C.C. Hunter's Blog, page 38

Going Home

Well, I’m working on Della’s first book,  Reborn, now and it’s going great.  Yesterday, I was working on a scene where Della has a parents’ weekend and something hit me.  You know how hard it is on her when she goes home?  The funny thing is, I realized that it’s always hard to go back home. No matter who you are.  It’s not easy to leave the nest in the first place, but then oddly, it’s also hard returning to the nest.  I remember going back home to live with my parents after I’d been living on my own for a while.  They still sort of treated me the way they’d treated me before I’d moved out, and I didn’t want to be treated like that anymore.  I wanted to be treated like an adult, and they weren’t so sure I was ready to be an adult. Needless to say, I wasn’t very happy.

I know some of you guys are probably home for the summer, or maybe getting ready to leave the nest for the first time.  I’ll just tell you to hang in there, remember your parents love you and most of the time their actions, right or wrong, stem from love.  Della even realizes this. Yes, it’s very painful to have her parents think the worst about her, but she knows they love her and are just concerned.  So she’s trying really hard to be understanding, which as you can guess, doesn’t come easily to her.

Now remember, when your parents are driving you crazy, they only have your best interest at heart. And if Della, my volatile vampire, can hold her temper, so can you. But tell me, what do your parents do that makes you nuts?

Giveaway!

I am giving away a Shadow Falls t-shirt to one person who leaves a comment. (Unfortunately, I have to limit this giveaway to those living in the U.S. Sorry! And if you are reading this on Goodreads, remember you need to leave your comment on my Website in order for a chance to win.)

 

Have Lunch With Me!

I was recently invited to participate in the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation luncheon in Wisconsin April 26, 2014, and am I ever excited! The luncheon will be filled with fun, gift bags and door prizes. There will also be a raffle of many baskets filled with books and other items. There will be 40+ authors attending (of which I’ll be one!), and NYT Best-selling author Debbie Macomber will be the key note speaker.

If you arrive Friday, you’ll be able to attend a Q & A session with a chance to ask authors questions. Afterward, there will be a Harlequin sponsored meet and greet with the authors.

Hurry, there’s only enough room for 500, and it’s filling up fast! You can find all the details at Barbara Vey’s Reader Appreciation Luncheon.

Atlanta Pics

As a writer, I spend much of my time in my office working away on my computer, creating characters in their own special worlds. It means spending hours alone with them, and being a talker, I often end up talking to my characters (my family has gotten used to this and no longer talks of committing me). But eventually, I have to say goodbye to them when I finish a book. And as much as I love my characters and carry them in my heart, I do enjoy the opportunity to connect with my real friends. And I have to admit, I have been very fortunate over the years. I have made a lot of wonderful writer friends as well as those connected with writing, like agents, editors, etc. And I can’t forget my loyal Shadow Falls fans, either, the ones who come to see me wherever I am signing.  So, I really looked forward to seeing everyone at the RWA conference in Atlanta last week.  I wasn’t disappointed, I had a great time—even when I was emceeing the awards in front of 2,000 people!  Anyway, I thought I’d share some of my conference photos with you.

 

 

Betty Hobbs, who flew all the way to Atlanta to attend my booksigning,  and her sister Jan.  Thank you Betty!

 

 

 

My good buddy and friend, Lori Wilde.  She rocks at writing.  And we both have books out in Jan.  You’ll see us cross promoting!

 

 

A Shadow Fall’s fan who came to see me in a storm.  Thank you!  And thank you to her mom who brought her.  You guys are the greatest!

 

 

 

 

Shana Galen,  Sarah MacLean, and Sophie Jordan share a moment with me.

 

 

 

Me and my wonderful agent, Kim Lionetti.

 

 

 

 

BookEnd’s, my agency’s, party.  Fun, fun and fried green tomatoes!

 

 

 

Me on at the podium and up on the big screen.  (Yikes!  Can they see my pores?)

 

 

 

Me and writing friend Cathy Crouch.

 

 

 

Lori Wilde, Shawnna Perigo and me.  Dad blast it!  They make me look even shorter!

 

 

So, in case you can’t tell, I had a blast in Atlanta. And I’m so glad I said yes when RWA called me to emcee the awards ceremony. Atlanta is a wonderful city filled with friendly people. Have you ever been to Atlanta?

I Did It!

I did it! I went to Atlanta and got through emceeing RWA’s RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony. And you know what? As much as the thought of doing it scared the pants off me, I did it, it went well, and now I feel ten feet tall (which is a feat for little ol’ height challenged me). That’s the great thing about doing something that scares you. Once you do it, you feel so proud of yourself, and you wonder why you were so scared in the first place.

Yup, Atlanta was fun—busy, but fun. I met up with author friends I hadn’t seen in a while, taught two workshops, went out for some fabulous dinners, and had three book signings. Now, I’m taking a few days off and going on a much deserved mini vacation with my hubby before I get back to work on Della’s series. I just hope she leaves me alone long enough for me to enjoy my days off. She can be so persistent!

Anyway, I thought you’d like to see a few photos from my time at the conference. I’ll post some more later, once I get home. These are some pics of my book signings:

 

 

 

 

 

I also had chocolate nachos. Anybody ever had those before? They were yummy! What do you think?

 

Getting Ready for Atlanta

Last week I wrote about my upcoming trip to Atlanta. I’ll be heading there this week, and boy, have I been busy getting ready. A girl can’t just show up at a conference in baggy old clothes. You see, I’ve been working very hard, exercising and I even gave up my favorite—carbs! As a result, I’ve lost 28 pounds and I feel like a new woman. A new woman who still isn’t to her goal weight, but hey…I do feel better.  Anyway, my new, thinner body demanded new clothes. Now, I’m not a lover of shopping.  If I had to choose between writing and shopping I’d pick writing and wear baggy clothes while doing it, but those baggy clothes were literally falling off me.  So off I went.  And guess who wasn’t happy?  Della!

I’m in a dressing room trying on a suit, and that sassy vamp keeps popping into my head and bossing me around, telling me what I should write for her first book Reborn. I’ll admit I kind of left her in the middle of an exciting scene.  She’d just found a trespasser on Shadow Falls’ property.  He’s even kind of cute, but he’s a smartass, and she’s determined to kick his butt and hand him over to Burnett.  Ahh, but things aren’t going to end the way she wants.  Anyway, let’s just say it’s hard for me to get time to myself these days with Della screaming in my ear.

But in spite of Della’s ravings, I managed to buy a very pretty and sophisticated pant suit for my turn as the emcee for RWA’s Awards Ceremony on Saturday night.

But that’s not all, I’m also teaching two workshops in Atlanta: one on Street Teams (I have a great one!) and one on writing young and new adult books. So you know what that means, don’t you? More shopping! Yup, I had to find some nice outfits for those, too. Not that I completely forgot about Della.  I actually did a little shopping for her, too.  The girl’s gotta wear something in my imagination.  I found a couple of outfits for her, too.  What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I’m about ready now, I just have to pack, and finishing that scene. I’m looking forward to this trip, it’s going to be great!

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Atlanta area, I’ll be signing my books at RWA’s “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing on Weds., July 17, 5:30-7:30 PM at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in the Atrium Ballroom A-C. I’ll be there with about 400 other authors, and we’ll be signing our books to raise money for literacy programs. So, come by, I’d love to meet you.

Oh, and I’m Guest Blogging!

Make sure you read my guest blog at Between the Lines on Friday, July 19th. There will be a huge giveaway as part of the 2013 Summer Author Promo Blitz. There’s even a Twitter Party at 7 PM on July 19: Use #2013SummerAuthorBlitz to join the party.

 

 

Meet Me In Atlanta!

[image error]I’ve had a pretty busy summer so far, but it’s going to get even busier. You see, next week I’m off to the Marriott Marquis in the Peachtree Center in Atlanta, Georgia for the Romance Writers of America’s Annual Conference.  I’ve been going to their conferences for years, but this year I’ve been invited to be their emcee at their RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony on July 20th. I was shocked when they asked me.  But I was also so honored to be asked to emcee the ceremony.  I, of course, said yes, but then when I hung up, it hit me.  It hit me what I’d just agreed to do. I mean, thousands of people attend the conference.  Thousands!!!  You have no idea how badly I wanted to call them back and say…  “Did I say yes?  I meant no, I really meant to say no.”

But then I realized the reason I wanted to say no.  Just plain ol’ fashion fear.  I don’t consider myself an overly brave person.  I don’t jump out of perfectly good planes, ride bulls, or tie a rubber band around my waist and jump off bridges.  But when I realize I’m afraid of something, something that isn’t life threatening, something that might even help me grow as a person, I force myself to do it.

Heck, for that matter, when I was asked to write the Shadow Falls series, I almost said no.  You see, I was already publishing adult romance novels, but this was a new genre that I wasn’t accustomed to writing.  And I was afraid to fail.  But I rose up to the challenge and look where that lead me.  So…I didn’t call Romance Writers of America back, I wasn’t going to let fear win.

You know Kylie, Della and all my other Shadow Falls characters have fears, too.  Sometimes in fiction, the best scenes are when you have your characters facing and overcoming those fears.  And in this case, sometimes real life mimics fiction.  It’s often those moments when we force ourselves to do something that frightens us, when we do it in spite of the flutters of nerves, it’s those moments that seem to make a difference in our lives.

As much as I’m still a little nervous of emceeing the awards ceremony, I can’t wait for the “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing on Wednesday, July 17th at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis from 5:30-7:30. You see at the Literacy Autographing, over 400 authors (including me!) will be signing their books, meeting and greeting fans, and all the proceeds go to literacy organizations. So, that means all the profits go to organizations that help people learn to read. It is a cause near and dear to my heart. And this event is entirely open to the public! So, if you are anywhere near Atlanta, come on out, meet me, purchase signed books, and help a worthy cause.  If you do come, remember they may have me listed under my real name, Christie Craig, as well as C.C. Hunter.

Oh, now that I’ve confessed my own fear to you, it’s your turn.  Are you afraid of something?  Of trying something new?  How do you cope with your fear?

Oh, and just an FYI, on July 19th I’ll be guest blogging at Between the Lines. It’s all part of a huge 2013 Summer Author Promo Blitz, and I’ll have giveaways for both international and U.S. readers.   So be sure to stop by, read my guest blog, and enter to win! There’s even a Twitter Party at 7 PM: Use #2013SummerAuthorBlitz.

Winner!

The winners of last week’s Shadow Falls t-shirt  giveaway are Pam from Alaska and Madeline from France. Please email your mailing address and t-shirt size to cc@cchunterbooks.com.

It’s a Small World

I’m always surprised and a little amazed when I receive emails from my readers that live outside the U.S. I’d always hoped I would become a published author, but to think there are people reading my books all around the world leaves me speechless. And I can imagine anyone that knows me saying, “CC speechless? No way!” It’s true that doesn’t happen very often, but seriously, I recently got an email from a girl in Zimbabwe! She likes my books—my books, from little old me, a girl from Alabama that took a chance and followed her dream. I am amazed, humbled and so grateful for my success.

Now many of those emails from overseas readers ask about release dates for my books in their countries. You see, when a book comes out in the U.S., it doesn’t get released in other countries on the same day.  Oh no, those readers have to wait. While I wish there was a global release date, it really varies by country. So, I asked my publisher for my foreign release dates, and I just got the list, so I wanted to share it with those loyal fans who wait patiently (well, not always patiently) to read my next book. I have listed the next release date and book title for each country, and if I don’t have an upcoming release date, I listed the last release date and book title.

Czech Republic             Chosen at Nightfall                    20-Nov. 2013

Brazil                             Chosen at Nightfall                    Oct. 2013 (Sorry no date)

Germany                        Whispers at Moonrise               25-July 2013

Denmark                       Whispers at Moonrise               Oct. 2013 (Again no date)

Denmark                        Chosen at Nightfall                   March 2014

France                            Whispers at Moonrise              March 2013

Russia                            Born at Midnight                      Feb. 2013

Romania                         Awake at Dawn                       Nov. 2012

Spain                              Born at Midnight                     13-June 2013

In addition, I have contracts for my books in Israel, Hungary, Thailand and Turkey, but I don’t have release dates as yet. Just know that my Shadow Falls series is coming to your countries soon.

So, I want to say thank you to all my readers from every country. You made my dream bigger than I’d ever dared hope.

 Giveaway: U.S. and Abroad!

As a thank you I’m giving away two Shadow Falls t-shirts. One will go to one of my overseas readers and one to a reader in the U.S. So, leave a comment to enter and don’t forget to tell me what country you live in.

 

 

What I Wish I’d Known

A little while ago, I was asked to write a letter to myself, my teenage self, by Dear Teen Me. It was what I, as an adult, would say to me as a teen. I gave it a lot of thought and I decided it was worth sharing here.

Dear Teen Me,

You know that boy you’re certain is going to break up with you because you don’t want to go all the way, and you know you’ll die when he does? Well, you are wrong. Not that he won’t break up with you. He will. But you won’t die. You made the right decision. I know it’s hard being you. I know you feel as if you don’t fit in. Even saying ‘here’ when the teacher calls your name makes you cringe. But don’t worry, once you find your real passion in life, all those insecurities fade away. Heck, you can even use those insecurities to help you achieve success in your career. Someday, you’ll stand up in front of thousands and give talks. You’ll make them laugh; you’ll encourage them to believe in themselves like you have learned to do.

I know you think I’m lying because you feel as if you’re not good at anything. The one thing you felt you could have been successful at was gymnastics. So short. So limber. Then you got boobs in fifth grade, before everyone else, and you were too embarrassed to do flips in front of people because they jiggled. Guess what? They’re going to jiggle a lot more when you’re older. But don’t worry, gymnastics didn’t turn out to be your passion. And yeah, school is really hard. You feel stupid, and those report cards validate that. Well, when you’re an adult, you’ll discover that you’re dyslexic, and you never were stupid. As a matter of fact, you’re not nearly as bad as you think you are.

But here’s the one thing you’re going to love knowing. Remember all those teachers and adults who told you if you didn’t get your head out of the clouds you’d never amount to anything? Little did they know that’s how you’d make your living—that, young lady, is your passion. Funny how you didn’t even consider being a writer. But getting lost in your head, in your dreams, creating those stories about all those cute guys, that wasn’t a waste of time. That was grist for mill, a writer in training. As an adult, you even took those tough times as a teen–your parents getting a divorce, losing a family member, getting pushed aside because you wouldn’t sleep with a guy–and you plagiarized your own life to create your character Kylie Galen in the Shadow Falls Series. Yeah, you’ll have to work hard to learn to put your stories down on paper, but you’ll eventually prove all those people wrong. You’re gonna make it. So don’t give up.

Oh, I know you’re going to make mistakes. Getting married so young. That wasn’t smart, but you know what? All those mistakes you’ve made molded and shaped you into the person you are today. So don’t worry so much about the mistakes, just learn from them. Because making a mistake isn’t so bad, it’s repeating them that makes us failures. So take a deep breath, get though the tough times of the teenage years, and the not happy early twenties years, you have a lot of life to live.

Sincerely,

The Adult Me

 

So that’s what I wish I’d said to myself or at least someone would have told me when I was a teen. Of course if it would have been my mom telling me, I probably wouldn’t have listened. But life would have been a lot easier for me if I had.

Now, tell me what is it you wished you’d known when you were younger, or what do you think you’ll be telling younger self when you’re older ?

Winner!

Last week’s winner of a Shadow Falls t-shirt is Carolyn McMahon. Congratulations, Carolyn! Please email your mailing address and t-shirt size to cc@cchunterbooks.com.

Big News!

What’s in a name?  What’s in a title?   I know it’s important to readers, but how about authors?   Can a title influence the plot or the heart of the story?  Does a title influence a writer?  Hmm?

I say  . . . heck yes.  The reason I say this is because, originally, Shadow Falls wasn’t the series title.  As a matter of fact, it didn’t get changed until after the first book was all finished.  Only a few weeks before Born at Midnight was to go to print, I got a call from my editor.  She said,  “Well, at the last minute, marketing decided that Bone Creek Camp sounded too much like a western.”  (Yes that was my original series title.)  Anyway, she said that marketing suggested that we change it to, Shadow Falls.

I liked it and so did my editor, but then she said,  “There’s only one problem.  There’s not a falls at the camp.  Do you think you could go back in and just add a water fall?”

I was a tad panicked.  I mean, I had already finished the book and felt that if the series title was going to be Shadow Falls, then the dad-blasted water fall better be important.  Problems, problems!  Anyway, I decided that instead of actually writing the falls into the first book, I would simply hint at the fact that there was a water fall.  I’ll bet some of you wondered why Kylie didn’t get to the falls in the first book. Well, now you know, it’s because there wasn’t a water fall until I went in and added her hearing it, added her thinking about it.  Added her feeling lured to the falls.

I have to tell you, I loved adding the little bit of mystery about the falls in Born at Midnight.  And look how important the falls became to the story in the rest of the books.  So just a change in the series title added a whole new element.  Now I’m sure if we’d kept the title, “Bone Creek Camp” the bones would have probably played a bigger part in the overall arc of the story, but I seriously think I like the falls better.

So why am I talking about titles?  And just what is my big news?  Well, we finally got the title for Della’s series as well as the title for the first two books.  Are you ready?

Shadow Falls: After Dark

Book one:  Reborn

Book two: Eternal

I really love the titles and the addition of “After Dark,” to the series title.  It has a little spooky connotation to it, but it also adds a little sexy essence.  And with the two titles, Reborn and Eternal, my mind is already moving a mile a minute coming up with plot twists that epitomizes those titles.

And I know a lot of you have been asking about release dates. Well, things could change, but as if right now, Reborn is scheduled to be out in April 2014 and Eternal is scheduled to be out October, 2014.  I can’t wait!!   Because all of you who know Della, knows this series is going to be one wild ride.

Giveaway

Okay, well, I’m off to write Reborn.  Have a great week, guys, and today, I’ll give another Shadow Falls t-shirt away.  So make sure you post a comment and tell me about the titles of other book series that you love.

 Winner!

And last week’s winner of a Shadow Falls t-shirt is Josephine. Please email your mailing address and t-shirt size to cc@cchunterbooks.com. Congratulations!

 

 

Don’t Say Goodbye to Kylie Yet!

Kylie has had a busy year. In April, Chosen at Nightfall, the last book in her series came out. Most of you have read it by now, but just in case you haven’t, I won’t spoil it for you here. Let’s just say that Kylie has a lot to deal with, and she does, at last, choose her man. But that doesn’t mean her story ends there. Oh no, her life goes on.

But I have been receiving quite a few emails lately asking for more Kylie. Readers are worried that they’ll never see her or hear from her again. But I’ve got to tell you, Kylie’s still here, sitting in my study, talking in my ear. She hasn’t left me, and she hasn’t left you.

If you read my February 1, 2013 blog, you know I was very excited to announce Della’s series. I really can’t wait to get my teeth into her story. You see, the defensive vamp with loads of attitude has a special place in my heart. She and I share a sassy side—one that has, on occasion, gotten me into hot water. (But I won’t go into that here.) If you’ve read Saved at Sunrise–and even if you haven’t gotten to read it—you can sort of see what I mean by Della’s sassy/spunky demeanor.  Of course, Kylie never backed down from trouble, and she could put someone in their place with a well-chosen word, but even Kylie had to admit that Della was a wizard when it came to sass.

Anyway, just because I’m writing Della’s story doesn’t mean you’ll never see Kylie, Lucas, Derek, Holiday, Miranda, Burnett, Perry or any of the other Shadow Falls characters again. Think about it. Didn’t you see lots of Della in Kylie’s books? Didn’t you feel as if you shared in the wonder of Perry and Miranda romance?  Of Burnett and Holiday’s?  And because they are such a big part of Kylie’s life, their stories really came alive in her series.  Don’t forget, Kylie and Miranda are Della’s best friends. And if it’s one thing I know, it’s that when a girl gets in over her head, she needs her best friends to help her out. So, I’ll tell you now, Della definitely gets in over her head—several times. And during those times, she will have to rely on Kylie and Miranda, not to mention Steve.

So, when Della’s first book comes out in 2014, don’t be surprised to see a lot of familiar faces, because they are all still here, sitting next to Kylie on my couch, telling me what to write. The only difference is that this time, Della’s voice will be louder. And that’s no surprise since she has always been a bossy little thing!

Giveaway!

I’m giving away a Shadow Falls t-shirt to one lucky reader who leaves a comment.

Teen Author Kaylie Hathaway

Today I have a very special guest blogger for those aspiring authors out there. Kaylie Hathaway is a teenager who has already had her poems and books published.  Her books, Beautiful Disorder and The Virus are available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Beautiful Disorder

[image error]Lux never expected life to be so unfair- or so surprisingly complicated. Sixteen-year-old Lux Richardson has been wrongly convicted of vandalism, and no one believes her. Not her parents. Not the judge. Her sentence? A summer’s worth of community service at Graceland Church’s Home for the Elderly, in the little hick town of Brickleton. Furious at the injustice of it all and dreaming of revenge against the real criminal, Lux is determined to simply get her punishment over with. What she doesn’t count on is the feisty Payson, who seems to hate her, or Diana, the sweet old lady who tells her stories…and gives her far more than she could ever dream.

 

 

The Virus

[image error]The Virus. I thought I could control it. And I was dead wrong. My name is Travis Metros, and I create computer viruses for fun. I don’t send them anywhere…just save them to my laptop. But when I was 14, I engineered a virus that, if released, would infect the entire planet with an actual medical virus. I should have been more careful-installed a shut-down code-but I didn’t. Then my laptop was stolen. Now the most dangerous weapon of all times is in the wrong hands. A biological weapon of massive force that could shut down every computer and pass on a deadly, mysterious virus with no cure. Now only my friends and I stand between the bad guys and their plan of world domination.

 

 

So, I asked Kaylie  few questions, and I thought you’d be interested in reading her answers.

CC: How old were you when started writing?

Kaylie: At age ten, I started and finished my first book.  It was short, had too many characters, and didn’t end up making sense in the end!  But that doesn’t matter now–what matters is that I was hooked.  I knew I’d found something I loved to do, and it was something I felt I was good at.  Beyond that, however, I feel that this is what God wants me to do with my life;  He gave me a talent and passion for a reason.

CC: How did you sell your first book?

Kaylie: I went to a writing conference called the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, where I met Ramona Tucker, the co-founder of OakTara publishers.  She liked the sample I had of The Virus and had me e-mail her the rest of it!  Then the next time we caught up with each other, she read the proposal and beginning of Beautiful Disorder, and told me she wanted to publish both books.

CC:  I hear from a lot of my young readers who want to be writers. Can you give us five tips for other teens who would like to follow in your footsteps?

Kaylie: Tip #1:  Write.  Write all the time.  When you don’t want to, when you do want to, when you’re not sure if anything good will come out.  Just write.

Tip #2:  Go out and meet people in this field.  Go to writing conferences and talk to the people there.  If possible, go to a conference that provides face-to-face access to publishers, editors, authors, speakers, agents, and/or anyone else in that field.  If they meet you and like you, they’re far more likely to want to help you.

Tip #3:  Don’t compare yourself to other writers.  Whether it’s to say you’re a better or worse writer than them, it’s a trap either way.  Don’t compare.

Tip #4:  Read–it’s important!  Read as much as you can, as often as you can.  And while you’re reading, try to pick out why you did or did not like a word, sentence, phrase, paragraph, chapter, etc.  Then take what you like and apply it to your own writing.

Tip #5:  Love writing.  If you don’t love it, then you’re never going to keep with it.  You need a love for writing, a passion for it.

 CC: What is next for you as far as writing?

Kaylie: With my books that have already been published, I’m praying that God will use them to point people to Him.  As far as future novels go, I recently started another book that I hope will be published.

 CC:  Is writing something you want to do for a living as an adult?

Kaylie: I’d love to go into the world of editing.  I want to be a person who looks at someone’s manuscript, sees something that could be incredible with a bit of work, and then help that someone bring their manuscript to its full potential.

Thanks for being my guest blogger today, Kaylie!

[image error]Kaylie Hathaway is a teen with a passion for writing novels of all genres and poems of all lengths. When she was twelve years old, a poem of hers was published on an online magazine. Since then, she has thrown herself into the writing world by taking creative writing classes and going to writing conferences. Although she enjoys writing poetry and devotionals, Kaylie’s favorite things to write are novels.

Today, Kaylie is going through school while continuing to write. She lives in Texas with her parents and three siblings.