Debut novel is a laugh-out-loud tribute to sisterhood
Sex and the City meets Eat Pray Love in secret-spilling, soul-searching novel
“Ochu captivates from the first page of this sharply written, highly engaging tale of three childhood friends and their troubled—and ultimately triumphant—adult lives” –BookLife, by Publishers Weekly
Title: Campfire Confessions by Kristine Ochu
Publisher: Books Fluent
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 324 pages
Summary:
Can you ever really hide a secret from your best friends?
Annie, Sondra, and Jo were the best of childhood friends—but they haven’t seen each other in far too long. To the outside world, their lives are perfect. But appearances can be deceiving…
Married to a pastor in a small town she’s never left, Annie’s devoted her life to family and the church. Most people consider her a saint—but they don’t know she’s hiding a big secret. Sondra’s living it up married to one of the richest men in L.A. and appears to have it all—beauty, brains, and a successful career. But when a real estate deal becomes more than just a transaction, she quickly realizes she’s in over her head. Jo is four years sober and struggling through a divorce. After a one-night stand takes an unexpectedly comic turn, she’s forced to reckon with a lifetime of bad choices.
When Annie’s secret catches up with her, Jo and Sondra rush to her side, escaping on a hilarious canoeing trip that turns into a soul-searching, death-defying adventure. Lost in the woods as one thing goes wrong after another, they find themselves sharing their deepest secrets around the campfire. But as each new revelation unfolds, one thing becomes clear: it will take more than a night of true confessions for the three of them to find their way back home.
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Purchase Links (Available March 8th): Amazon * B&N
Interview
What inspired you to write “Campfire Confessions”?
Personally, I was hungry for a book that was upbeat, full of humor and witty banter, including a little “swizzle of sex” while capturing more serious, real-life issues that women are going through. I felt by having three relatable characters who were best friends, and putting them in situations where they each had to face their fears through a soul-searching, death-defying adventure would make it unique and engaging for women.
I also wanted to bring women together in laughter and camaraderie as they share their own adventures and at the same time, to create dialogue around topics that they tend to struggle with alone—their own secrets. My hope was by bringing light to these inner struggles, that we can empower ourselves and each other to overcome our obstacles and live the lives we desire.
What does sisterhood mean to you, and how did you incorporate that into this book?
I’ve been blessed to have three sisters and some very close friends. When we get together, we fall back into patterns filled with laughter, banter, antics and sharing memories. Just being together, skyrockets our moods–our energy, and suddenly our problems are solvable–no longer insurmountable. In minutes, we are sharing the good, the bad and the ugly and are able to laugh at ourselves. To me, sisterhood is about trust, unconditional love and support that empowers us to be our authentic selves which is the essence of the book. The deep bond of friendship that the characters have allows them to open up, be vulnerable and confess their secrets. And in the events that follow they need to rely on each other to survive the soul searching, death-defying adventure that occurs!
What do you hope readers will take away from the book? Are there any empowering messages you’ve hidden in these pages?
First of all, I hope the reader has the wonderful experience of losing themselves in the character’s journey: the highs and lows; and to love the ending!
My goal was to embed numerous empowering messages throughout the book. One message is that we all make mistakes and have obstacles at some point in our lives–but we’re not alone! We can reach out and use the power of friendship, laughter and love to give us the inner strength to never give up. Also, as human beings, we can be very critical of ourselves, so by learning to embrace self-love, forgiveness and letting go of the past, we can empower ourselves to create the authentic and amazing lives we all deserve! In addition, we can take charge and use the abundance of free empowering tools like creative visualization, tapping, using “I am” statements, etc. to keep our bodies, mind and souls positive and healthy!
Author Bio
KRISTINE OCHU is founder of “The Night of a Woman’s Soul – Creating Your Amazing Life” workshops and is a former Human Resource Executive with a MAIR from the University of Minnesota. She is a member of the Global Women’s Club, Women in Film and Video New England, Harvard Square Script Writers, and community groups. A former log-rolling champion, she still log-rolls along with being an avid hiker, kayaker and explorer. Having previously written screenplays and a children’s book, Kristine incorporates her love of nature and adventure into all her stories. She lives with her husband and their rescue golden retrievers, and splits her time between Hayward, Wisconsin and Amelia Island, Florida. For more information, visit www.KristineOchu.com
Author Links: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Instagram * LinkedIn