ONE on ONE with CM Stunich
I was born and raised in a tiny, little town called Eureka, CA, home of the redwood forest and some of the most beautiful but horrifyingly deadly beaches. It's pretty isolated – you can either drive to San Francisco, CA or Eugene, OR for entertainment, both of which are several hours away – but I think it really helped shape the person I became. The people were very tolerant of others, at least in my experience. There wasn't much bullying or anything of the like. Of course, one can only handle so much of a small town, so I eventually left and found myself here in Eugene. I really like it, but I think, at heart, that I'm a wanderer so I may very well pick up and move sometime soon!
2. Tell us about something that has just/recently happened in your life that you would like to share?
This might sound sort of lame, but I'm really excited about it so here goes... My birthday is in February, so I've decided to get myself a dog as a present! Woo hoo! I'm home all day, so I figured it would be a good fit for me. I have a whole truckload of cats, so they may not be as thrilled about this as I am, but they'll have to get over it. I'm considering getting a pair of pups (from the shelter, of course...don't get me started on animal overpopulation!) and naming them Ty and Never... Is that cheesy? Okay, maybe it is, but I might just do it anyway!
3. If you had to sum up Tasting Never in 30 or less words, what would you say?
Dark, tortured beauty torn from my soul and bled across a page. It's all the heartache I ever had in one book.
(Yes, I'm a big sap. You can totally call me on it! ;) )
4. If you gave Never and Ty an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?
Never: Seriously, sometimes I wonder why I gave this chick my whole life story, opened up for her when I couldn't to anyone else. Except for Ty, of course, always for Ty. But C.M. Is a different monster, someone who can see inside my head, someone that knows everything. Here's to hoping she doesn't tell my little secret.
Ty: I don't know how Never feels about telling her story, but I know how I feel about telling mine. I'm not ready, not yet. I know a lot of you have been wondering about me … my past … all the horrible things I've lived through, all the horrible things I've done, but I just can't f*cking face it. Not now, not yet.
5. If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters? Please Send me pics lol!!!
OMG! I'm so terrible with this kind of stuff! Okay, let me give it a shot. I'm not big into Hollywood stuff, so I don't know actors/actresses, but there is a picture of a girl I saw for sale that looks just like Never, minus the red and black hair. As for Ty, wow, it's hard for me to put a picture of a real person to that name because the image in my head is so clear, nothing seems to match up! If anyone has any ideas though, I would love to see 'em, and if I find one that connects with me, I'll send you a small prize. ;)
6. List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend to readers?
1. “Scar Night” by Alan Campbell
This book is bizarre. I'm not going to lie. It took me quite a while to get into it and still, sometimes I struggled to understand exactly what was going on, but there were some epic scenes in there that took my breath away. It was unlike any fantasy novel I had ever read. This dude is not afraid to take chances and shake things up. I just bought book two, so we'll see how that goes!
2. “The Changelings” by Elle Casey
I'm a big Elle Casey fan, and have read pretty much all her books, so it's not surprise that I had to reread this one! I'm not going to give anything away, but she is wicked awesome. I actually think our writing styles are pretty similar, so that could be part of the reason her books to call to me, but pick one up and give it a shot, if you like one, you'll want them all.
3. “Putting Makeup on Dead People” by Jen Violi
I have been super busy and haven't had the chance to do a whole lot of reading, but I did get this book from Barnes and Noble the other day and finished it in two sittings. There are some issues I have with the book, but overall it's a nice, quick read that touches on topics of death and loss. It doesn't go too deep, but it does nudge you to do some thinking which is great.
7.What is Your Favorite Wine?
Truth be told, I am not a wine person! LOL! I can't tell the difference between a “good” wine and a “bad” one – that all taste the same. That's not to say that I won't drink wine or don't enjoy a glass, I'm just saying that I'm not going to be invited to Napa Valley anytime soon! Personally, (and if you know me at all, you know what's coming) I like Jager. Yes, Jager, that nasty stuff that tastes like black licorice, but is so relaxing that it should be illegal. ;)
8. Is there an Author that you would really like to meet in person?
I would love to go to a convention and meet up with all the Indie authors I've read/met recently. They are so inspiring and hard working and generous. I'd be hard pressed to name them all because there are so many, but I have to say that my list includes: Jillian Dodd, Adam Gaffen, Elle Casey, Sara King, Karen Amanda Hooper, Jessica Sorensen, and Amanda Heath. (If your name isn't here, it doesn't mean you're not awesome...I just have too many to list but love y'all!)
9. What authors have inspired your work?
This might sound kind of cheesy, but every author I read inspires me in some way. Truth be told, I am definitely an urban fantasy lover so my big thanks have to go to Laurell K. Hamilton for her Anita Blake series. The first dozen books are burned into my brain, and I can't seem to find anything that matches up to them! Anyone that puts heart and soul into their work, those are the folks I really look up to.
10. Ebook, Paperback or Hardcover?
Paperback! Hands down! There is no question, and there's no reasoning with me. =) Truly though, I am grateful to eBooks for all the opportunities they've opened up for me. Without them, I don't believe this whole Indie revolution would be happening, but I just hate the formatting. When I see my paperbacks, I want to cry because they're so beautiful, but it's so hard to translate that to eBook format. Oftentimes, I lose fonts/graphics that made the paperback look so magical. Also, you can't sniff eBooks and any good book lover worth their salt knows that all new books must be smelled. ;)
11.Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?
Heck yes! The second book to Tasting Never, Finding Never, is coming out on February 2nd, 2013 which is just over a week away! After that, I have two quickie Valentine's shorts, and then a very special secret project New Adult novel. This year, I am going to be one busy chick. If you read a lot, come find me because I am going to try to keep you in a minimum of three new books a month! I have a backlist of projects on my computer that need to see the light of day and I'm also a write-a-holic. ;)
12.Have we heard the last of TY and Never?
No! Absolutely not! Book two comes out on February 2nd, and then book three on March 2nd of 2013. After that, I may write Noah Scott's story (if you've read the book, you'll know who this is!) and possibly a book or two from one of Never's sisters POVs. So stay tuned!
Thanks For Chatting Mrs. Stunich!!
CHEERS,
Dr. Books
