C.R. Hiatt's Blog, page 5
February 15, 2013
TWO #KINDLE BOOKS FOR ZERO, NADA, ZIP, ZILCH…
Have I got a deal for you. Two of my fellow authors have decided to offer you a special treat this holiday weekend.
From February 15 through the 19th, you can download AMELIA’S DESTINY by D.G. Torrens and DOUBLE BIND by Seb kirby for FREE!!! That’s right both of these great books are yours for FREE… See below for details just click on the links to download both books direct from Amazon.
PRAISE FOR AMELIA’S DESTINY
“After having read Amelia’s Story, a book that I loved, I couldn’t wait to read the sequel. I have to say it is worth the waiting. I have read this lovely book in just 5 hours.” Amazon Reviewer UK
“This was brilliant, couldn’t put it down. very moving story…” Amazon Reviewer UK
PRAISE FOR DOUBLE BIND
“One of the most thought-provoking thrillers I’ve read in a long time…” Amazon UK Reviewer
“An engaging narrator with a nice line in challenging humour and moments
of real emotion…” Amazon UK Reviewer
February 13, 2013
Interview with Elise Stokes, author of the Cassidy Jones adventure series
Reblogged from Indie Author Land:
Tell us about the Cassidy Jones adventure novels.
Cassidy Jones is an ordinary girl who finds herself in an extraordinary situation. She wakes up the morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist, Professor Serena Phillips, to discover that her senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced. Each book presents a new adventure and ongoing storylines that involve the mysterious Phillips family and school drama.
February 7, 2013
Behind the scenes with Tom Gray thriller series
Thriller Author, Alan McDermott, has graciously stopped by today to give me the behind the scenes look into the creation of the Tom Gray series, and how he came to develop the main character. Check it out:
The thing about fiction is…:
…It isn’t real.
Yeah, I know that’s kinda obvious, but some of the people who have read Gray Justice don’t seem to realise this.
Let’s start at the beginning.
In July 2010 I had the seed of an idea and an empty Word document, and the first thing I needed was a main character.
Male or female? Hmm, good question. I thought about it for a while and decided that as the protagonist would have an SAS background, I would go with male.
Next, a name. How about Clint Power? Max Thrust? Trenton Steele? Actually, why not go with a normal name? Okay, Dave…Sid…Tom… yeah, Tom. Tom what? Tom Savage!! No, something run of the mill that doesn’t build the guy up as a super hero. Something bland, something…Gray!
Tom Gray!
Okay, so I have the seed of an idea, which is that someone loses a loved one to a repeat offender and sees the punishment handed down by the court as derisory. What should he do?
I know! He starts a petition to demand tougher sentencing guidelines. He goes on Facebook and Twitter and amasses a million followers and they all sign the petition and it goes before parliament and he’s standing outside Number Ten waving a placard and…
No. Where’s the story? Where’s the action, the intrigue? He could trip over a couple of times because he made the placard too big, or…
Stop! That isn’t going to work. He has to do something unique. This is supposed to be a story that grabs readers and takes them somewhere they’ve never been. It shouldn’t read like a few column inches in The Guardian. He could mow down the killer, or kidnap and torture him, or…
Right, that’s enough, Alan! Here’s a hundred bucks, go buy yourself a proper imagination!
What would Stephen King do in this situation? I read Misery, and that was a good book. A woman finds an injured author, her favourite author, and takes him back to her home. Okay, that’s the first couple of chapters. What happens next? Does she call an ambulance and have him taken to hospital? If she’d done that, it would have been King’s shortest and worst story EVER! Instead, she breaks his ankles to stop him escaping and makes him write a novel about her favourite character, one that doesn’t see the heroine die.
Possibility of that happening? Slim to none is my guess, but it made for great entertainment. I was reading it and wondering “How is he going to get out of this?”
Okay, another few light years and I’ll still be a million miles from Stephen King, but that’s the kind of thing you need to give an audience. Put the protagonist in an unheard of situation and have the reader wonder how they could possibly come through the other end.
Okay, got it. He kidnaps not just the killer, but four other repeat offenders and holds them in a disused warehouse. He tells the government that he wants tougher sentencing or his hostages die.
Hmm, it’s missing something. The authorities would soon locate him, if they even gave a shit about the criminals in the first place. So we need a deterrent. What could possibly stop the police wanting to rush the place? Think! Think! I know, he’s planted a bomb somewhere, and if they kill him, the bomb will go off!
Now we’re getting somewhere.
Yeah, a standoff. He’s got the hostages, and the police won’t make a move. So now what? What has Tom achieved? Nothing. The news channels will report about a hostage situation, but Tom’s grievances are falling on deaf ears. The police and politicians might sympathise after what he’s been through, but it all boils down to him committing a criminal act.
Tom needs to reach the people, but how? He builds a website and streams video of the hostages, and tells the government that they mustn’t interfere with it, otherwise…What? And how long is this going to go on for?
Let’s go back to the start. We need to make Tom a man with nothing left to lose. Okay, his wife, overcome with grief at the loss of their son, takes her own life. We still have the problem of a timescale, though. Is this going to go on forever? And where’s the government’s incentive to play ball?
Got it! Tom will reveal the location of the device on Friday, then take his own life! He now has nothing to lose, so why not? But what will he have achieved by then? Think, Alan!
I know! He wants to change the sentencing guidelines, but he thinks the government won’t listen. Why not let the people of Britain vote on the changes? They can ignore one lunatic, but not the entire population! Let the people speak!
All we need now is a set of changes he wants to make, but we have to bear in mind who is creating them. This is a simple ex-soldier, not a politician. Successive governments have had numerous experts working on the perfect judicial system and it still isn’t quite there, so it would be crazy to have Tom come up with the perfect solution. It wouldn’t be in keeping with the character I’m trying to create. Instead, I’ll just have to give him a bunch of unworkable ideas and throw in some counter arguments to balance things out.
Should I mention rehabilitation and crime prevention as possible solutions, or attacking the root of the problem at an early stage through school workshops and the like? Would anyone in Tom’s situation think like that, or would they just be damn angry and want to see the criminals punished? I’ll err on the side of the latter.
So, that’s the process. I think of situations for my characters, I give them the appropriate personalities and opinions, and let them get on with it.
Anyway, back to the purpose of this post: Some people seem to think that Tom’s thoughts and ideals are actually a reflection of MY feelings towards the British judicial system (here’s a classic example). If you’re among that number, then you must also assume that Stephen King condones the kidnapping and hobbling of injured authors! Is that what you really think?
So please, when you read this book, just remember it’s a work of FICTION! Whether you agree or disagree with Tom’s ideals or methods is entirely up to you, but your argument will be with a fictional character.
Oh, and if you’re curious as to how Tom Gray gets out of this situation, just grab yourself a FREE copy of Gray Justice.
Find out more about Alan McDermott’s books at Thrills, Chills and Kills and on his web site.
February 5, 2013
BROKEN WINGS EXCERPT
Today, I am pleased to have the lovely D.G. Torrens stop by for a visit to share her current work in progress, BROKEN WINGS, which she hopes to publish in the spring of 2013. Take it away, Dawn.
***
I have been writing BROKEN WINGS for a few months now and I am pleased to report it is coming along nicely! Albeit slowly, I have completed the first draft and now on the second of my war/romance novel. Finding the time to write is very challenging at best and with a four year old in tow you can imagine time is very precious.
BROKEN WINGS is set in the beautiful setting of Cumbria specifically, Lake Windermere and Kendal town where my two main characters Joshua and Angelina first meet before he is posted on a five month tour to Afghanistan. This is an intense love story full of angst, passion and drama that will evoke all kinds of emotions. It is by no means predictable and will have you guessing right to the very end! My book cover has once again been designed by the talented cover designer Ares Juan. I am predicting the release of my novel to be during the spring 2013. So for those of you who are looking forward to the release of BROKEN WINGS please see an excerpt below which will give you an idea of what to expect. Enjoy…
BROKEN WINGS EXCERPT:
They stood naked in the shimmering cool water; the warm September night was calm and still, with the moon shining beams of light onto the vast lake. The curves of their naked bodies were shadowing the water. Neither one said a word as they looked deep into each others saddened eyes, their united silence saying so much. Angelina did not want to let him go fearing she would never see him again.
Joshua smiled, “I will come back to you I promise” Angelina placed her head on his chest, tears falling down her reddened cheeks. “I could not bear it if I never saw you again, please don’t go,” she pleaded with all her heart. “I have no choice. You knew when we met that this would be a possibility Angelina. I will be back before you know it. This is my duty as a soldier, I have to go.”
She felt her heart closing in, the tightness was suffocating. All those young men who never made it home alive… She did not want her Joshua to be one of them; however, she also understood that he needed to go along with the rest of his regiment. This knowledge did not make it any easier to bear. She had a bad feeling about this posting in a way she never had with the others. Angelina just could not shake it off. Joshua was not able to disclose the whereabouts of his deployment, although he wanted to with all his being. He had an urge to share his inner fears with her, but he held off knowing this would make his leaving far harder for Angelina to deal with.
This was their last night together and they decided to spend it down by the lake, their very special place. This was where they spent their first date together eighteen months ago. That first date had sealed their rare and irrevocable feelings for one another that could not be denied. They have never looked back. When they were together it was as if the rest of the world didn’t exist and time stood still. Joshua fought his undeniable feelings with all that he had, not wanting to get involved with anyone knowing he was being posted soon. But the draw was too strong and the fight was over before it began. He was mesmerized by her. Angelina was deep and sensitive and was the suffer-in-silence type. He liked that about her. She was unlike anyone he had ever known, she understood him in a way no one else ever had before.
Angelina wanted to hold Joshua, never let him go and to keep him safe from harm. She held him so tight as if her own life depended on it. “I love you so much Joshua, please come back to me.” She cried uncontrollably now. He took off his ring that was passed down to him by his grandfather many years before and placed it on her finger. “I promise you when I return I will make you my wife.” With that Joshua kissed her gently on the lips. He hated leaving her; he knew this was as hard for her as it was for him.
“Joshua, when you’re gone time stands still until you return to me. I can’t move forward or backward. I can’t sleep because of worrying about you. There are so many soldiers returning back home in boxes. Every time I turn on the TV there is a news item about a young soldier not making it back alive the families left behind tormented by their grief.”
“Last week there were two soldiers from the West Midlands who were killed by a road side bomb in Afghanistan headlining the news. What if you get posted there again Joshua? I know the loss you suffered on your first tour of Afghanistan that could so easily have been you. You are my very reason for existing so you better come back to me. Do you hear me? ”
Joshua looked into Angelina’s beautiful almond eyes. He knew it would break her heart if she found out he was being posted there for a second tour, but there was nothing he could do or say. He wrapped his large arms around her and held Angelina tight. “I love you with all my heart. I promise I will be back for Valentines Day and then I will be back for good. I will not be extending, I promise you, it’s only six months. It will fly by. I promise I will write to you all the time.” Angelina could not control the flood of tears falling down her pale cheeks, she could hardly breathe fearing this could be the last time she ever saw him alive. Joshua ran his finger slowly over the small scar etched into her right eyebrow. He held her face in the palm of his large hands and kissed it, brushing the tears from her sodden cheeks. He felt her pain. He was feeling it too. No words could take their pain away; it was something they had to endure together until his return.
D.G. Torrens was born in England, United Kingdom. She is married with a three year old daughter. Her first book, “Amelia’s Story” has inspired people all over the world. A percentage of all sales from “Amelia’s Story” and her second book “Amelia’s Destiny” goes to the NSPCC and Barnardos. These are both children’s charities which are very close to the authors heart. The author has recently completed her third book “Heart and Mind” a collection of poems inspired by her own experiences and life in general. This is now available on Amazon.
http://tckbooks.wordpress.com/the-authors/d-g-torrens/
February 3, 2013
NEW TIME, NEW WORDS
Today I am honored to have as my guest, Seb Kirby, author of the bestselling thrillers, TAKE NO MORE and DOUBLE BIND. Seb has graciously agreed to share his thoughts on writing:
HOW I WRITE
Blog post ‘HOW I WRITE’
Well, first I think that’s a very personal thing and that every author will have their own take on this. There’s no right or wrong way. As W. Somerset Maugham said: ‘There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no-one knows what they are.’
Basically, I prefer the Stephen King approach as set out in his ‘On Writing’. You know, the book he wrote after he was hit by a truck when he was out walking to clear his mind after a writing session. The truck that nearly killed him. You get the idea that he felt he had to put it all in that book, just in case.
I take his approach to be something along the lines of: If you’re not surprising yourself when you’re writing your book, how can you hope to surprise your readers when they’re reading it? So, I try to be excited at what’s coming out as I write and let the novel plan itself. With this approach, you don’t start with a detailed, worked-out plot or anything more than a part-glimpsed plan, you really do let the characters tell you what should happen next.
Generally, I don’t believe in heroes. I wouldn’t want to trust one. I get more from ordinary, flawed, people in situations that take them out of their normal lives. Then things get interesting as you see how they struggle with what seems for them the impossible. And I want to resolve things in the end in their favour. My way, if you like, of righting some of the wrongs, albeit in a small way.
There are two of Stephen King’s aphorisms that I take seriously. The first: ‘The road to hell is paved with adverbs.’ So, where at all possible I don’t use them. The second: ‘Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.’ I never use a dictionary or a thesaurus.
Finally, I’d emphasise the importance of the ‘polishing’ stage in the writing process. Once the words have formed themselves out of the characters’ wishes, once the story has been told, the real work begins. Writing and rewriting, working and reworking the text to give it as much shine and polish as you can muster. And there’s then always the hope in discovering another of the goals suggested by Stephen King – that seldom achieved ‘gem’ where you contribute a striking and novel turn of language that lights up the whole show.
Seb Kirby’s debut novel, Take No More, has been widely acclaimed as a first-rate mystery thriller. Drawing from his love of classic books from H G Wells to Charles Dickens, he has mastered the art of storytelling. His second novel, Double Bind, is a psychological sci-fi thriller filled with twists and turns, a hallmark of Mr Kirby’s gripping imagination.
http://noveltakenomore.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Seb_Kirby
For more info on his bestselling books, just follow the links:
TAKE NO MORE
DOUBLE BIND
January 21, 2013
#MondayBlogs Tom Gray (The Complete Trilogy)
One of the most talked about thriller series on Amazon, and we can purchase all three for the incredibly low price of $3.99. That’s right, less than a Latte, less than most of the indie published books today, and pennies compared to what we pay for the traditionally-published thrillers.
Let me break them down for you, just in case you haven’t heard of them before:
GRAY JUSTICE (Tom Gray #1)
When a killer walks free from court, the victim’s father sees just two options: accept the judge’s decision; or take on the entire British justice system. Tom Gray chooses the latter and his crusade attracts instant worldwide media coverage. It was just what Tom was hoping for, but it brought him a lot more than he bargained for.
Gray Justice is much more than a simple tale of revenge: it’s a rollercoaster ride with an ending you’ll never forget!
Gray Justice is FREE on the following sites: Apple Barnes & Noble Smashwords Kobo
Gray Justice is also available from Amazon, though at the moment it is not currently free.
GRAY RESURRECTION (Tom Gray #2)
A year after suffering horrific injuries, ex-soldier Sam Grant is trying to come to terms with his new life in the Philippines when tragedy strikes. The death of his girlfriend’s brother takes him to the southern islands where he becomes a target for local terrorists, and the one man he can turn to is the last person he should trust. Old friends are called in to help but the rescue mission soon becomes their own battle for survival.
Apple Smashwords Amazon Kobo Barnes & Noble
GRAY REDEMPTION (Tom Gray #3)
After a year living under an assumed name, Tom Gray wants his life back. The only thing standing in his way is James Farrar, a man whose sole aim is to kill Gray and his loyal friends before they can expose the governments deadly secret. In the tense conclusion to the trilogy, Tom Gray’s only hope is to seek the help of an old adversary and pray he still believes in justice.
Apple Smashwords Amazon Kobo Barnes & Noble
Now that you’ve been properly introduced to the series, you can either purchase each thriller, individually, or be like me and download The Complete Trilogy in 1 box set:
TOM GRAY (The Complete Trilogy)
Gray Justice, Gray Resurrection, and Gray Redemption.
If you prefer to have all three books in one volume, you can download the complete trilogy at a bargain price.
Amazon: viewBook.at/B00B32W1VA
Smashwords
This is a #MondayBlogs, so I would be honored it if you could spread the word for fellow author, and awesome supporter, Alan McDermott. Thanks so much.
CR HIATT
January 16, 2013
FUEL. YOUR. FIRE.
A KILLER EVENT!
Want to fuel your Fire for books?
Don’t have one? Well, no worries. Starting January 17, 2013 and continuing until February 27, 2013, TCK is offering you that chance — we are giving away a gorgeous Kindle Fire to one lucky winner! Just click on the link and follow the simple steps. What could be easier?
Think about it; your own Kindle Fire with your own selection of books…
Look how awesome these book covers look on the screen of the Fire. How cool! Those are just a few. I have over 500 books on my Kindle Fire. Bet you can’t wait to get yours.
So what are you waiting for?
Go for it!
http://tckbooks.wordpress.com/fuel-your-fire/
January 11, 2013
Best Selling Read’s February Promo
Enter Best Selling Read’s giveaway and win an iPad Mini and Amazon Gift Cards!
Prize for winning reader entry: iPad Mini with Wi-Fi 16GB plus 1 ebook from each BSR author…
-OR-
$300 Amazon gift card plus 1 eBook from each author (if winner received eReader holiday gift)
2nd and 3rd place winners: $25 Amazon Gift Card
$200 cash prize for the winning blog entry.
Winners will be chosen February 28th by Rafflecopter. No purchase necessary.
January 9, 2013
Thrills, Chills, and Kills #TCK3
On January 10th and 11th, [GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED 00:00] will be 99 cents through the “Thrills, Chills, & Kills” Book Event. I have joined with the following bestselling authors to offer amazing deals on incredible books. GO FOR IT…
FREE:
She Belongs to Me: by Carmen DeSousa
Letters to Gabriella: by Patricia Paris
The Pit Stop by Carmen DeSousa
99 CENTS:
Velvet Rain: by David C. Cassidy
Gone At Zero Hundred 00:00: by C.R. Hiatt
A Murderous Game: by Patricia Paris
Cassidy Jones and Vulcan’s Gift: by Elise Stokes
Heart And Mind: by D.G. Torrens
Take No More: by Seb Kirby
Double Bind: by Seb Kirby
Gray Justice: (Tom Gray #1) by Alan McDermott
Gray Resurrection: (Tom Gray #2) by Alan McDermott
BARGAIN PRICE:
Fireworks on the 4th: by C.R. Hiatt
This Time Forever: by Patricia Paris
Gray Redemption: (Tom Gray #3) by Alan McDermott
Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula: by Elise Stokes
Amelia’s Story: by D.G. Torrens
Amelia’s Destiny: by D.G. Torrens
Land of the Noonday Sun: by Carmen DeSousa
Entangled Dreams: by Carmen DeSousa
When Noonday Ends: by Carmen DeSousa
EXHILARATING THRILLERS
SWEET ROMANCE
SUSPENSEFUL ROMANCE
A YA SUPERHERO WITH OVER A HUNDRED FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
YA SLEUTHS AND SPIES
AND A MEMOIR THAT AMAZON RATED AS ONE OF ITS MOST POPULAR
There is something for everyone! So load up your Kindles!
CLICK HERE: http://bit.ly/TCK_3
January 6, 2013
Get the sequel to GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED 00:00, the action-...
Get the sequel to GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED 00:00, the action-packed YA mytery-thriller, FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH…
EXCERPT:
“Do you see who has the remote?” Cody yelled over the sounds.
I looked up and down the street, making sure to check the windows and doorways of restaurants and boutiques. “No, I can’t see anyone,” I responded. There was no doubt the Hummer was there to wreak havoc, or worse, cause an accident.
Then the Hummer maneuvered its way underneath the tail end of a convertible BMW – its female driver was talking on the cell phone, oblivious to anything else going on around her. It continued, until it was out in front of the Beamer, directly in front of its bumper and visible to the driver. Her eyes went wide. She dropped the cell phone and slammed on the brakes.
SCREEECH!
The Hummer did a wheelie on its back tires, as if taunting her. Pedestrians on the sidewalks stopped and stared.
I was just about to reach for my phone to punch in 911, when the toy Hummer sped up the road and jumped up over the curb on the opposite side of the street. It raced along the sidewalk adjacent to the restaurants and shops, darting in between the feet of the tourists. Cody and I both breathed a sigh of relief – at least there wouldn’t be any metal on metal collisions.
Seconds later, a construction worker excited through the door of Saul’s Diner, a new establishment currently being built. Before the door closed behind him, the toy Hummer sped right through it.
Cody darted a look toward me. “Wasn’t Saul’s Diner on that list?!”
Before we could act…KABOOM!
CR HIATT
