C.R. Hiatt's Blog, page 6
December 26, 2012
Thrills, Chills, & Kills FREE promo #TCKII
FREE ✭BEST SELLING BOOKS ✭
From December 27th -28th, 2012, eight awesome authors have teamed up to offer best selling books, from various genres to you wonderful readers for FREE, or .99cents. Did you get a new Kindle, Kindle Fire or tablet from Santa Claus? Then, you won’t want to miss out on this great opportunity to load up your new toy with some awesome stories.
An end of the year event you won’t want to miss!
Alan McDermott:
Thought provoking action-packed thrillers
Carmen DeSousa:
Gripping, unputdownable romance
D.G. Torrens:
Heart -wrenching, powerful, drama
C.R. Hiatt:
Kick-Butt YA Mystery-Thrillers
Elise Stokes:
#N0.1 YA super hero series
David Cassidy:
Intelligent, Stephen King like thrillers
Seb Kirby:
Intriguing mystery thrillers
Patricia Paris:
Heart warming romance
SO DON’T DELAY, DOWNLOAD TODAY!!
December 25, 2012
BLOG HOP – THE NEXT BIG THING
Fellow author, Dana Griffin, tagged me in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. You know the game, but let me give you a recap, just in case you are feeling out of sorts from all the holiday stress, or perhaps, the holiday liquids.
Once you’ve been tagged, you’re it! Then, you (meaning me, here on this particular blog post), play the game by doing the following:
1) Share a Work in Progress (WIP).
2) Give credit including the URL/link) to the person or blog that tagged you. I was tagged by Dana Griffin, the author of The Cover Up. You can find him on his blog here. His book can be found at Amazon.
3) Play by the rules, and post the rules in your post for the newest victim. 
4) Respond to ten questions about your current WIP, no matter the genre, because maybe – just maybe – we would like to get to know you better (actually, it’s only 9 questions, since the 10th is the next step).
5) Tag other authors or bloggers, with their URL/links.
So, in accordance with the rules, here is my WIP:
What is the working title of your book?
I AM NOT A SPY
Where did the idea of the book come from?
I AM NOT A SPY was adapted from a screenplay I wrote a couple of years ago that garnered a lot of attention from producers and scored big in contests. I can’t tell you where the idea originally came from, because it would give away some of the plot, and compromise top secret information. You know the saying: If I tell ya, I’d have to kill ya. (Kidding, of course)
What genre does your book fall under? Romantic/Suspense and Contemporary Romance with humor and action thrown in. Yes, my first two were Young Adults, but this is for adults of all ages.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
For my female heroine, I would love to have Laura Vandervoort
For my male hero, Jesse Metcalfe
What is a one sentence synopsis for your book?
True Lies meets Romancing the Stone
Well, okay, that wasn’t really a synopsis, but you get the idea… If I were to break the story down into one sentence, I would say: A covert agent tracks a spoiled Heiress to an island in Mexico when classified information is discovered in her overnight carrier and she is mistaken as a spy.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agent/publisher?
With the wonderful support from other indie authors, it is a great time to go it alone.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It took me two months to write the screenplay, and I include that into my process, so four months is probably pretty accurate.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Books written by Cherry Adair and Marliss Melton would be similar, based on their descriptions, though I haven’t read them.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My heroine in this fictional story was based on a friend who just happened to be born into a family with an enormous amount of wealth, and she had a VERY overprotective mother. I wrote the screenplay, which this book was adapted from, to give her an adventure – even though it was only fictional.
What else about your book might interest the reader?
When reading I Am Not A Spy, the reader will enjoy a thrilling, action-packed adventure filled with humor and romance.
Now, off to the tagging … I tag Dawn Torrens and Patricia Paris. If they are not too inundated from the holidays, look for their WIP posts on January 2, 2013.
Blog Hop – The Next Big Thing
Fellow author, Dana Griffin, tagged me in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. You know the game, but let me give you a recap, just in case you are feeling out of sorts from all the holiday stress, or perhaps, the holiday liquids.
Once you’ve been tagged, you’re it! Then, you (meaning me, here on this particular blog post), play the game by doing the following:
1) Share a Work in Progress (WIP).
2) Give credit including the URL/link) to the person or blog that tagged you. I was tagged by Dana Griffin, the author of The Cover Up. You can find him on his blog here. His book can be found at Amazon.
3) Play by the rules, and post the rules in your post for the newest victim.
4) Respond to ten questions about your current WIP, no matter the genre, because maybe – just maybe – we would like to get to know you better (actually, it’s only 9 questions, since the 10th is the next step).
5) Tag other authors or bloggers, with their URL/links.
So, in accordance with the rules, here is my WIP:
What is the working title of your book?
I AM NOT A SPY
Where did the idea of the book come from?
I AM NOT A SPY was adapted from a screenplay I wrote a couple of years ago that garnered a lot of attention from producers and scored big in contests. I can’t tell you where the idea originally came from, because it would give away some of the plot, and compromise top secret information. You know the saying: If I tell ya, I’d have to kill ya. (Kidding, of course)
What genre does your book fall under? Romantic/Suspense and Contemporary Romance with humor and action thrown in. Yes, my first two were Young Adults, but this is for adults of all ages.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
For my female heroine, I would love to have Laura Vandervoort
For my male hero, Jesse Metcalfe
What is a one sentence synopsis for your book?
True Lies meets Romancing the Stone
Well, okay, that wasn’t really a synopsis, but you get the idea… If I were to break the story down into one sentence, I would say: A covert agent tracks a spoiled Heiress to an island in Mexico when classified information is discovered in her overnight carrier and she is mistaken as a spy.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agent/publisher?
With the wonderful support from other indie authors, it is a great time to go it alone.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It took me two months to write the screenplay, and I include that into my process, so four months is probably pretty accurate.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Books written by Cherry Adair and Marliss Melton would be similar, based on their descriptions, though I haven’t read them.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My heroine in this fictional story was based on a friend who just happened to be born into a family with an enormous amount of wealth, and she had a VERY overprotective mother. I wrote the screenplay, which this book was adapted from, to give her an adventure – even though it was only fictional.
What else about your book might interest the reader?
When reading I Am Not A Spy, the reader will enjoy a thrilling, action-packed adventure filled with humor and romance.
Now, off to the tagging … I tag Dawn Torrens and Patricia Paris. If they are not too inundated from the holidays, look for their WIP posts on January 2, 2013.
December 8, 2012
A Double Dose of McSwain & Beck
Boy, have I got a deal for you…and just in time for Christmas!
A Double Dose of McSwain & Beck is the first two KINDLE books in the YA mystery-thriller series, featuring the sleuthing and spy duo, McSwain & Beck. Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00 and Fireworks on the 4th (which was JUST PUBLISHED), together, in one box set and cheaper than buying both books, individually.
This series is written from the perspective of the 18-year-old main character(s), geared toward fans of sleuths and spies, and is not Shakespearean literature. Crimes depicted are straight from the headlines-type stories, derived from the author’s interviews with law enforcement personnel, only with fictional crime-fighting techniques created from the 18-year-old mindset.
Is some of the action over the top? Sure.
Unbelievable? No.
Innocent 18-year-olds go off to war, and overcome obstacles and handle mind-blogging, heroic feats every day. McSwain & Beck was created to take the reader into a fictional world, and give them a few hours of escape.
GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED 00:00 - “Their lives are in the hands of two 18-year-olds…”
A prominent P.I. is gunned down – killed by a sniper – and it is broadcasted on live TV.
Now, her daughter, along with her childhood pal, are thrust into a complex and riveting thriller forced to take on a secret club whose members call themselves The Privileged Ones.
Murder. Teen abductions and illegal underground parties.
They’re chased by men in ski-masks, nearly gunned down by members of a cartel, and the only way to bring down this criminal enterprise; is to crash a Mardi Gras bash and stop their private cruise ship from sailing off into the sunset.
What some readers are saying…
***”My son who is 13 and claims he does not like to read…started this book and couldn’t put it down. Read it in 2 days.” ~ Amazon Reviewer
***”High-octane, action packed and quick-witted romp through the perilous underworld. Written in a vein similar to early James Patterson (his good stuff) the chapters are short and make you want to gobble them down.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer
***”This book had me on the edge of my seat, literally. I could not put my book down. It was intense and mysterious.” ~ Amazon Reviewer
***”Gone at Zero Hundred Packs Some Major Torque! I was blown away by this complex, high-octane thriller.” ~ Amazon Reviewer
FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH - “Save the hockey player, save the city…”
A high school hockey star.
A sinister group bent on destruction.
LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN…
Just weeks after their first case, McSwain & Beck find themselves trapped in their most perilous adventure yet. Racing against the clock, their unique skills are put to the test against a sinister group bent on destruction. An explosive thrill ride where sparks fly and the lives of thousands are in their hands.
***”Wow! I gotta say that Ms. Hiatt has got major writing skills! She gripped me from prologue to finish with this thrilling start to a great new YA Mystery series. Her characters are awesome and quickly pull you into the heart of the story, as you turn page after page of thrilling twists and turns. I loved following the characters on this roller coaster ride.”
Buy: A Double Dose of McSwain & Beck
December 3, 2012
FESTIVE FREEBIES
For the first time, FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH, the newly released, action-packed sequel to Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00, featuring the sleuth and spy duo, McSwain & Beck, will be FREE on December 3 and 4. Along with this explosive sequel, four other authors have joined the fun in our Festive Freebies for the holidays… bit.ly/SRHOHOHO
Cassidy Jones and the Vulcan’s Gift by Elise Stokes
Grey Resurrection by Alan McDermott
Velvet Rain by David C. Cassidy
Fireworks on the 4th by CR HIATT
Just click on the links, and download for FREE.
Did I say, FREE?
Why yes I did.
They’re FREE.
November 29, 2012
Excerpt from Fireworks on the 4th
With the NVGs guiding us in the dark, we crossed the desert by timing our moves with the guards alternating walks around the perimeter. Jake kept watch while I crawled through the fence then he followed and we jogged silently in the direction of the guard shack. A couple feet away, he signaled me to get flat on the ground. I complied.
Through the NVGs, I watched as one of the security guards stepped out of the shack and began to make his rounds. When he disappeared behind the building, Jake pulled the M9 from his hip and moved in silent, but stealth-like mode toward the shack. He sidled up alongside the building, staying just underneath the windows. Took two steps until he was square in the opened door, and raised the weapon.
Before the guard even got the chance to raise his head from his magazine…THWAP – Jake fired.
A dart protruded from the weapon and hit the guard center chest. Several seconds passed before the guard’s lanky frame slumped down. Jake quickly moved him out of view. At the same time, he signaled me to run toward the back of the building.
I took flight, and hid behind one of the four-wheelers. When I glanced back, Jake was no longer at the shack and disappeared from my sight.
The first security guard reappeared from the other side of the building, and made his way back toward the shack. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed his partner was not at his post and automatically reached for his weapon. Before he could, Jake unexpectedly rose up out of the ground where he was buried in the sand. The M9 was raised.
THWAP – a dart hit the guard in the neck.
Jake caught him before he slumped down, lifted him off the ground and returned him to the shack. He grabbed supplies from his side pocket, quickly bound the guards’ wrists with plasti-cuffs, and covered their mouths with duct tape.
The takedown was so methodical and quick, I knew my father had been doing missions like this for a very long time. I couldn’t help but watch in awe. He signalled me to join him as he entered the garage.
“Now, we move fast. They’ll be out for a while, but no guarantees how long.”
We did a quick search of the garage, checking inside the white box truck. He signaled me to get behind him as he double-checked the office then we met up at the door to the basketball-sized room I referred to as the kill house.
Buy: Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00
Buy: Fireworks on the 4th
CR HIATT
November 22, 2012
Black Friday … #BlackMagic99
Woo hoo! Time for the Black Friday blitz!!! Starting on Black Friday and ending at midnight on Cyber Monday, several authors have cut their Kindle book prices to only 99cents. Wow! Talk about a deal, and all in one place. Simply click on the link and download these bestsellers and top-rated books.
Looking for romance … CHECK.
Need an exhilarating thriller … CHECK.
Thrive on action … CHECK.
Want to get lost in exciting young adult … CHECK.
Or, how about flipping through the pages of some dramatic TRUE STORIES?
Look no further. Just click on the link and download all of the books from nine incredible authors, for 99cents only on this BLACK FRIDAY event that continues all the way through CYBER MONDAY.
Don’t miss out on these awesome deals.
The offer ends at midnight on CYBER MONDAY.
CLICK HERE: http://bit.ly/SRHOHOHO
November 15, 2012
WIN A KINDLE FIRE…
Have you ever wanted a Kindle Fire, but it was a little more than you were willing to spend? No worries. Now, you’ve got the chance to get it for FREE, and just in time for the Black Friday blitz!!! You won’t find a better deal than that.
What’s that you say? What’s the catch?
Simple. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Well, okay, there is one catch … one step you have to take … just click on the banner, and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway. Oh, you’re right, that’s two steps. Still, with no purchase necessary, and a Kindle Fire up for grabs, what have you got to lose?
Want to know a little something about the Kindle Fire? I have one, and love it, love it, love it. I don’t work for Amazon, so don’t have the proper advertising sales pitch. But, I can tell you, it has been an awesome addition to my tools of the trade. Yes, I can download all the Kindle books I want (have a hefty collection), and the visuals are superb. You can watch videos. Search the web. Send emails, and keep up to date with your contacts. What I love about it the most; I could download the Hootsuite App, and it is so easy to keep up on Twitter. As writers, Twitter and Facebook are essential. After an exhaustive day of writing, and chasing the puppy around to keep her out of trouble, I know I can always keep up on Twitter before my head hits the pillow.
Hey, if you don’t need one for yourself, you can always win it and give it as a gift for the holidays!
You can download apps, games, movies, and of course, all the books you’d ever need. Think of the fifteen minutes of peace and quiet you’d have if your teenager was occupied playing games on the Kindle Fire?
Hear that silence?
So, what are you waiting for, go get your new Kindle Fire!!!
FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH
In celebration of the release of FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH (Uploaded to Amazon and waiting on approval) the second installment of the McSwain & Beck action-adventure series, I am offering GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED OO:OO FREE for two days, only. On November 15 & 16 I have joined with several top authors, and we are offering our books for FREE as part of the #READS4FREE Giveaway.
JUST CLICK ON THE BOOK, AND DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
November 14, 2012
READS4FREE
ACTION, THRILLERS, SUSPENSE, ROMANCE AND MORE…
In celebration of the release of the second McSwain & Beck action-adventure, FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH (it has been uploaded to Amazon and currently waiting on approval), I am offering the first in the series, GONE AT ZERO HUNDRED 00:00 for FREE as part of the #READ4FREE . I have joined up a select group of authors, and we are offering our books for free on November 15 & 16. That’s right … bestsellers, top-rated, and all of them, FREE. You can check them out, here: #READS4FREE.
