C.M. Stunich's Blog, page 15
January 16, 2013
BROKEN PASTS IS LIVE!
BROKEN PASTS is now live on Amazon for purchase! This is an adult contemporary romance novel for ages 18 and up. From now until 4:30 PM PST tomorrow (January 17th, 2013), I will be donating royalties from the sales of ALL my titles to this wonderful little girl and her family. Please read about Jemma and her struggles here (http://smarturl.org/sxqxJ). You can donate directly as well and enter to win some fabulous prizes!
TASTING NEVER:
http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Never-say-ebook/dp/B00ASBE7YQ/ref=la_B008FT7CAO_1_1_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1358381532&sr=1-1
ALL TITLES:
http://www.amazon.com/C.M.-Stunich/e/B008FT7CAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
January 6, 2013
Guest Post with DJ Shaw!
Welcome everyone! I am hosting DJ Shaw tonight with a fabulous interview. Of course, before I dive into a fellow author’s credentials, I have to shamelessly promote mine! 
If you haven’t entered the Rafflecopter Giveaway to win a $50 Gift Card or a Kobo Mini, please do and check out my new release, Tasting Never, for a hot New Adult read.
http://www.cmstunich.com/writingblog/2012/12/31/tasting-never-blog-tour-january-2nd-february-2nd/
Now onto our Guest of the Hour…
A quick note from the author, DJ Shaw herself…
I am currently having a contest on my FB author page for a cover reveal to “Wiccan Lies” if you would like to include that in this interview 
…The contest details are as follows:
I have 480 likes right now on this page. I would like to see it get to 550. I think that, with your help, we can achieve this goal. I figure I will give it a week and the person who sends me the most likes will win a handmade book charm by Crystal Barnard.
Once I reach 550, I will reveal the new “Wiccan Lies” cover AND the 550th person to like my page will get a short story written by myself with them as the main character!!! How exciting is this???? So I ask you, can we do this? Do you all think we can make this happen?
https://www.facebook.com/WiccanLies
Don’t forget to leave your name so that the winners can be found
1. Easy question, tell us a bit about your books! How many do you have? I am featured in a few anthologies from the wonderful Publishing family known as Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly and their erotic imprint Hot Ink Press. The titles of the anthologies are “Sinister Seductions”, “Grim Vengeance” (Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly), “Darkest Desires” and “MILF and Cookies” (Hot Ink Press)
Where can we buy them? I’ll post the links here so that you can get your hands on these wonderful anthologies.
What are they about?
“Sinister Seductions” : Delightfully dark tales of paranormal desires and sinister seductions grace the pages of this CHBB anthology filled with short stories and poetry from: Raven Corinn Carluk, Amanda Browning, Ann Gimpel, Roxanne Rhoads, Adam Clarke, Lisa Goldman , Nathan Squiers, Selena D. Jenkins, DJ Shaw, Livia Olteano, Joseph J. Langan, and S.J. Thomas
Werewolves, vampires, demons and more will take you on a journey of forbidden seduction luring you into lairs of devilish delights and sinister depravity.
Indulge yourself in darkness.
“Darkest Desires”: Welcome to the world of Darkest Desires where the eternal fires are stoked by sin, lust and unfulfilled wanting. Demons in every incarnation are waiting to quench their own appetite and reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Darkest Desires explores the most primal needs lurking in everyone.
This anthology from Hot Ink Press (an Erotic Imprint of Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing) features some of today’s cutting-edge erotica romance authors.
“Grim Vengeance”: Welcome to the Grim Vengeance Anthology, a collection from Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing featuring tales of cryptic and fury-filled efforts that show just how far one will go when there’s a vengeful vendetta.
Revenge…
Whether it is for retribution or for retaliation—be it from the guardian or the renegade—the primal urge to enforce a personal sense of justice lies with every being.
Neither man nor myth is free of this drive, and the lengths to which they’ll go are vast and astounding and plunge even the purest heart into the darkest depths of depravity.
The end result of the violence and mayhem is nothing if not destructive…
Nothing if not grim.
“MILF and Cookies”: ‘Twas the night before Christmas…
Not in this anthology. Definitely naughty, this collection of stories explores all the sinful delights the holiday season has to offer. Taking the reader everywhere from the Santa’s Workshop to different takes on Christmas classics, this sultry read will make sure there is no need for a fireplace this season. The renowned team of erotic romance writers from Hot Ink Press is proud to give their readers this present.
Here are all the goodies you will find between the pages…
Kim Carmichael
Holiday Forecast
Everyone forgets your birthday when it falls on Christmas day.
Solera Winters
Home For The Holidays – Poem
&
An XXXmas Carole
On Christmas Eve, three fantasies give one woman a vision of what her life can be like if she succumbs…
Nathan Squiers
Jingle Bells
(A Death Metal re-mix)
Putting metal into X-mas (and between your thighs).
Megan Jeanette Parker
Beauty is the Beast
What happens when the beauty becomes the beast?
Armada West
Underneath (The Christmas Tree)
This present is going to get her on the naughty list.
Nikki Prince
The Christmas MILF
This Christmas one soldier will get a special homecoming.
Lynn Townsend
Holiday Hours
Usually working the Christmas day shift comes with double pay. This year it comes with an unexpected bonus.
Amanda R. Browning
Santa’s Other Nice List
There’s a new reason to be good this Christmas, and her name is Noel.
Harmonie Grace
Hard (with) Candy Christmas
A little sugar, a lot of spice. A woman shaped him, oh so nice. He’s made of dough with a golden tan, the closest thing to the perfect man!
Mark Davis
Time – Poem
Nicolette Grey
Christmas Break
Coming home never felt so good!
Robert West
A Doll’s Reward
Who says men can’t play with dolls?
Brandy Michelle
A Christmas Resolution
When Santa’s away the elves will play…
Khelsey Jackson
One Night With Claus
They promised each other one night, and nothing more.
DJ Shaw
The Night Before Christmas – Poem
&
An Antler of A Different Shade
This year the reindeer games get serious.
I also have my first novella “Wiccan Lies” coming out April 1st. Very exciting and I’m so happy to be able to share it with you! Here is what it is about:
MacKenzie just realized the bogeyman is real and he lives right next door. The only problem is she doesn’t know if she’s a part of his life, or he’s a part of hers. After the death of her father, MacKenzie discovered a letter that changed her life forever. Now with the knowledge she is Wiccan, she embarks on a journey to discover her true self. On that path she meets Damion, a man she is drawn to on a primal level. Since their chance encounter she has strange life-like dreams and tries to keep him at arm’s length. Not trusting her reaction to him, she relies on her instinct to lead her through their time together.
2. Totally random question: what type of fruit juice do you like? I prefer Cran-Apple Juice
Why? Because it has the slight tang of the cranberry and the sweetness of the apple. I mix it with water
3. What made you want to start writing? I have been writing for the better part of 20 years. It started out as a sixth grade school project and developed into something I love to do
4. Totally random question: do you watch zombies movies/shows? Not really
Why or why not? I don’t really like zombies. I can watch a few (like Resident Evil) and play some of the zombie games (again Resident Evil) but for the most part, zombies truly scare me. It is something that COULD happen, which makes it just entirely too real.
Which are your favorites? Resident Evil
If not, what do you like to watch? I prefer vampire or werewolf/shifter movies or TV shows as well as books
5. What author has inspired you the most/who is your favorite author? I honestly have more than one author who has inspired me as well as are my favorites. Do you have about a month or so to hear the list? *laughs* I can list a few: J.R. Ward, Laurell K Hamilton, Dean Kontz, Stephen King, Alexandria Ivy, Kim Harrison, Kelley Armstrong….like I said, a very long list
6. Totally random question: are you wondering why the heck you agreed to this stupid interview in the first place? Not at all. I enjoy answering questions and letting people get a peek into the brain of DJ Shaw
7. If you could give your fans one piece of advice, what would it be? Follow your dreams and your heart. Never let people tell you that you CAN’T do something, when you know deep down that you can.
8. Give us what you think is your best or one of your best lines of writing from any of your titles that are available to purchase? This is from my short “First Love is Grim” featured in the anthology “Darkest Desires”
‘I need to tell you what you really are. I know you have been feeling different than the people around you and I know that you don’t have any friends. You keep to yourself, you go to work and home. You live alone and people seem to avoid you. Would you like to know why this is? I can tell you. I know we are to meet after your shift to discuss things but I feel it is urgent to tell you what you are beforehand. I fear that it will make you change your mind as to meeting me, but it is a risk I have to take. You see, we are both running out of time! It is of the utmost urgency that you know ahead of time what you are, who you are. You are Death. You are a Grim Reaper, Kymber, that is why people avoid you. That is why you are always alone. But there are other beings out in the world that can be around you, some who would give their right nut to be with you on your journeys. To see the world the way you see it. I have said enough for now. As I said, time is running short and I would understand you not wanting to keep our appointment, but I must urge you to meet me at your blue Camero after your shift so that we can discuss all of this in length and I can tell you why I am here. Kheelan.’
Kymber looked up from the note and scanned the back lot of the diner. There was no one around and her break was ending soon, so she shoved the note in the pocket with her Ipod and slipped back into the diner.
9. Last question which is also totally random: if you had to be a supernatural creature (vampire, werewolf, yeti, etc., etc.) which would you be and why? Honestly I have more than one I would choose, but for arguments sake, I’m just going to list two:
A Succubus because they seem to have the most fun for lots of reasons
And/or a Siren because they prove that women can have all the power
January 3, 2013
Guest Post With Author Adam Gaffen
Hello everyone! Today, I’m hosting Adam Gaffen here on my meager little blog. I hope you enjoy the post and don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter drawing HERE! You can get entries just for downloading Adam’s free eBook, the Kildaran.
***
Thanks for the invite CM! It’s great to be here. *looking around* Roomy in here – what’s behind this door?
*CRASH* *dust flies*
Oops. I’ll clean that up later, okay? Heh.
My blog is called Adam Gaffen’s The Kildaran – and it actually started as an exercise in fandom.
You see, I read. A lot.
And when my authors don’t put out the next book in the series quickly enough, I get cranky. Oh, I’ll reread the series, or other books – but when they leave me hanging, well..
One of my favorite authors is John Ringo. (I hope to meet him – and talk shop! – next summer at Dragon*Con. If YOU’RE going – yes, you, reading this! – look me up!) He’s written a bunch of books, many in what would usually be termed Military SF. But one series of his, GHOST, is more like pure MilFic (military fiction), and it ended abruptly in 2008 with A Deeper Blue. Keep in mind, he had written FIVE books in this series in TWO YEARS. So I was hooked, hooked bad – and then bam! Cold turkey.
What does a writer do? WRITE! So I started to write ‘the next book’ in John’s series.
THEN I found his fansite – and started posting chapters there. I got good feedback from the other fans, enough to encourage me, and made contact with both John and a fellow fan/author, Dick Evans. Everything was going swimmingly, when…THE SITE CRASHED.
Well, it IS based in New Zealand. And they did have the quakes. So, maybe not entirely their fault. But that’s when I realized I needed a place to put my stuff that >I< controlled.
Hence, The Kildaran.
Even though my book ended up huge – 234,000+ words! – eventually I ran out of chapters. So then I expanded it to include other stories and more run-of-the-mill stuff – work, family, etc. But it’s still The Kildaran – and anyone who wants to read the novel in serialised fashion is welcome there!
Lately, I’ve been concentrating on another series. This is The Cassidy Chronicles. I’ve written the first two books (Run Like Hell and A Deadly Quest) and am working on the third, A Desperate Gambit. Oh, you want to know what they’re about? Hold on; let me get someone.
- Hello?
-Hi, Adam!
-What? You know who this is! It’s Kendra!
- Oh! You mean – now? Okay, I guess.
- It was our wedding day – beautiful day, perfect early summer weather – and Cass and I were up at the altar with Derek when the minister – total ass named Farrelly – pulls out a flechette gun and tries to off us! So we took off!
- Hey, Cass is back; I need to go. Yeah, we’ll talk later, kay? Bye!
Sorry; Kendra and Cass are a busy couple. It’s been like pulling teeth to get the latest story out of them. Tell you what – if you don’t mind? – I’ll share a bit of it. Cool? Good!
Chapter 1: I Get By
“This sucks.”
“Shut up.”
“Where are we going?”
“This sucks.”
“Shut. Up.”
“You didn’t answer me; where are we going?”
Christina Montana, agent of OutLook and specialist in hurting people and breaking things, took her attention from the road for a brief moment.
“Hotel.” The one-word answer was enough for the questioner, Dr. Lisa Mantchev, at least for the moment.
“This sucks.”
“So help me, Mac, you say that one more time and I’m gonna throw you through the window!”
“I can’t help it – Cass should be with us!”
Montana had to admit that her fellow agent, Amanda McAllister, known universally as Mac, had a point.
The three women were returning from rescuing Dr. Mantchev from a holding cell in the headquarters of her employer, Heavy Lift Corporation. A fourth woman, Aiyana Cassidy Foster-Briggs, had spearheaded the effort. She had been an employee of HLC as well, until an assassination attempt at her wedding. If correct, it could lead to a revolution in transit and transport, cutting right to the heart of HLC’s multi-billion dollar business. Cass and her wife, Kendra Foster-Briggs Cassidy, had contacted Lisa to dig into the files and uncover any proof of HLC’s involvement in the shooting. Unfortunately for Lisa, she must have left tracks, because goons from the Security Department of HLC had picked her and her husband up.
Cass and Kendra, meanwhile, had problems of their own, including a cross-continental chase from Los Alamos to Massachusetts and down to the ruins of New Orleans. There, hidden away in plain sight, was the home office of OutLook, a company with a secret. Ostensibly a support organization for far-sighted people and companies, providing inspiration and funding for true blue-sky projects, on another level it was much more sinister, engaging in personal protective services, industrial and international espionage, and even assassination. Kendra was a highly-trained courier, who had done stints as both a protective agent and assassin. She had semi-retired and moved to Los Alamos, in the Sonoran Republic, where she’d reconnected with Cass, her best friend from high school.
OutLook, she thought, would provide them sanctuary. Instead, Director Talbott had sent Kendra off on a courier run and offered Cass quarters, and Mac as an escort, in the interim. Cass had taken the most liberal possible interpretation of the Director’s instructions and embroiled Mac in hacking HLC’s systems. That’s how she discovered Lisa’s predicament and, feeling guilty, decided to fetch her from her imprisonment. Of course, she couldn’t begin to stretch the instructions to Mac that far, and had to go to the Director herself with her request. To her shock, Talbott not only granted it but added another agent to serve as a bodyguard.
That agent was Montana. She and Mac had a rocky past, but they put it aside to help Cass plan and execute her infiltration. Things had seemed to go well right up to the point that they’d split up to fetch Lisa and her husband out. Mac and Montana had taken one room, Cass the other, and then they were supposed to meet at the transport.
Cass hadn’t made the rendezvous.
It was a testament to her personality that the two professionals had actually obeyed her direction and departed for their hotel room, the secondary meeting point.
“You’re right,” Montana said at last. “She should be. She isn’t. Yet. Don’t give up on her, though. Maybe she’s following another lead.”
“Yeah, sure, like that’s liable to happen, if she fetched out Lisa’s husband, what did he do anyway, I don’t think we every asked but I guess it doesn’t matter now, he’s a package deal, but maybe she got lost getting out or detained or there was some other problem and she came out right after we left, that would be horrible for her, she must think we deserted her!” Mac’s speech tended to be very stream-of-consciousness; working around IT had stunted her social skills. Still, it was a positive sign that she was saying more than just two or three words.
For now, at least…
“What did you say, about my husband?” asked Lisa from behind.
Montana answered before Mac could drown her in a torrent of words. “The records showed two rooms being used to hold you and your husband. We chose one room, Cass the other.”
“Why?”
That was unexpected.
“Because you were in one and your husband in the other?”
Lisa’s voice caught. “My husband’s dead. Kaine’s goons killed him.”
The transport screeched to a halt as Montana attempted to mash her foot through the floor.
“WHAT?”
“He’s dead!”
“Shit, shit, shit!” Montana clenched the wheel for another moment, then forced herself to relax. “Mac.”
“Yes, Montana?”
“Hack back into HLC. I want video and audio taps on all their internal cameras, I don’t care if they can trace it, and I want it before we get back to the hotel.”
“On it.” For once, there were no questions.
The last connections were being made as they parked. Mac handed the padd to Montana.
“I don’t know how long the connection will last, it’s stealthed but a determined attack will reveal it, but at least they’ll just track it back to this padd, we can always just junk it if we have to, it’s an independent system, hopping networks -” Montana waved her hand at Mac.
“Can I search for audio clips?”
“Yes,” answered Mac, offended, but her pride in her work won out. “Tap the audio key, near the top? Then type in the search string in the pop-up.”
Montana typed in ‘Cassidy’. The screen shimmered, blurred, then reformed with a single scene. Montana tapped ‘Play’.
“…subject Cassidy apprehended without incident…” was all she heard before the clip ended.
“Expand that!” demanded Montana.
Mac fiddled with the padd as they made their way to the room. “I told it to search for more incidences of the term, plus it’ll now play back until you tell it to stop, though that puts us at a greater risk of discovery.”
“Right, so listen carefully.” Montana keyed the padd to life again.
“…subject Cassidy apprehended without incident, being held pending interrogation. Subject Mantchev allowed to escape. Agents Beth and Malone assigned to Cassidy. Pause record.” The clinical nature of Kaine’s voice changed and became much more menacing. “If those two bitches that called themselves Jess and Amelia attempt to return, they’ll have an unpleasant surprise.” He cleared his throat. “Resume record. Interrogation commences at zero three hundred hours on Friday to allow for maximum psychological effect. End record.”
Montana stopped the playback. “He’s going to hold her for two days before talking to her. That gives us a window.”
“You heard him, Montana, he’s assigned two guards to her, he’s probably deleted all of our access codes and I don’t know if I can get in and hack new ones, not with what we have here, and we can’t go back to OutLook, not yet, not after what we did on the way out, and Kendra doesn’t know where we are or what we’re doing either, and what are we going to do?”
“Call for help.”
“But…”
“Not OutLook. Not directly, at least.”
Well, that’s about it for now. Thanks for letting me visit, CM!
…Oh, yeah. *gets out a broom* I’ll take care of the mess.
Blog: http://www.thekildaran.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Adam-Gaffen/e/B009QMIW3K/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AdamGaffenAuthor?
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Adam+Gaffen
December 31, 2012
Tasting Never Blog Tour January 2nd – February 2nd
I will post the schedule here as soon as it’s finalized! What I can tell you is that we’re going to have a game playing/giveaway blitz on the second of January here:
http://www.facebook.com/YaTeenReaders
And for now, you can start off by getting some awesome entries into the Rafflecopter ahead of time!
December 28, 2012
Doug Dillon Giveaway!
Check out this fabulous author, Doug Dillon and enter to win a unique puzzle ball!
Prizes: Beautiful Chinese Puzzle Balls
To promote Sliding Beneath the Surface
Book I of The St. Augustine Trilogy
Young adult, paranormal and historical
What’s Going on Here?
Very simple. I’m giving away two, handcrafted Chinese puzzle balls in a contest. One is valued at $60 and the value of the other is $160. The second ball is double the size of the first one. Each has a teak stand and has its own wooden Chinese box for safe keeping. These exquisite oriental art pieces are up for grabs to readers who will purchase my book and publish their review on Amazon.com. Or the winners can select an Amazon Gift Card of equal value.
Why Chinese puzzle balls?
Ah, that’s because the puzzle ball is the forefront object on my book cover. In the book, and throughout The St. Augustine Trilogy, it serves as a symbolic reference to the paranormal world and the very nature of reality. “Worlds-within-worlds.”
What are puzzle balls?
Sometimes called mystery balls, they are handcrafted objects often made of wood, jade, mammoth ivory or Mandarin Ivory. Mandarin ivory is a blend of natural materials and is the material used for the balls in my contest.
An ancient art form, these objects have intricate carvings on the outside and multiple, moveable layers on the inside—balls within balls. Those inner shells usually number between 2 and 18 but can go as high as 42. As with the ones available in my contest, the outside carving often consists of intertwined, painted dragons.
About the Contest
Options, options, options! Here’s the (basic) deal:
Buying an eBook on Amazon.com or through Book Depository and writing a review on Amazon.com gives you a chance to win your choice of a 6-layer puzzle ball with teak display stand sent to you by me in a classy wooden Chinese box — a market value of $60 ~or~ an Amazon Gift Card – valued at $60. The posting on Amazon.com (U.S.) or on Book Depository is required to be eligible but posting elsewhere also would be greatly appreciated.
Buying a print book and writing a review on Amazon.com gives you one chance to win your choice of a 12-layer puzzle ball with a teak display stand, also in its own box—a market value of $160 ~or~ an Amazon Gift Card – valued at $160. Yes, that’s double the size of the first one. Again the posting on Amazon.com (U.S.) or on Book Depository is required to be eligible but posting elsewhere also would again be appreciated.
BONUS – you can also enter both of the contests listed above by purchasing both an eBook and a Paperback copy of my book, given your one Amazon.com published review would account for both mandatory review entries. Who knows you may get lucky and win both contests, allowing you to give one to a friend.
AND – you may enter each contest daily if you would like to increase your chances of winning. Each purchase gets you another chance and your one (1) published review will account for all purchases made throughout the contest.
IF by some chance you have already published your review of my book on Amazon.com, you can still participate but to be eligible you must purchase a book for each new entry with a unique order number to confirm your purchase.
End Goal of the Contest: 150 reviews on Amazon.com
Projected contest dates are December 12 through February 6. All reviews must be posted on Amazon.com by the end date.
Participants must live in one of these countires to be eligible: US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Germany, France, Netherlands, South Africa, Poland, Israel, Spain, Italy.
Entering the contest – enter here!
Any questions? Contact my wonderful assistant, Julia Hendrix via email – dougdillonassistant@gmail.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Want to Know More About Puzzle Balls?
Check out this article
chinese-puzzle-balls-dazzling-example-superior-craftsmanship
Want to View a Puzzle Ball in More Depth?
Click here for a video.
Want to see a Puzzle Ball Being Made?
Click here and then click here for videos.
December 19, 2012
Tasting Never Release Event
P.S. If you’re looking for the Kindle Fire Giveaway or other Deck the Halls with Stunich Swag Posts, just go HERE!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hey there! To apologize for releasing a day late, I’d like to offer you this quick, little giveaway! I hope you’ll still join me tomorrow as the release is going to be super fun, and I genuinely believe you’ll enjoy the book. To sweeten the deal, the royalties from the first twenty-four hours of sales will be donated to a charity of your choice. Don’t forget to vote by joining our Facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/events/544402765588425/.
The sample chapter is available now, so please check it out HERE!
For some added fun, the playlist is HERE!
Thank you!
C.M.
December 13, 2012
Deck the Halls with Stunich Swag Post #3
NEW PRIZES ADDED!
Okay, time for post #3 in all of this Holiday Giving Madness! If you’ve been following the contest (or even if you haven’t) I just wanted to let you know that I started this third post since the last two were getting so crowded! If you need to catch up on winner announcements, read some interviews, or find links for my free Kobo book titled “A Werewolf Christmas” go here: CLICK ME FOR POST ONE and CLICK ME FOR POST TWO. Thanks for coming!
Here is the Rafflecopter Widget you need to use in order to win anything. Please, keep scrolling below for awesome content!
OUR UPCOMING EVENT SCHEDULE (if you haven’t joined our Facebook event
INTERVIEW WITH KAREN KINCEL
**************
1. Easy question, tell us a bit about your books! How many do you have? Where can we buy them? What are they about? I am a new author, and I’m just writing my first novel. It is about a woman who falls in love, marries her best friend, has children, then her world comes crashing down. To top it off, there is someone stalking her and her children, and the person that saves her will be surprising! Think Dean Koontz It is not out yet, as I have not finished it, although I’m frantically writing it now. I don’t even know how to publish, so if any of your readers have advice, I’m all ears.
2. Totally random question: what type of fruit juice do you like? Why? Do you hate fruit juice? Why? Fruit juice. I’m a juicer, so I mix the juices from many fruits and vegetables. I love mixing celery with apples, with just a hint of ginger. Healthy and tasty!
3. What made you want to start writing? What made me want to start writing? My mother instilled a love of reading at a young age – I read my first full length book at 3, and skipped half of first and second grade because I read over 300 books the first semester of first grade. Then, I graduated early at 16. Writing is an extension of my love of reading. If I can put my thoughts on paper, and make someone else see what I see through words, I have done my job. I’m also a technical writer as a living.
4. Totally random question: do you watch zombies movies/shows? Why or why not? Which are your favorites? If not, what do you like to watch? Yes, I watch zombie movies and shows. I have two boys – ages 23 and 17 (18 in January) and I would be a bad mom if I didn’t! I love The Walking Dead, and my favorite zombie type movie is probably the original Resident Evil, although I like the supernatural more, and Silent Hill would have to rate right up there.
5. What author has inspired you the most/who is your favorite author? Favorite author: My alltime favorite author is Stephen King, with a runner up of Dean Koontz. I like the “what if” factor. What if this could happen? What if someone from beyond really could help you save someone? The what ifs are what keep me going
6. Totally random question: are you wondering why the heck you agreed to this stupid interview in the first place? Interview: Actually, I’m glad you asked me to interview. It keeps me on track as to why I’m attempting a book at my age!
7. If you could give your fans one piece of advice, what would it be? Advise: If I could give my potential fans one piece of advice, it would be follow your dreams. I have done and seen many things in my life, all because I followed my dreams. My sister says that I have always been brave, and my mom says I have always put myself in potentially bad situations, but come out smelling like a rose. I was a musician for many years before I had my kids, and I’ve raised them alone their whole lives. Now I’m in a new stage, following my dream of writing a book. Don’t ever look back with regret, because everything you experience is what makes you, you.
8. Give us what you think is your best or one of your best lines of writing from any of your titles that are available to purchase? Since I don’t have a book available for purchase yet, I can’t answer that. But the one line that is theme in my current book is “I will never leave you”…remember that if you purchase my book. It’s a hint!
9. Last question which is also totally random: if you had to be a supernatural creature (vampire, werewolf, yeti, etc., etc.) which would you be and why? I would totally be a vampire. Although they are vicious and gory, they are also sexy, and the thought of living forever is appealing (although I’m not sure I’d really want to). Plus, I’ve always been a nightowl, so it fits my style.
Thanks for interviewing me…this was fun! Look for my book out hopefully in January!
WINNER UPDATES FOR 12/13/12: Kimberly S. Won a Book by Adam Gaffen!
WINNER UPDATES FOR 12/14/12: Brandy A. won an eBook from me! Janelle G. won the $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card! Crissy M. won an eBook by Adam Gaffen! Woot!
STREET TEAM REQUESTS: Do you want to be a part of a street team for me? In fact, would you like to be the DIRECTOR of the street team? See below for more info.!
A street team is a group of folks who champion something they like, helping to spread the word without compensation but with the promise of awesome swag (i.e. free books, posters, bookmarks, etc.). I’d like to put one of these teams together but first, I need a director, someone to help me organize it all. I will be putting together a site JUST for my street team, too! If you’d like to apply for the position of director, fill out the following questions them and email them to author@cmstunich.com. If you’d like to join the street team as a normal member, send an email titled STREET TEAM to that same email and in the body of the email, just let me know and I will get more info to you as soon as it’s available.
Before you answer the questions, do you want to know why you should be the director (I might have two, but you never know =D)?
1. You get ALL of my books for FREE. That’s right, ALL OF THEM!
2. You get to read manuscripts before anyone else!
3. Free swag such as bookmarks, postcards, posters, buttons, etc. to help you on your quest.
4. The opportunity to organize events for me like giveaways and chats.
5. A chance to fly to a live book signing and see me! (with free signed paperbacks, hotel fare, and such! =)
6. Other amazing things that have yet to be determined!
So, here’s your questionnaire:
1. Why do you want to be the director?
2. What books of mine have you read? Have you left any reviews? Where did you leave them?
3. Are you passionate about urban fantasy and YA novels? Why?
4. What are some ideas you could use to help me get my books out there?
5. How much time could you devote to this per week (at least 2 hours, please!)?
Okay, that’s all I need to know so just send it here: author@cmstunich.com and I will get back to you ASAP!
December 12, 2012
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December 9, 2012
Deck The Halls With Stunich Swag Post #2
If you’ve been following the contest (or even if you haven’t, I just wanted to let you know that I started this new post since the last one was getting so crowded! If you need to catch up on winner announcements, read my interview, or find links for my free Kobo book titled “A Werewolf Christmas” go here: CLICK ME!)! Thanks.
Here is the Rafflecopter Widget you need to use in order to win anything. Please, keep scrolling below for awesome content!
In the next few days, I’ll be hosting author interviews. Not all of the authors have submitted their questionnaire, but I promise if they’re not here, then I’ll make something completely awesome up. Here is the schedule as of 12/09/12:
10th: Stephen Ormsby, author of Long Lost Song
11th: Guy Simpson, author of the Brotherhood of Olympus Saga
12th: Kathy Ree, author of Be Not Afraid
13th: Adam Gaffen, author of Run Like Hell who amazingly donated an eBook for everyday of this giveaway. Way to go, Adam!
14th: Karen Kincel Interview
15th: Interview with T.M. Knight, author of Madison/White Ops who has generously donated 2 books for your giveaway.
16th: Interview with Raebeth Buda, author of Silenced
WINNER UPDATES FOR 12/09/12: Emily V. won a Fandango Gift Card, Kathy K. won a Stunich eBook, and Brooke H. won an eBook by Adam Gaffen. Keep entering as there are still more prizes!
Above is C.M. Stunich (me!), just to show you how much I really do love the holidays and to introduce you to our discussion topic: Writing and Reading Styles.
So, I wanted to do a post about writing styles, but since not everyone is a writer, I figured I’d include reading styles as the two certainly go hand in hand.
READER SIDE: Some people, like my friend for example, will only read if she can consume the whole book/most of the whole book during her reading time. She won’t read in snippets like I do for example. I will read in tiny, five minute windows all day long. I will also stay up late/miss important obligations to read (terrible, I know). Then there’s the terrible habit I’ve got of starting books and then putting them aside for “later”. This is the opposite of my stay-up-all-night-and-read side where I put these poor books aside, through no fault of their own, and leave them for months or even YEARS!! I do have this rule that I must finish every book I start, no matter what, so I always go back, usually wondering why I put it aside in the first place. =) I don’t leave reviews EVER. Bad ones hurt too much (I know from terrible experience) and good ones take a lot of time to craft properly. I do star books on Goodreads sometimes, but only occasionally. I prefer paperbacks over eBooks a million to one and I think standalone novels are vastly underrated? How about you?
WRITER SIDE: Okay, so my writing habits are going to differ from anything you’ve heard or know about writing because, well, all writers habits do. Everyone is different. Sometimes, I’m shocked when I read another author’s style, thinking “How on earth…” so you may very well find this strange but here goes. I write like crazy. As of right now, I spent about 12ish hours a day (won’t have that time for much longer though 
), and I try to do 14,000-24,000 words a day. This might seem strange, but I type fast and I have these ideas in my head that I must, must, must get out. I have forty plus novels in a notebook that cry out to me to write them. As I write, I reread what I’ve just written over and over again so that when it comes time to edit, it’s mostly grammar that I’m looking for and not content. I look things up on the internet constantly and watch a lot f YouTube videos. I’m also prone to getting distracted and going on Facebook too much (you guys are so awesome, I can’t help myself). Sometimes, I go on Goodreads or Amazon and read my reviews. I don’t have too many, but if they’re mean, I cry and refuse to write for days. =) Eventually though, this little spark inside me gets too hot to ignore and I’m back. I’ll do this till the day I die because there is nothing else for me. I am a writer, mind, body, soul, and I put everything I have into my work. I hope you enjoy my books, and I can’t wait to share them all with you!
Come back tomorrow for more awesome fun and don’t forget to leave a blog comment so you can get your free entries into the contest!
December 5, 2012
Deck the Halls With Stunich Swag
UPDATE DECEMBER 7th, 2012: Scroll down for author interviews, winner announcements and more.
Thank you everyone for coming to visit my blog and for joining my Facebook event. I’m a new author with a lot of drive and a tenacity that frightens even me. I write prolifically, read obsessively and think of my characters as my children. In short, I’m your typical author. =) For those of you that are just here for the giveaway (and I don’t blame you one, little bit), here it is:
If you’re still reading, then I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have a lot I want to offer my readers, and I hope that I can deliver on it.
If you stay tuned, there will be more chances to enter the giveaway, more prizes, and more free things. I want to make this holiday rockin’, and I want to earn your readership! I will try to post at least one new thing everyday. Keep checking back at this spot and at our Facebook event, here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/172168709596376/
Here’s a free copy of A Werewolf Christmas:
Last question which is also totally random: if you had to be a supernatural creature (vampire, werewolf, yeti, etc., etc.) which would you be and why?
I would be a gnome. Specifically, a lawn gnome. Don’t ask. Haven’t I rambled enough already?
Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience!
-C.M.
