Hi Booklovers! I have an interview with C.C Hunter, author of Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn! Miss Hunter is a funny, and an author I would really love to met and get my books signed!
The Interivew:
1.) A Song, Food, and Favorite Quote?
Song:
Hmm. Well, first, I should explain that I like all kinds of music, from country to classic rock, to some pop and alternative rock. It just depends on my mood. But when I’m writing, I can’t listen to music with lyrics. Songs with lyrics tell stories and it’s just too distracting for me when I’m trying to write a story myself. Now, that all said, one of my favorite songs that tell a story is Hero by Enrique Iglesias. It’s such a romantic song, and it touches my heart.
Food:
Oh, pizza, definitely, or just about anything with cheese. And I admit, I also love ice cream.
Favorite Quote:
“Never give up. Never surrender.” It’s actually a line from the movie Galaxy Quest but it’s also a great writer’s motto, too, which is why I love it.
2.)What Inspired you to write?
Some writers will tell you that they were born with a pen in their hands and by the time their umbilical cord fell off, they’d finished the first draft of their first novel. Not me. I was raised in the south, where all my family tried to one-up each other with their stories, I grew up surrounded by storytellers. And while I was good at it, I was also dyslexic, and writing was not my strong suit. (Now, standing up and telling my story to an audience? That I could do with no problem.) I was twenty-three before I told my husband I wanted to be a writer. It took years…lots of years that I spent teaching myself how to put my talent of telling a story on paper. I think I may be finally catching on, too.
3.) The story behind Born at Midnight?
Well, the idea of the paranormal camp came from my editor Rose Hilliard. However, I’m what we authors call a character-driven writer, meaning a story doesn’t come to life for me until I have my characters in my head. For some writers, it’s the plot or the setting. But not for me. Before I started writing the book, I spent a good week taking a mental trip down Memory Lane and revisiting my youth. I recalled all the things that were important to me at that age, all the issues I dealt with, and I used them to help me create my array of characters for the series. So many of the issues I write about in the book are issues I lived through. For example, my parents got a divorce, I was the wallflower at school, I loved a boy but wasn’t ready for the things he wanted, and I was dyslexic. So the beginning inspiration for the Shadow Falls series really stemmed from Rose’s two-word idea, but the story didn’t start coming together until I fleshed out my characters. So, I guess you can say that the story behind the series is really my own life experiences.
4.)What do you do on your free time?
Well, lately I haven’t had that much free time, thanks to back-to-back writing deadlines. (Not that I’m complaining, mind you. LOL. Writing is my passion. And I feel so very lucky to be where I am in my career.) But when I want to relax and kick back, I love to read, walk along the beach, especially with my hubby. Another thing I like to do in my spare time is get together and have lunch with my girlfriends. There’s just nothing like visiting good friends over good food and sharing some laughs.
5.)A book you believe everyone should read?
ell, first I want to say that I read across the board. I love novels that offer pure escapism. It’s not necessarily a genre that I look for, it’s a great book that takes me away. I want that book to come with a wide range of characters and emotions. I don’t want to read fluff, but neither do I want to be depressed. I want to read about characters who are struggling, but who never lose their sense of humor. Those are the kind of books that I enjoy reading. Okay, those are also the kind of book I enjoy writing.
As for what book I think everyone should read, well, that could be hard. Everybody has their own unique tastes, and what works for me may not work for somebody else, and vice versa. That said, I’d probably recommend E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. I fell in love with this book when I first read it and I still love it today. Now, I know this is a classic children’s book but to me, it’s also an interspecies romance. Think about it—Wilbur, the pig, and Charlotte, the barn spider. They formed a bond that nothing and nobody could break, not even death. I think it’s one of the reasons why I enjoy writing my own “interspecies romances” so much. LOL.
Writer's Advice? Basic things you have to do to write a novel, especially in the YA genre?
Oh, great question. I have three pieces of advice for new writers. First, remain positive and focused on your goal. What works for me is to do something each and every day to achieve that goal. It can be a little thing, such as researching something you need to know before you write a scene, or it can be something bigger, such as writing X number of pages. One thing I really believe is that keeping a positive outlook is vital to building a career as a writer. Surround yourself with people who share your positive outlook, and try to limit your contact with those who spread negativity.
My second piece of advice goes along with my first, and that is to work hard to become a better writer every day. Take a writing class or a workshop or read a how-to book. Expand your horizons and read widely. Become a sponge and soak up as much about the writing process as you can.
Last, and perhaps most important of all, accept that rejection will happen, no matter if it’s your first book or your 20th, and it’s never personal. I worked hard to get published and believe me, I had my share of rejections.
7.) And last:) what is one person you would talk to for a day, dead or living?
Hmm. That’s a good question. I suppose I’d pick E.B. White just so I could tell him how much I loved his book. And, yeah, I’d probably ask if he wrote it as an inter-species romance. LOL.
Thanks for the interview!
