C.C. Hunter's Blog, page 25

January 25, 2016

Fierce & a Contest!

In just one week Almost Midnight will be released. It contains four of my novellas, previously only available as ebooks, plus it contains one new novella, Fierce, Fredericka Lakota’s story. Now, many of you have already read my novellas, but what happens in Fierce? Are you dying to know? Shh! How about I give you some hints?

Someone Fredericka cares about isn’t someone she should trust.
Someone from Fredericka’s past shows up and brings with her painful memories Fredericka would rather not face.
Weird and scary crap keeps happening at the falls.
Ghosts happen.
Fredericka finally feels like she’s part of the Shadow Falls Teams.
A certain kick-butt vampire turns out to be someone Fredericka not only can trust, but likes.
Fredericka gets a firm talking to from Burnett.
A murderer is brought to justice and to his knees thanks to Fredericka.
Love happens.

Contest!

I’ll give away one ARC of Almost Midnight to one person who leaves a comment AND posts a copy of a link to a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. post promoting the release of Almost Midnight out Feb. 2.

Here are the buy links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and Kobo.

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Published on January 25, 2016 21:03

January 18, 2016

January 11, 2016

ALMOST MIDNIGHT is Almost Here!

Almost Midnight will be out Feb 2, 2016!!!

Hunter brings her amazing Shadow Falls universe back to us via this collection of novellas. Each character gets a little section of the book, making for a lovely, quick read, and we get peeks at secondary characters as well. Filled with action, this collection will knock you off your feet!

—RT Book Reviews

Don’t have a Kindle, NOOK or Ereader? Don’t despair! Almost Midnight is a printed version of all my Shadow Falls novellas–plus a never before released novella about Fredericka. You’ll be able to pick up a copy off book store shelves starting Feb. 2nd. But you can pre-order it today and get it delivered to your door. Almost Midnight includes all of my Shadow Falls novellas: Turned at Dark, Saved at Sunrise, Unbreakable, Spellbinder and Fierce, Fredericka’s novella.

Turned at Dark

Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang did not believe in ghosts, until she sees her dead cousin in a dark alley. She did not believe in vampires, until she turns into one. Should she follow her vampire cousin’s lead and walk away from everything she knows, or join Shadow Falls, a camp for special teens?

Saved at Sunrise

Camp resident Della Tsang, who’s still coming into her own vampire powers, is assigned to help find those responsible. If she succeeds, maybe she’ll even land her dream job: working for the F.R.U., the enforcers of the supernatural world. But when she sees that her new partner is a hunky shapeshifter, things get complicated. Steve, too gorgeous to be trusted and capable of seeing through her tough-as-nails exterior, knows just how to get under her skin. And only hours into the mission, Della realizes rogue vampires aren’t the only threat she’s facing. If she’s ever going to complete her assignment, she’ll need his help…but learning to trust him will be her hardest challenge yet.

Unbreakable

He isn’t everything he says he is. He’s even more…

Who is Chase Tallman, the newest member of Shadow Falls? What made him into the sexy, mysterious vampire he is today? And what led him to Della Tsang?

Step back in time and unearth the secrets that haunt him. The secret of how he became a vampire-and how he knows so much about being reborn. Secrets about his first love, his family–and what steers him toward Della, the beautiful, complicated girl he just can’t seem to stay away from. The one who makes him want things he thought he’d given up on long ago.

It all began with a research study, a palm reader, and a plane crash that sent him on a quest…for a love that’s unbreakable.

Spellbinder

When magic, romance and family secrets collide, the result is spellbinding!

Miranda Kane has always felt like a screw up–at least when it comes to her ability to wield magic. Her only sanctuary is Shadow Falls camp, where she’s learning to harness her powers as a witch. But thanks to her shapeshifter boyfriend who called it quits and ran off to Paris, both her heart and powers feel broken.

When she unexpectedly lands a top spot in a spell casting competition in France, she flies out with her best friends Kylie and Della. But her trip takes her straight into the heart of a dangerous supernatural mystery–and a heated romance. What Miranda doesn’t expect is for her investigation to unleash shocking revelations…about herself, her family, and her arch enemy. Now Miranda must step up and show everyone that she’s a witch to be reckoned with….before it’s too late.

Fierce

Also included into the anthology is Fierce, a heart-warming story about Fredericka Lakota and her struggles to let go of her past and to find the future she deserves, but the one guy who challenges her the most will lead her to the life she’s always wanted.

Get ready to be knocked off your feet!!!

Now available in print for the first time in Almost Midnight, these enchanting novellas will reveal a side of the camp that you’ve never seen before…and live in your heart forever.

Pre-order you copy today: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and Kobo.

Giveaway!

Can’t wait till Feb. 2nd? I’m giving away an Advanced Reading Copy of Almost Midnight to someone who leaves a comment on this blog. (If you are reading this on Goodreads, you have to go to my website blog to comment for a chance to win. Also, sorry, but I have to limit this giveaway to US residents only.)

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Published on January 11, 2016 21:04

January 4, 2016

Shadow Falls Movie???

If I had to tell you the question I get asked most often, it is: Is Shadow Falls being made into a movie or TV series? And it thrills me to know that my fans are waiting for it and wanting it as much as I am. Ahh, but sometimes it seems nothing moves slower than movie making. I mean, it’s slower than a slug inching through a puddle of sleepy time tea. It’s slower than writing a book. Don’t they know we want this to happen…NOW! Haven’t we waited long enough?

Ahh, but I’m here to tell you that things are moving forward. I didn’t say they’re happening fast, but the slug may be out of the sleepy time tea, and moving into a latte. You see, I had a conversation the Director of Scripted Development at CDS, the studio who bought the rights. She had some questions and was just letting me know a little about the process. And I wanted to share it with you. They actually gave my book to several writers and then they wrote a sample scene or scenes of how they would move forward with the film. After reviewing these samples, they pick the best writer who they feel has a better handle on the story and characters.

Can you imagine, there are several script writers working on Shadow Falls? I feel like dancing!! Anyway, we were talking about how I see the story development. Is it a drama with comedic dialogue, or is it a comedy with some drama worked in? I told her that I saw it more like a drama with humor extending from the characters. And we compared it to some of the other shows already out there. So here’s my question to you. What movie/TV series have you seen that you feel best reflects your ideal vision of a Shadow Falls film?

Giveaway!!

I haven’t done a giveaway in a while, so today I’m giving away a Born To Read T-shirt to one person who leaves an answer. Oh…and Happy New Year!!!

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Published on January 04, 2016 21:02

December 28, 2015

I’m Glad You Asked

A few weeks ago I asked you to leave some questions you’d like me to answer in the comment section. Well, you came up with some doozies. So, periodically, I will answer some of them here on my blog. Here are the first ones.

Bn100 asked: What’s your favorite part of a signing?

I love meeting my fans. Everyone has a story about my books, how it made them feel, who their favorite character is, even how my books helped them in some way. It’s a very humbling feeling to know that something I wrote had an impact on people. Now, my least favorite thing about signing is . . . signing. I’m always so nervous about misspelling people’s names or even my name. Being dyslexic, I’m famous for misspelling and just down right goofing up when a pen’s in my hand.

Taryn asked: Do you know the release date for Miranda’s novella and Unbreakable? (Jennifer also wanted to know the release date for Miranda’s novel.)

Unbreakable came out Sept. 30, 2014, so you could have read it already. Miranda’s novel should be out toward the end of 2016. I’m thinking late October, but I don’t have an exact release date yet. As soon as I do, I’ll let you know on my blog.

Also from Taryn: When did you get the idea for Shadow Falls, did it just come to you randomly?

I’ve told this story a time or two. Guess it’s one of those things everyone wants to know. I was actually writing romantic suspense novels under my real name Christie Craig (still do!), when an editor from St. Martins contacted me. She liked my voice and thought my smart a$$ sense of humor would translate well to Young Adult novels. So, she asked me if I would like to try my hand at writing a YA series. The thought of switching genres scared me to death! And it was actually because I was afraid that I became determined to try it. She even had an idea for one: a paranormal camp. That was all she said. So I went home and my imagination took off. Suddenly, Shadow Falls Camp and all those characters were born.

Emma asked: My question as an author is how do you come up with the bad guys? It’s so easy for me to make characters to love and I even tend to turn mean characters into lovable ones. I struggle to make an evil character because I want to redeem them, however I know there needs to be a villain so any advice with that?

Hmm…bad guys, huh? Well, as you said you have to have antagonists in your novel, the ones who thwart the hero/heroine at every turn, or it would be a pretty boring read. I know we’ve all encountered bad people in our lives, I know I have. So, when I create an antagonist, I draw on those people I’ve met, but I may have to borrow a bit from several, then ramp it up a bit. I do try to create antagonists who are multi-dimensional. Even Darth Vader wasn’t all bad, we glimpsed that little bit of good in him before he died. So, when I create a bad guy, I usually have a whole history for them in my head, and I may only show my readers a small part of him or her in my book. And like you, I sometimes have a hard time not “redeeming” them. Take Fredericka, for example, she was the bane of Kylie’s existence, a real bully. But there’s more to her than meets the eye, and her backstory kept nagging at me. That’s why I chose to write a novella about her to include in Almost Midnight (out Feb. 2, 2016). Oh, and you remember Red, right? He was all bad, but then I couldn’t help it, at the end I redeemed him, too. Oh, he still died, but he was still redeemed.

I guess my advice is that not everyone is all bad, and I think it’s okay to show this. And no, we probably shouldn’t redeem them all, because there is a price for our mistakes and we need to show that, too. Good luck!!

Thank you all for your questions.

I’ll try to answer all of your questions in time–including all of them on a Shadow Falls TV/movie. But if you can think of any more questions you’d like me (or maybe one of my characters) to answer write it in the comments below.

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Published on December 28, 2015 21:06

December 21, 2015

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you spend the holidays surrounded by those you love.

Recently, I asked you to give my characters middle names, and you did a wonderful job. I loved all of your choices. So, I thought you’d find an interview I did for Aanchal interesting. I talk about naming my characters among other things.

1. How do you come up with the names for the characters in your books?

I’m terrible at picking names. My editor even send me a book on naming your baby. I’ll look at on my book shelf and see an author’s name and bam, I’ve got my new name.

At one time, I was considering naming Della, Ashley. Kylie was Caroline. Miranda was Elizabeth. Lucas was Hunter. Then, I realized that was my last name. I named Steve, and I shouldn’t have, because my own husband’s name is Steve. Now when fans claim to be Steve fans, my hubby gets a big smile on his face.

See, I really am bad with names.

2. Who do you think is the most complex character in Eternal?

Hmm, very difficult question. I think it’s a toss-up between three characters: Della, Burnett and Chase. Della because she’s a mix of sass and heart. Burnett because he’s so firm, yet cares so deeply. And Chase because he’s still a mystery to me.

3. If you could co-author a book with any author who would it be?

Hmm, Jennifer Armentrout or Kelly Armstrong.

4. What is the one quote that inspires you above all others?

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.” Henry Ford

5. What song would be the perfect theme song for Eternal?

I looked for Della’s song, and I think the one that best tells Della’s story is Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger.

Do you think this song fits Della? Do you have any other suggestions for Della’s song?

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Published on December 21, 2015 21:02

December 14, 2015

Overcoming Obstacles

I wrote the following piece for Parade magazine a while ago. Not everyone knows I’m dyslexic. I’ve never made a secret of it, but I don’t want it to define me either. Everyone has something they need to overcome. Some people lack self-confidence, others are afraid to speak in public or perhaps they have a physical disability. The list goes on. But if you want something badly enough, you can keep on trying to overcome whatever it is that is holding you back. You may or may not ever overcome it, but sometimes it’s not just about overcoming something, it’s about how you face it. I will always be dyslexic, there is no cure, but not only have I learned to compensate for it, I’ve improved. Oh, I still make plenty of mistakes, but I don’t let that stop me. A lot of people thought I was crazy when I decided to become a writer. That’s like someone with acrophobia deciding to become a paratrooper. Amazingly, struggling with dyslexia also taught me perseverance. It took years, lots of writing classes, and learning new ways to cope every day, but I finally fulfilled my dream of making a living by writing. It was not even a dream I had growing up, but I think that is when the small seed was planted all those years ago.

Letters. Words. Books. Everyone understood them, I didn’t. They called me learning impaired. Later, I would be labeled dyslexic. Books intimated me, but being southern, stories intrigued me. So, after school, I would head to the woods by our house, make a bed of pine straw and tell myself stories. But in fourth grade a teacher put a book a in my hands and was determined I would read it. So I took that book to the woods with me.

The stories I told myself were real life, about real people. This book was about a pig and a big gray spider. But after a few pages, that pig and that spider were as real to me as any human. It took me forever, but I read every page. Charlotte’s Web was the first “big” book I’d ever completed. Wilbur’s struggle to survive and the friendship that bonded these different characters inspired me. Charlotte’s perseverance to save Wilbur from an untimely death had me longing for a friend so loyal. And when she died, I sobbed and grieved. E. B. White taught me an important lesson of how far one could take the imagination and how emotion can bring life to any character.

It was because of Charlotte’s Web that I picked up another. That book helped me become the writer I am today. Looking back, I see similarities in my Shadow Fall series to the lessons E.B White portrayed in Charlotte’s Web: friends can come in all different shapes, sizes and even supernatural species, and loyalty between friends can heal any wound.

Now, I’d like to hear about an obstacle or problem you have had to overcome or learn to live with. Let me know in the comments below.

Winner!

Last week, I asked you to give my characters middle names, and you all did a great job. I loved the names. So, it was hard to pick a winner, so it was a totally random pick. The winner is Amanda. Congratulations! Please send your mailing address to cc@cchunterbooks.com, and I’ll get your prize out to you.

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Published on December 14, 2015 21:02

December 7, 2015

Della On Della

Della originally agreed (and by agree I mean I had to twist her arm) to do this interview for Swoony Boys Podcast. But I thought if you missed it there, you might like reading it here. She’s developed such an attitude!

Let’s start with a hard question. There aren’t a lot of people who have experienced a situation similar to yours. But if there were someone who was dealing with what you’ve been through, what advice would you give them?

You do know I’m only doing this because C.C. insists, right? She also informed me that I have to be polite. The thing is, I’m sort of polite-impaired. Kylie and Miranda, they do polite. But I’ll give it a shot. By situation, I’m assuming you mean everything. How one day my life was a certain way, all my ducks in a row, and then bam, someone came in and yanked all their heads and feet off and left duck parts floating around everywhere. Yup, everything changed. I didn’t like change. To be honest, I’m still not best friends with it. But the thing is, sometimes good stuff comes out of change, even really sucky change. Oh, it can still knock you on your a$$, but as Kylie says, “It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s about how many times you get up.” So I’ll steal that from Kylie and say it would be my advice. No matter what happens, or how hard something hits you, just always get back up.

What are your biggest fears?

Me, afraid? Haven’t you heard? I’m vampire. I’m not afraid of anything. Unless it’s about people I care about. Then well, yeah, maybe I’m tad bit afraid. Caring about people is not only scary but it makes you vulnerable. But the other option, being a b with an itch and pushing everyone away, it’s lonely and can make you one miserable piece of work. So I guess my biggest fear is losing someone I love, or having something bad happen to them.

What’s your spirit animal?

That sounds like a question Miranda would ask? I don’t care too much for spirits. I mean, after my dead neighbor and my dead aunt hung around, if I don’t see another spirit, I’d be happy. But you’re talking about animals and which one I relate to, right? I’ll bet you think I’m gonna say bat because I’m vampire. But please . . . the whole vampire/bat connection is blown out of proportion. But I kind of like cats. They are independent and sly. They can purr all sweet like, but when the need arises, they can bring out their claws.

Describe yourself in three words.

Well, someone asked C.C. this question recently and she said, “smart, sassy, and stubborn.” I mean, two of them fit me, but one . . . Personally, sometimes that woman worries me. I think she just likes words that start with s. Because I’m not that smart!

Let’s shift to Chase. What’s your favorite thing about him?

Have you seen him with his shirt off? But that’s not my favorite thing. He can make me laugh. He gets me. Even when I’m mad at him, he’s so darn charming. But if you tell him I said that, I’ll just say you lied.

We know some about the bad situations you’ve been through with Chase, but we want to hear some of the good. What’s your best memory of him?

Remember when he was teaching me to drive his car and I got pulled over by that cop? Chase didn’t blink. He changed seats with me and took the blame and got the ticket. I would have gotten in so much trouble with my dad if I’d gotten that ticket. It’s really nice to know that someone has your back. Not that I really need anyone to have my back, but it’s still nice to know.

That leads us to the next question. Let’s talk trust. You run with a tight circle. What does it take for you trust someone? And once someone has earned your trust, what does that mean to you?

It’s kind of hard to trust people when you can tell when they are lying. Ka-thump, ka-thump. There’s a sound a lying heart makes and I loathe hearing it. It’s also hard to trust people when others have let you down. But now, I’ve overcome a lot of my issues. Okay, I’ll admit it, it probably still takes me a little longer to trust people than others. But is that really a bad thing? I mean the opposite of being distrustful is being gullible. Who wants to be that?

But what does it mean when I do trust someone? I guess it means I like him/her. And if I like you, then I guess it means you are one of us. I hate to use the word ‘pack’ because it’s so werewolf related, but it’s a good word. And hey…not everything were related is bad.

Okay, last question. Since we’re all about the swoon here at Swoony Boys Podcast, we have to ask. What is it about Chase that makes him swoony?

Have you not read the books? Everything about Chase is swoon worthy. His green eyes, his sexy grin, his abs, how he fits in his jeans. When he kisses me, it’s like everything disappears. It’s like I’m the only thing in the world he cares about. And he knows exactly how to move his lips against mine. He knows when a girl wants to be kissed a little harder, or when a soft brushing of a guy’s lips is just enough.

Oh, and he’s this tough guy on the outside, but there’s still this softer side to him. There’s the side of Chase who still misses his family. The side who loves Baxter, his dog. I sometimes think he might love that dog more than me. But I don’t care, I kinda like Baxter, too.

*************

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Della? If so, what would you ask?

Contest

I’ve been asked about my characters’ middle names several times. Actually, I’ve only given Della a middle name and it’s Rose. So, I thought it would be fun to have a contest to give Kylie, Miranda, Lucas, Derek, Burnett and Holiday middle names. What do you think their middle names should be? I’ll give a prize to the winner and announce their name in next week’s blog.

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Published on December 07, 2015 21:02

November 30, 2015

Let’s Get Personal

Amanda Van Zandt asked me a few questions for her blog, and they are actually questions I’m frequently asked in emails and in person. So, I thought I’d share them with you.

What keeps you motivated?

Sometimes it’s the deadlines. Knowing I have to get it in. Sometimes it’s the art of storytelling. When I write something that surprises me, I get excited. Also reading emailing from my fans gives me a good kick in the pants.

What is your source for inspiration?

I find inspiration in a love of things. People I know who have encouraged me. My grandmother was always encouraging me. I also love inspirational sayings. I have them all over my desk. i.e. Every long journey begins with single step.

What inspired you to write?

Growing up, I never felt as if I was really good at anything. I had friends who were good at sports, others who were great at music and were in the band. I didn’t have a thing. Being dyslexic, reading wasn’t even my thing. My favorite pastime was to go off somewhere and make up stories. I never realized that creating stories was my thing. When I was twenty-three and realized that I was actually good at doing it, it felt so good to realize I had a thing, too. I became almost obsessed at writing stories and creating characters. I love what I do.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I’ve written published 30 books. And they all have come from different places. Sometimes I open the door to my closet of a mind and just reach in for something. It might be a newspaper article I once read, or it could be a story someone told me. Or it might be the day I watched the garbage man look into my neighbor’s trash can and appear shocked. And I think I’ll bet there’s a body in that can. My Shadow Falls series actually came from my editor. She had an idea she wanted a writer to write about. She told me, paranormal camp. That was all she said. So I got busy trying to figure out who my lead character was and what kind of supernatural she was.

Did you know the ending before you were finished?

No, I’m what you call a pantser. Meaning, I write by the seat of my pants. I might kind of know what’s going to happen, but not all the details.To me the fun of writing is discovering what happens.

Did you get some of the characters from personal experience?

Yes. Miranda in my Shadow Falls series, is dyslexic. Kylie is shy and insecure like I was.

Is anything that happened in one of your books based on something in your life?

I really think that when I write, I’m plagiarizing from my own life. Kylie’s parents got a divorce when she was sixteen and so did my parents. Kylie’s friend thought she was pregnant and I had a friend that it happened, too. Sometimes I borrow bits and pieces of my experiences to help me write scenes. For example, I’ve never seen a bloody, rogue vampire, like Kylie has, but once when I was working at a Pizza restaurant, I was held up by a guy with a knife. So when I wrote the scene that Kylie was so afraid of the vampire I just remembered how afraid I was that time I had a knife held at me.

How do you deal with rejection (from publishers, readers, reviews)?

I have thousands of rejections. Sometimes I think that dyslexia helped me deal with rejection. Being dyslexic I learned that it was okay to fail and I just had to try again. So, if someone didn’t like my book, or my short story, I would just go write another one. One way I recommend other writers deal with rejection is to hang out with positive people.

Did you have any problems when you were writing your book?

Every writer has problems. It takes a long time to learn to craft a story. I wrote ten years before I published my first book. Sometimes I would think my story wasn’t good, but I would just give myself a day to rest and then I would go back to writing.

Were you interested in writing as a teenager?

No, like I said earlier, I didn’t think I could be a writer, because I had so much trouble spelling and other problems with the dyslexia. But I still told myself stories in my head.

H. Abrams observes how a novel can reflect on the world, the author, and the audience. How do you think your novel is impacted by the world, yourself (the author), and the intended audience?

When I sit down to write, my only goal is to entertain. That’s what a book is supposed to do. However, in every book a character has issues that they must overcome. And I get emails all the time from readers, who tell me how reading about my characters, who have to deal with issues like being shy, and insecure, and having family issues, has helped the see that they are not alone. Books can inspire us, give us hope, give us courage, and teach us how to face troubles.

Your Questions?

Okay, I’ve posted several interviews I’ve had in my last few blogs. Hopefully, you now know a bit more about my books and about me. But do you want to know anything about my characters? If you could ask any question of any of my characters, what would you ask? I’ll try to answer some of your questions in future blogs.

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Published on November 30, 2015 21:02

November 23, 2015

Inside Unspoken

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you will all take a little time this holiday to be thankful for what you have. Shadow Falls Camp is planning a very special celebration with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and numerous pints of blood. Hey, vampires have to eat, too! Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by your family and loved ones.

Many of you seemed to like the interview I posted last week, so I thought I’d post one more this week. This interview originally posted along with a review of Unspoken on October 26, 2015 on Fiktshun.

1. In 25 words or less, what can readers expect from Unspoken?

A wild ride of action, suspense, and love that’ll tug at your heart strings. A story of forgiveness, and unlikely friendships that’ll make you laugh.

2. What has been your favorite part about writing the Shadow Falls: After Dark series/Della Tsang’s stories?

It’s Della. Her sassiness, her spunk, her spark. Okay, you know we all have a little smarta$$ inside of us. And when I write her, I get to bring my inner Della out and let it party. My husband calls it “Dellatude.” She’s loyal, she’ll always have your back, but she’s not the girlfriend, you ask, “Do these jeans make my butt look big?” Because that girl tells the truth, even when a white lie would have been much more appreciated. Writing her has been . .. as my grandmother would say, “a hoot and half.” Writing this little spitfire has taught me that sometimes it’s okay to speak your mind.

3. Across both Shadow Falls series, who has been your favorite character to write (and why are they a favorite)? And who has been your most challenging character (and what were the challenges)?

Okay, I admit it. I love Burnett. He’s a grumpy, macho, sexy vampire. He drives Della crazy by being so over protective. But let me tell you, if he wasn’t in love with Holiday, I’d steal him. His character has slowly evolved in all the books. As a matter of fact, in Fierce, a novella included in Almost Midnight, out Feb. 2nd, you’ll discover a little more about his past and the reason he is the way he is. Now Fierce isn’t Burnett’s story, but rather a story of another character that was a challenge to write. But Fredericka Lakota demanded her own story. I mean she bugged me until I finally just cratered. She wasn’t even a likely candidate, or even a likable character. She was Kylie’s nemesis —someone everyone wanted to root against. Yet, even archenemies have stories. Some of them, like Fredericka, even deserve to be redeemed. I never thought I’d find myself rooting for her, but boy howdy, when I learned her story, she got under my skin and into my heart.

4. If you had to pick one scene, or one moment, from Unspoken that was your favorite, what would it be?

That would be when Della and her father finally have their “talk.” There have been times when writing this series, I seriously considered killing Della’s dad. He was so hurtful to Della and it broke her heart and mine. But she loved that man wouldn’t let me whack him.

5. Della and Chase have a rather… shall we say… complicated relationship. What do you think the biggest obstacles are for them to have a happily ever after? And, as the author, are you rooting for them or are you maybe rooting for the other boy in Della’s life?

Chase came into Della’s life under false pretenses—for good reason, but no one likes to be lied to. And Della, well, I don’t know if my readers have noticed, but she’s not exactly quick to forgive. If Chase is gonna win her back, he’s gotta put up with some crap. And Della knows how to dish that out in big scoopfuls. Now as for who I’m rooting for…Whoever Della chooses. But I can tell you this,in the Shadow Falls series, Della loves two guys—both are wonderful, caring and deserving of her love. One of them is a better choice. It’s not an easy choice. But in good fiction and in life, choosing the right path, and the right person, is never easy.

6. Throughout both series, Della has had some great lines. What are your top three favorites? And has there been anything she said that made you shake your head and say, “Oh no!”?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ll be writing dialogue and think… Della, you can’t say that! But she’d say it, so I was required to write it.

* From Reborn—Della defending that women can do anything guys can do to Burnett: “I will respect the authority, when the authority respects me! And that includes my breasts!” However, in Unspoken, she’s really tired of having to defend this issue and she puts it in another more direct way. “Oh, please,” Della said.“Excuse me while I go and grow a penis so the sausage-and-meatball-toting gender will stop thinking I need a man to protect me.”

* From Unspoken –Della telling a crouching man holding his boys. “Sorry,” Della said. “I think I’m allergic to perverts. I get involuntary knee jerks.”

* From Unspoken—Della’s dialogue to Miranda and Kylie when they walk in on a heated conversation between Della and Chase. “I’m going to bed. I don’t want to commiserate. I don’t want a diet soda. I don’t want to explain why it feels like the awkward fairy just came down here and pissed all over the room.”

7. I understand that UNSPOKEN is the final full-length book in this series. Are there any plans for another spin-off series about one of the other Shadow Falls characters? Or are there plans for any new novellas?

Well, I told you about Fierce and Fredericka’s story. Right now, I’m working on Miranda’s book. The readers have already gotten into Miranda’s head in Spellbinder. Throughout the series they have watched Miranda come into her own powers and overcome a lot of issues. In this last book, Miranda’s newfound powers will be tested. And she’ll have to make a decision between Perry and Shawn. And because this is the last book about Shadow Falls, all my characters will graduate.

8. When ending a series what is the thing you miss most about it, what is the hardest thing for you to say goodbye to?

Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I’ve been with these characters for over five years. They have made me cry, laugh and inspired me. Yes, inspired me to change to grow. I know that sounds crazy, because I wrote them. But when you write a character, you give them the best of you and then you can learn from how they handle the crisis that you also toss their way.

*****

If you could have me write another Shadow Falls book after I finish Miranda’s book, which character would you like it to be about?

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Published on November 23, 2015 21:02

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