Riley in my C.C. Hunter novel,Three Heartbeats Away, is a typical teenager, well, if you don’t count the fact that she can see and hear ghosts. Other than that, she has the usual boyfriend problems. Well, you can if you think having a guy in a comma fall in love with you then completely forget you once he’s awake.  But other than that, Riley’s life is pretty normal.

And now her latest ghost is a Bridezilla bent on revenge, and not just on the person who killed her. She’ll take out her wrath on anyone who gets in her way. And Riley is for sure in her way. And she’s not going anywhere either. Not when the dead bride claims to know things about her mom. But Riley would love if she’d stop throwing knives around the house.

Time is running out to enter my Three Heartbeats Away preorder contest. I’m closing this contest on June 18^th when Three Heartbeats Away is released. So hurry up and preorder your copy and send a scan or link of you purchase to cc@cchunterbooks.com. You’ll be entered to win this tote filled with theses goodies. Preorder Three Heartbeats Away at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo. (U.S. residents only, please.)

The dead carry their secrets with them…

At least until they end up at Riley Smith’s door. Her latest spectral visitor is a murdered bride with a need for revenge, and not necessarily for the person who killed her. Never mind that killer is about to strike again. Riley’s determined to help, but is missing Hayden, the hot, ghostly boy who’s always had her back.

Living, breathing Hayden is awake, which means his spirit isn’t around to flirt with Riley anymore. Worse yet, the “real” Hayden doesn’t remember her. Their connection had been so strong. Did his feelings for Riley just disappear into the ether?

As Riley gets closer to finding the bride’s killer, other secrets are revealed: secrets that changes everything Riley thought she knew about her parents. But before she can completely unravel the mystery of her past, Riley will need to escape the murderer that threatens her future.

I think we’ve all known someone with a drinking problem. Maybe it’s a friend or relative. Someone very close or more distant.  In Riley’s case in my Mortician’s Daughter series, it’s her dad. She kind of understands.  She knows he misses her mother, who passed away. But dang it! Riley misses her too, and she still needs her dad. He’s already lost several jobs as a mortician. That’s why they’ve had to move so often. But this time, Riley likes Catwalk, Texas and she’s even got a best friend, Kelsey.. And if you’ve ever found a person who will always have your back, you know how hard the thought of losing them can be. And if Riley even has a chance for Hayden to remember her and all that they shared, well, she just has to stay.

So, she’s on the lookout for signs to see if her dad’s drinking is getting worse. He’s not been at work when he said he was—she knows because she’s checked up on him. And she’s found empty liquor bottles hidden in his room. But now, there’s something more…something about her mother. There’s a secret, one that will tear her family apart and change her view of her mother for ever—and she’s about to find out what it is.

Preorder the third and final book in my Mortician’s Daughter series, Three Heartbeats Away. If you do, you can enter my preorder contest by sending a scan or link to your purchase, and email it to cc@cchunterbooks.com. Then, you’ll be entered to win this tote filled with all of these goodies. Preorder Three Heartbeats Away at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo. This contest closes June 18th. (U.S. residents only, please.)

Ghosts are a recurring theme in my books. I’ve told you about my experiences with them especially as a child, and I guess it’s really stuck with me. That’s probably why I write about them and why I’m drawn to books, movies and TV shows with ghosts. In my C.C.Hunter Mortician’s Daughter series, Riley is challenged to help ghosts solve their final problems or even catch their killer, in order for them to move on. Dealing with all the usual teenage problems, not to mentions her alcoholic dad, is hard enough for Riley without adding ghosts into the mix. In Three Heartbeats Away, the final book in the series, Riley’s problems at home worsen, but she still has to deal with a Bridezilla ghost out for revenge. And to top it off, the guy she’s in love with doesn’t even remember her.  But none of that may matter if she can’t stop the bride’s killer, because she may be the next ghost to crossing over.

There have been a lot of movies with ghosts over the years, so I can’t be the only one that finds them fascinating. Ghostbusters was a movie franchise based on ghosts and demons. And who can forget The Shining? That movie scared the beejeezus out of me. Most ghost movies are horror movies, but not all of them. One of my very favorite movies, ghosts or no ghosts, is Ghost with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. Is there a hotter movie scene than the one they have at the potter’s wheel?

Then there are the TV shows. Did you watch Medium?  I loved Ghost Whisperer, and I still watch it sometimes. That series has had a big impact on my books.

Reality shows about ghosts have been on a long time, too. Sometimes I watch shows like Ghost Hunters or Most Haunted. I have to say, since they’re reality shows, they creep me out more than the fictional shows. So I can’t watch them very often. Hubby isn’t a fan of sleeping with the lights on.

What are your favorite ghost movies or TV shows? Is there a new one I should be watching?

Winner!

The winner of last week’s t-shirt giveaway is Cheril Vernon. Email your address and size to my at christie@christie-craig.com and I’ll send you your t-shirt.

Preorder Contest!

Three Heartbeats Away is now up for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo. So I’m holding a preorder contest and giving away a cool tote bag with a t-shirt, a deck of Three Heartbeats Away playing cards and other amazing swag (promotional stuff). All you have to do is preorder Three Heartbeats Away, then, send a link or a screenshot of your order to me at cc@cchunterbooks.com, and you’ll be entered to win. I’ll be closing this contest on June 18th.(Sorry, but this contest is limited to U.S. residents only.)

I’m working on my next C.C. Hunter  book, Three Heartbeats Away, and poor Riley finds herself in some tough situations.  She’s having to dig deep and find her inner bad a$$.  Oh, she’s still scared, and she really wishes she didn’t have to be in some of these dangerous situations, but she can’t turn her back on her friends.And when a ghost is certain that her killer is about to grab another victim, she can’t turn her back on that either.  Thankfully, she has a little more help this time.  Not that it makes it any less scary.

I don’t know why, but I’m enjoying writing these spunky female roles.  I guess writing them kind of feels like I’m reaching deep to find my own inner bad a$$. To look at me, you wouldn’t think I had one hanging out in my soul.  Let’s face it, I’m not even five feet tall.  I’m more of a conflict avoider.  Yet, when someone is trying to take advantage of me or just do me wrong, it’s like my inner B with an itch comes clawing out.

My husband says, “My wife’s an angel.Accidentally run over her, and she’ll tell you not to worry about it.  But do her dirty on-purpose and you’d better run.  Run fast, because she’s going to come get you.  And unfortunately, I have proven him right several times.

There was the time the unruly teen of my neighbor slashed our car tire.  I just thought we’d had a flat until another neighbor told me her husband had caught this boy doing it to his truck and he had gone and spoken to his mom.  My heart kind of went out to the kid’s mom.  And honestly, I wasn’t expecting her to do anything except maybe have the boy apologize.  But when I went to talk to her, she yelled and screamed at me, called me names for accusing her son of such a terrible act.  I explained I’d spoken with our other neighbor who had caught her boy doing that same thing, but she didn’t back down and even slammed her door in my face.  It suddenly made me realize that maybe the one I needed to feel sorry for was the kid.

I didn’t go straight home that night, I knocked on doors up and down my street and found eight other neighbors who’d also discovered their tires flat the night before.

So I decided to have a neighborhood party.  And the guest of honor was the police.  And when the unruly teen’s mom went unruly on that officer, let’s just say justice was served.

Another time my inner bad a$$ took over was less than a year ago.  I was driving to see a friend and an SUV sideswiped me, tore up my side mirror and slammed me into a curb so hard it busted my front tire.

Accidents happen right?  But this SUV didn’t stop.

And neither did I.

Did you know you can drive on the rim of your car?  Did you know if you chase someone with a busted tire, laying on your horn the whole way, they eventually will pull over?  I know it wasn’t smart, the hit and run driver could have had a gun.  But she didn’t.  She claimed she was just scared.  And . . . her insurance paid to repair my mirror, my bad rim, and for a new tire.

So I’m kind of pulling out my inner tough girl, to help with a few plot points in Three Heartbeats Away.  Not only is Riley standing up for herself and others, but I have three other plots in the making that are about females who, when backed in the corner, don’t stay there.

What’s kind of strange is that I think it’s something in the air right now.  Or maybe even a result of the Me-Too movement, but I’m seeing a lot of kick-butt female roles on TV and in the movies.  Has anyone watched HANNA the movie or the series? I loved it and wish I had a few of her moves.

So, do you have inner bad a$$ inside of you?   Have you stood up for yourself or friend and gotten justice?

Giveaway!!!

One person who leaves a comment will win a C.C. Hunter t-shirt.(Sorry, this giveaway is for U.S. residents only. If you’re reading this on Goodreads, you must leave a comment on my actual blog to enter.)

Preorder Contest!!

Three Heartbeats Away is now up for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo. So I’m holding a preorder contest and giving away a cool tote bag with a t-shirt, a deck of Three Heartbeats Away playing cards and other amazing swag (promotional stuff). All you have to do is preorder Three Heartbeats Away, then, send a link or a screenshot of your order to me at cc@cchunterbooks.com, and you’ll be entered to win. I’ll be closing this contest on June 18th.(Sorry, but this contest is limited to U.S. residents only.)