C.C. Hunter's Blog, page 39

What’s Next for Kylie?

[image error]I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day.  When I think of Memorial Day I think of family picnics, waving flags and military parades. But it also means that school is almost out! Can you believe it?  I always loved this time of year when I was in school. Most of the hard stuff was over and things were winding down. Everyone was excited about their summer plans.

It can be a wonderful time, but it can also be a huge time of transition, especially if you are graduating from high school. You might be wondering what’s next for you. Do you have a summer job? Are you planning to attend college in the fall? Your life is full of possibilities.  And change.  And change can be scary.

That got me thinking about Kylie, and I have to admit, she is never far from my thoughts. After spending almost four years writing about her life, I worry about her future like I would my own child. Now, she still has a year at Shadow Falls Camp before she graduates. And we’ll all get to see her through Della’s novels.  But like all juniors, Kylie’s already trying to figure out what happens next? If you read Chosen at Nightfall, I left you with what she hopes will happen.

She’ll go to college, but which college? Will Lucas and Derek go to the same college? I’d like to think he will. She’s also planning for Miranda and Della to go to the same the college.  Poor Kylie, she’ll have to listen to Miranda and Della fight for years to come.  But she’s okay with that if she just has her buddies with her.  I also hinted at what Kylie thinks she should major in?  Psychology.  I picked that because she’s so good at trying to help other people with their problems.  But she has a whole year to decide.  Do you see a different major that would work for her?  What about you guys, do you know what you want to grow up and be?  What are your plans?

Squirrels Are Mamas, Too.

Mother’s Day has just passed, but a couple weeks ago, something happened and I was reminded of the amazing power and devotion that stems from maternal instincts.  Instincts that aren’t just human, but are found in all animals.  Yup, squirrels are mamas, too.

I was doing what I do most of the time.  Working.  Lady, my junkyard dog, was resting on my office sofa, gazing out the French doors that overlook my backyard.  She wasn’t just being lazy.  Oh, no, she has a job to do.  She is forever on squirrel duty and takes her job very seriously.  Ahh, but this day she was quite tired from destroying another of her doggy toys that she’d managed to sneak outside, this one a stuffed squirrel.

You see, Lady is anti-squirrel, and I think she got too much joy ripping the toy to shreds as all the yard squirrels looked on.  Now, she’s a wonderful dog as long as you aren’t a squirrel.  Anyway, while it was a pretty day, blue skies and puffy white clouds, the wind had kicked up.  The strong gusts sent the trees dancing and the innards of the stuffed squirrel were strewn across my yard.

Then I heard it.  A loud thump, like a small tree limb hitting the ground.  Lady, ever attentive to the outside world, bolted to the French doors.  She stood there, her attention riveted.

Then, she came hurdling over to me and put her paws on the desk, barking, which she seldom does.  In doggy language that means, “I want outside…NOW!”

I went to let her out, but something gave me pause.  She was too eager.  So, I squeezed out the door, forcing her to stay inside.

I spotted the reason for her eagerness.  There, on my concrete patio, was a broken nest of sorts.  And outside the nest were four baby squirrels.  My stomach clenched as I drew near, thinking the fall had killed them.  But nope, they were all breathing, just too little to run away.  Lady whined behind me at the doors, anxious to come out and do her squirrel duty.

I stood there trying to think what to do.  I had to let Lady out sooner or later.  Right then a loud noise erupted—a half cry, half scream.  I looked around and there, clutching a nearby tree trunk, was another squirrel.  I knew that this was the mama.

I could hear the panic and devastation in her loud chirps.  Her babies were in danger and could even be dead.   I stepped back.  “I’m not gonna hurt them,” I assured her, and my heart hurt for her.  But was there anything I could do?

Since I knew squirrels weren’t like possums that could hang onto their mama’s back, and these babies were too young to climb, I imagined the worst outcome.  Her babies weren’t going to make it.  And from the heartfelt sounds she made, the mama squirrel knew it, too.   And bam, just like that, I remembered when they took my five-week premature son into surgery.  The fear, the heartache, I felt right then was as real as it was years ago.

Feeling helpless, yet desperate to help, I went inside and called my hubby, wondering if I should collect the babies and take them to the wildlife vet.  He didn’t answer his cell phone, so I started to go outside again, but a movement outside the window stopped me.  The mama squirrel had rushed to her babies, sniffing and nudging them with her nose.  What she did next completely surprised me.  She opened her mouth and stuffed a baby inside.  Even though it appeared impossible, she got the entire little body in there. With only the baby’s tail hanging out, she climbed back up the tree.  It wasn’t an easy climb, once or twice I worried she would fall.  She would stop as if to catch her breath.  It appeared as if she’d either found an empty nest or had just borrowed a friend’s nest in which to leave the first baby. Then, one by one, she collected the others. With maternal strength, she saved what was most precious to her.  Her babies.

With all her squirrels out of harm’s way, she skittered back down and started gathering items to help rebuild a new nest.  Oddly enough, she collected a lot of the stuffing from the toy squirrel. For some reason, that felt like poetic justice, though I wouldn’t tell Lady.  And I kept my squirrel guard dog inside, allowing the still panicked mama all the time she needed to do her work.  I’ve never seen a squirrel work so hard.

Lady wasn’t happy I’d kept her from her job of ridding the yard of squirrels, but I knew the mama squirrel was ever so grateful.  And it just reconfirmed what I’ve always known.  There is nothing like a mother’s love.

Now, I know I didn’t do very much to save those baby squirrels, their mamma had the toughest job. But I did keep Lady inside to give her time to save her babies. So, I felt pretty good about it. Have you ever saved an animal? If so, I’d like to hear about it. So, be sure to leave a comment.

 Winner!

Last week’s lucky winner of Joy Preble’s The Sweet Dead Life is Brooke15027. Congratualtions. Brooke! Please email me at cc@cchunterbooks.com with your mailing address. If you prefer an ebook, let me know if you want it for the NOOK or Kindle and to which email address I should gift it.

Guest Blogger Joy Prebble

Today I’m welcoming Joy Preble, whose new mystery/angel series, The Sweet Dead Life is out now from Soho Press! In The Sweet Dead Life, the angel book gets a Texas makeover from the author of the Dreaming Anastasia series.

The Sweet Dead Life

[image error]“I found out two things today: One, I think I’m dying. And two, my brother is a perv.”

So begins the diary of Jenna Samuels, who is having a very bad year. Her mother spends all day in bed. Dad vanished when she was nine. Her older brother, Casey, tries to hold together what’s left of the family by working two after-school jobs—difficult, as he’s stoned all the time. To make matters worse, Jenna is sick. Really sick. When she collapses one day, Casey tries to race her to the hospital in their beat-up Prius and crashes instead.

Jenna wakes up in the ER to find Casey beside her, looking pretty good. Better than ever, in fact. Downright…angelic. The flab and zits? Gone. Before long, Jenna figures out that her brother didn’t survive the accident at all, and she isn’t just sick; she’s being poisoned. Casey has been sent back to help Jenna find out who’s got it out for her, a mystery that leads to more questions about their mother’s depression and their father’s disappearance.

I had a chance to ask Joy some questions about TSDL and the series. Here’s what she had to say:

CC: Where did the inspiration for writing The Sweet Dead Life come from?

Joy: My editor – with whom I’d worked briefly in the past—contacted me and basically he said, “I’m starting a new teen mystery/thriller imprint at Soho Press. I have an idea about this stoner dude who comes back from a fatal car accident as his dying sister’s guardian angel and they solve this vast mystery. Do you think you’d be interested in writing that book?” That was it – this one intriguing sentence idea. And of course I said yes! And then I asked if I could set the book in Texas, because that’s how the story was coming to me. After which, he said yes, and I sent him some sample pages and Soho Press/Random House was pleased and we went on from there. Beyond that, I found myself LOVING the idea of this flawed but angel-at-heart boy becoming a totally unlikely hero. And his sister Jenna came flowing out with such a loud and distinctive voice that the team at Soho jokes that they can all channel her when writing promo copy or editing! It’s something I’m so proud of , Jenna’s narrative voice. And I’m thrilled people are noticing, like this Booklist review: “There’s a whole lot going on here: poisonings, blackmail, sibling relationships, romance, and abandonment, in addition to angels, but the unifying thread is Jenna’s clever, bitter, self-aware, and loving voice…The small-town Texas setting is delightfully detailed, but not parochial. Preble’s lively descriptions and unusually well-drawn, caring sibling relationship (a topic not usually explored in teen fiction) are especially noteworthy.” ~Booklist

CC: The Sweet Dead Life is set in Texas. Tell us about that.

Joy: Like I said, that’s how the story came to me, and not just because I live here! But beyond that, I found myself thinking how great it would be to create this new series that was both a sibling story as well as a battle of good vs evil story and do it against the backdrop of Texas high school football and bbq restaurants and verging on rural suburban Houston. It’s a very specific subset of Texas: the northern Houston suburbs—in which both you and I live. But for those who don’t, think: Wal-Marts and Olive Gardens and huge mansions juxtaposed against double-wide trailers and tough East Texas folks drinking sweet tea and going to Friday night football and possibly less surprised than the rest of the country if an angel was walking amongst them. Not that they know… Texas seemed the perfect place. Houston even more so. Although they do road trip it to Austin now and then…

CC: TSDL is Casey’s story to a large degree, since he’s the one who comes back as an angel. So could you talk about choosing his younger sister Jenna as the narrator?

Joy: Again, the narrative choice was originally my editor’s. But I did agree. I love the juxtaposition of Jenna’s innocence—albeit with a feisty, sarcastic voice—with Casey’s less than reputable habits and subsequent angel journey. Having Jenna narrate heightens the reader’s sense of what is happening to this family and as the series continues with next year’s The A Word, also allows you to see the larger battle of good and evil through a fresh set of eyes as well.

CC: Speaking of Casey, this is a very different kind of angel book. In what ways do you see it putting a different twist on the genre?

Joy: Well, from the beginning, we knew this book would be different and after that, we embraced its differences. Basically, Casey begins the story as more too-many-late night-taco-run flabby middle than tatted up/fallen angel hottie. While obviously paranormal, the novel grounds itself in the real life suburbs. And what seems to please a lot of early reviewers is that it is a mystery/comedy not a romance. Which is not to say that there is no romance in the book—there is (and in fact Jenna’s first romance ever plays a large role in the upcoming The A Word next year). But the sibling story and the family mystery play a much more central role. All of which readers seem to be loving. Yay!

CC: What’s next for Joy Preble?

Joy: Well, right now I’m finishing revisions and edits on The A Word. The first 50 pages will be appearing in the Soho Spring 2014 sampler that will make the rounds of the trade shows this summer. I am really excited about continuing Jenna and Casey’s story! And there are other projects in the works that I hope to be able to tell you about soon!

Want to find out more about Joy’s books? Head over to joypreble.com or follow her on Twitter at @joypreble.

Joy Preble is the author of the popular and highly acclaimed Dreaming Anastasia series. A former English teacher, Joy grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Northwestern University. She is now a full time writer and lives with her family in Texas, where she has learned to say “y’all” without any hint of irony. A tireless advocate for literacy and great books, she is at the center of the all-important Texas YA scene.

Giveaway!!

This week I’m giving away one copy of Joy’s book The Sweet Dead Life to one lucky reader who leaves a comment. Remember, if you are reading this on Goodreads, you need to leave your comment on my website blog in order to win. Also, I have to limit this giveaway to U.S. residents.

Winners!!!

The International winners of Chosen at Nightfall are Stine Spo (Denmark), Jessadelle Ng (Singapore), Lena (Germany), Sarah Kalaitzidis (Canada) and Stephany Regina (Brazil). Please email your mailing address to cc@cchunterbooks.com.

The U.S. winners of Shadow Falls t-shirts are Nicole Stevens, Maragret K. and Kayla. Please email your mailing address and t-shirt size to cc@cchunterbooks.com.

Special Blog!

[image error]I have a special blog for you today and some exciting news. But first, do you guys know what next Sunday is?  Mother’s Day.  If you guys have read the entire Shadow Falls Series you have experienced the ups and downs in the relationship of Kylie and her mom.  Do you remember how in the beginning she called her mom “The Ice Queen?” Through the course of the novels, Kylie discovered some things about her mom that I think we can all learn from.

She realized her mom wasn’t all bad.  No, she wasn’t perfect.  She’d made a lot of mistakes throughout her life, but after discovering a few things about her mom’s past, Kylie understood why her mom is the way she is.  Kylie accepted that everyone makes mistakes, and that everyone has flaws—even parents.   She also learned that when you love someone, you accept them and love them in spite of their imperfections.  So I hope on Sunday, you’ll take a minute like I know Kylie would, to tell your mom you love her.

Yes, the relationship between mothers and daughters can be trying at times.  Sometimes moms will want to make sure their daughters don’t make the same mistakes they did, so they try too hard to push them to be something they aren’t.  Sometimes, we try too hard to be what our moms want us to be.  Sometimes we rebel just because we don’t want someone trying live our lives for us.  But the thing we need to remember is that most of these difficulties stem from love.  So be patient, see past the issues to the love that exists in almost all mother/daughter relationships.

 

Now for all my exciting news.  First, thanks to all you readers, the Shadow Falls series hit number three on the New York Times best-seller list.  It also hit number twenty-five on the USA Today list. And I’m serious, this happened because of you.  So thank you!

Another bit of good news?  The audio book for Chosen at Nightfall is now available. Chosen at Nightfall was released on April 23, so many of you already have it. However, some people prefer audio books over prints.  I can see how an audio book is great to listen to if you are walking, working out, going for a long car ride, etc. So for you audio book people out there,   you can now listen to Chosen at Nightfall no matter what you are doing. It is available at Audible and at iTunes.

You can hear a clip of it here: Chosen at Nightfall

Now, for my third announcement, I have a lot of giveaways on my blog, and I usually limit them to residents of the U.S. I know I have a lot of very loyal readers who live in many different countries, and I haven’t forgotten you! This week, I’m having a giveaway for my fans who don’t live in the U.S. I’m giving away five copies of Chosen at Nightfall, with a Shadow Falls T-shirts to my international fans.  Here’s what you have to do. Since Mother’s Day is right around the corner in the U.S., tell me something special about your mom, and tell me what country you are from.  Next Tuesday I will post five winners from outside the U.S.

I will also be giving away three t-shirts to my U.S. fans, so you guys need to post comments, too.

Thanks again guys for helping me reach my dream, and Happy Mother’s Day, to you and all your moms.

Meet Me at the Book Festival!

Do you live in or around Round Rock, Texas?  Are you coming to Yabfest on May 11th.  I’m hosting a special contest for those planning on coming.  Email me at cc(at)cchunterbooks.com, send me your name and your shirt size and tell me that you are coming and I’ll enter your name into a drawing for a free Shadow Falls t-shirt.  Three people will win t-shirts.   I’ll draw the winning names, email you and let you know you won, and then I’ll bring the t-shirts to the festival for you to pick up. Young Adult Book Festival (Yabfest) is a really cool event. There will be many YA authors there. To see a list or enter a book giveaway (you could win Born at Midnight, among others!), go to Sharon Bayliss’ blog.

Della’s Middle Name?

And the winner of the middle name contest is Claire luvs horses.  Della Rose Tsang.   Claire, you won a $25 gift card to either B&N, Amazon, or Katy Budget Books.  Email me with your card choice and address at cc(at)cchunterbooks(dot) com.

Winners!

The winners of Mari Mancusi’s book Love at 11 are Makenzie Bice and Ceci. Please email me with your address and whether you want  an ebook or hard copy to cc(at)cchunterbooks(dot)com.

Guest Post By Mari Mancusi

One thing I love about writing is the chance an author has to “try on” different worlds—from time travel to futuristic to paranormal—truly, anything goes. But in this particular case, I decided to go the opposite route and use my real life experiences instead. Love at 11 is a new adult romance set in a television newsroom, the very same place I spent much of my career.

I will never forget the day I started writing Love at 11. I was in the middle of a rough draft of what would eventually become the sci-fi romance Moongazer and I’d had the worst day at work. My executive producer had assigned me the stupidest story on the planet — Cosmetics that Kill — and I wasn’t making any progress on it. Simply because, cosmetics, as a rule, don’t actually kill. But the station loved the scare stories and hey, it’d sound great in a promo, so they weren’t going to take my objections or rationalizations. I was to find some makeup with gross, nasty bacteria lurking in it, have it tested and inform the world about all the grossness I found.

(Note: You’ve probably seen these germ stories before. They’re the kind of stories stations always fall back on to get the ratings. And no matter what you test–be it the bottoms of purses or the ice in ice machines, you’re likely going to find something that sounds gross to the general public. But what you don’t see on the news is that most of these germs, while icky, actually won’t harm you. Our bodies have antibodies to take care of those kinds of things.)

Anyhow, I started thinking about all that goes on behind the scenes in television news. How they exaggerate to scare, how they won’t tell you about something truly deadly if it involves one of their advertisers, how managers will only approve a story if you can attach celeb’s name to it (they wouldn’t let me do a story on teens cutting until I mentioned that Lindsay Lohan was rumored to be a cutter), how they fire veteran journalists who make too much money and replace them with hot 20 somethings who have no experience, but will practically work for free, etc. etc.

I started writing. And the words poured out of me. About Maddy, a hapless special projects producer, like myself, who was always assigned the most ridiculous stories. She longs to become a real journalist and work for a network news show that still takes pride in reporting the truth. Instead, she’s stuck with silly, sensationalized stories like Deadly Dishwashers, Killer Clay, and Perilous Pets–stories aired for the sole purpose of boosting ratings through scary promos–while the most shocking news event in her town goes unreported.

I think when many people read Love at 11 they will assume much of it was exaggerated for fiction. But while the plot and characters are made up, the inner workings of the television newsroom are extremely real. For example, these “Household Products That Kill” stories Maddy’s assigned are all based on real news reports I’ve been assigned over the years. We really did air Problem Pedicures, Cosmetics that Kill, Shower Shocker and the rest on a daily basis.

But just as Maddy and her photographer–sexy, motorcycle riding bad boy Jamie Hays–find a way rise above the corruption and risk their jobs to uncover the truth–in real life too, there are true journalists slaving away in the trenches. The unsung heroes who work overtime to expose the bad guys, right the wrongs, and produce fair and balanced reports. If anyone can save the industry, it’s them. They give me hope for the future and inspired the Love at 11 novel.

When Maddy graduated from Columbia University, she was ready to change the world. She’d get a job at Newsline, meet a nice guy, and live happily ever after with a real designer handbag on her arm. Two years later, she’s stuck producing puff pieces for News 9 San Diego–where “if it bleeds, it leads.” She’s still single, her family’s falling apart, and so is her knock-off Kate Spade. 

 Then Jamie Hayes walks through her newsroom door. The former filmmaker is now her cameraman and everything Maddy has ever dreamed of. Creative, smart, and sweet—with eyes that could make a girl melt. The perfect guy…but perfectly unavailable. And the more Maddy tries to stay away—the further she starts to fall.

 Now a secret scoop from her favorite knock-off purse guy has Maddy chasing a lead that could make her career. Or destroy it forever. How far is she willing to go to broadcast the truth? And will this breaking news lead to more broken dreams…or an exclusive on Jamie’s heart? Stay tuned…

It’s the story of a lifetime.

About Mari Mancusi

Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school. But she ended up in another blood sucking profession –journalism — instead.  Today she works as a freelance TV producer and author of books for teens and adults. A graduate of Boston University and a two time Emmy Award winner, she lives in Austin , Texas with her husband Jacob, daughter Avalon and their dog Mesquite. You can find Mari online at www.marimancusi.com or www.bloodcovenvampires.com.

Giveaway

This week I’m giving away two copies of Mari’s book, Love at 11.  But you must leave a comment in order to win. (If you are reading this on Goodreads, you have to comment on my CC Hunter Books blog to win. And, yes, sorry, but this is limited to U.S. residents only. But if you live outside the U.S., be sure to read the end of this blog!)

Haven’t Read Saved at Sunrise Yet?

In Saved at Sunrise Della…

Almost gets arrested.
Disobeys Burnett and skips out on her partner.
Comes face to face with Lee—and his fiance.
Gets thoroughly kissed.
Wakes up in bed with Steve.

You can read the first chapter here.  It’s available for only $1.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Want to Meet CC Hunter?

Well, I’d love to meet you! If you live in the Houston, Texas area, come out to one of my Chosen at Nightfall signings. Tell your friends–better yet, bring them with you!

Friday, May 3rd, I’ll be at Katy Budget Books, Katy, TX, 7-9 pm. (The first ten people to show up and buy a book get a FREE t-shirt. The next 25 people will get a FREE signed posters.) http://www.katybooks.com

 Saturday, May 4th, I’ll be at the Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands, TX, 2-4 pm. (The first 25 people to show up and buy a book will get a FREE Shadow Falls t-shirt. The next 25 who show up and purchase a book will get a FREE signed poster.) http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2200

And the Winners are…

Okay, last week I had a huge giveaway to celebrate the release of Chosen at Nightfall. I got many wonderful comments.

The winner of the Kindle or Nook is Elise N.

The winner of the copy of Chosen at Nightfall (hard copy or ebook) is Donya.

The winners of the Shadow Falls poster are Alison Troutman, Essie B. and Angela Sickles.

The winner of Jennifer Armentrout’s Apollyon is Mariah Kerivon.

The winner of Kelly Armstrong’s The Rising is Fiona Sutton.

The winner of Kiera Cass’ The Elite is Chastity Duffey.

I know I have many readers who live outside the U.S.  So, in the next couple of weeks, I am planning a special giveaway just for you. 

 

Win! Win! Win!

This week, the release week of Chosen at Nightfall, I’m giving away tons of stuff.  Yes, tons!  Either a Kindle or a Nook, three Shadow Falls posters, copies of three other books by some other amazing authors, and a chance to name a character in my upcoming novel—which will be the first book of Della’s story.

Yes, it’s here!!!  Kylie’s last book is out.  Her journey is complete.  I traveled with Kylie.  I’ve cried when she got her heart broken, I sighed with she got kissed.  I laughed when crazy things happened.  I felt Kylie’s pain when she learned that her parents weren’t perfect, but she found they didn’t have to be perfect for her to love them.  I have written and experienced Kylie’s life with her and so have you.

Do you remember when Perry turned into a cat?  Do you remember Kylie being kissed by Lucas down by the stream?  Or how about the warm, wonderful kisses she got with Derek when her world turned into a fairytale.   What was your favorite scene?  What part of Kylie’s journey have you enjoyed the most.  Boy, Kylie sure has come a long way since she first stepped on the bus to Shadow Falls Camp!

Today, I’d like to give away some neat prizes and ask for a some assistance in getting the word out, of creating buzz out there about Kylie, about the Shadow Falls series, and all the wonderful things she’s discovered along her life’s path.  What you have to do is either tweet/Facebook/ post something on your blog, or go out and tell someone about my book, tell them the parts you loved.  Then, leave a comment telling me your favorite scene.  I’m not only giving away a grand prize this week of a Kindle or Nook with a gifted copy of Saved at Sunrise, but I’m giving away three posters, a copy of Chosen at Nightfall, and because there are so many other awesome books out there releasing this month, I’m going to give one of each of the books, either print of e-book, posted below as well. (If you are reading this on Goodreads, you must post your comment on my blog page to win.) Unfortunately, I have to limit this giveaway to residents of the U.S.

[image error] Apollyon (Convenant Series #4) 

by Jennifer Armentrout                                                           

 

 

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The Rising (Darkness Rising Series #3)

by Kelley Armstrong

 

 

 

[image error]

The Elite

by Kiera Cass

 

 

 

So make sure you help me get the word out there and make sure you leave a comment.  Then don’t forget to come back next week and see if you won.  Have a great week guys, and happy reading!!

In the Houston Area?

On Sunday, April 28th, I’ll be at Murder by the Book in Houston, TX at 2:00 pm.  I’ll be signing Chosen at Nighfall and revealing a few secrets. Shhh! And the first fifteen people to show up and buy a book will get a FREE Shadow Falls t-shirt. The next 25 people to show up and buy a book will get a signed Shadow Falls poster. To pick up your shirt or poster, just bring the line number you got the day the book went on sale. So come early. I really want to meet you and your friends!!! So,spread the word! http://www.murderbooks.com/hours-and-location

Shadow Falls Characters

I often get asked which character I feel closest to in my Shadow Falls series. I have to say, this is very much like asking me to choose my favorite child.  Each of the characters in Shadow Falls has a little bit of me inside them, which makes me feel close to all of them.  Della is my rebellious side, and don’t we all have one of those?  Miranda is dyslexic, which means as a witch, she gets her spells wrong sometimes.  (Which brings in lots of humor.)  And I relate to her because I’m dyslexic, too.

But of all the characters, I think I relate to Kylie the most.  I based a lot of her backstory on things that happened to me when I was a teenager.  I had a family member die when I was around her age, and my parents got a divorce, too.  That was so hard for me.  Plus, I had girlfriends making some bad decisions where boys were concerned, just like Kylie’s friend Sara.  I used all of the emotions I felt, all of the insecurities and uncertainties I experienced as a teenager, when I molded Kylie’s character, and I think it helped bring her to life.  I guess you could say I plagiarized my life to create Kylie.  However, Kylie is a lot cooler than I ever was.  Oh, and I never discovered I wasn’t human.

Readers also ask me which of the two love interest I relate to the most.  It’s so hard, because when I was writing a Lucas scene, I was a Lucas fan, and when I wrote a Derek scene, I was a Derek fan.  I can honestly tell you guys that I made a huge mistake writing this series.  You see, this is the first book in which I wrote a love triangle, and I didn’t know that I needed to make one guy so much better than the other.  I basically wrote two great heroes, both of them almost perfect for Kylie.  But as crazy as it sounds, I think I let Kylie make that decision and not me.

But I want to know which of my Shadow Falls characters to you relate to most and why?

Connecting With Fans

Howdy, everyone!  Howdy, Jordan M!

Who is Jordan M?  Well, you’ll have a read a bit to find out.  But I have to tell you, she’s someone who made my day.

When I sat down to write this blog, it was early in the morning on April 2nd, the day Saved at Sunrise was released.  As crazy as it sounds, I still get this knot in my stomach when I have a book released.  I’m always a little frightened that the story will miss the mark with my readers.   That the things I thought were funny, won’t seem so funny to you guys.  That somehow, my characters will fall flat.  You would think that after having almost 20 books published, the nervousness would end, but nope.  Putting a book out, is a little like standing naked in public.  Because when you write a story, it’s part of you.  Writers dig deep into their pasts, their morals, their fears, and likes and dislikes to create these pieces of fiction.  So, all these pages are really parts of us.  Then when those pages are released, we are exposed, opened for the whole world to see, to read. It’s a scary thought.

Yet, while I’m nervous, I’m also excited.  I want you to read my book.  I want to know you laughed, that you got that knot in your throat in the same places in the book that I got a knot in my mine while I was writing.

As a writer I have a few fantasies.  And no they aren’t about hot guys.  Okay, I might have a few of those, but I’m not sharing.  LOL.  I have this dream that I will sit down on an airplane and casually look over at the person sitting next to me and he/she will be reading my book.  And recently I’ve been doing a lot of traveling.  While I haven’t run into someone reading my book, I did have something almost as good happen.

You see, when I travel for book tours, I get to the airport and my publisher will have a limo driver waiting for me in the baggage claim.  I spotted a man with my name written on a card, and he helped me with my bags and we started off to the hotel.  He had heard I was a writer and asked me what I write.  I told him and he shared he has a step-daughter who reads.  I signed a bookmark for him to give to his step daughter.

I thought that was the end of it, that I would never see the limo driver again.  Sure in the back of mind, I mused about how cool it would be if his step-daughter actually read my work.  Now flash forward a few days.  The same limo driver came to pick me up at the hotel to take me back to the airport.  And when he saw me, he told me that after he’d met me he’d called his step daughter, Jordan.  He asked if she knew who C.C. Hunter was.  He said, she replied, “Of course, why?” When he told her he’d met me, she thought he was just teasing. So, he took her the bookmark.

Then as we got into the limo to return to the airport, he handed me a letter from Jordan.  It was beyond sweet.  She told me what she liked about my characters, about how she thought some things were funny and some things were sad.

Jordan, thank you for taking the time to write me a letter.  Thank you for thinking I’m funny in the right places and for tearing up in the scenes that made me cry.  Thank you for being a fan.

And thank you to all of you who are reading and enjoying my books.  Without readers, without the really excited fans who run out and tell someone about Kylie Galen and Lucas and Derek, and about Miranda turning Kylie’s cat into a skunk, without you guys, I couldn’t be a writer. And I wouldn’t be releasing my fifth Shadow Falls book, Chosen at Nightfall on the 23rd of this month!

So I have a treat for you. Here is the video for Chosen at Nightfall. Enjoy!

[image error]Today, just because I think you guys are the best, I’m going to give away a copy of a book I read and enjoyed: The Collector by Victoria Scott.  Yes, she was my guest blogger a week or so ago.  But I just want you guys to know I read this, and she’s an amazing writer.  She’s a little bit sassy like I am–and you know I love sass.  Victoria has an amazing writing voice.  So, I think you guys will enjoy her.

Make sure you leave a comment to be able to win.  Thank you again.  And hey…it’s just how many days until Chosen at Nightfall comes out?  Soon, right?  Very very soon!!  I think those knots in my stomach are coming back.

Winner! 

The winner of last week’s Chosen at Nightfall giveaway Isaiah Aldridge. Please email you mailing address to cc@cchunterbooks.com. Congratulations!

Notice

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will be unable to attend my Wednesday,  April 10th signing at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, TX. However, the delightful Rainbow Rowell will still be there, so I encourage you to go. It will be fun. As promised, even though I won’t be there, I’ll still give away FIVE copies of Chosen at Nightfall. I’m so sorry to miss this, but I would be happy to send a signed bookplate to anyone who buys one of my books at the signing.

 

 

 

 

Saved at Sunrise

It’s here! Today is the day Saved at Sunrise is released! I have to tell you this was a story I really felt compelled to tell. I told my editor I was working on it, and she reminded me I was supposed to be working on something else. It didn’t matter. I had to get this story out of my head. Della wouldn’t let me off the hook. She wanted her adventure with Steve available for my readers.

So, here it is, now you can read it. It is only $1.99 at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Although it is only available as an e-book, if you don’t have an e-reader, you can always download it to your computer or phone and read it there. So what are you waiting for?

In case you haven’t seen it before, here is the cool video for Saved at Sunrise:

In Saved at Sunrise, Della…

…gets a hicky from a hot guy.
…comes face to face with Lee—and his fiancé.
…almost gets arrested.
…gets thoroughly kissed.
…says something very hard for her to say—to Steve.

I think that’s enough to get your imaginations going, and if you read my blog two weeks ago, you have already read the first chapter.  But remember, Saved at Sunrise is only the first part of Della’s journey. I’ll be writing even more about Della in the future.

Winners and Giveaway!

The winner of my Chosen at Nightfall ARC giveaway from my special March 24th blog is Kelida Schuchardt.  You have until April 9 to email me at cc@cchunterbooks.com with your mailing address. Congratulations!

To celebrate the release of Saved at Sunrise, I am giving away another ARC of Chosen at Nightfall to one lucky person who leaves a comment. (Remember, if you are reading this on Goodreads, you must post on my CC Hunter Web blog to win. Sorry, but I have to limit this giveaway to US residents only.)

C.C. Interview Contest

Today, Tuesday, April 2, I’m being interviewed at Authors on the Air by Pam Stack. You can follow the link to the interview, but you can also post questions for me on their Facebook page. If you can’t listen to the interview live, go to their website and you’ll be able to listen to it through their archives. I’ll be giving away THREE copies of Chosen at Nightfall, a Shadow Falls t-shirt, and a copy of Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. All you have to do is listen to the interview before next Tuesday and answer the question by sending the answer to Authorsontheair@gmail.com. That’s it! You’ll be entered.

Guest Post by Victoria Scott

Finishing a Series

[image error]Very soon, I’ll begin drafting the last book in The Collector series. It seems surreal, considering the first in the trilogy has yet to release. But my publisher, Entangled Teen, has introduced an aggressive release calendar, and that means I have to write—and I have to write fast.

I admit that when I first thought about writing the final book, I thought in terms of time. How long will it take to outline? To draft? To proof? How long until I’m done? You see, I have different projects I’m obligated to. And even more projects I have yet to contract, but am dying to write and sell. Things to do. Stories to tell. So little time.

But then I opened a crisp, new book I’d bought. It was the final book in a series I adored, and I was dying to read it. I’d waited years to get to this spot, to find out what happens. It’s the same way I hope readers will feel about the last Dante Walker book.

Suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about drafting the final book as a task. I was thinking in terms of my readers. What would they want to happen? How excited will they be to hold the last story Dante will ever tell? Once again, the readers gave me insight.

Next week, I start writing the final book in The Collector series. I will hold you in my heart as I write it. I’ll take my sweet time and remember I owe you a bang-up ending to Dante’s story. And I’ll pray that when April 2, 2013 arrives, and you grip the first book in your hands…you’ll anxiously anticipate what I’m drafting into the final book at that very moment.

You can now preorder The Collector at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Thank you for the inspiration! Hugs!

WINNER

The winner of last week’s contest is Sydney W.  Please email me, Sydney,  at cc@cchunterbooks.com to claim Amanda Brice’s Pas De Death.