50 Followers Giveaway Extravaganza Day 1

I've realised I'm at 59 followers already, but still I'd like to shout out a big THANK YOU, you amazing bunch of people! To celebrate reaching 50 59 followers, I wanted to host my very first giveaway, but since I still have to rely on my mom for allowances, I've decided to arrange interviews and guest posts and giveaways with some of my favourite authors! There will be 4 days in total, and I'll alternate between YA and adult authors. So be sure to stay tuned!

(My very first giveaway! So excited:D)

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So, introducing the awesome author of Shadow Falls:

C.C. Hunter!

C.C. Hunter grew up in Alabama, where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and regularly rescued potential princes, in the form of Alabama bullfrogs, from her brothers. Today, she's still fascinated with lightning bugs, mostly wears shoes, but has turned her focus to rescuing mammals. She now lives in Texas with her four rescued cats, one dog, and a prince of a husband, who for the record, is so not a frog. When she's not writing, she's reading, spending time with her family, or is shooting things-with a camera, not a gun.
C.C. Hunter is a pseudonym. Her real name is Christie Craig and she also writes humorous romantic suspense romance novels for Grand Central. http://www.christie-craig.com/.

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Thank you for coming today, C.C.!

1) Tell me a little about yourself/ Describe yourself in 5 words. 

C.C.:  Honestly, I get asked this question a lot and I always have trouble with describing myself.  Trying to do it in only five words is even harder.  I mean, I’m from the south, which means I’m naturally long-winded.  LOL.  But I’ll give it a try.  How about . . .  Crazy, fun, down to earth.

2) What inspired you to write Shadow Falls?

 C.C.:  Good question.  Normally, when I’m asked this kind of question, I’ll explain how I get my inspiration from either life experiences or the world around me – like articles I’ve read, or conversations I’ve overheard in restaurants. (Yes, I’ve been known to eavesdrop. LOL) I’ve even gotten inspiration from beautiful sunsets I’ve witnessed.  But that’s not really how Born at Midnight and the Shadow Falls series was born. 

You see, my editor came to me and asked if I would be interested in writing a YA paranormal series.  She gave me two words:  “Paranormal Camp.”  Now, that’s all she said but it was enough to get my imagination sparking, so I took those two words, “paranormal camp,” and went to work.  I created my own supernatural world, my own characters, and my own plot.  And I’ve had a blast doing it, too.

3) How did you come up with your characters? Kylie with her ghost sensors, Derek with his mysterious past, and Lucas? 

C.C.:  All of my characters have a little bit of me inside them.  By that, I mean I will take my life experiences and find a way to incorporate them into the life experiences of my characters.   With Kylie and her ability to see ghosts, I did the same.  I’ve seen ghosts.  Or at least I think I have.  Years ago, when I was ten, I woke up one night to find my great grandmother hovering over me as I lay in bed, and it scared the bejeebies out of me.  Mostly because she’d been dead for about a week.  She was wearing a long white gossamer gown, and it flowed around her so much it looked as if she didn’t have any feet.  She said she just wanted to let me know she was okay.  Now, in spite of the fear I felt at seeing my dead great-grandmother, I also felt fascinated by the afterlife.  And ever since, I’ve longed to write a ghost story.  So having Kylie have the ability to see spirits seemed a perfect fit.

 As for Derek and Lucas, there is a little bit of me in them, too, same as with the other characters.  For example, I’m dyslexic, and so is Miranda.  Another side effect of having dyslexia is that it makes you more empathetic with people, so I gave that ability to Derek.  Of course, like with my other characters, that was just the jumping off point.  Derek became flesh and blood, with his own backstory, story goals and story arc, as he developed as a character.  Same with Lucas.  For Lucas, I started with his insecurities.  He’s definitely an alpha male but he’s totally uncomfortable being in the spotlight.  I was that way when I was in high school, too.  I was something of a wallflower.  (And, yeah, I shared that trait with Kylie also.) 

4) Can you share some juicy secrets as to what will happen in Awake at Dawn and Taken at Dusk? 

C.C.:  Well, I can’t really share all the juicy details but that would ruin the books and I want people to enjoy them.  But I can say this . . . in Awake at Dawn, Kylie learns she has new supernatural abilities, abilities that offer some major clues about who she really is.  She also gets to save the life of someone close to her.  In Taken at Dusk, she receives a message from the death angels that someone she knows will die.  Kylie doesn’t know who is in danger, but she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening, only to learn that sometimes you just can’t change Fate.  I think Taken at Dusk is a tad spookier than the first two books.  But it’s also revealing.  Some big question is answered in Taken at Dusk.  (And no, I won’t tell you what it is.  I mean like that.)

5) What's your favourite quote in the series? 

C.C.:  Hmm.  Favorite quotes . . . that’s a good question.  A lot of my readers really love this one from Born at Midnight:  “Just because a guy rings your bell, doesn't mean you have to toot his horn.” Which basically means that just because you like a guy, doesn’t mean you have to give him everything he wants.  There’s a right time for everything.   One of my favorites from Awake at Dawn is “What you are doesn't matter. Because what you are isn't going to change who you are.”   This one is about accepting things about ourselves that we can change and knowing that who you are is about the image you project and how you treat people.

6) Where can readers buy your books? 

C.C.:  Oh, thanks for asking.  The Shadow Falls series are available at all major booksellers and online retailers.

Quickie questions: 

Pen & paper or Microsoft?

C.C.:  Definitely Microsoft.  I write my books using Word 2007.

Favourite food?

C.C.:  Oh, that one’s easy.  It’s pizza.  Or anything with cheese, really.

Favourite name?

C.C.:  Hmm.  I think my list of favorite names changes, actually.  Right now, I’m having to name a character in a new book, and I’m thinking of either Carrie or Cara.  Hmm, both sound good.

Thank you again for having me join you at your blog.  I’ve had a blast!

You're welcome! And thanks for coming today!

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You can find C.C. at: Her Website | Facebook | Twitter

Add her books on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/series/52856-shadow-falls


And now for the giveaway!

St. Martin's Griffin is generously giving away 1 copy of Born at Midnight and  1 copy of Awake at Dawn to 1 winner!! It's only for US entrants this time (next day's one MAY be international;D), sorry international guys! Following is not mandatory, but it is greatly appreciated. Just fill in the Rafflecopter form below!:)