Come check out Clear Heart, written by Joe Cottonwood.
Carpenters and craft: Wally is building a mansion for a dot-com multimillionaire in the Silicon Valley of California. As the dot-com’s stock keeps rising, the size of the house – and the owner’s ego – keep growing. Wally and his colorful crew may be into something that’s over their heads. When little guys work for bigshots, who gets nailed?
From bungling to burglary, from demolishing concrete to racing beltsanders, from love of tools to falling in love, everyone will encounter Wally’s Laws of Construction – or are they Laws of Life? Each house, it seems, is a miracle.
Joe Cottonwood is a contractor in the Silicon Valley of California where he has been building houses – and fixing homes – for over 30 years. He is the author of FAMOUS POTATOES and other novels.
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download
This entry was posted by NJ
on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 at 8:29 am and is filed under New Books.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Hi folks. Yes, I’m the author. This podcast thing is an experiment and something of a risk for me. I’ve published 8 books the conventional way, and by making this one available as a podcast before I even have a publisher, I may be shooting myself in the foot – but it just feels like the right thing to do. I’m curious what you might think.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Great!! refreshingly down to earth…as a former computer consultant and step son of a carpenter i can really relate to this…one of the best ipod casts i’ve heard and i’ve listened to quite a few so far. both the story and the production quality is high in my book.
M
October 21st, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I like your characters and I like your reading! Thanks!
I’m getting worried about Wally’s arm, though. Will he get it taken care of? Who is sleeping in the new house?
I could keep going, but you get the idea – I’m enjoying the book and hoping for more soon!
And Joe? I love the title.
October 21st, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Gail, I’m pleased you like the title. I hesitated to use it because I don’t think it’s a grabber for somebody who knows nothing about the book. Carpenters get it – instantly. But other people think maybe it’s a medical book or something. I considered using the title “Nailed” but, fortunately, somebody else used that title for a novel that came out just a couple of months ago. “Clear Heart” was always the working title and I’m glad I stuck with it.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Mike, “down to earth” is the highest praise I could wish for. And I’m glad to hear that you think the production quality is high. It’s been quite an education, starting from scratch. My recording studio, as it happens, is my woodshop with the microphone placed on top of the power saw. After a lot of experimentation I found I got a warm rich tone there, possibly because I feel so comfortable surrounded by lumber and sawdust.
November 12th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Great job Joe! I love the reading and the book keeps me coming back. A donation will be made a soon as I finish this note. Hope this experiment works out for you.
November 13th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hey, thanks, Richard!
November 14th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Hi, Joe – I’ve listened through Chapter 37 and this story keeps getting better! Keep it coming! The characters constantly surprise me. I love it.
You have to wonder about the state of education today when people can see the words “carpenter” and “heart” and not immediately think “heart wood”! I like Clear Heart better than Nailed, too.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:55 am
This feedback keeps me going. Thanks, Gail…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:51 am
I’ve really been enjoying all of the deatils specific to the Bay Area, the insights about the construction trade, and most of all, the characters of this book. You’ve been posting the chapters quickly, but not quickly enough to keep up with my appetite to “read” them! =) Your characters have me hooked; it’s hard to wait between uploads to hear how it will all work out… looking forward to hearing how the story unfolds.
November 26th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Fantastic podcast novel. How about the rest of your writing coming to the podcast format?
December 1st, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I’m tempted, Mike. All but one of my other books are out of print. I might make them available as print-on-demand and then try to generate interest by podcasting them. Even more tempting, though, would be to create an entirely new work that’s intended first and foremost as a podcast. I just LOVE the podcasting format! It’s a whole new art form and I’d like to explore it fully.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Well, I eagerly await the rest of Clear Heart, and have fingers crossed that you continue podcasting your fiction. I haven’t found anyone else that combines your level of writing with good narration of the work.
December 13th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Mr Cottonwood,
I LOVE your podiobook, Clear Heart. I’m up to chapter 45 and I’m afraid the story is about to end… but I don’t want it to! EVER! I find myself thinking about these characters throughout the day. Sounds obsessive, huh? Can’t help it. The quality of recording and the story itself it just THAT good. Thank you for stepping out on this limb and providing such an awesome product. I hope you continue with other stories in the future… and I hope you end up pioneering a new venue for the other talented authors out there to follow suit. Donation being submitted right after this comment!
December 15th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Wow, Tammy, thanks for the encouragement. It’s such a relief to hear that the characters are resonating with people. And I’m pleased that I’m getting good feedback from female listeners. I was a little worried that a book about carpenters might only appeal to guys. A lot of credit should go to Susan Walker, who gives such a sensitive reading of the female roles. My own reading improves the more I work with her.
January 9th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Absolutely loved the book. The characters were great. Really fell into their lives and wanted to know what happened to them. The voices were great and I agree they felt very warm.
I really hope that you podcast another novel because this is your first attempt and you’ve set the bar so high.
January 9th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Thanks, Chris. This feedback means everything to me. I’m so happy that the voices worked. Reading Juke’s voice nearly wore out my throat. You may notice that Juke’s voice changes slightly from one episode to another, getting more and more raspy as I go on. If you compare the first episode to the last, there’s quite a difference. That’s because I was getting more and more raspy myself.
This podcast was the most fun I’ve had in years. There will definitely be more. If I’m really lucky, maybe I can get Susan Walker to join me again. She has the magical ability to make my writing sound better than it actually is.
January 9th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’m going to fish for comments here. I received a private email today from a wonderful woman who said she almost didn’t listen to the podcast because of the blood on the bookcover. I’d like to know how other people reacted. I told her that the blood on the cover is a mixed message. I realize that some people, possibly most people, will expect a slasher novel. When I show the cover to other carpenters, they get it immediately: “The wood bleeds. Of course.” When you drive a nail into a nice piece of wood, you feel like you’re killing it. And if it’s green wood, it squirts when you nail it or else it drips water from the nail. This is especially true of uncured redwood. So to California carpenters, at least, the drop of blood makes perfect sense and also reflects the danger that is inherent in the construction trades. Maybe I should have explained that in the novel. Or maybe I should have used a different cover.
What do you think?
January 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I loved this more with each episode. Very good work.
The presence of blood on the cover graphic clashes with the essentially joyful nature of the book.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Dear Joe,
Your podcast “Clearheart” was excellent and very engaging. I enjoyed listening to it very much, and am looking forward to more of your work in this format. I was wondering what eventually happened to the gold coins lying around the coyote layer?
Kindest regards,
Alex.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Good question, Alex. I guess I assumed that Abe or Nathan would tell Wally about the gold coins, but I never followed through. Maybe by accident I’ve left an opening for the beginning of a sequel… Come to think of it, I’ve left a lot of openings for a sequel. The ending of the book is really just a beginning of a new phase in each character’s life.
And Barry, I’m struck by your use of the word “joyful.” I hadn’t ever thought of Clear Heart as joyful. I think I saw it as affirmative – and deeply spiritual in a goofy sort of way, though nobody else seems to have picked up on that – but it’s really cool to hear you call it joyful.
January 19th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
OK, you got me on the ‘wood bleeds.’ (I knew that. Sort of.) My take was, the blood didn’t fit with the rest of the information I got from the title and cover, so it made me curious.
I like the use of “joyful” as a description, too. Good call, Barry!
Thanks for the extra episode. I’m glad to know you enjoyed the podcasting as much as we did, especially if it means you will do more! I encourage you to make your old titles available, my library didn’t have them.
And, yes, there are plenty of directions you can go with these characters, and Juke and his family and friends top the list for me – most of them are Characters!
Good voices aren’t something I require from a listening experience, but I do enjoy them. You done good, Joe. Susan also did wonderful work. Give our thanks to her as well, please.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I just want people to know that I’ve rerecorded the first two episodes of Clear Heart, and they are now posted on Podiobooks. I learned so much in the process of making the podcast that I found myself wincing when I listened to the early episodes. In particular, I didn’t have Juke’s voice nailed down yet (so to speak). I’ll be rerecording a few more episodes, too, as time permits.
And Gail, I appreciate your comments. I get such a lift from these responses. They keep me going.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 am
I’ve just started listening to Clear Heart and want to thank you for an excellent story. I’m renovating a house over in England and though the tools I use are different the sentiments are the same and I’ve been chuckling along to the story. Clear Heart make me feel good about my day! Listening to an episode or two while walking the dog at 6 in the morning sets my mind in the right frame for laying some deck. I’ll be listening to the end and if you do some more I’ll be listening too. Thanks.
March 4th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Hiya, Stef! Different tools? At least you folk measure in feet and inches. As for getting in the right mood, you might not want to touch a tool after certain forthcoming chapters… Thanks for the encouragement.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:59 am
In a shameless act of self-promotion, I’ve been redesigning my web site to try to interest people in my podcast of Clear Heart. The comments posted in this discussion – right here – are just about the best praise I’ve ever seen, so I’ve quoted them on my web site as one would quote good reviews.
I haven’t identified anybody. If you object to having your words quoted, please tell me. Send a private email (joecot@coastside.net) and I’ll remove your words immediately. (And if on the other hand you want your name attached to your words, please tell me and I’ll put your name out there for the whole wide world to see!)
You all are great. Thank you so much for your kind messages. You make all this work worthwhile.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I know nothing about carpentry and building but I took this book on the strength of the reviews and am enjoying it immensely. It reminds me of Nathan Lowells style of writing (although with some strong language) in that it is primarily a story about the everyday life of a group of builders, but so well written and such well rounded out characters that even with no knowledge of the trade you get caught up in their lives. I look forward to more from Joe as this is a wonderful book.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Thanks, tlh. Rest assured, more books are coming…
April 7th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
What a “forking” good read!! Joe really knows how to develop a character, and a story!
April 8th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Thanks, Woody. I’m forkin’ grateful.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
If anybody wants updates on what I’m doing, I’ve started a blog at http://clearheartblog.blogspot.com/
May 28th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Joe does some really great voices in this podcast, and it makes the whole experience more enjoyable.
I have to day, though, that the voice that really makes the story come alive is from Susan Walker, who does the women’s voices. I never remembered that Opal and Frog were performed by the same person. Offhand, I can’t think of anybody who made voices of different ages. Gruffer, higher pitched, softer, louder – but not younger and older.
Susan is so good she makes it look (sound?) easy. That becomes evident in the extra episode, where she tries out several readings to see what is wanted.
Now. How do we persuade Susan to help Joe out, next time he wants to perform a book?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Great book. All the characters had their own personality which was portrayed nicely by the voices. I especially liked the relationship Wally had with Ronnie. It was sweet and completely different than any of his other relationships. I hope to see more podiobooks from this author in the furture. Thanks!
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:54 am
(Taking deep breath) Mmmmmm… (Sigh)
You’ve made this a better day. Thanks, Jessica.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I LOved this BOOk!! I loved the characters and good romance from a man’s point of view. I thought the title was wonderful too I love the idea of “Clear Heart” awesome book Joe are there going to be anymore soon? oh and are you single by any chance?
August 13th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Thanks, Alillia. Another podcast is scheduled for October, more or less. I appreciate the interest – heck, I’m honored – but I’m happily married. Very happily.
September 17th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
One of the better traditional fiction books I have read/listened to in recent memory. What it lacks in world ending disasters it more than makes up for in strong character development, a solid plot and most defiantly humor.
Very glad to have listened to this book.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:34 am
I have just finished listening to the book and I must say it had been some time since I last had smiled that much while commuting. You (and Susan, and all your fascinating characters) made those last three weeks of cycling between home, train station, and work, pure bliss.
It was my first encounter with podiobooks (I have been a fan of LibriVox for some time), and I will certainly post a review on my blog to share my enthusiasm. English is not my first language, so I am not a very good judge of language sheen, but as far as story-telling and humour goes, I pictured you somewhere between P.G. Wodehouse and Mark Twain.
P.S. I have been working on the restoration of my old French farmhouse for six years now, and I have found the house construction backdrop totally gripping. And I was immensely flattered when you mentioned my Milwaukee Sawzall among the tools that count – it was the first expensive tool I invested in when I started working on my house.
P.P.S. I guess I will have to figure out how to revive my Paypal account soon. Or maybe I should order the book…
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
Thanks, Mandarine – and a belated thanks to Goran, as well. As for the Paypal issue, never mind a donation – just buy the book, and then you’ll have something to keep. The publishing process is slow agony, but pretty soon it will be available for orders from amazon or an autographed copy directly from me. But then I’ve been saying that for a month now, and the book still isn’t out yet…
Anyway, you have no idea how much these comments mean to me. Thank you from the bottom of my (sometimes clear) heart.
On the news front, an Italian publisher is going to reissue my novel Famous Potatoes – in Italian – 30 years after its original appearance, and they’ve invited me to do a book tour in Italy during a Blues Festival there next May. I guess I have to pay my own way, but still, how cool is that? Springtime in Italy, and a blues festival, and a book tour. I’ve never even been to Europe. Time to fix that. So come to Italy next May, and we can say howdy.
November 8th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Huh, thank you so much for your brilliant books. As for the wood work, i also find some useful information about calipers here. I think you can also learn a lot from it. Cheers!
November 24th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Nice work on the podcast, Joe and Susan. Very enjoyable. All the best.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Hey, the book is out! http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Heart-Joe-Cottonwood/dp/1439211027/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227724466&sr=8-1
January 5th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Joe, thanks for a wonderful story! I became completely invested in your quirky collection of good souls. I even found my self literally laughing out loud a few times. And now the cashier at the market just thinks I’m a bit odd, since you caught me off-guard with Abe’s graduation speech. On a technical note, thank you (thank you!) for choosing a co-reader for the female characters. The dialog just flows. Great job. I was sad to come to the end and just might listen thru again.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
thanks, Jane, for making my day.
Before you listen again, you might try Boone Barnaby. It’s uploading now and will be available as soon as it can grind through the podiobooks sausage-making machinery. Check back in a week, maybe.
January 10th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Wow, that was an amazing book! Honest, unpretentious yet beautiful, straight and true storytelling … all the carpentry craftsmanship traits transformed into thought and spoken word.
Thank you very much for telling us this story Joe, giving it (and all the great characters captured within) even more of a life than it already had in the written form.
January 10th, 2009 at 11:24 am
And thank you, sir, for your kind words.
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 am
You have written one of the , no it is the most entertaining book that I’ve read.It is a story that has every thing, plus you and susan bring it to life. Its so good that after finishing it I’m going to listen to it at least one more time, maybe more. Great job!
July 24th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
You have no idea how much it means to me to hear that. Thanks, Bob.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:40 am
This is an absolutly wonderful book! The characters are so well written they feel like real people. The voice work is also wonderful, Susan and Joe are very talented. You don’t need to know anything about carpentry to enjoy this story either, but you will learn something about it!
August 19th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Thanks, Dariclone, for opening my birthday with such a nice comment.
February 10th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Ouah ! Joe, congratulations….The best book I have listened so far. I speak french and understand english relatively well. Never before I have been so eager to listen to the next chapter and the story is so addictive….fun and touching at the same time.
You are a talented author. Please keep writing stories. I will buy them…
Bertrand
February 13th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Merci beaucoup, Bertrand!
February 27th, 2010 at 2:29 am
Hello Joe,
I must say thank you for Clear Heart. This was a 5+ star experience for me. I have been listening to audio fiction for 4 years now and Clear Heart stands out as one of the best works of fiction I have listened to in those 4 years. I am just annoyed I did not download it sooner. As you must be aware the art of self publicity has paid dividends in the pod casting world and although that brash approach may not sit with the style of you or your writing I hope with more “push” your work can be read and heard by many more people.
I am presently downloading Babcock and look forward to listening to this in due course.
Thank you again and not forgetting Susan Walker for her beautiful voice.
Graham
in Luxembourg
February 27th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Thank you, Graham. I’m glad you found the podcast anyway. I’ve decided that the best use of my time is to write more fiction and create more podcasts, where I know what I’m doing, and not distract myself doing publicity, where I suck.
Glad you like Susan, too. As it happens she’ll be arriving at my house in just a few hours to spend the afternoon in my sawdusty workshop basement, speaking into a microphone balanced on top of my table saw, recording about a dozen voices for my next podcast. It’s so great to collaborate with her. She brings so much insight into her voices.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Oops. The microphone is balanced on the table saw, not Susan.
March 12th, 2010 at 7:16 am
Another great story. I could really picture exactly what Juke looked like in my mind. Kind of like that guy Rodger on sell this house show. I also really love how you ended this story, it was absolutely perfect!
March 12th, 2010 at 11:39 am
I’m glad the ending seems good. I wrote the story before the great collapse of the housing market, so I’ve been wondering if it still makes sense.
June 19th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I very much appreciated (not in the way Duke means it) listening to this audiobook. The writing was great. The narrating and sound quality was excellent and it made it easy to listen to. I could compare the quality to what Nathan Lowel does. Feel good books with emphasis on evolution and learning. Just loved it. Thanks a lot!
June 20th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Thanks, Paraman. I appreciate the comparison to Nathan. He’s my favorite podcaster.
August 10th, 2010 at 8:29 am
All of your works are amazing, Joe! I can’t wait to hear more from you!
October 13th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Clear Heart by Joe Cottonwood, is a story about life. Just that, life. There are no car chases or gunfights or deadly diseases, although there is one race with death that had me praying for a positive outcome.
Wally, a building contractor is just existing, each day a struggle to overcome the death of his wife as well as her betrayal. His highest hope is to create a house that is as close to perfect as possible for an impossible client, while his own life and home are in chaos.
His best friend, Duke, is a misfit with no responsibilities and seemingly no cares except to do his best work for his boss, Wally.
A fateful accident introduces Opal, the force that causes a catharsis, the healing and growing that takes place in this tale of life.
Abe, Opal’s son, an immature high school grad who was accepted into Princeton until he pulled a trick on the wrong man.
And last but not least is Frog Girl, Amanda, a pregnant, seventeen-year-old run away.
Throw all these personalities into a pot and stir, add a few side characters for spice and the race to finish the perfect house as the fire. Let it stew. With these ingredients, it simmers, boils, and simmers again. Just like life.
As a member of the audience, allowed a peak into the life of these people, you are shown all the imperfections of Wally and watch as he was able to say good bye to his wife and fall in love again. Watch as Opal realizes she does not need the perfect man, a banker or lawyer for a partner. Watch as Abe and Duke both mature into men who, after being tossed around the water, floundering a bit, learn to grab hold of life and realize what is important. Watch as Frog Girl discovers the mystery and bonds with her unborn baby and makes better and stronger decisions as her life continues.
There were times I did not like the characters, just as in real-life. Some decisions were made that would not be the decisions I would have made, but usually, after some learning and searching, things got back on course again.
I did not like Opal very much, all the way through. I thought she learned the least and did not really understand the minor miracle that was happening in her life. But that is just like real-life, too.
Joe Cottonwood has either been a carpenter or done incredible research. The details are sometimes overwhelming, but embellish the story and add a “scent” (I could smell as well as feel the redwood).
All in all, when I finally got the very end and looked back, I was amazed at the depth of this book. A story does not always need a car chase to be an excellent tale. I really liked Clear Heart
Both Joe and Susan Walker do an excellent job reading.
October 13th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Ooops, it is Juke, not Duke…… Sorry Not worried, tho, he is a big teddy bear….
April 15th, 2011 at 6:52 am
I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed Clearheart. It kind of took me a few chapters to warm up to it, though, mostly due to Joe’s tendency to o-ver-ar-ti-cu-late e-ver-y syl-la-ble. The only other critique is that the volume seemed low. I listen to podiobooks instead of the radio when I’m driving (it’s a terrific way to inhibit road rage – who cares about slow traffic when you’ve got a terriffic podiobook playing!), and I had to crank the sound way up to the point that there was a lot of background static (probably due to my iPod transmitter). Susan Walker does a fabulous job, but her low “Opal” voice tends to get quiet and lost at times.
Anywho, as one who grew up playing with my dad’s radial arm saw, drum sander and drill press, I understand Wally’s (and Joe’s) passion verging on obsession with the craft of woodwoorking. I also enjoyed all of the characters and the way they developed throughout the story.
Overall, it is a well-crafted, blissfully long production. Thank you for your wonderful work!
August 28th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
I’ve just finished Clear Heart. It’s been a real treat to listen to it. Strong, likeable characters make the book.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:10 am
A wonderful book–I love your narration and Susan’s also. This book brought back wonderful memories of making it in the world of residential building years ago. It is such an honest book!
October 8th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Thanks, Nancy, for the nice comment. And thanks to William and Joy and Arlene and Cindy, too.
These comments are just about my only reward for podcasting. You make me want to continue. I’ll make sure Susan sees them, too.