Author Interview W/ C.C. Hunter + Giveaway!

It's no secret, one of my new favorite authors is the fabulous C. C. Hunter- author of The Shadow Falls series. For some of you, you may have heard of or read the first book, Born At Midnight, that was released earlier this year. You can find my review HERE.

I've been honored to have an interview with C. C. Hunter this week! So, without further ado, welcome to my little spot on the web here, Ms. Hunter. :)

1. How did your interest in writing begin?

C.C.: Well . . . I guess that depends on how you look at it. You see, I come from Alabama. Down South, creating stories—or just flat-out lying about stuff if it makes for a better story—was a way of life in my family. As a kid, I had a vivid imagination—still do. I’ve always had book-length stories running around in my head but I didn’t try to capture them on paper until I was 23 and my new hubby suggested I go back to school to become a teacher. That’s when I admitted to him—and to myself—that I wanted to become a writer.


Saying out loud that I wanted to be a writer was a huge step for me. Being dyslexic, I’m a terrible speller and often I get words and sentences backwards, so not only did I have to learn how to write, I had to learn how to deal with my dyslexia. But you know what? I think being dyslexic helped me with my writing. The experts say that dyslexics are very intuitive. And I think this is what helped me understand people’s emotions, which is so important in developing characters in fiction. Plus, being dyslexic forced me to work harder, and that led to my viewing a rejection as an invitation to try harder.

2. Are your characters' traits based on any real people you know? What are two things you have in common with Kylie?

C.C.: Okay, these are two great questions. I’ll start with the first one – are any of my characters’ traits based on real people? And the answer is . . . sort of. You see, there is a little bit of me inside all of my characters. Even the bad guys. It’s part of my creative process, I guess. For me to write a convincing character, I have to tap into memories and experiences. For example, look at Della, who’s a vampire and Kylie’s roommate. Della is moody and quick to anger, and sometimes I can be that way. (Lucky for my hubby, it’s a rare occasion. LOL.) And then there’s Miranda, who is Kylie’s other roommate and a dyslexic witch who can’t cast her spells right. While I don’t know anything about spell-casting, I definitely know about dyslexia. I’m dyslexic, and so is my son, and we struggle with it every day.


Now, for the second question – what are two traits that I have in common with Kylie? Well, there are her non-paranormal issues, the ones she has when the book opens. I had experienced a lot of them myself when I was a teenager, like fitting in—I always felt a little different from everyone else, like I really didn’t belong. Also, my parents got a divorce when I was sixteen. Man, did that ever feel like someone yanked away the foundation of my world. And I was also dumped by a boy who wanted things I wasn’t willing to give him, just like Trey did to Kylie. A second trait I share with Kylie is . . . well, my family and friends tell me that I’ve got a stubborn streak a mile wide, and so does Kylie. LOL. But I like to think of it being more about our determination. One thing about Kylie, she may face insurmountable odds but she won’t give up. She’s determined to see things through, and I am the same way.

3. One sentence that describes you:

C.C.: One sentence? Really?? LOL. Hey, I think I mentioned, I’m from the south, and we are a long-winded bunch, so trying to describe anything in just one sentence is hard. But I’ll give it a try. How about . . . C.C. Hunter believes in magic and the power of what-if, is convinced that life is a grand adventure waiting to be lived and swears by the reformative power of true love.


4. You write about characters with "special gifts". If you could have any special supernatural gift, what would it be?

C.C.: Another good question. And to be honest, I get asked this one a lot, so you’d think I’d have my answer down pat, but I don’t. LOL. I guess it’s just that it’s so hard for me to choose. Now, when I was writing Born at Midnight, and creating the Shadow Falls universe, I did a lot of research. And because writers like to tweak details to match their vision, I’ve made some changes to the mythology for many of my supernaturals. Some of them, like vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves, can be scary but once you get to know them as characters, you’ll realize they all have some good qualities. I think that’s what makes it so hard for me to choose—I don’t want to be unfaithful to any of my characters. LOL. But if I had to choose, I’d probably go with either a witch or a fae. I think these characters offer the most options . . . although I think it would be totally cool to be able to fly like a vampire does. LOL.

5. What are your current projects? Upcoming releases?

C.C.: Thanks for asking! Awake at Dawn, book 2 of my Shadow Falls series, will release in October, 2011. I just turned in Taken at Dusk, book 3, which should hit the bookstores in April of 2012. I’ve just gotten approval for books 4 and 5 from my publisher, so I’ll be starting those just as soon as I can. I can’t share any spoilers from Awake at Dawn but I love how Kylie is growing and changing, and I hope you do, too!

6. Anything else you’d like to add?

C.C.: Yes. First, I’d like to thank you for having me visit your blog. I’ve had a blast answering your questions, and I hope your readers enjoy reading my answers.


I’d also like to invite your readers to swing by my blog at www.CCHunterBooks.com. I blog every Tuesday, and that’s where I will be posting information on any new contests I’m running. While at my website, you can also sign up for my newsletter. I don’t send it out that often—usually only when I have a new release. I’ll pass along any news there before it gets posted on my website.


You can also find C. C. Hunter on Goodreads
And on Twitter

Thank you so much to the wonderful and fantastic C. C. Hunter for being here!

On an additional note, would you like to WIN Born At Midnight?

In light of this interview, I'm hosting a giveaway.

One lucky person, will win a copy of Born At Midnight.

• Must be age 13 and over
• U.S. entrants only (sorry!)
• It's not required, but please follow/tweet!
• Comments, etc. do not get bonus entries at this time, sorry.
• Winner is randomly chosen by Random.org
• Contest ends at Midnight, Central Time- August 30th - Winner will be announced and/or contacted promptly.

Please see my Contest Policy for full guidelines and rules.

To Enter: Fill out this form

 

Thank you!

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My Waiting on Wednesday this week is:


Title: Awake At Dawn (Book 2 of the Shadow Falls series)
Author: C.C. Hunter
Release Date: October 11th

Now that she’s settled in at Shadow Falls Camp, Kylie Galen’s determined to discover the extent of her supernatural abilities. But with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about die, a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, and her sixth sense telling her someone is watching her, Kylie’s quest for answers is quickly put on hold.

To make matters worse, just when she’s about to give her heart to Derek, a half-fairy, he starts pulling away. When Lucas, a werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past, returns, Kylie’s feels more conflicted than ever. Her weekend with her mom should have been the just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point. Someone from the dark side of the supernatural world has plans for Kylie—and it'll take all her resources to get back to Shadow Falls alive... --Goodreads

Ever since I finished the first book, I've been craving for the second book. So, I'm trying to wait as patiently as possible. :P But I may just go a bit crazy before I finally can get it. Haha! I adore the characters and the setting. The story pulled me right in and just left me begging for more. Hurry up, October!!

What is your Waiting on Wednesday?

Review: Born At Midnight

Title: Born At Midnight (Book 1 of the Shadow Falls series)
Author: C.C. Hunter
Genre: YA Fantasy

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs… --Goodreads

Almost a week after finishing “Born at Midnight” and I’m still thinking about it.
I’m already craving the second book. Must. Have. It. Soon!

“Born At Midnight” is one of my favorites so far this year. It has spunk and spark. I want to GO there.

Yes, there’s a love triangle. And perhaps many readers at this point are starting to get tired of this, but many of us also know that if it’s done right, we still enjoy that guilty pleasure. I, myself, have a hard time picking up any books as of recently that include love triangles. But here was a refreshing take on it that didn’t annoy me. I enjoyed it, and it didn’t take away from the story any bit. Thinking about it now, I can’t see this series at all without one… and might I state at this time that I’m all for Lucas. Thank you.

The characters! Each character had their own unique personality and I loved that. A few of them had been on some hard times, but I particularly liked how the author didn’t have them whiney about it. They were strong-willed, sarcastic and witty. Kylie took awhile to accept things, but it was realistic and understandable on her behalf. The writing was smooth, realistic, and beautifully detailed. The action fun and fast-paced.

I could not get enough of this book! More soon, please!

5 stars!









Questions to my readers:

Have you read this? Did you enjoy it as well? Thoughts?

If you could have any supernatural power, what would it be?







P.S. Be on the look-out for something special to come soon! ;)