C.C. Hunter's Blog, page 41

I’m Giving Away Posters!

February 2, 2013 is the Montgomery County Book Festival. It is a fantastic one day event where there will be over 40 authors speaking and signing their books—and I will be one of those authors! There will even be a Teen Zone where you can mingle with the authors, make crafts and pick up prizes and giveaways. And it is all FREE! It will be held at the Lone Star College—Montgomery Campus, 3200 College Park Drive, Conroe, Texas from 9am to 5pm. This is a huge event with an opportunity for you to meet me and many other wonderful authors. So, anyone in the Houston, Texas area should come by for a fun time filled with great giveaways!

Now, I thought we’d have a little fun this week. This is your chance to let me in on what you are thinking about Kylie and her friends.  So, I’m going to give you some sentences and you can fill in the blanks.

I wish Kylie would_______ before she________.
Lucas would be the perfect hero if only he would________.
Derek would win Kylie over if he would just_________.
I would love to see Della face______.

If you leave a comment, you will have a chance to win one of four Shadow Falls posters I’m giving away. So, have some fun with it, and let me know what you are thinking.

Book News

[image error]What better way to start off 2013 than with some exciting news? There have been a few rumors, but now I can confirm it, Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn (books 1 & 2) are going to be released as one book. Titled Shadow Falls: The Beginning, it will be released March 5, 2013. And with the release of Chosen at Nightfall on April 30, 2013, I know spring is going to be a very exciting and busy time for me. I can’t wait!

So, if you haven’t read my Shadow Falls series or if you have a friend who hasn’t read my books, this is a great way to buy the first and second book for one low price! So make sure to spread the word with your friends who want to read my series, because this is a great deal. Shadow Falls: The Beginning can be preordered now on the Macmillan website, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. So, what are you waiting for?

Can’t Get Turned at Dark?

I receive many emails from readers who live outside the USA. Consequently, they cannot download Della’s story, Turned at Dark, from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. But there is another way. You can now read Taken at Dark on my website under the “Special Content” tab. Or, if you wish to download the book, you again go to the Macmillan website and scroll down to the “Book Excerpts” section, then you can click on the link on the right called “Read a short story by Hunter.” Turned at Dark should come up on your computer and you can download it from there. So now everyone can find out how Della became a vampire and how she came to be at Shadow Falls Camp.

Happy New Year!

 

[image error]I did a little research and discovered that it is said that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions, and people all over the world have been making and breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

Are you one of those people, like the Babylonians, who sets New Year’s resolutions? I know a lot of people who tell me, “I don’t do that. Why set myself up to fail?” I know, I know. We make them every January 1st and most years we let them fall by the wayside. Then, we sort of blame the whole resolution custom because it just doesn’t work out. I know this because I’ve been there. Done that. Worn the T-shirt. Worn that T-shirt out.

But here’s my question. Is it the custom’s fault? Or is it us?

Doesn’t that question make you feel all itchy inside? I mean, who wants to take blame when we can just shift it away. We blame it on the whacky tradition of setting those resolutions. It’s not our fault. It’s a stupid custom and so we should just stop believing in it like we stopped believing in Santa and the red-nosed reindeer. (Although, I do still believe in Santa just a little bit.)

Anyway, this line of thought got me thinking about the whole goal setting process. And yes, I do see New Year’s resolutions as goals. And I’m a big goal-setting fanatic. Seriously, I didn’t finish a book, sell a book, and hit some major publishing list without setting and achieving goals. And the process of goal setting isn’t algebra. It’s rather simple. We want something so we map out a plan of requirements/steps/tasks that we must do to accomplish said goal. Simple, right? So why the heck are my resolutions this year almost identical to the ones I made last year? Can you guess which ones they are?

Oh, heck, I’ll just say it. For some reason any goals that involve controlling what yummy stuff goes into my mouth or what yucky stuff I do called exercise are harder to achieve. Not that I’ve been totally bad about the exercise. I’ve managed to keep a good walking routine. At least four days a week I walk for about an hour. But guess what I learned. I have other muscles in this body other than those I use to walk. So here I am again this New Year, thinking about what I need to do to get in better shape. And I’m setting a new list of resolutions.

And why am I doing this again when, realistically, I’ve already proven I might fail? Well, I gave it some thought and concluded, I’m not a realist. I’m an optimist. Besides, for me to say I don’t believe in resolutions is like saying that I don’t believe that I can accomplish something. That I’m going to stop pushing myself to be better.

And I’m a pusher by nature.

I ended up joining the YMCA. But this got me thinking about how I was able to accomplish part of my walking goals last year. The main reason I’d not failed was because I’d had a partner. Susan, my neighbor, friend, and writing buddy joins me on those treks through our neighborhood. And my other neighbor is a member of the YMCA, and we’re going together two times a week. So, hopefully, I’ll stick to this resolution and work out those muscles I forgot I had.

Now for my other goals.

1. Controlling yummy stuff—I’m thinking of trying to talk a friend into going to weight watchers with me.

2. Try to stay on top of book deadlines—focus on getting more pages done daily.

3. Balance work with play—make more plans to do short vacation trips. Use the trips as a dangling carrot, i.e. if you get two chapters done this week, you can go New Orleans for the weekend.

4. Read more and watch less television.

We’ll see how I do this year. Okay…so there you have it—my resolutions. Anyone want to share their resolutions and how you plan to meet them? May I suggest getting a partner to help you accomplish those goals? It really does help.

Happy New Year!

Poster Winners!

Wow, it sounds like y’all had a great Christmas.  So many of you posted on my last blog, it made it hard to pick the winners.  But the winners of Shadow Falls posters are Hillary Reyne, Katy Austin, Aspen and Hannah Rose. Please email your mailing address to cc@cchunterbooks.com ASAP! Congratulations!

Happy Holidays!

[image error]Merry Christmas!

Well, my brisket is in the oven and my table is set for our family Christmas dinner. All of the presents have been opened, too. And I have to tell you we had a lot of fun this morning. You see, we write clues on the packages as to what is inside. Then, everyone has to guess what their presents is based on the clue. We try not to make it too easy, so some of our clues are pretty obscure. But it makes for a fun guessing game and one of our treasured traditions.

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday, too. Was Santa good to you? Tell me, what was your favorite gift?  I received an unexpected gift in the mail—a box of Shadow Falls posters! So, I’m giving away a Shadow Falls poster to FOUR people who leave a comment on this blog.  (Remember, if you are reading this blog on Goodreads, you need to comment on www.cchunterbooks.com in order to be eligible to win. And again, I have to restrict the contest to US residents only.)

Let’s Talk Writing

[image error]I hear from a lot of my fans about how they, too, are writers. And I get a lot of questions about writing. So I decided to answer a few of those questions on my blog.

What do I need to prepare myself to become a writer?

This question is easy. You need to read. Read. Read. And then read some more. You need to study books. Ask yourself why you love this book. What is it about the character that drew you in? How did the writer keep you reading? Then you need to start writing. And you need to write. Write. And then write some more.

I keep writing a few pages of one book and then I lose interest and start a new one. How do you force yourself to finish a book?

It is not uncommon for writers to start a book and realize it’s not working. But you need to reconnect with what it was that got you so excited about the idea in the first place. Sometimes you just need to force yourself to keep writing, put your butt in the chair and do not get up! Sometimes you need to spend some time doing some serious brainstorming about the character and the story. Some times when my writing stops flowing it is because I wrote myself into a corner, and the plot stopped feeling right. So look at the last few pages you wrote and see if you can change it and maybe the story will start flowing again. Yes, I have started a book and realized that it wasn’t the book I wanted to finish. But if you do this a lot, it may not be the book, it may be you.

The thing to remember is that as fun as writing is, you still have to be disciplined with yourself. A gymnast has to practice, an ice skater must skate. A writer must write, and they must complete the things they write to become published.

I finished my book, now how do I go about getting it published?

Finishing a book is cause for a huge celebration. Seriously, celebrate. When I finish a book, you will find me out at a nice restaurant. A lot of people want to be writers and start books, but finishing a book means you are serious. It means you stuck it out even when you didn’t always feel inspired to write. It means you really have what it takes to be a writer.

This said, finishing a book is only one step to becoming a published writer. Now you have to figure out if there are flaws in the book. Now it’s time to rewrite. I know, I know, our books are like our babies, and we don’t want to think they could have flaws. But let’s be honest. Some of our babies aren’t perfect—not the real ones and not our book babies. Haven’t you see an ugly baby in real life? Some babies might have a big nose, or big ears. Most of the time, a real baby will grow into his/her nose and ears. As parents of books, it’s our job to make sure we give them ample time to grow. It’s our job to make them as perfect as they can be before we send them out into the big scary world of publishing.

By the way, I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t like this step. I know some writers who love it, but for me it’s getting the first draft down that I love. But this part of the writing process is another sign that you have what it takes to really be a writer. It can mean changing things in your story. So after you finished the book, give yourself some time. Then you need to sit down and read the book like a reader. Do you see things that need to be tweaked? Maybe you see the need to soften a character if the character isn’t coming off very likable—or perhaps you need to give them more motivation for acting the way they do. Sometimes rewriting can mean being downright nasty to your characters because you realize there isn’t enough conflict in your story. Yes, we might like our characters, but to make them interesting to the readers, they need to have to fight for what they want in the books. That struggle to get what they want is what a book is really about. You see, not enough conflict is one of the biggest mistakes writers make.

Now the problem is often that as the creator or parent of this book/baby, we don’t see those flaws. So this means getting other people to read and critique your book before you send it out to a real publisher. And this is the tough part, too. You are going to need a thick skin and a clear head.

Who do I get to read my book and how do I find the right person?

It’s so easy to turn to our friends and our families to read and give us advice. And I’m not saying your friend and family might not be the perfect person. However, you need someone who will be honest with you. If there’s a boring chapter, or if they lost interest in the book in chapter six will this person tell you? Or will they not want to hurt your feelings? If you are weak on grammar and punctuation is this person going to be able to help you?

Then you need someone who knows enough about books so you can trust their advice. If this person doesn’t read, or just doesn’t like books about vampires and your book is about vampires and they tell you the book is no good, will you be devastated? Will you give up? It’s is so hard being critiqued, but as a writer you need to get used to it. You are going to be critiqued by an agent, if you are lucky enough to get one, and you will be critiqued by an editor who more times than not will give you some revisions to do if you are lucky enough to sell the book. So start growing your think skin right now.

So you need someone whose opinion you can trust. And here’s another tricky thing about getting critiqued. While you need to trust someone’s opinion, you can’t stop trusting yourself or your gut. Generally, when you get some feedback about changing something our first impulse is to say, “What? That’s perfect. I will not change that!” What I do, and my advice to you, is to take a few days, even a week to reflect on this person’s suggestions before getting upset? Sometimes it just takes a few easy tweaks to change something. Sometimes it takes more.

And here’s the kicker, if someone tells you need to change something, and after reflection, you can’t see changing it, then don’t. You have to be true to your story. But (don’t you hate buts?) most of time when someone I trust tells me something, there is generally some truth in what they are saying. Someone might say… “In this scene Kylie is being a B with an itch.” Maybe I don’t’ see it, but then I realize I could soften her response to something just a bit and then I realize that I never really explained why Kylie was feeling the way she was, so after I added the motivation for her being upset, then she no longer seems to be acting badly. This said, there have been times someone suggested something I just didn’t agree with. And as the writer, only you can decide what to change and how to change it.

So…if your friends and family can’t do it, how do you find the right person to read your work and give you advice? I know that several of you have asked me to look at something. I hate saying no, but I have to for several reasons. My publisher frowns upon me doing this. I know it sounds silly but if something you wrote was close to something I wrote, it could cause a stink, it could actually cause a law suit and has in the past. The second reason is my time. It’s so hard to meet my deadline, and reading and critiquing another person’s work can be very time consuming. So if I can’t do it, where do you turn? Well, if you are old enough to join a writing group, you can meet others writer’s that way. If you are not old enough, or don’t have a writing group around, go to your English teacher or your librarian and she might be able to connect you with other people who trying to write.

Once you find a critique partner, you’ll need to agree on some guidelines and what kind of critiques you want to offer each other. You want to be honest, but honesty should never sound mean. If something isn’t working, say it isn’t working for you, but never tell them it stinks or that they are a bad writer. Always respect each other and accept that what you are offering is a suggestion that the author of the work always has the right to accept or not accept your suggestions. Just because you think they should change something doesn’t make you right. Writing is very subjective.

Okay, I’ve written my book, polished my book, and have had other’s give me feedback, now what do I do to get it published?

Okay…you’re getting closer. And I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but writing is a tough business. Remember me mentioning that thick skin, you are still going to need it. Now it’s time to look and see where to send your book. Most publishers want you to have an agent. That means you have to research agents. Again if you are a member of a writing club you can find info on agents from other writers. However, you can also get it information online or in resource books like Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents or Chuck Sambuchino’s 2013 Guide to Literary Agents. You’ll need to write a one-page query letter telling the agent a little about you and your book and asking them to read it. And this is where the thick skin comes in. They very well might tell you no. This is what writers call a rejection. You can get them from agents and even editors. I know it’s hard. But you just keep writing queries, trying to make them as interesting as you can. Remember that editors and agents get as many as 100 and sometimes more queries a day, and it’s hard for them to make decisions.

If an agent responds from my query and asks to see some or all of my manuscript, does it mean they will accept me as a client?

It means that after reading your query, they think they might like your work. And if they do, they might take you on as a client. But they reject a lot more books that they decide to represent. They may offer you suggestions on your writing, they may just tell you the book isn’t for them.

Do I need to pay an agent to read my book?

No, if an agent asks for money to read your work, I would not send it to them. That said, there are people who do professional editing. It can be expensive. I would only go this route if you are certain that your book is marketable. Instead, I would first try to find a critique group to help you.

If I get a rejection, does that mean I’m not any good?

No. Heck no! Just like you don’t like all the same books as your friends, agents and editors have personal tastes. However, it could mean you just need a little more time to work on your craft as a writer. The really important thing to remember is that almost every writer gets rejected at some point. Most of us get rejected a lot. When I started writing, I wrote novels, short articles and short stories. It may be hard to believe, but I was rejected over 10,000 times.

Just because you are rejected doesn’t mean you aren’t a good writer. You just have to find the right agent, the right editor and you have to keep learning and improving.

So seriously, how long will it take before I become a published writer?

I will not lie to you, being a writer is hard and it can take you a long time to make it. Not that it doesn’t happen for some people really quickly, it does. I know people who wrote and sold their first book. But I know a lot more whom it took years to finally see their books in print. And for most of us, it does take time.

I wrote ten years before I sold my first book. It’s my opinion that you have to love writing more than you hate being rejected. You have to write, praying you sell the book, or article, or short story, but you have to write another one even if that one doesn’t sell.

Even after I sold my first book, I couldn’t sell another one. So, I started writing short things for magazines. I started selling a lot, but I got a ton of rejections on my short pieces. It took a few years, but I eventually stared selling a lot of articles, but I still got a lot of rejections. Then in 2000, I decided to go back to writing books. Six years later, I had written eight books and six partial books before I finally sold another book. This time my career took off.

Please don’t think I’m telling you this to discourage you. I want you to know that if you get a rejection, it doesn’t mean you are not going to make it as a writer. Writers get rejections. Smart writers who really want to get published keep writing. They keep learning and continue to take steps toward their goal of making their dreams come true.

I’m not an adult yet, can I still publish a book?

Yes, there are some young adult writers. I’m sorry I don’t know what all it would take, but I’m sure your parents might also be involved. I did not start writing books at a young age and I’m envious of all you guys who are already working on your craft. So keep on writing. Anything is possible.

If I can’t get an agent does this mean I will never sell?

No. There are many different routes to getting your books published. There is not a right or wrong way. It is what is best for you. Today, a lot of writers are putting their books up as e-books. And some publishing houses do not require an agent to submit. If you want to sell to a bigger publishing house and see your book in print, not just as e-books, I recommend you try to find an agent before trying to do it on your own. But if you try for a while and don’t snag an agent’s interest, trying to do it on your own may be what’s right for you.

Can’t I just send my book to a publishing house?

This depends on the publishing house’s guidelines. You can usually find those guidelines online at the publisher’s website. Some want the first few pages of the book, some just want a one-page query letter telling them a bit about the book and a little about you. They will also state if they accept unagented queries. Or they may state that they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. That mean you need to query them.

What should I know before sending my book out to an agent or publisher?

Like I earlier stated, make sure your book is the best it can be before submitting. You should also know what the guidelines are for sending or querying that agent or editor. Like the publishing houses, agents have websites and tell you how and what to send them. Follow their guidelines or you risk them not reading your work.

Know what you write and what type of books the publishers/agents represent or buy. Some agents do not represent certain types of books. Some editors/publishing houses only publish certain types of books. They will also tell you the length of the books. If they say they only accept paranormal romance of approximately 85,000 words, you wouldn’t send them a 10,000 word story or any story that wasn’t a paranormal romance.

When should I give up writing and my dream of becoming published?

You should only give up when you no longer want or dream of becoming a published writer. I love writing, but I still have some bad days when it feels more like a job than a passion. Writing can be hard. But quitting writing was never an option for me. So when everything inside of you says you are supposed to write, then write and never, ever give up on that dream. I didn’t. And while it took me a long time to get where I am, every year, every month, week, day, hour and second was worth the journey to get where I am.

Good luck to everyone. May your make your dreams come true.

And for today’s blog why don’t you practice writing a pitch for your book. I’m talking about no more than three sentences. I.e. My story is about a girl who has spent sixteen years trying to figure out who she is, only to discover she doesn’t know what she is. Sent to a paranormal camp, she learns that even the other supernaturals are clueless to her type of supernatural. Can she find her answers before everything in her world goes crazy?

I’m not going to be critiquing them, but I think everyone would enjoy hearing about what you are interested in writing and this is a good practice for your queries.

Winners!!!

Last week’s winner of the Shadow Falls bag of swag is Gabrielle Sanders. The winners of the copies of Whispers at Moonrise are Gelske (The Netherlands), Stephany Regina (Brazil), Elizabeth Tardecilla and Olive. Please email your mailing addresses to cc@cchunterbooks.com. Congratulations!

It Wasn’t Even On My Bucket List!

Do you know the most-asked question I get in emails from my readers? “Is Shadow Falls ever going to be turned into a movie or TV series?” Okay, some of you guys word it a little bit differently, but I swear at least once a day someone asks that question.

You may think I get tired of being asked, but nope! I love it!!! I love it because it tells me that you guys are really excited about the series. I love it because it actually made the possibility of that movie/TV option feel feasible.

But even with all those questions inspiring me, I have to tell you that achieving this wasn’t even on my bucket list. Do you know what a bucket list is? It‘s the list of things you really want to do or have happen before you kick the bucket. Well, I never dared to dream that big. I mean… how could that happen to me?

I’m just a small-town girl with a bad habit of making up crazy stuff. Yeah, I write that stuff down, and it actually gets published. But to have a Hollywood producer say… “I want to make a movie/TV series about the crazy stuff you make up, is well, (as Kylie would say) unfreaking-believable.

Ahh, but it happened. Yup. I’m totally over the moon excited to be able to tell all my readers the film and television rights to my YA paranormal Shadow Falls series have been optioned by producer Steven J. Berger and his Provenance Pictures to be developed as a television series. Incidentally, Berger just wrapped up production on the independent feature film The Pretty One starring Zoe Kazan.

Now…I want to state up front that this doesn’t actually mean it is going to happen. Mr. Berger still has to sell the idea to a network or get a film company behind the project, but this is the first step, and I’m thrilled to be on this road. Thrilled to be able to tell all my cheer leaders that there is actually a real possibility of this happening.

Now, sooner or later someone is going to ask me who I think should play Kylie and my other characters? So I need help! Tell me, who do you guys think should play Kylie, Lucas, Derek, Miranda, Della, Perry, Holiday and Burnett?

So, in celebration of my wonderful news, I’m doing some giveaways.  I’m going to give away another Shadow Falls gift bag with all sorts of promotional items.  I’m also giving away FOUR copies of Whispers at Moonrise. And because I’m so excited, I want to include my fans from everywhere, so TWO of those books will go to fans who live outside the U.S.  To all of my readers who live overseas, this is your chance! Make sure you post a comment and be sure to include what country you live in. Tell me the name of the actor you think should play a part or just tell me what’s on your bucket list. And as I have recently learned, anything is possible. So go ahead and dream. Dream big! (Remember,if you are reading this on Goodreads, you must post your comment on www.cchunterbooks.com to be eligible to win.)

Have a wonderful day and Happy Holidays!

 

Texas Proud

Some of you know that I’m originally an Alabama gal. But I have to tell you that I’m proud to hang my hat in Texas. I’ve lived here since 1986 after I fell in love with a tall Texan while living in California. Coming to Texas felt a little like coming home. They talked Southern, people were friendly, waved at you from front porches as you drove by and even had signs up reminding us to “Drive Friendly”. Yup, I’m Texas proud and I’m completely honored to be one of the Spirit of Texas featured authors.

So, what is the Spirit of Texas Award you ask? Well, the idea for the Spirit of Texas Reading Program originally came from Texas author, Andrea White. Mrs. White envisioned bringing Texas authors and illustrators to Texas libraries to talk to students about their books and the writing process. (Something near and dear to my heart!) Eventually, the original idea was expanded to include an interactive website, original programming by Texas librarians and annual awards for Texas authors/illustrators. The name “Spirit of Texas” was chosen because the program hopes to encourage a greater understanding of what it means to be a Texan and nurture an appreciation for the literary works of and about Texas and Texans. And, hopefully, when you read about Kylie and her friends, you’ll learn a little about Texas, too.

What does it mean to receive the Spirit of Texas Award? It means my Shadow Falls series will be placed on a recommended reading list for students in grades 9-12 throughout Texas. I will also be the highlighted author on the Young Adult Round Table (YART) of the Texas Library Association’s website in March thru April. And I will be proudly attending the Texas Library Association’s annual conference in Fort Worth, April 24th-27th, 2013. Maybe I’ll even wear my cowgirl boots….

Book Signing

For those of you who also live in Texas, particularly the Houston area, I’ll be at Murder By The Book with fellow author Susan C. Muller on Saturday, December 8, 2012. I’ll be signing my books from 2pm-3pm. Murder By The Book is located at 2342 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. For more information follow this link to the Murder By The Book website: http://www.murderbooks.com/. Please stop on by, I’d love to meet y’all!

Winner!

The winner of last week’s Shadow Falls bag filled with goodies is Jenna Pontious . Please email me at cc@ cchunterbooks.com with your mailing address AND your t-shirt size. Congratulations, Jenna!

Fairytales and Romance

Recently, I snuggled up in bed with my granddaughter to watch The Little Mermaid. Now, I had seen the movie before, but seeing it with a three-year-old was a little like seeing it through the eyes of a child. I was swept away by the story, the characters and the romance. Yes, I’m a romantic, and if you don’t think there’s romance in children’s fairy tales, well, you need to go grab yourself a blanket, some popcorn, and curl up and watch them again with fresh eyes.

My granddaughter and I fell in love with Prince Eric just as Ariel did. I was totally fascinated and could completely relate to Ariel. I cheered for her as she struggled to achieve her independence. I felt for her when her dad destroyed her collection of human things. I held my breath anticipating when she would achieve her biggest goal— (Do you remember what she wanted?) –feet. And I bit my nails as she tried and tried to get Eric just to kiss her. And when she finally got that kiss, I sighed with a warm heart.

As crazy as it was, I could totally see Kylie Galen, my heroine in the Shadow Falls Series, in Ariel. Kylie’s struggle of finding her own independence as she is becoming an adult is much like Ariel’s efforts to leave the deep ocean and see what the other world was really like. Kylie has Della, Miranda and Holiday to keep her laughing and Ariel had her humorous friends, Flounder, Scuttle and Sebastian. Kylie searches to find what type of supernatural she is and what it entails, Ariel seeks to discover what it means to be a human. In the final book of the Kylie’s journey, Kylie risks her life to save those she loves. Ariel risks becoming a slave to the evil sea witch in an attempt to win the heart of her prince.

Ah, the drama and romance. It’s no wonder I loved the fairytales when I was young. You don’t have to look far to know where my love of storytelling began. Oh…and when I asked my granddaughter what her favorite part was, she grinned, blushed and then said, “When Ariel was dancing with Prince Eric and he kissed her.” Ah, I think she inherited her love of romance from me.

I haven’t seen Brave yet, but I am planning on it. But another movie I love is Shrek. Don’t you think Lucas is a bit like Shrek? Hey…he’s no ogre. He’s actually very cute, but at times he comes off a little grouchy.

So…do you see any of Kylie in Ariel? Which of the fairytale movies are your favorites?

Today one lucky poster will win a bag of SWAG (promotional items). Which will include a Shadow Falls bag, a t-shirt, bookmarks, pads, and pens. So make sure you leave a comment. (Remember, you have to post your comments on www.cchunterbooks.com for a chance to win. Sorry, U.S. residents only.)

Winners!

Last week’s winners of the t-shirts are Bianca Powers,  Jennifer Alston and Alison Troutman. Please send me your t-shirt size and mailing address to cc@cchunterbooks.com. Congratulations!

Giving Thanks

[image error]It’s Thanksgiving this Thursday? Well, here in the U.S. it’s Thanksgiving. That means lots of food, lots of desserts, and lots of family time. I’ll be in the kitchen cooking on Wednesday and Thursday morning. The crazy thing is that I’ll be cooking for two days and we’ll eat it all in less than an hour. Ahh, but I still love to cook. I love preparing all that food for everyone and watching them gulp it down. They appreciate it, I can tell.

We mostly eat the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey and dressing, fresh green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, and about three different kinds of pie. I should start dieting now, just for that one day.

But Thanksgiving isn’t just about the food. It’s not even just about the family. It really is about giving thanks. And this year, I have a whole lot of things to be grateful about.

• I am thankful for all my awesome readers who have helped me climb the ladder in my writing career! Thank you, guys!

• I am thankful for my family, who continue to amaze me with their support. Hubby is doing the laundry, just so I can write more. Yes, I have some pink bras that used to be white, but I’m not complaining. LOL.

• I am thankful for my friends, who just like Della and Miranda are to Kylie, are always there for me when I need them. Not that any of my friends fight like Miranda and Della, but the laughter we share, the shoulders we offer each other during hard times, are much like the friendship you see in the Shadow Falls books.

• I am thankful for my granddaughter, who keeps me laughing. Just last week, she told someone that she was three and that meant she was old enough to use scissors and knives. When they told her she wasn’t that old, she held up out her hands and said, “Look, I’ve been using scissors for weeks and I still have all ten of my fingers.”

• I’m thankful for this crazy imagination and wacky sense of humor my parents passed down to me. When I sit down to write and these crazy ideas hit, I sometimes don’t know where they came from. Seriously, when I was writing the scene in Whispers at Moonrise and Miranda told Kylie she needed to use her witch powers to zap them a six pack of diet soda, and Kylie zapped a cold shirtless guy with a nice six pack to their kitchen, I do not know where that idea came from! But I’m so grateful these ideas do come.

So what are you guys having for Thanksgiving? What are you thankful for? Today, I will give away three Shadow Falls t-shirts to people who tell me what they are thankful for. Sorry, but due to shipping costs I must limit this giveaway to U.S. residents only. (If you are reading this on Goodreads, you must post your comment on cchunterbooks.com in order to be eligible to win.)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Exciting News!!!

I just learned that Born at Midnight is up for the Readers’ Choice Award in Germany! What an honor! And something else to be thankful for. It is nominated in the Youth and Audiobook categories. All my readers have a chance to vote. Go to http://www.lovelybooks.de/leserpreis/2012/ . (Google offers a translation button at the top.) The categories are listed as Jugend (Youth) and Horbuch (Audiobook) in the German.  Select Born at Midnight in the checked box (abstimmen). It then asks for your name and then your email address. The only thing left is to hit “vote now.” Voting closes on November 29, 2012, so hurry!

Who’s Who?

Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The leaves are changing on the trees, and it’s even cooled off in Texas! So, I thought we’d have some fun.  Everyone seemed to love voting on the images of the Shadow Falls characters.  So, I thought we’d have another go, but this time, I’m talking about the funny, sexy shapeshifter Perry and the edgy vampire Jonathon.

What do we know about Perry? Well, he defiantly has a thing for Miranda. He’s also a great friends to Kylie and has saved her butt several times. But how does he look? We know he’s blonde, but we also know his eye color changes (not to mention how he morphs into animals!). Here are a few possibilities for Perry. What do you  think?

Perry #1                                 Perry #2

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Perry #3                             Perry #4

[image error][image error]So who is your Perry?

 

 

 

Now, what about Jonathon? Well, we know he had a pretty rough life. He shows his rebellion in his piercings and his street smart attitude  But becoming a vampire gave him focus and helped him get his head straight. So now he’s sweet on quiet Helen, the healer. Here goes!

Jonathon #1                         Jonathon #2

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Jonathon #3                       Jonathon #4

[image error][image error]Who do you picture when you read about Jonathon?

 

 

 

So, go ahead, I want to know. Who fits your vision of Perry and of Jonathon?