share her knowledge and opinions with the young couple who has just moved in next door.
Already having to look after Kelly’s widowed mother as well as their growing family, Doug and Kelly end up seeing their responsibilities increase exponentially as not only does Trudy’s husband Burt die, and remove the one pleasant buffer that lay between Doug and Trudy, but Doug’s father passes as well, and now he and Kelly must provide care for three elderly widows as well as their three young boys. However Doug’s entire existence will become, much to his chagrin, inextricably tied to Trudy after he accidentally runs her over with his car one beautiful summer’s day in a supermarket parking lot. Can Doug overcome his selfishness and provide the care and patience that the badly injured Trudy requires? Doug’s family, career, and sense of who he is as a person are all on the line as he tries to summon his better angels and do the right thing.
The Blind Spot is available on Amazon and Bookshop.org. Make sure to add it to your GoodReads reading list too.
Blind Spot represents Rob’s first true attempt at writing fiction, an experience Rob both fun and exhausting. Rob had thrown around several ideas as he began to think about what it was he wanted to write about, and then one day his wife had sent him to the supermarket on an errand where he saw somebody he really didn’t want to spend anytime talking to, so he raced out of the store, got in his car, turned it on, slammed it into reverse and was about to speed out of the spot when he stopped himself and said, “Dumb-ass, be careful, you could hit somebody.” Then, as Rob began to slowly and carefully pull out of his parking spot, he thought for another second and it occurred to him how ironic it would be if he accidentally hit the person he was trying to get away from and “Blind Spot” was born. The character of Doug Kaplan, while not autobiographical, is sort of based on the best and worst of Rob’s traits. Doug is at times the guy Rob always wanted to be, and yet at the same time, Doug also represented the guy Rob was relieved to know he never became. The other characters according to Rob are combinations of people that he knew from his childhood, as well as college and work experiences.
Follow the author online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.s.hoffman.7/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/burtpurdy
Linked-in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hoffman-43999348/
Instagram: @hoffman_files
Website: https://thehoffmanfiles.wixsite.com/website
--- Interview by Crystal Otto
WOW: Rob, I was impressed with your positive attitude when we spoke on the phone as well as in each and every email correspondence we shared. You seem so upbeat and fun so this is probably a great question for you: How do, a positive upbeat person deal with rejection? I'm sure there's been some along the way - so tell us your secret(s)!
Rob: Well, usually with a lot of ice cream and sobbing. Honestly, at least in regards to trying to get an agent or a publisher, I knew enough people who are somewhat knowledgeable about the business, and their advice helped manage my expectations. That’s not to say it wasn’t frustrating at times, especially since the feedback I received from the many agents and publishers I reached out to was so generic and unhelpful for me as a new author, but I always understood this was going to be an uphill battle, and I was at least smart enough to realize that the rejections were not personal in any way.
WOW: Now that you've wiped those tears, your response begs the question of what flavor icecream although that's probably not relevant here, so let's find out how Blind Spot come about. Did you always set out to write a book and have it published or did you start blogging and it led you here? Tell us more!
Rob: I had been blogging for the Times Union of Albany for several years as a non-fiction blogger, and while I enjoyed the experience, I was starting to feel like it was getting a bit stale. I began to read on the advice of my brother some of the classics of literature, and thought that it would be fun to try and write a work of fiction. The idea for the book came from a trip to the supermarket for an errand at the behest of my wife. It was a beautiful summer day and I just wanted to get back to our swimming pool. I saw across the store an individual who I knew would talk my ear off and keep me from getting home so I raced out of the store, jumped into the car and threw it into reverse. Suddenly it occurred to me just how foolish I was being, and thought about what would happen if I had hit somebody over something so silly and careless. I then thought about what if the person I hit was the person I was trying to avoid, and Blind Spot was born.
My goal was of course to be published, but much more than that, my ultimate goal was to produce something of real quality, or something that would be considered professional. That was the most important thing to me to have people I respect read it, and tell me that it was a serious effort and of professional quality. I did achieve this part of my goal and many have told me that achieving that goal was something that I should be proud of.
WOW: I hope you're proud of your book baby - and that advice was great; it's something you should be proud of! You touched on this before, but tell us more: What have you learned through the publishing process that you could share with new up and coming authors?
Rob: Well, I’m hardly an expert, but I guess I would say that if you really want to have an agent or publisher truly consider your work, it has to fall into whatever is most commercially viable. In other words, if it’s not science fiction, wizards ala “Harry Potter,” “Teen Drama,” or a story that can be turned into a series, then most agents and publishers won’t see your work as financially advantageous to them. You and your book represent an investment to an agent or publisher, and if they don’t think there’s a very distinct market for your book then it becomes very difficult to get their attention. With that said, my advice is to write what you want, and to just keep writing. First of all it’s the only way to improve, and secondly, trying to force yourself to write about something that you’re not passionate about is almost impossible.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/burtpurdy
Linked-in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hoffman-43999348/
Instagram: @hoffman_files
Website: https://thehoffmanfiles.wixsite.com/website
--- Interview by Crystal Otto
WOW: Rob, I was impressed with your positive attitude when we spoke on the phone as well as in each and every email correspondence we shared. You seem so upbeat and fun so this is probably a great question for you: How do, a positive upbeat person deal with rejection? I'm sure there's been some along the way - so tell us your secret(s)!
Rob: Well, usually with a lot of ice cream and sobbing. Honestly, at least in regards to trying to get an agent or a publisher, I knew enough people who are somewhat knowledgeable about the business, and their advice helped manage my expectations. That’s not to say it wasn’t frustrating at times, especially since the feedback I received from the many agents and publishers I reached out to was so generic and unhelpful for me as a new author, but I always understood this was going to be an uphill battle, and I was at least smart enough to realize that the rejections were not personal in any way.
WOW: Now that you've wiped those tears, your response begs the question of what flavor icecream although that's probably not relevant here, so let's find out how Blind Spot come about. Did you always set out to write a book and have it published or did you start blogging and it led you here? Tell us more!
Rob: I had been blogging for the Times Union of Albany for several years as a non-fiction blogger, and while I enjoyed the experience, I was starting to feel like it was getting a bit stale. I began to read on the advice of my brother some of the classics of literature, and thought that it would be fun to try and write a work of fiction. The idea for the book came from a trip to the supermarket for an errand at the behest of my wife. It was a beautiful summer day and I just wanted to get back to our swimming pool. I saw across the store an individual who I knew would talk my ear off and keep me from getting home so I raced out of the store, jumped into the car and threw it into reverse. Suddenly it occurred to me just how foolish I was being, and thought about what would happen if I had hit somebody over something so silly and careless. I then thought about what if the person I hit was the person I was trying to avoid, and Blind Spot was born.
My goal was of course to be published, but much more than that, my ultimate goal was to produce something of real quality, or something that would be considered professional. That was the most important thing to me to have people I respect read it, and tell me that it was a serious effort and of professional quality. I did achieve this part of my goal and many have told me that achieving that goal was something that I should be proud of.
WOW: I hope you're proud of your book baby - and that advice was great; it's something you should be proud of! You touched on this before, but tell us more: What have you learned through the publishing process that you could share with new up and coming authors?
Rob: Well, I’m hardly an expert, but I guess I would say that if you really want to have an agent or publisher truly consider your work, it has to fall into whatever is most commercially viable. In other words, if it’s not science fiction, wizards ala “Harry Potter,” “Teen Drama,” or a story that can be turned into a series, then most agents and publishers won’t see your work as financially advantageous to them. You and your book represent an investment to an agent or publisher, and if they don’t think there’s a very distinct market for your book then it becomes very difficult to get their attention. With that said, my advice is to write what you want, and to just keep writing. First of all it’s the only way to improve, and secondly, trying to force yourself to write about something that you’re not passionate about is almost impossible.
"My advice is to write what you want, and to just keep writing."
WOW: That's such great advice. And now for one of my favorite question: what would your current self say to your younger self?
Rob: I have always tried to overcome my cautious attitude that dominates all of my decision making. It’s really kept me from trying things and being spontaneous, and if I could somehow convince my younger self to take more chances, that would be great, but of course that’s not the way it works. I always wanted to be a writer, and while teaching has worked out very well, I often think how it would have been if I had been willing to move to a small town and work on a newspaper, and work my way up the journalistic chain. Of course when you look at what’s happened to newspapers over the past ten years, maybe my cautious self knew what it was doing.
WOW: Well - I'm not sure that your cautious younger self and my adventurous younger self would have been friends, but that's great insight! What is the most important take-away you want readers to have after they finish Blind Spot - how do you want us to feel when we close the cover?
Rob: That’s a great question. I suppose it would be great if they believe that all of the moving parts came together and that there was a certain amount of symmetry to the story. In other words, everything that they read in the book kind of all came together in the end. I also hope they see Doug as basically a good guy, and really the type of man that most of us could relate to, and that the dialogue rang true. In other words, I’m hopeful that people as they read the story felt like the dialogue between the characters felt and flowed naturally, and that they were surprised by some of the aspects of how the book turned during the last 100 pages or so, and of course how it ended.
WOW: Now that you're a published author - you get this tough question (and the answer cannot be Robert Hoffman): Who is your favorite author and why?
Rob: From the aspect of whose talent and command of the language I would love to possess, it would have to be Philip Roth. His boldness, his use of language, his ability to cover so many layers of a story, and pass along commentary upon our society are unparalleled over the past 50 years. Whether you are reading The Human Stain, and how it predicted the overreach regarding political correctness or the so-called “cancel culture,” or The Plot Against America where he seemed to foretell the rise of Donald Trump, and the heavy lean towards fascism in the United States, has to be considered two of the greatest pieces of literary genius in modern times. However, my favorite book of all time is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, which is still the funniest and most creative novel I’ve ever read. If only I had his imagination.
WOW: Who has been most influential during your writing and publishing?
Rob: Without my brother Mark who served as my editor, cheerleader, and mentor, this book would never have happened. My brother was a professional editor for many years and served as the editor for the World Almanac Book of Facts in addition to several other gigs in publishing. He’s also served as a college English professor for over 40 years, so working with writers to improve their skills is something of a passion for him, and I am forever grateful for his help. Of course my wife who always pushes me to do and be better is always an inspiration to me.
WOW: Family is such a blessing - that's for sure! What's next for you?
Rob: Right now I’m involved in several projects. While I retired as a full-time social studies teacher this past June, I’ve returned to my school to teach part-time in the mornings so my wife doesn’t think I’m completely slacking off. I’ve written a treatise for a reality television show with my writing partner and friend David Kalish, (A man you are somewhat familiar with) and right now we are attempting to complete a screenplay for a movie. In addition, I’ve begun my second novel, a work of fiction based on a true story about my wife and a most unexpected surprise she received after she had her DNA tested which I can’t wait to finish and come back to tell you about in a year or so.
WOW: Thank you so much for choosing WOW! and for sharing such fun insight. We look forward to your tour and working with you on future projects!
Rob: I have always tried to overcome my cautious attitude that dominates all of my decision making. It’s really kept me from trying things and being spontaneous, and if I could somehow convince my younger self to take more chances, that would be great, but of course that’s not the way it works. I always wanted to be a writer, and while teaching has worked out very well, I often think how it would have been if I had been willing to move to a small town and work on a newspaper, and work my way up the journalistic chain. Of course when you look at what’s happened to newspapers over the past ten years, maybe my cautious self knew what it was doing.
WOW: Well - I'm not sure that your cautious younger self and my adventurous younger self would have been friends, but that's great insight! What is the most important take-away you want readers to have after they finish Blind Spot - how do you want us to feel when we close the cover?
Rob: That’s a great question. I suppose it would be great if they believe that all of the moving parts came together and that there was a certain amount of symmetry to the story. In other words, everything that they read in the book kind of all came together in the end. I also hope they see Doug as basically a good guy, and really the type of man that most of us could relate to, and that the dialogue rang true. In other words, I’m hopeful that people as they read the story felt like the dialogue between the characters felt and flowed naturally, and that they were surprised by some of the aspects of how the book turned during the last 100 pages or so, and of course how it ended.
WOW: Now that you're a published author - you get this tough question (and the answer cannot be Robert Hoffman): Who is your favorite author and why?
Rob: From the aspect of whose talent and command of the language I would love to possess, it would have to be Philip Roth. His boldness, his use of language, his ability to cover so many layers of a story, and pass along commentary upon our society are unparalleled over the past 50 years. Whether you are reading The Human Stain, and how it predicted the overreach regarding political correctness or the so-called “cancel culture,” or The Plot Against America where he seemed to foretell the rise of Donald Trump, and the heavy lean towards fascism in the United States, has to be considered two of the greatest pieces of literary genius in modern times. However, my favorite book of all time is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, which is still the funniest and most creative novel I’ve ever read. If only I had his imagination.
WOW: Who has been most influential during your writing and publishing?
Rob: Without my brother Mark who served as my editor, cheerleader, and mentor, this book would never have happened. My brother was a professional editor for many years and served as the editor for the World Almanac Book of Facts in addition to several other gigs in publishing. He’s also served as a college English professor for over 40 years, so working with writers to improve their skills is something of a passion for him, and I am forever grateful for his help. Of course my wife who always pushes me to do and be better is always an inspiration to me.
WOW: Family is such a blessing - that's for sure! What's next for you?
Rob: Right now I’m involved in several projects. While I retired as a full-time social studies teacher this past June, I’ve returned to my school to teach part-time in the mornings so my wife doesn’t think I’m completely slacking off. I’ve written a treatise for a reality television show with my writing partner and friend David Kalish, (A man you are somewhat familiar with) and right now we are attempting to complete a screenplay for a movie. In addition, I’ve begun my second novel, a work of fiction based on a true story about my wife and a most unexpected surprise she received after she had her DNA tested which I can’t wait to finish and come back to tell you about in a year or so.
WOW: Thank you so much for choosing WOW! and for sharing such fun insight. We look forward to your tour and working with you on future projects!
--- Blog Tour Calendar
November 22nd @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin for an author interview, giveaway, and blog tour launch post for Robert Hoffman's The Blind Spot.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
November 23rd @ Lisa Haselton Book Reviews and Interviews
Today, Lisa Haselton interviews Robert Hoffman about his humorous work of fiction titled Blind Spot. Find out more about this debut novel and it's author!
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
November 24th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Readers at Choices will hear from guest author Robert Hoffman with his post titled " Man Plans and God Laughs. " Don't miss this guest post and an opportunity to hear about Hoffman's debut novel Blind Spot.
http://madelinesharples.com/
November 26th @ The Faerie Review
The Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman is the highlighted book today at the Faerie Review - don't miss a chance to learn more this work of humorous fiction by an accomplished blogger!
https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
November 29th @ Word Magic with Fiona Ingram
Robert Hoffman pens today's guest post at Word Magic (fellow author Fiona Ingram's blog). Don't miss this great article titled: "Sorry isn't Enough" and an opportunity to learn more about Robert and his latest work of humorous fiction - Blind Spot.
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
December 2nd @ The Knotty Needle
November 22nd @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin for an author interview, giveaway, and blog tour launch post for Robert Hoffman's The Blind Spot.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
November 23rd @ Lisa Haselton Book Reviews and Interviews
Today, Lisa Haselton interviews Robert Hoffman about his humorous work of fiction titled Blind Spot. Find out more about this debut novel and it's author!
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
November 24th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Readers at Choices will hear from guest author Robert Hoffman with his post titled " Man Plans and God Laughs. " Don't miss this guest post and an opportunity to hear about Hoffman's debut novel Blind Spot.
http://madelinesharples.com/
November 26th @ The Faerie Review
The Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman is the highlighted book today at the Faerie Review - don't miss a chance to learn more this work of humorous fiction by an accomplished blogger!
https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
November 29th @ Word Magic with Fiona Ingram
Robert Hoffman pens today's guest post at Word Magic (fellow author Fiona Ingram's blog). Don't miss this great article titled: "Sorry isn't Enough" and an opportunity to learn more about Robert and his latest work of humorous fiction - Blind Spot.
http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
December 2nd @ The Knotty Needle
Judy reviews Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman for readers at the Knotty Needle. Don't miss this opportunity find out more about Hoffman's humorous work of fiction!
https://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
December 3rd @ Beverley A. Baird
"Do I Have a Story to Tell" is today's post at Beverley A. Baird. This post is penned by none other than Robert Hoffman who recently released Blind Spot, a humorous novel readers are raving about! Don't miss your chance to learn more from Hoffman himself!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
December 4th @ Author Anthony Avina
Readers at Anthony's blog will delight in today's guest post "Woulda Coulda Shoulda" by author Robert Hoffman. Don't miss this guest post and opportunity to learn more about Hoffman's new book Blind Spot. Stop back in a few days (on the 11th) to read Author Anthony Avina's review of "The Blind" spot as well!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
December 7th @ World of My Imagination with Nicole Pyles
Readers at World of My Imagination are in for a special treat! Not only is Nicole going to review Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman, but she also will be offering a giveaway! This is your chance to learn more about this humorous book and maybe even snag a copy of your own!
https://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
December 3rd @ Beverley A. Baird
"Do I Have a Story to Tell" is today's post at Beverley A. Baird. This post is penned by none other than Robert Hoffman who recently released Blind Spot, a humorous novel readers are raving about! Don't miss your chance to learn more from Hoffman himself!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
December 4th @ Author Anthony Avina
Readers at Anthony's blog will delight in today's guest post "Woulda Coulda Shoulda" by author Robert Hoffman. Don't miss this guest post and opportunity to learn more about Hoffman's new book Blind Spot. Stop back in a few days (on the 11th) to read Author Anthony Avina's review of "The Blind" spot as well!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
December 7th @ World of My Imagination with Nicole Pyles
Readers at World of My Imagination are in for a special treat! Not only is Nicole going to review Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman, but she also will be offering a giveaway! This is your chance to learn more about this humorous book and maybe even snag a copy of your own!
https://worldofmyimagination.com
December 9th @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Crystal Otto reviews Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman for readers at Bring on Lemons - Otto has hinted that she would give this book 5 stars and said "it made me laugh out loud so often" - so don't miss your chance to hear more about this debut novel!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 11th @ Author Anthony Avina
Fellow Author Anthony Avina reviews "Blind Spot" by Robert Hoffman.
December 9th @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Crystal Otto reviews Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman for readers at Bring on Lemons - Otto has hinted that she would give this book 5 stars and said "it made me laugh out loud so often" - so don't miss your chance to hear more about this debut novel!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 11th @ Author Anthony Avina
Fellow Author Anthony Avina reviews "Blind Spot" by Robert Hoffman.
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com
December 14th @ Linda Appleman Shapiro
Fellow Author Linda Appleman Shapiro shares her thoughts about Robert Hoffman's Blind Spot. Find out what an accomplished Memoirist and Psychotherapist thinks of this humorous work of fiction.
http://applemanshapiro.com/category/book-reviews/
December 15th @ Bring on Lemons with Michelle DelPonte
Michelle DelPonte, a Wisconsin mother, healthcare worker, autism advocate, and history buff shares her review of Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman. You won't want to miss Michelle's insight into this humorous book!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 16th @ Bring on Lemons with 14 Year Old Carmen Otto
14 year old Carmen Otto heard her mom laughing out loud while reading Blind Spot and couldn't help from grabbing a copy to read for herself. Find out what a young reader things of this debut novel by Robert Hoffman!
December 14th @ Linda Appleman Shapiro
Fellow Author Linda Appleman Shapiro shares her thoughts about Robert Hoffman's Blind Spot. Find out what an accomplished Memoirist and Psychotherapist thinks of this humorous work of fiction.
http://applemanshapiro.com/category/book-reviews/
December 15th @ Bring on Lemons with Michelle DelPonte
Michelle DelPonte, a Wisconsin mother, healthcare worker, autism advocate, and history buff shares her review of Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman. You won't want to miss Michelle's insight into this humorous book!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 16th @ Bring on Lemons with 14 Year Old Carmen Otto
14 year old Carmen Otto heard her mom laughing out loud while reading Blind Spot and couldn't help from grabbing a copy to read for herself. Find out what a young reader things of this debut novel by Robert Hoffman!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 18th @ Bring on Lemons with Cathy Hansen
Wisconsin business owner and educator Cathy Hansen offers insight into what she thought after reading Robert Hoffman's debut novel Blind Spot. Will this be a lemon or sweet lemonade? Stop by Bring on Lemons to find out!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 24th @ Jill Sheet's Blog
Stop by Jill Sheet's Blog today and hear from Robert Hoffman as he pens his guest post titled "Aren't We All Just a Little Bit Selfish?" just in time for the holidays! Learn more about this topic as well as Hoffman's novel Blind Spot!
http://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
December 18th @ Bring on Lemons with Cathy Hansen
Wisconsin business owner and educator Cathy Hansen offers insight into what she thought after reading Robert Hoffman's debut novel Blind Spot. Will this be a lemon or sweet lemonade? Stop by Bring on Lemons to find out!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
December 24th @ Jill Sheet's Blog
Stop by Jill Sheet's Blog today and hear from Robert Hoffman as he pens his guest post titled "Aren't We All Just a Little Bit Selfish?" just in time for the holidays! Learn more about this topic as well as Hoffman's novel Blind Spot!
http://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a copy of The Blind Spot by Robert Hoffman by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway ends December 5th at 11:59pm CT. We will announce the winner the next day in the Rafflecopter widget and follow up via email. Good luck!
