C.V. Hunt's Blog, page 29

Q&A with myself.

This is just an update to answer some commonly askedquestions about my writing. I've been asked the questions a lot and thought itwas only fair to answer them for everyone. Don't be afraid to send me an e-mailif you have more.
When are you going to finish Phantom?
This is the most frequently asked question, and the simplestanswer is, it's already finished. I had written the whole trilogy before Endlesslywas even available for sale. I guess what everyone really wants to know is,when is Phantom going to be available for purchase? The simplest answer forthat is, I don't know.
There are advantages and disadvantages of being an indieauthor, and this is one of the disadvantages - money. I pay a professionaleditor to critique and edit my books. That money comes out of my pocket. Sowhenever I get the money, I will start the process for Phantom. My goal is have it available by February,but that is a goal, not a guarantee. Life happens. Have faith and patience in me, I'm a starving artist. 
Couldn't you just publish Phantom without editing it?
I could, but I won't. I don't think it would be fair to thereader to publish it unedited. I gave them two polished books, and I don'tintend to end the trilogy with a sloppy story. I want feedback from my editor,and I want to make sure Jason's story is told in the same light as Verloren'sand Ash's.
Trilogy? Weren't you writing a fourth book to this series?
Yes. The first three books are a story unto themselves. Eachbook is written from a different character's point of view, but all three bookscomplete an overall story. I have begun a forth booked titled Switch. It isrelated, and somewhat unrelated, to the Endlessly trilogy. It is not finished,and I find myself unable to complete it until Phantom is finished in editing.
The premise for Switch – back to the beginning. Switch willstart at the beginning of Endlessly, and follow all three books, but from the Quatre'spoint of view. The story is told by a female werewolf, with a disturbing past, asshe works for the Quatre. It's meant to be more of a companion book, as it letsyou see all the things that were happening behind the scenes of the other three,and it lets you experience what was only discussed in the other books. It's meant to be a stand alone book, meaning that anyone could pick it up and read it, without read the trilogy. 
Are you planning on writing anything else, or are youworking on anything right now?
Yes. I am currently, and slowly, working on a zombie novel.It was bound to happen eventually. I'm still toying with the title, whichusually jumps out and bites me (pun intended) when I'm writing the story. Ihave two main goals for this book. The first goal, I want it to be one book, noseries. The second goal is that I want every chapter from a differentcharacters point of view.
I struggled with whether or not to write it third person. Ijust didn't think I could do it. It's not my style. I thought about the overallstory, and how I would be able to tell it from one person's point of view, andI thought this would be the best alternative. So I picked three characters, andthe story will be told by rotating to a different point of view for eachchapter. I like to give myself a little challenge when I write.
Beyond Switch and the untitled zombie book, I really haven'tput much thought into anything else. Lately, I've spent more time painting. I've been reading a lot of bizarro,and I've been thinking of taking a crack at that, whatever I write, there issure to be a monster lurking somewhere within its pages. 

Book Review: Monster Island by David Wellington

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It's one month after a global disaster. The most"developed" nations of the world have fallen to the shambling zombiemasses. Only a few pockets of humanity survive — in places rife withhigh-powered weaponry, such as Somalia.
In New York City, the dead walk the streets, driven by aninsatiable hunger for all things living. One amongst them is different; thoughhe shares their appetites he has retained his human intelligence. Alone amongthe mindless zombies, Gary Fleck is an eyewitness to the end of the world — andperhaps the evil genius behind it all.
From the other side of the planet, a small but heavily-armedgroup of schoolgirls-turned-soldiers has come in search of desperately neededmedicine. Dekalb, a former United Nations weapons inspector, leads them astheir local guide. Ayaan, a crackshot at the age of sixteen, will stop atnothing to complete her mission. They think they are prepared for anything. OnMonster Island they will find that there is something worse even than undeath,as Gary learns the true price of survival. [image error] http://www.davidwellington.net/   AMAZON  GOODREADS  B&N
REVIEW:
Dekalb is a weapons inspector for the UN. He and his young daughterhave been captured by a Somalian warlord. He's been offered refuge for his familyand a possible new life for his daughter under certain circumstances.
His mission is to sail to America to find drugs to treatAIDS, since this is what the warlord is infected with, while most of the worldhas been infected with the zombie virus. It sounds impossible…it sounds like asuicide mission. Who else is going to be able to take care of him and hisdaughter when firearms are what you need to survive in this new and devastatingworld?
Gary used to be a doctor. Now he's the smartest dead guy inthe world. Or at least that is what he'll tell you when you talk to him. Heknew there were two options when New York was swallowed alive by the zombie plague:be eaten or join them.
Using his medical theory – that the dead stop breathing, depletingoxygen to the brain, and causing them to be mindless when they reanimate – he hookedhimself to the right medical equipment, and then took his own life. He woke updead.
When the dead are able to think, a zombie infested worldwill become more terrifying. Gary and Dekalb aren't as different as you mightthink at first glance; the both have the same goal – survival.
I first ran into David Wellington's books in a used bookstore. I picked up his 13 Bullets series, which is about vampires. He does extremelywell with the darker side of monsters, and I fell in love with his writing style.A fifth book of his vampire series is coming out soon, and I felt that I needto explore the rest of his work. Monster Island is the first of a zombietrilogy, and I must say, the first book had me captivated again. I look forwardto reading the rest of this series, the continuation of his vampire series, andrecently, he has started a werewolf series.
If you are ready to step away from the cuddly monsters thathave been creeping up on us, and get back to the basics of horror, read some ofDavid Wellington's books.

Legacy giveaway!

There is only a day left to get signed up for the Legacy giveaway. If you haven't had a chance, head over to Goodreads now. Good luck to all that enter.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Legacy by C.V. Hunt Giveaway ends September 23, 2011.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

What's coming up.

There will be a few changes around here in the months ahead, but don't worry, it won't be anything too drastic. 
I was recently asked if I would like to write a guest review for a site called the LL Book Review (http://llbookreview.com). I was thrilled to have been asked, and accepted. The LL Book Review is an awesome site that writes reviews for independent, POD, and small press authors. They have a section on their site called Pick Me! that is set up for authors to submit their books for review. I stumbled across them when I had released Endlessly, I submitted it, and I was accepted. (review is here http://llbookreview.com/2011/05/review-206-endlessly-by-c-v-hunt/) They will be posting a review of Legacy on October 1 (I will post the link when it is available). 
Among the emails with the site operator, I expressed that I do read these types books on my own. I've been given the opportunity to review more books for them. I have an eclectic taste in reading material, and this has lead to me adding some of my older reviews for them to post. So there will be a total of four reviews, from me, posted on their site in the month of October. This is going to affect the way that I post my reviews here on my blog. First, they will be more detailed, giving the author their fair share of the spot light. Second, I will not be posting the reviews until it is live on LL's site first. 
I have a soft spot for indie authors since I am one. I feel that I should try to help them as much as I would like to be helped, and as much as I have been helped. It's that never dying rule: Do unto others...
With that information out of the way, it's now time for the second order of business. My website. After a discussion with a friend today, my site is going to change quite a bit. If some of you don't know, my regular site www.authorcvhunt.com is run on Adobe Flash. Adobe is an awesome tool that helps to animate items on the web, but unfortunately, there a glitches with compatibility. Iphone users are unable to access my site, along with people with older operating systems. Had I know this before I signed up with the web hosting site that I did, I would have skipped them. I'm not very computer literate, and their services are very user friendly to the person building and maintaining the site, but not for people trying to view it. So somewhere in the near future, I will be reappointing the domain to this blog. I'm sure that you should be able to access this site with the old address, or with the new domain. 
So shortly, you will see this site being rearranged, if you haven't already noticed. The blog has been renamed, links to my books have been added with the previews, and pictures of my paintings have been reposted. Followers don't worry, I will still continue business as usual. I will continue to review books, post my personal thoughts, and throw out short stories and musings, and keep you up to date on my books and their progress. 
Only one more thing before I go for today. I want to give a huge THANK YOU to the band Us, From Outside for giving me permission to use their song Smile Princess, You're Perfect for Phantom's book trailer. Those who know me, know that I love all types of music. I love this song and the lyrics only seemed fitting. I cannot thank them enough for letting me use it. I will post the trailer when I am finished with it, but until then you can just enjoy the song (It is a bit heavy for some, but give it a chance, and let it play all the way through. Lyrics are posted below.)

(By cells, by cells and shadows, away we go.
We might not have any answers, but have no doubt that yours are wrong)

No chance of sleep, we'll float away.
(This here is the sight of the murder)
In hopes we'll make it through another day.
We need to find our home, if only you could stay. (Just stay)

[Chorus:]
She... She's safe from my world, torn apart.
Too dark to find a home. Maybe my girl, we could start.

Now clear of hope, we're on our own. How about a meeting of the minds?
You know that your arms are so tired. Even if we're wrong.
We'd survive... we'd survive. Save the night.

[Chorus]

Now the world and all her tears are dreams.
(Dreams? I don't dream anymore!)



Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.com

What's coming up.

There will be a few changes around here in the months ahead, but don't worry, it won't be anything too drastic. 
I was recently asked if I would like to write a guest review for a site called the LL Book Review (http://llbookreview.com). I was thrilled to have been asked, and accepted. The LL Book Review is an awesome site that writes reviews for independent, POD, and small press authors. They have a section on their site called Pick Me! that is set up for authors to submit their books for review. I stumbled across them when I had released Endlessly, I submitted it, and I was accepted. (review is here http://llbookreview.com/2011/05/review-206-endlessly-by-c-v-hunt/) They will be posting a review of Legacy on October 1 (I will post the link when it is available). 
Among the emails with the site operator, I expressed that I do read these types books on my own. I've been given the opportunity to review more books for them. I have an eclectic taste in reading material, and this has lead to me adding some of my older reviews for them to post. So there will be a total of four reviews, from me, posted on their site in the month of October. This is going to affect the way that I post my reviews here on my blog. First, they will be more detailed, giving the author their fair share of the spot light. Second, I will not be posting the reviews until it is live on LL's site first. 
I have a soft spot for indie authors since I am one. I feel that I should try to help them as much as I would like to be helped, and as much as I have been helped. It's that never dying rule: Do unto others...
With that information out of the way, it's now time for the second order of business. My website. After a discussion with a friend today, my site is going to change quite a bit. If some of you don't know, my regular site www.authorcvhunt.com is run on Adobe Flash. Adobe is an awesome tool that helps to animate items on the web, but unfortunately, there a glitches with compatibility. Iphone users are unable to access my site, along with people with older operating systems. Had I know this before I signed up with the web hosting site that I did, I would have skipped them. I'm not very computer literate, and their services are very user friendly to the person building and maintaining the site, but not for people trying to view it. So somewhere in the near future, I will be reappointing the domain to this blog. I'm sure that you should be able to access this site with the old address, or with the new domain. 
So shortly, you will see this site being rearranged, if you haven't already noticed. The blog has been renamed, links to my books have been added with the previews, and pictures of my paintings have been reposted. Followers don't worry, I will still continue business as usual. I will continue to review books, post my personal thoughts, and throw out short stories and musings, and keep you up to date on my books and their progress. 
Only one more thing before I go for today. I want to give a huge THANK YOU to the band Us, From Outside for giving me permission to use their song Smile Princess, You're Perfect for Phantom's book trailer. Those who know me, know that I love all types of music. I love this song and the lyrics only seemed fitting. I cannot thank them enough for letting me use it. I will post the trailer when I am finished with it, but until then you can just enjoy the song (It is a bit heavy for some, but give it a chance, and let it play all the way through. Lyrics are posted below.)

(By cells, by cells and shadows, away we go.
We might not have any answers, but have no doubt that yours are wrong)

No chance of sleep, we'll float away.
(This here is the sight of the murder)
In hopes we'll make it through another day.
We need to find our home, if only you could stay. (Just stay)

[Chorus:]
She... She's safe from my world, torn apart.
Too dark to find a home. Maybe my girl, we could start.

Now clear of hope, we're on our own. How about a meeting of the minds?
You know that your arms are so tired. Even if we're wrong.
We'd survive... we'd survive. Save the night.

[Chorus]

Now the world and all her tears are dreams.
(Dreams? I don't dream anymore!)



Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.comwww.authorcvhunt.com

Under 500 words.

MONSTER by C.V. Hunt
I bring the bat down again, and again, and again. I yielded,look down at the bloody pulp that used to be a head, and swing again. There isnothing left but a bloody saturation attached to a lump of meat. I swing relentlesslyuntil the wooden bat reverberates off the concrete floor. I feel the vibrationin my bones. I continue to pummel the mushy mess of nothing as the laughterstarts.
Calm. Tranquil. Euphoric. No sweat. No elevated heart rate.
I should tell someonewhat I have done, I think.
Derision stands behind me, laughing manically. I turn tolook at him over my shoulder. He fidgets his wings of discontent and quietshimself. Still, his grueling grin of madness never wavers. He turns his eyelesshead, listening for me, waiting for me to move again, so that he can mock memore.
I drop the bat and step past Death as he makes room for me.Derision starts into a fit of giggles. I walk up the basement steps slowly andpass Misery. I pick up the phone and mundanely inform them of what I have done.
Cry, I have to cry, Ithink. I need to show remorse for what Ihave done.
I can't feel sorry for what I have done.
I need to be sad thatmy husband is dead.
I can't feel sad that my husband is dead.
Cry damn it! Fuckingcry!
I can't.
They arrive and I escort them past Misery and Death. Thecrowd seems ignorant to my lack of remorse. I try to cry, but it is only a weakattempt. I push for some kind of emotion, like waiting for the next hiccup thatwon't come. I can only produce a dry pitiful wailing that sounds more like ayawn. The crowd seems as apathetic as me in their resentment. They are disappointedthat this is all that I have to show them. They don't care… that I don't care.They only want to be on their way home now.
Frustrated and mad at myself for not caring, a little riverof water forms below my eye. I try to play on this tiny drop of water asDerision laughs again. I try to force this small drop of self-pity from my tearduct, but it is stubborn. I want to show it to the world as remorse. I want to displaythat I am capable of emotion, but the tear knows I'm a liar, and the water refusesto budge.
Cry, god damn it! Feelsorry for someone besides yourself!
I can't.
I open my eyes sleepily, and roll over. I should feel badand dub that a nightmare. But somehow, I still don't care. I close my eyes,take a deep breathe, and fall back into the strange land of subconscious. SomehowI know that when I do wake up again, I am not going to be able to forget that Ifelt no remorse.


Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.comwww.authorcvhunt.com

Just like the dinosaurs.

In the early hours of the morning, I was looking at a listof big name publishers listed in my recommended-people-to-follow column ontwitter. I clicked on extremely large company to see their profile, and withdreams of grandeur (that will only get smashed), I ventured further to theirmain website.
The first thing I notice is a picture with huge recordbreaking novel s, all of their spines staring back at me, mocking me. As I'mreading through the list of titles, a thought hit me – these books are nearly ten years old. Then another epiphany – haven't the tables been turned.
We are coming to a new age (or we have already arrived),where anyone can publish a book without a single penny out of their pockets.With POD companies and ebooks, who really needs an agent or a publisheranymore? Yet, publishers still build these monstrous concrete walls, so tall,that you get a kink in your neck trying to see the top. They put every kind oflimitation on the submission processes. It makes in nearly impossible to getsomeone to look at your writing.
I'm not the only one that says it; the paper book is a dyingbreed. Ereaders are becoming more and more popular everyday – heck, even I owna Kindle. I sell more downloads than the physical versions of my own work. Sowhat it the big hold up with publishing companies?
Authors are becoming more impatient, and more independent,every day. Waiting a year for a publisher to decide whether or not your book isworth it has become a thing of the past. You can skip giving a percentage to anagent and publisher, and just have a POD take their small cut when someoneorders the book.
I don't think it will be a matter of if; it's a matter of when.When are the publishers going to realize that the tide is turning? People areno longer begging for them to take them in, and forfeiting some of their royaltiesto pay their bills. Authors aretaking matters into their own hands. How much longer before the paper book goesextinct?
All across the world, big name book stores are closing theirdoors. Why? People are not buying books anymore. Not when they can buy thedownload, or a used copy at a fraction of the price. How much longer untilB&N shuts their doors? I'm sure after that, it will be just a matter oftime before big time publishing houses start dropping like flies. 

Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.com

Just like the dinosaurs.

In the early hours of the morning, I was looking at a listof big name publishers listed in my recommended-people-to-follow column ontwitter. I clicked on extremely large company to see their profile, and withdreams of grandeur (that will only get smashed), I ventured further to theirmain website.
The first thing I notice is a picture with huge recordbreaking novel s, all of their spines staring back at me, mocking me. As I'mreading through the list of titles, a thought hit me – these books are nearly ten years old. Then another epiphany – haven't the tables been turned.
We are coming to a new age (or we have already arrived),where anyone can publish a book without a single penny out of their pockets.With POD companies and ebooks, who really needs an agent or a publisheranymore? Yet, publishers still build these monstrous concrete walls, so tall,that you get a kink in your neck trying to see the top. They put every kind oflimitation on the submission processes. It makes in nearly impossible to getsomeone to look at your writing.
I'm not the only one that says it; the paper book is a dyingbreed. Ereaders are becoming more and more popular everyday – heck, even I owna Kindle. I sell more downloads than the physical versions of my own work. Sowhat it the big hold up with publishing companies?
Authors are becoming more impatient, and more independent,every day. Waiting a year for a publisher to decide whether or not your book isworth it has become a thing of the past. You can skip giving a percentage to anagent and publisher, and just have a POD take their small cut when someoneorders the book.
I don't think it will be a matter of if; it's a matter of when.When are the publishers going to realize that the tide is turning? People areno longer begging for them to take them in, and forfeiting some of their royaltiesto pay their bills. Authors aretaking matters into their own hands. How much longer before the paper book goesextinct?
All across the world, big name book stores are closing theirdoors. Why? People are not buying books anymore. Not when they can buy thedownload, or a used copy at a fraction of the price. How much longer untilB&N shuts their doors? I'm sure after that, it will be just a matter oftime before big time publishing houses start dropping like flies. 

Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.comwww.authorcvhunt.com

Book Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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www.isaacmarion.com

REVIEW:
I don't think I could ask for more out of a book. Inner turmoil, deep life philosophies, romance, and oh… did I mention zombies.

Imagine that you have joined the legends of undead. Your thought processes are slower, you are able to grunt out a few syllables, and you struggle to move. You have forgotten everything about your previous life: who you are, what you did, where you live, and what your name was. But through the grisly process of eating a living human's brain, you take on all of their memories and thought process. You get the first row ticket to their lives, dreams, ambitions, goals, and loves. You are trapped in your body, unable to communicate effectively, and only want to tell the world that you are changing somehow.

This story is narrated by a young zombie known only by "R" (because he cannot remember his name). R consumes the brain of another young man named Perry. Amongst the battle to feed, R sees the love that the man had for a girl named Julie, and when he snaps out of his dream-like state, he finds Julie huddled in a corner, terrified.

You would think that once a zombie, always a zombie, and that this is the end of our terrified girl. But that is where this zombie story is different from every other one you have read. R knows that something is different about him, and something is changing, and he disguises Julie to get her past the other dead. In this post-apocalyptic world, the toppling on one strange domino sets off a frenzy of others down a path of the unknown.

I think this whole story could be summed up in one line from the book:

                                               I'm just a corpse who wants not to be.

So if you're into zombies, you might want to check out this book. It may make you think again when you look at the rotted walking dead. You might ask yourself, I wonder what that zombie is thinking.

ABOUT:
R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.


After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.


Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.



View all my reviews
Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.comwww.authorcvhunt.com

Book Review: Temptation by Tina deCoux

Temptation by Tina deCoux
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
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REVIEW: This story is based around a demon, Temptation, and his job is to do exactly what his name states. He roams earth, trying to tempt humans into sin. If a human gives in to the sin, their soul is marked for the Collector, another demon. But Temptation has grown jaded about his job, and forces sin on humans instead of letting them choose. An angel of war visits him, and informs him that he has to right his wrongs or the ultimate war will wage, bring an end to everything, including Temptation. Why would Temptation need to exist if there are no humans left to tempt?
I'll have to admit, I was going to pass on this book. The cover was intriguing, and as I read through the reviews I was accosted with a spoil sport review. You know, someone didn't like the book so they left a spoiler review without a warning.
I'm glad that I decided to read it even after the spoiler. The book was a little choppy for me, and the dialog seemed forced in some areas, but over all I thought it was a decent story. It was something different, and that is what I'm always looking for. The book is written from first person POV with chapters alternating between Sunset, a bar owner, and Temptation (Sam), a demon. I think I would have like it better if it would have been completely written from Temptation's POV; he had a child-like quality to his personality as he struggled with new emotions.
This book was the first of a series called The Soul Collection Series, I will be looking for the next one.
ABOUT: Times are tough for the demon, Temptation. Once he enjoyed his work enticing humans to sin so their souls could be marked for collection. Now no one needs inducement from him. Lying, stealing, and cheating, has become the mortal's way. 


This tiny gold-mining town in northern California and the bar he has just entered appear as corrupt as all the other places he has visited. However, he senses purity amongst the squalor, and he knows he has found the one soul he must tempt. Sunset. She is as decent as he is corrupt. As good as he is evil. And more hopeful about life than any human he has encountered. He must have her. 

But he soon learns he has overstepped his bounds and must now find a way to free the souls of the wrongfully damned.

His long-time enemy, the Collector, has other plans. Here to chastise him, he takes great pleasure in announcing Temptation's punishment. He must pursue his quest, in human form, with human emotions. Emotions that lead him straight to Sunset.

View all my reviews
Have pleasant vampire, werewolf, and zombie dreams. www.authorcvhunt.com