Artemis Hunt

Psychotic has been banned from All Romance Ebooks

2012-02-21T21:55:00.001-08:00

Great. I only thought this ARE and Bookstrand ban would affect Aphrodite Hunt, but it applies to Artemis Hunt as well.

Sheeesh.

Hit my 30,000th sale!

2012-01-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

WOO HOO! Thanks to everyone who bought something from me!

I'm eternally grateful and hope you enjoyed it.

Hit my 20,000th sale!

2011-12-28T21:53:00.001-08:00

Woo hoo, I reached my 20,000th milestone in 4 months, 4 days! Thank you to all of you who have given me advice and helped me along the way. Dec has been particularly good to me, and for those who are still on the fence on self-publishing, don't contemplate any further. Do it!

To recap, this is my journey since self-publishing on Aug 24th:

Aug (1 week): 14 (1 novel)
Sept: 44 (Added 2 novels at the end of Sept and a short story)
Oct: 977 (Started writing erotica shorts around Oct 8th. Uploaded 3 erotica shorts)
Nov: 4311 (added several more erotica shorts)
Dec: (as of 12 midnight 29th Dec) : 14,753

Over 90% of my sales are Amazon. I have around 11 erotica shorts, novelettes and novellas altogether, and they form 95% of my sales. All except 2 are priced at $2.99.

So don't give up! Keep on writing! There is no better time to put out stuff than now!

My Xmas blog at Saffina Desforges!

2011-12-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

Saffina Desforges

Ok, just 3 days left until the big day! Now, this next post isn’t what you’d call creative and not isn’t particularly cheery, but what it is, is the PERFECT epitome of this blog’s theme AND absolutely true.
Read it and take heed. Over to Artemis Hunt.

Merry Xmas. It’s been a tumultous month for me since we last chatted on this blog. My beloved mother-in-law died of lung cancer, only to be followed by my husband’s aunt 10 days later from pancreatic cancer. This serves to remind me how fleeting life is, and how we should seize the moment.
Haven’t decided to independently publish? Do it now before it’s too late.
I haven’t regretted a moment of it.
These are my monthly sales:
Aug (1 week)             14
Sept                          44
Oct                           977
Nov                           4311
Dec (as of Dec 8th 6 am)      2700 (Update 26 Dec: sales now stand at 12,378)

My top selling work (a short story) is in the Top 3 Erotica of Amazon US. I’ve been on the Movers and Shakers list periodically. As of today, I have 5 or 6 works in Amazon US’s Top 100 erotica, mostly priced at $2.99. My works have been on Bookstrand’s Top 30, and I stick out like a sore thumb amidst Bookstrand’s own well-promoted Siren writers, who fill up almost the entire list. 7 of my works have earned the All Romance Ebook bestseller crown. My works have occupied the Top 1,2,3 and 4 spots of Amazon Germany‘s Top 100 English erotica list.
Erotica writers have written to me and hailed me a success.
How did I do it? Was it marketing? Pure luck?
Actually, I didn’t do a single shred of marketing for my erotica shorts/novellas other than to cite every title down on each of their Amazon pages. It’s actually pure luck.
It’s true!
I know people don’t like to hear about luck. But I made my own luck. I wrote stories in a series, and released them quickly, sometimes days after the other. I was determined to do what Joe Konrath said we must do – write until you get lucky. I wasn’t even aiming for Amazon’s Top 1000. I was just writing and writing and hoping to make a decent living without hitting a ball out of the park.
So, give yourself a gift this Xmas, and celebrate being alive. Do what you want to do. Don’t look back. This past couple of weeks have taught me that life is really too short to spend regretting things you haven’t done. If you are in doubts about self-publishing, just try it. Then you won’t be in doubts anymore!
Aphrodite/Artemis Hunt

Thanks, Artemis. A very simple message.
Tomorrow, Leonard Hilley.
Saffi

My friend's post about me, heh heh

2011-12-12T02:08:00.000-08:00

My friend, a very successful horror writer who lives in Australia, wrote this about me today. Thanks, TH! You never mentioned my greatest successes are from being Aphrodite Hunt rather than the more vanilla Artemis Hunt, however :)

http://tunkuhalim.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/who-is-artemis-hunt/

Who is Artemis Hunt?

It appears that “Artemis Hunt has a husband who thinks all fiction is nonsense and all writers of fiction should get their heads checked for situational delusions.”
That seems to be all we know about this mysterious author – although there’s a rumour that she’s got Malaysian links. I really doubt this though as her writing seems far too Californian!
But, if she is Malaysian, then Malaysia-boleh! because she’s certainly one of the nation’s most prolific and successful.

Great cover, huh?

Recently, Artemis unloaded on us six e-books entitled:

The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick
The Hunt For The Catalyst
The Ether World Chronicles: Beginnings
The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick
Snow White And The Alien
Psychotic – A Thriller Short (by A.R Hunt)
You can get a rush from her books on her blog.
I’m in the middle of Snow White and the Alien and the writing’s just great. There’s no limit to this Californian’s imagination and its Kindle-clicking good!
I’m going to give Artemis’s husband a call soon, as I continue to type out my own novel, just to check on my own “situational delusion”!

Review from JeanzBookReadNReview!

2011-11-30T06:06:00.000-08:00

Jeanz Book Review

This was a totally different take on paranormal that I hadn't read before. Abby can literally look people in the eye and jump into their body! So when she is in hospital and her so called best friend Jenny visits her though it turns out that she just wants Abby's car keys so she doesn't have to pay for the gas it will take to get to the school reunion.So of course Abby is out for payback lol and bot does she get it. Abby jumps into Jenny's body and lets say has some serious fun, she goes to the reunion party and totally embarrasses Jenny by being what Abby now knows is the "real Jenny's attitude" to everything, and everyone. Its quite difficult to say a lot without giving away spoilers but just think for a moment.......if you could jump into anyone's body what would you do? I mean your at the school reunion with the very people that bullied you as a teenager.....who would you jump into and what would you do as payback when you did? The even funnier bit is that when Abby has had enough in one body she can simply jump into another, the previous "body" just kind of "wakes up" and can't remember a thing!! Abby can have her hearts desire, but will she choose to take someone life over permanently or return to her rapidly failing body in the hospital bed her mum sits beside sobbing?

Review from Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears!

2011-11-26T07:10:00.000-08:00

Abigail Watson was nobody’s idea of beautiful or even cute. She didn’t have a sparkling personality and she had absolutely horrible taste in friends. The best thing in her life were the memories of a 14 year old Jake Carradoc coming to her 8th birthday party. She fell in love with the boy, the world fell in love with the man. Jake is now an A-list mega movie star worth millions and a new gorgeous babe on his arm every other week. So far out of Abby’s scientific and dreary world, but she can dream. Or maybe take a chance at making it a reality, when bitten by an infected monkey in the lab where she works, Abby winds up with the ability to jump bodies. She can literally inhabit the body of anyone she makes eye contact with. Unfortunately the side effects can be deadly, but a chance at Jake Carradoc might be worth the risk.

Abby gets to live what I'm sure millions of people dream about. She gets the ability to inhabit another persons body. All those nasty, mean people who make your life miserable just for kicks and giggles. Well Abby can turn them into binge eating nymphomaniacs, or Mother Theresa-like philanthropists. Think of the possibilities....... Oh, the fun you could have. And Abby does get to have her fun. Artemis Hunt delved into the psyche of every insecure teenage girl and extracted their fantasies. Not only does she wind up living with her celeb crush, but he LIKES her. At least he likes the her he gets to see. He doesn't really know Abby does he? And Abby begins to turn into one of those nasty people she railed against. Oh, not with the snotty attitude but in her willingness to disregard other's feelings and needs to achieve what she wants. For all it's hilarity, the book touches on some deep moral issues. There is a romance of sorts woven throughout the story, but it's more a story of growth and discovering a sense of self and worth. This is more than just a light funny read (although it has more than it's share of LOL moments) it is a look at an insecure, doormat of a woman who discovers what she can and can not live with. Kudos on a job well done.

A warm holiday welcome to Artemis Hunt and many thanks for sharing her time and very humorous book with us.

Can you tell us three things we should know about Artemis Hunt?

1. I’m definitely female, last time I checked!
2. I love funny stories.
3. I want to be a full time writer.

Did you resemble any part of Abigail while you were in high school?No, ha ha! I was fairly popular. I was the outstanding student in my school, and also tops in extra-curricular activities. I was Editor of the school mag, and Vice-president of the swimming team. I was extremely popular.

Body snatching is a great premise. How did this idea germinate?It’s something I always wished I had! The ability to be anyone I choose!

Who was your high school celeb crush?Gosh, that was a long time ago. Hmmm, Keanu Reeves. (jeez, no wonder Jake kept ringing my bells

What is a typical writing day for you?I have a full time job, so I have to squeeze in writing during my lunch break, down time, and at home. But I write very fast.
Have you run across a character that refused to do as you envisioned?All the time! Ha ha. They have their own minds. And if I wanted them to do as I wish, my beta reader will head me off! (“That’s not how Abby would behave!”)

Whose body would you REALLY like to inhabit?
I’m quite comfortable in my own, but I wouldn’t mind being Angelina Jolie for awhile!

What’s next on your writing horizon?As Artemis Hunt, I’m writing The Seven Keys, a YA psychological mystery that is meant for agent query. I have two other pen names, one of them is a bestselling erotica author on Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand and 1 Place for Romance! So I will have to constantly churn out erotica shorts and novellas.
1. Favorite movie that you would die if someone knew you liked?Oooooo, … Showgirls.

2. Favorite sappy love song?Celine Dion’s Because of You.
3. Perfect getaway?
A tropical spa!

4. Most pressing item on your bucket list?Be a successful writer in both platforms – traditional and indie.

5. Three things you would take to a desert island?My laptop, an internet connection, my Blackberry

6. Three people (alive or dead, real or fictional) that you would like to have over for dinner?

J K Rowling                 Stephen King                       Suzanne Collins



And the MOST important question I ever ask anyone…..

DUKE or carolina?
Duke!

And the crowd goes wild!! YAY!

Kay Dee Royal Interview!

2011-11-23T04:58:00.000-08:00

Kay Dee Royal Interview!

Welcome Artemis. I grabbed some info off your bio and would like to share…so everyone gets to know you a little better and because I love your bio (smile).

“Artemis Hunt has a husband who thinks all fiction is nonsense and all writers of fiction should get their heads checked for situational delusions. At any one time, they have 16 to 20 dogs, many of suspicious virtue.

Artemis frequently wishes she has telekinesis, so she doesn't have to lift a finger to change the room temperature. She's constantly glued to her computer, which serves as her gateway to her friends, books, movies, TV serials and sometimes husband, even though they're sitting on the same bed two feet apart.

Artemis writes under the name of A.R. Hunt for the adult thriller and suspense genre.”

Your bio makes me smile…especially the part about your husband…I have one of those kind too. (LOL)

Let’s get rolling on the interview – I have lots of questions…

KDR ~ Paranormal is my favorite genre, but mix it with humor and what a treasure! The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick has a twisty, unique concept/theme, leaping in and out of bodies (as per blurb). So, tell us how the idea for this little gem came to you, Artemis?

AH ~ It’s something I’ve always wanted to do myself, a superpower I think is completely cool! You know, like flying or shape-shifting. So I thought, why not write a book on someone who can?

KDR ~ Abby sounds like she had a lot of speed bumps in her life ~ tell us a bit about Abby. What drives her?

AH ~ I patterned her after a friend who hates her job and hates the way she looks. Abby is 6 feet tall, a total fashion disaster. In short, someone who would totally relish jumping into someone else’s beautiful body and know what it’s like to be gorgeous for once.

KDR ~ I absolutely love the concept of jumping from body to body…like trying them on for size, so to speak. LOL. Can you give us a reason for her frenemy? Who and why?

AH ~ You know some of the friends we make in life who are always putting us down and being with us just because they need someone to boast to? That’s Jenny, Abby’s best friend. Abby wants friends so badly that she knows that Jenny does this, and yet, she sticks with Jenny.

KDR ~ Hope Jenny appreciates Abby…at least a little. So who is Jake Carradoc?

AH ~ He’s a guy Abby has been in love with like forever. He came to her 8^th birthday party and vanished. He grew up, got rich and famous, and Abby has always been pining for him ever since. But she knows he’s unattainable.

KDR ~ Tell us about Jake and Abby’s first meeting (if you can).

AH ~ Aside the 8^th birthday party, she’s wearing someone else’s beautiful body. She’s fleeing from a man who recognizes what she is – a body snatcher. She hurtles across the road and a car hits her. It’s Jake’s Ferrari J

KDR ~ It’s a small world, after all *grins*

Is this a series and/or can you tell us about the project/s you’re currently working on?

AH ~ This is a series. I’m currently writing a YA psychological thriller called THE SEVEN KEYS. In between, I write erotica short stories under another pen name. Those are my current bestsellers.

KDR ~ Yay! It’s a series…so, looking forward to reading more of this paranormal romance comedy.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick?

AH ~ It has been optioned to be made into a movie. But that hasn’t seen the light of day yet.

KDR ~ Artemis, that’s wonderful news. Congratulations!

What has been the happiest moment in your writing career so far?

AH ~ People leaving me a 5 star review J Having bestsellers in Amazon’s category Top 100. Having bestsellers in All Romance Ebooks.

KDR ~ Another big CONGRATULATIONS!

What tip or bit of advice would you share with a fledgling paranormal author?

AH ~ Keep on writing. Don’t ever stop writing. Write a sequel. Write a third book. Don’t worry about sales. They will come, or they won’t for one book, but they may for another book.

KDR ~ Where can people find you? Website, blog, FB, Twitter, author page, buy page, etc.

I have a website at www.artemishunt.org , though I rely on my husband to update it and he doesn’t!

I have a blog which I update regularly. http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/

My Facebook page is Artemis Hunt.

My Twitter handle is ArtemisHunt1.

I don’t dare tell people my erotica pen name, though it’s a twist on Artemis Hunt.

What’s Your Favorite/Preference Quickie Quiz ~ Getting to know Artemis Hunt…

Beverage?

Ice cold Chocolate!

Writing Tool?

HP Elitebook.

Pet?

My Pomeranian.

Season?

Fall.

Time of Day/Night?

Night.

Fantasy/Paranormal Character? (ghost, witch, mermaid, shifter, vampire, etc.)

Witch.

Past time/Hobbie?

Writing!!!!

What place have you never been and always wanted to go?

Machu Picchu, Peru.

Great review from I Wanna Sit Here and Read!

2011-11-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

I Wanna Sit Here and Read

Today I have Artemis Hunt, author of The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, on the blog for a guest post. Also, my review of this hilarious book is below. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I want to talk about my journey as a romance writer.

I started writing at age 2. OK, I scribbled more than I actually wrote -- on those large pieces of white paper. I drew pictures, some naked. (OK, I was a mature 2-year-old). I wrote little stories on notebooks which I would leave around the house. I remember when I was 5 years old - I wrote this story called 'Nika and Carculli'. It was a romance. My father picked it up and started reading it aloud to my mother. I was mortified, because I was dealing with themes that were far more adult that my parents could stomach!

I screamed bloody murder and tore the story away from their prying eyes. Hee hee.

After years of writing freelance for newspapers and magazines, while holding down a full time job and taking several exams, I started writing fiction again in my 30s. I went the traditionally published way. The first stories I wrote were horror. (I know, very far from romance.) It was only around the time I wrote THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK that I started to dabble in the romance genre again. So there you have it - I must be scarred emotionally by my parents' discovery of my early maturity!

It was so easy to write BODY SNATCHER that I wrote it within a month. I revised it twice, and sent it off to agents. I remember a very huge agent asking for the manuscript only 15 minutes after I wrote the query! And I was so excited, because he said it was a great idea.

But BODY SNATCHER is chick lit, and ultimately, all my agent hopes fell through because they said "chick lit is the kiss of death" in the traditional world.

So I decided to pull the manuscript from the agents, and publish it independently. Here it is! I'm very grateful to have gotten stellar reviews for the book, and I'm so glad it made so many people laugh and cry.

That's what we all hope to do as a writer!

~Artemis Hunt

Review by Kate
THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK, by Artemis Hunt, is an amazingly fun and hilarious story about a woman who develops the ability to body jump. Abby hijacks other people's bodies having a great time until she realizes that her fun comes at a price for her old body. After meeting her dream man and celebrity crush, her choice to return to her hum-drum life becomes nearly impossible.

This book was a fabulous read. I loved Abby to death. She was never the 'pretty girl' and her life was nothing to write home about. But when given the chance, after a painful monkey bite, to live anyone's life Abby took her new gift to the next level. I loved reading Abby's thinking process. She is snarky and sarcastic which had me cracking up on every single page.

Hunt truly has a talent for understanding the human mind and creating anticipation for the reader. Abby knew she wasn't doing the right thing but she kept on going and going. I loved the scenes with her and Jake, but I always wondered what he was thinking. He and Abby both underwent huge character development in their short time together and Hunt wrapped up the book quite nicely. Definitely a must-read!!

Grave Tells interviews my character! FUN!

2011-11-16T05:28:00.000-08:00

Grave Tells interview!

GraveTells (Ash): First of all, I have to say, I definitely enjoyed reading The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. It was surprisingly hilarious! Do you have a background in improv or comedy, by any chance? Or do you just tend to be the funniest person your circle of friends knows?
Artemis Hunt: Thank you! I have been writing humorous articles for newspapers and magazines for 20 years. I can’t do improv comedy to save my life!
GT: Abby gets her body snatching ability because she is descended from a mythological group of body snatchers, who have been around in secret for centuries. Do you have any plans to write another book featuring someone else who shares Abby’s ancestral heritage?
AH: I have an entire book mapped out already It’s called THE SIX PEOPLE WHO WISHED ME DEAD. It’s about a murdered girl who hops into the bodies of people who have hated her when she was alive, and tries to solve which of them killed her. Yes, it’s a mystery
GT: Of all the characters in The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, which one would you say you are the most like?
AH: I don’t think I’m like any of them! I’m not Abby, because I would never allow myself to have no confidence and be in a rut in the first place. I’m not selfish like Jenny, or a Queen Bee like Julie. But I know people like that!
GT: Can you remember when you were first inspired to write The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick? Was there a specific moment or incident which acted as the catalyst behind your decision to create this story?
AH: It was a superpower I always longed to have. Since I was a kid.
GT: If you were able to suddenly have Abby’s body snatching ability, would you want it, despite the potential chaos that might ensue?
AH:Yes, I do! I’m going to fix world hunger!
GT: Annie Watson, Abby’s mother, is probably my favorite character in this story. Did you base her on anyone in particular?
AH: Yes I have a friend, a mother, who’s very fuddy duddy
GT: Now Abby, let’s turn to you…obviously, becoming a body snatcher, realizing you even had the ability, was pretty shocking, initially. If you could do it all over again, would you still choose to remain in your coworker, Frank Patel’s body? Or do you think if you had a second chance, you’d stay in your own body this time around?
Abby: If I had to do it all over again, I would stay in Frank’s body a little longer, go home and fix his domineering mother for him! And yes, meet his arranged marriage fiancee.
GT: I know you, at one point, snatched the President’s body, right during one of his televised announcements (good job reading the teleprompter, by the way). Is there anyone else whose body you snatched, another famous person, perhaps, that you never told us about?
Abby: I hinted at Paris Hilton, ha ha. But no, I’m saving the famous ones for another book
GT: Which is more fun, snatching the body of a man or woman? What about young versus old?
Abby: I think it’s more fun snatching someone completely opposite to what you are in real life. So yes, I would like trying to be an older man…..like the President, for example
GT: How were you even able to snatch the body of that kitten anyway? Are you able to eat tuna these days without cringing? I know you didn’t enjoy being a cat, at all, but would you ever be tempted to snatch the body of a larger animal, such as a dog, or maybe an elephant?
Abby: No, no, I hated it! But it was an experience. At least it wasn’t the body of a chicken
GT: Did Jenny ever figure out the truth of what happened at her high school reunion? Do the two of you talk anymore these days?
Abby: No, she doesn’t know! And she never talked to me again. It’s bittersweet, sniff.
GT: Since becoming a body snatcher and realizing you had that ability, have you done any research to see if any other family members might also have that ability? Do you think your future children, should you have any, will be able to body snatch like you?
Abby: Gosh, it never occurred to me to do that because I thought it was all due to that infected monkey. But yeah….I really should do some research!

GT: Thank you both so very much for your time today, ladies!

Great review from Grave Tells!

2011-11-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

Grave Tells review!

The idea of suddenly being thrown out of your body and into another person’s would seem an entirely terrifying prospect to most people, but to Abby Watson, she sees it as the chance of a lifetime. Once she recovers from her initial shock and fear about the whole thing, of course. After all, her own body is less than desirable, or even comfortable to reside in, and in her opinion, any other body is preferable. Besides, she’s kind of in a coma, and possibly infected with H6N12, so when she finds herself inside Frank Patel’s body, her geeky coworker at the lab, Abby sees the entire situation as a way to escape her frumpy and mundane life. It’s not like her physical body is going anywhere while it’s in a coma in the hospital, and Frank’s body has, well, different and novel appendages to explore.
While adjusting to the weirdness of being in a man’s body, Abby/Frank bumps into her best friend, Jenny, at the hospital. It is then and only then that Abby realizes how horrifically selfish Jenny has always been and how uninterested she has always been in any of Abby’s problems. It’s not hard for her to decide to snatch Jenny’s body, take it to their high school reunion, and ruin Jenny’s reputation amongst their former classmates forever. And when she’s at the reunion as Jenny, Abby bumps into the fabulously rich and snotty Julie Garwood, and, naturally, decides to snatch her body next.
Abby hops from body to body until she finally is able to meet Jake Carradoc, this time in the body of a foreign backpacker that she doesn’t even know the name of. All she knows is that her current borrowed body is gorgeous, athletic, and has been hit by Jake’s car. Jake, feeling extremely guilty, as you would expect, offers to let Abby stay in his fancy Hollywood bachelor pad, especially since she apparently has a horrible case of amnesia. I won’t tell you what happens next, but it’s basically pretty sexy. And complicated. But really sexy. Eventually, Abby has to decide what to do with her body snatching ability, whether it’s right to kidnap these other bodies. What happens to their soul? What happens to her own body while she’s away from it for so long? Is there a way to snatch someone else’s body forever? And if she does return to her own body, what will happen between her and Jake?
I enjoyed reading The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. It was fast, it was funny, and it was deliciously sexy. Abby is very, very funny; her inner thoughts and even her dialogue with the other characters remains consistently hilarious, which helps you stay connected with her throughout each body snatch. Her mother, Annie Watson, is also totally ridiculous, and, therefore, fun to read about. She’s addicted to twitter and tells embarrassing and extremely personal stories about Abby to everyone and anyone. Generally, she’s just a mess. There are so many hilarious moments in The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, that it’s hard to pick only one. I think that overall, the best scene was when Abby is in Jenny’s body at their high school reunion. I won’t tell you all that happens, but I will say that it involves a gigolo and a badly torn dress.
The biggest problem I had with the story is the waffling Abby does about keeping her borrowed body or not. On one hand, it seems like she’s going to make the right choice and return to her own body; this is what you want her to do, as it’s the morally correct choice. Not only is it wrong to steal another person’s body indefinitely, but there are other factors she has to consider, like her mother’s worry, the fact that she’s living a lie, and the emotions of Helen, Jake’s oldest friend, and Davina, her daughter. But then, after you’ve accepted the fact that Abby is going to return, she actually doesn’t. She remains in her borrowed body and it isn’t until she’s left with almost no other options does she decide what she wants to do with her body snatching ability. It’s not that her decision is a bad one (because either choice is fun and exciting), but by waffling for so very long, Abby comes off as a little uncaring. I would have preferred to see Abby being more decisive toward the end of the book because I think this would have helped mark her transition from a totally selfless doormat to an empowered and adventurous woman. Again, it’s not that the resolution, or the period leading up to the resolution is bad, but it could have been a bit better, a bit more defining for Abby.
Memorable quotes:
Jake Carradoc has the absolute worst taste in picking film roles…

“He’s now starring in that new police musical show on TV, the one in which the policemen are members of a glee club and burst into song every time they catch a criminal. OK, I don’t think it will last past a couple of episodes either, but he plays the very troubled teen son of a policewoman who actually was a man but has since undergone sex change surgery in Singapore. I know. If I had a Mom like that, I’d be traumatized too.”

Abby definitely lacks courage…

Yeah, yeah, I know I’m a coward of the “Let’s surrender Sparta to the Persians because we don’t want to die at Thermopylae” magnitude, but I need to pay my rent.

Don’t fall in love with Jake. He’s not like Twilight…

“So my advice to you is – never fall in love with him. Even if you feel yourself falling, you’ve got to drag yourself out of it. Nothing good will come out of it, he’s bad news. He’d only hurt you. Plenty of people have fallen in love with him, you know, women and men alike – and look at them, they’re miserable. He never reciprocates. He’s the total opposite of Twilight.”
“I won’t fall in love with him,” I promise.
Lust maybe. Lust is good.
“Good.” Davina seems satisfied. “He’s great dad material, but nobody should have him for a boyfriend even if he were the last person on a dystopian Earth left without camels or little green aliens.”

Body snatching = Order of the British Empire?

“I’m in one of those OBEs I’ve seen on the Discovery Channel. OBE = Out of Body Experience. (Then again, it can mean Order of the British Empire.) I’m floating around in my own death experience like Patrick Swayze in Ghost, doomed to wander around eternally until I find my axe murderer, or Demi Moore.”

If you liked The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, you might also enjoy Touch the Dark by Karen Chance (book #1 in the Cassandra Palmer series). Like Abby, Cassandra has the ability to possess other people’s bodies and leave her own behind. Cassie is more of a badass chicka compared to Abby, and she also needs to deal with ghosts, vampires, and the fact that her body can die if there isn’t some sort of spirit possessing it. Whereas Abby’s body, when she’s out snatching other people’s, doesn’t automatically die because it’s an empty vessel. Both books, however, feature absolutely gorgeous men for the heroines to seduce/fall in love with, and the sex scenes aren’t bad either…wink wink!

Final thoughts:

I would definitely recommend The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick if you’re interested in a glamorous, ridiculous, hilarious, and sexy paranormal book to read. Abby snatches bodies all over Los Angeles, usually rich ones, and wreaks havoc upon the lives of each borrowed person. This story is about finding true love and stopping at nothing to get it. It’s about being with the man of your dreams and using subterfuge to get there. Oh, and a pretty freaky body snatching ability. Because if you could hop into another person’s body, anyone in the world, would you say no? I know I wouldn’t.
The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick is a GraveTells recommended read!

Rating:

Great review from The Ramblings of Amy!

2011-11-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

Amy's review!

My Take:

Abby is a wonderful character whose bodysnatching experiences will make you wish you could do the same (hey, who wouldn't want to step into your nemesis' Size 6 body and eat her way to obesity! HA!) The book, however, goes beyond surface fun. Ultimately, Abby must make a decision between desire and righteousness. It's not an easy one and Ms. Hunt plays it out beautifully with plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Like her previous book, this one, too, explores the theme of accepting ones self and finding beauty inside.

Jake is to die for and Helen, the book's love-to-hate character turns out to be surprisingly three dimensional. I loved Abby and rooted for her to get Jake. I also really liked the way Ms. Hunt made Abby examine her moral compass. There's a lot of emotional tension in this story along with the humor. This is a fast and fun read, and all in all, I definitely recommend this one for a read or two!

Snow White and The Huntsman trailer is gorgeous!

2011-11-12T02:37:00.000-08:00

...but why is almost all Charlize Theron?

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN TRAILER

I mean.....whatever happened to Kristen Stewart? She only appears, like, for two seconds. What gives?

Mama Knows Books guest blog!

2011-11-09T05:35:00.000-08:00

http://mamaknowsbooks.blogspot.com/2011/11/body-snatcher-wears-lipstick-book-tour.html

The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick Book Tour

"Wow, your sex scene is hot, hot, hot!" my friend emailed me when she read Chapter Too-Hot-For-The-Page of my book, THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK.

I was really pleased.

"Nah, you don't say," I attempted a bashful grin. I was always concerned about my sex scenes, you see. Real sex is always kind of messy, and not as bodice-ripping as the books we read and write would have you believe.

"But no," my friend emailed back, "I was really squirming when I read it. Especially the part in which she catches Jake with the handcuffs...."

Oh, I shouldn't give it away.

When I was writing that sex scene, I was envisioning it step by step . . . or maybe I should say, caress by caress. Writing sex scenes is difficult, because you so have to be absolutely embroiled in them. I have another pen name under which I write erotica, and I have to tell you . . . I'm sometimes up at nights envisioning those scenes, getting all hot under my pajama collar.

THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK is not erotica, so no worries for those who are not ready for that! But it does contain plenty of scenes that would hopefully get you hot under the collar...and sheets.

Enjoy!
ARTEMIS HUNT

The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick

By Artemis Hunt

Genre: Romantic Comedy with Paranormal Elements

Word Count: Approximately 83,000

My guest blog at Living Life Thru Books!

2011-11-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

http://dream-wish-live.blogspot.com/2011/11/guest-author-artemis-hunt.html

Hey fellow readers, today I have the pleasure to have guest author, Artemis Hunt to talk about her latest novel, The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. Here's more with Artemis and her views on the novel...

I wrote THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK in a month. It just flowed out of me - the story, the words, the downtrodden office beaver Abby Watson is. PLUS a major wish fulfilment and a superpower I've always wanted: the ability to jump into other people's bodies.

The novel is about someone who wishes she were someone else, because it's a wish many of us can sometimes identify with. I certainly have wished I was prettier, and stronger, and smarter. And at many times, I wished I could have been my friend who just landed a $100,000 book deal, or my friend who started his own hospital group and is now going for ski holidays in Aspen, or my classmate who started a chain of pharmacies and is now rolling all the way to the bank.

I've even wished that I was that so-and-so female celeb, so that I can be with the so-and-so male celeb!

This is exactly what THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK is all about. But what causes us to want to be someone else? Insecurity? Being uncomfortable in one's one skin? I suspect the psychoanalysis would make a whole book by itself!

But meanwhile, I wrote my own wish fulfilment out in story form as my personal escapism.

What's your form of escapism?

My guest blog at For the Love of Reading

2011-11-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/2011/11/whats-appeal-of-being-someone-else-in.html

WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF BEING SOMEONE ELSE IN A STORY?

I don't know about most authors and readers, but when I write and read, I transform. I shapeshift. That's right, I really do . . . in my mind!

When I'm immersed in a book, I'm the main character. I'm the lovelorn vampire torn by his desire for a mortal woman. I'm the sleuth tasked with solving the mystery of the gruesome murders at Rue Morgue. This happens especially when I write . . . I become my main character.

And this is exactly what happened when I wrote 'The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick'. I became my main character - a six foot tall biochemist with a dead-end job, a boss from Dante's Ninth Hell and no boyfriend in sight of her -10 Diopter glasses (because contact lenses give her Pseudomonas.) Like my main character, I yearned to break free of my mould, so to speak.

When Abby Watson, my main character, acquires strange new powers that allow her to hop into other bodies, she does so. And heck, what would YOU do? Hop into that 36DD bod you've been eyeing at the beach and wishing you had that tan? What about hopping into the body of the cheerleader who made your life hell in high school?

Or what about hopping into the body of your male colleague....who happens to be gay? And why not go for the ultimate . . . that handsome movie star you've always had a crush on? With your newfound powers, can you do it? And is there a penalty for snatching someone else's life?

Wish fulfilment aside, this is a story about being not comfortable in your own skin, and therefore wishing you were prettier, stronger, thinner, smarter, luckier . . . anyone but yourself. If you've ever been in that situation, then you might understand. But that's exactly why we read stories and go to the movies. We want escapism from our daily lives. And if we can be someone else for a few hours, or however long it takes you to read a book, then we can ourselves transformed just like those main characters whose lives we want to emulate. The ones who can be better, more confident, more goal-orientated, more courageous, and who can actually reach for the stars in addition to that handsome bodice-ripping hunk with a six-pack to die for.

Yes, there's plenty of appeal in being someone else in a story indeed!

Got a great review from Lisa's World of Books!

2011-11-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Lisa's World of Books

THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK

My Thoughts:
This book was so funny and at the same time it could make me cry in places too. I love this in a book! Abby is a great character that has these amazing body snatching experiences, really it makes you wish that you could jump into the body of those people you always wish you could be either to just experience life in their shoes or well make their life really difficult for them. I was expecting the book to just be fun and games but it really was much more than that. A really a decision that is not an easy on to make and so many people have to make in life, either go with your desires or do what is really and truly right. And the great character continue past Abby into great dimension from both Jake and Helen. Ms. Hunt does a great job with the balance in this book and provides an outstanding chick lit story that makes you want more. Not only do you want more story but the adult scenes will bring you back for more just on their own.

My guest blog at COCKTAILS AND BOOKS!

2011-11-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

Cocktails and Books

WANTING TO BE BEAUTIFULHave you ever been in a position to desperately want this? I have. In my senior year, I was crazy about this gorgeous guy in my school and I wanted him to ask me to a tea dance. He was dishy in every way - I mean, the guy can be an actor, easy. But me? I wasn't so crazy about my own looks. Why would a guy that hunky want to go to a dance with little ole me, right?

(In the end, he did! But that's because I asked him! Bravo for me!)

That's the theme of my book, THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK. It's about a dumpy Everygirl who wants everything she never had - a hot, thin body, a spectacular job, a handsome guy to have and to hold. The only thing she has holding her back (she believes) is the way she looks . . . which leads to confidence issues . . . and the fact she has never taken hold of her own life.

But when something paranormal happens to her, she develops the ability to jump into other people's bodies. So if you have been below average-looking all your life, what do you immediately crave? Everything you've never had, right?

This is the story of Abby Watson, who transformed from Zero to Gorgeous 36DD push-ups overnight, and her mission to get the one man she has been seeking all her life (but never dared because he was seemingly unattainable) . . . the ultra-handsome and extremely famous half-billionaire, Jake Carradoc. It's a very sexy romp about life, love, sex and a theme that has plagued almost every woman now and then - AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

Do find out if Abby Watson is good enough!

My guest blog at Saffina Desforges!

2011-10-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

Saffina Desforges Blog

And speaking yesterday of fabulously named writers, here’s another one I wish I’d been christened/thought of. Please take your bow, Artemis Hunt!

‘Psychotic’ was the first horror story I ever wrote. You can see it here at:
Amazon
I wrote it back in 2005. There’s a funny story attached to it. As a freelance journalist, I was interviewing a bestselling author (who subsequently became a friend) who wrote a book about her adventures as an airline stewardess. In a moment of clarity, I figured “If she can do it, I can do it too.” And so I set out to write a story.
I had this idea running in my head about a woman in a city stalked by a serial killer, only I didn’t want it to be like any other serial killer story I’ve ever read. Once I put down the first word on my computer, the story kind of took hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I finished it within a day and looked at it in satisfaction. Especially at the twist in the end. People still come up to me today and tell me they just didn’t see that twist coming!
“Needs more stories to go with it,” my friend, a newspaper editor, said. “Then you can make an anthology out of it.”
And you know what? I did. I just got a new job, and my horror short stories grew out of the new people I went to work with I titled the book ‘Dark City’, went out to seek an agent, who got me a publisher within a day, and the book was released. It shot up the bestseller lists to as high as No. 2 in the major bookstores. (Those were the times we didn’t have Kindle.) I got rave reviews (89% on my personal Tomatometer One of my stories was even serialized in a newspaper.
Flash forward to 2011. E-publishing was all the rage with success stories like Joe Konrath, Amanda Hocking, Saffina Desforges… I kept reading them and reading them till my eyes blurred over. So what was I waiting for? I took the plunge. I started releasing a few of those horror shorts one by one, and put one up with Saffina Desforges Presents (to be out in Nov)
The one that is doing the best so far, maybe because it was the first being released is ‘Psychotic’. It shot up to No. 23 on the Horror charts in Amazon UK and has 2 5-star reviews to date. I’m proudest of it, because it was the first story I ever wrote. Strangely, since ‘Dark City’, I never wrote horror again.
Since 2007, I began to branch into Young Adult books and tried to get an American agent (as I am not American). Lots of requests from very huge houses, but no takers. You can see some of the books I wrote here at my blog:
http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/
And to be honest, the manuscripts of some of these books are at agents even as I write, because I’m one of those who want to straddle both worlds. My long time beta reader just got a 100K deal at a Big Six within one week of being on submission (and with a book I helped beta), so I’m convinced it CAN be done
So far, I’ve been exactly 2 months into indie publishing, and I’m enjoying every moment of it. I tried my hand at different genres – so far I’ve got my YA fantasy (THE HUNT FOR THE CATALYST), my paranormal chick lit (THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK), my YA sci-fi/romance (SNOW WHITE AND THE ALIEN), all who have received great reviews so far. Am I doing well? Not Saffina Desforges well, certainly! I haven’t had a home run with anything I wrote yet – and what I mean by a home run is a book that gets into the Amazon Top 500! But I’ve seen my sales grow like this:
Aug (1 week): 14 (1 book)
Sept: 44 (released 2 more books and 2 short stories at the end of the month)
Oct: 584 (as of Oct 26th) – started writing short stories in another genre and pen name ……erotica!!
Yes, I’ve branched out to write erotica as well, and found that they do quite well despite me being a new author to the field, and I can even charge $2.99 per story.
So far, this whole thing is an adventure for me, and I can keep you posted as to how things pan out.
Back to horror. Will I ever write another horror story again? (grins) Why not?
Artemis Hunt (who writes as A.R. Hunt under the ‘horror’ genre). I’m too embarrassed to tell you what my erotica handle is.

Thanks Artemis. Oh go on, tell us! (My apologies that there is no author photo of Artemis, but as you can tell from the above post, she’s very shy!)

My guest blog at Enchanted!

2011-10-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Enchanted - 25 Days of Twisted

18th Day of Twisted: Guest Post by Artemis Hunt

It's the 18th Day of Twisted, and unfortunately, Monday...the upside to this is that we have Artemis Hunt here, author of Snow White and the Alien (as well as many more titles), to brighten your morning! Enjoy!

I'm exactly 2 months into indie publishing, and it has been a heck of a rollercoaster ride. I didn't know what to expect. I guess I was naive. I was a traditionally published author before this, and sales tend to be very huge at launch, where you get maximal display on the HOT NEW RELEASES shelves, and bookstores give you front table space. So you make most of your sales in the first few months of your launch. I remember during one Xmas, I sold 100 books in one bookstore alone and climbed to the No. 2 of their bestseller charts.

Then after a while, your books get relegated to other shelves, and sales taper off. So it's all about frontage for traditionally published print books.

I indie published because I heard so much about it from Joe Konrath and Amanda Hocking. So I decided to try it. My first book that I indie published was SNOW WHITE AND THE ALIEN. I was avidly watching sales every day and being a nervous wreck about it. Finally, I couldn't bear putting all my eggs in one book, so I released 2 more novels and several short stories from my traditionally published backlist. All this happened within 2 months. I diversified in many genres - YA fantasy, romantic comedy, horror, erotica - just to see what would take off.

My sales look like this:

Aug (1 week): 14
Sept: 44
Oct: 332 (as of time of writing, Oct 21st)

I soon discovered what took off quickly - erotica! I wrote several short stories under another pen name, and all within 6 hours each. I charged $2.99 for a 5500-word story, and they still sold! I diversified my platforms - I sold not only on Amazon and Smashwords, but All Romance Ebooks and Bookstrand. As a result, I made many sales on many sources.

My other books might take off later, or they mightn't take off at all. All I know is I didn't stop writing. I learned to do my own professional looking covers for several bucks each, using Dreamstime and Fotolia. As a result, I learned to keep production costs down. I never turned my back on traditional publishing either. I'm in the midst of submitting manuscripts to agents even now (since I parted ways with my old agent a long time ago). My longtime friend and beta-reader just got a $100K Big Six book deal on a book I helped her with, and so I truly believe we should diversify even on those channels - trad publishing and indie!

It can be done!

So all this is what I learned so far, and I wanted to share it with all of you. It's not all this or all that. Open your mind, and soon you'll find your niche.

Please visit my blog at http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/ for more stories :)

FREE!

2011-10-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

The Ether World Chronicles: Beginnings is now FREE on Amazon!

Get it here!

http://www.amazon.com/Ether-World-Chronicles-Beginnings-ebook/dp/B005MYA5EA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316130568&sr=1-1

Interview with Lyrical reviews!

2011-10-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

http://lyricalreviewsya.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-artemis-hunt.html

Today I have the lovely Artemis Hunt on my blog to provide the As to my Qs about her book Snow White and the Alien which I reviewed earlier this month. It's a great story and you can read my full review here.

How would you describe Snow White and the Alien in a tweet (140 characters)?

Tangled meets the Day the Earth Stood Still!

Where did the idea for Snow White and the Alien come from?

Emmm... from Tangled actually. I loved (100X) the movie, and immediately wanted to write an updated version of a fairytale. Then I began to wonder how these medieval folks would cope with an alien invasion....I mean, we modern folks would have difficulty coping with one, talk about people who have only pitchforks and swords!

It hasn't been done before, and I hope I succeeded.

Snow White has undergone somewhat of a character overhaul from her fairytale origins. How did you go about creating the characters of Snow White and Aein?

I studied the original Grimm fairytales. There are plenty of sites for that. Did you know the original versions which led to the Grimm collections are very, very dark?

I don't really like the character of the original Snow White. She was too passive, and she was only 7 years old! I like active characters, who seize opportunities and are in charge of their lives and events around them.

Since Aein was an alien, I immediately set out to make the reader empathize with him. (You be the judge if that worked, but a lot of readers tell me it did!) I made him an underdog in his own world, crippled, but determined to rise above his disabilities. We all can identify with characters like that.

Then of course I morphed him biologically in a chrysalis into a gorgeous youth in our world. We all can identify with desiring someone like that too!

What kind of research did you undertake to write Snow White and the Alien? Did you find out anything particularly interesting?

The fact that all the original stories (around Europe) that led to the legend of Snow White were really dark. There's a version of the dead princess in a glass coffin in almost every European country.

When and why did you decide to take the plunge and self publish your book? Did you always plan to publish it?

I took the plunge 2 months ago. I wanted to try self-publishing, thanks to Joe Konrath! If I didn't try, I would never know, right?

In the meantime, I queried Snow White as well. I told myself if I didn't get a 50% hit rate, I'd self-publish it. I didn't get a 50% hit rate, so here it is. (I actually got 20%). I have still some requests pending that I didn't fulfill because the book is already out on Amazon.

Is Snow White your favourite fairytale?

Hmmm....I think that would be Cinderella. But where Disney movies are concerned, it's Tangled.

What is the story behind the cover?

It's my (agented) friend and beta's idea! She wanted a Twilight vibe, but to suggest it's different from Twilight, there's no apple but a moth in the girl's hands. Any sort of insect is very significant in my story.

If you had room on your shelf for only 3 books, what would they be?

Haha, I'd just buy a computer (which I have), and put it on my shelf! That way I'll have 1000 books!

I've stopped reading physical copies already. I'm a bit of an environmentalist. But if I have a shelf for only 3 books, I would cram The Blind Assassin, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the first Harry Potter.

Apart from Snow White and the Alien, what is your top teen fiction recommendation from 2011?

From 2011 itself? Oh dear, I'm still catching up with the older publications. I'm reading Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I read Incarceron by Catherine Fisher but wasn't in love with the characters.

Do you have any hints for what we can expect from the next book?

In the Snow White canon? An all-out alien invasion, and how the medieval people must employ their wits to cope with it! Snow White, being the rightful ruler of her kingdom, must lead the assault, and Aein must decide whether his allegiances lie with the woman he loves, Snow White, or his own beloved family and people.

I love conflict!

But my next book is part of my Ether World Chronicles series. It's called The Hunt for the Catalyst, a completely original contemporary YA fantasy. It will be released within the next month. I hope you will consider reviewing it too.

I certainly would! A huge thanks to Artemis for doing the interview and I hope you enjoyed it.

Author Spotlight Interview!

2011-10-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

I'm particularly stoked about this one because this is from my friend and beta-reader. And an incredible beta she is!

http://lydiakang.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-spotlight-artemis-hunt-and-her.html

Author Spotlight: Artemis Hunt and Her Hot Alien

Hello all! I'm so happy to say I have one of my crit partners here for the Author Spotlight. Artemis Hunt (her pen name) has several books out right now. But first, the all important interview questions!

The Writing Process: How do you plot, if you’re a plotter, and how do you revise?

I'm an obsessive outliner. I outline everything, and then I show my beta. She tears through it :) (*That's me, yep, the Tear-orizer*) Then I repair what she doesn't like.

I begin to write chapter by chapter based on the outline. I get new ideas, and then the outline changes slightly, but not for the major plot points. I show chapter by chapter to my beta. She tears through them. I pick up the broken pieces.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

The Publishing Process: If you decided to self-publish, what was the final push that allowed that decision?

I really, really wanted to try it. I was reading about how many copies indie publishers sold vs when they were traditionally published, and I wanted to at least try one book while querying other books. I was a traditionally published short story collection author before this, and I had great success in the traditional publishing field. My short story collection shot up to No. 2 in the bestselling lists. I had great traction. One of my stories was serialized in a newspaper.

So I believe in the traditional publishing concept. But I also recognize the world is changing and I want to give indie e-publishing a try.

I still have agent requests on this book out there that I haven't sent. (They get so many I'm sure they won't remember whether I sent it in or not, haha!) I don't regret it so far. In my first 9 days, I sold 17 copies.

Writing Miscellany: Is there a different genre you might like to try and write someday?

I actually do write in different genres. SNOW WHITE is a fantasy/sci-fi/romance (YA). My short stories, soon to be re-released in the Kindle e-book form, are thriller/horror. Another of my finished manuscripts is a paranormal chick lit.

Random or Weird question: Do you believe in aliens?

Since I totally wrote about a drop-dead handsome one who visits Earth in order to colonize it, and ends up falling in love with Snow White, even if he thinks she's downright ugly (!), I think I do believe in them!

Jeanz Book Reviews interview!

2011-10-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

OMG, I completely missed this interview!

http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/2011/09/author-interview-artemis-hunt.html

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - ARTEMIS HUNT

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

Artemis Hunt. I was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and I live there now. But my husband has an address in Florida, and we go to the US sometimes once or twice a year. I work for a giant multinational US/Swiss company with one of its HQs in South San Francisco, and was thinking of transferring there.

2. What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest novel is SNOW WHITE AND THE ALIEN.

Hunted by her wicked stepmother, Snow White, a beautiful girl with the ability to talk to bugs, encounters a handsome alien sent to pave our world for colonization.

I just launched a collection of 3 short stories yesterday called THE ETHER WORLD CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS. It's a compendium to a soon to be launched YA Fantasy novel called THE HUNT FOR THE CATALYST. It's about telekinesis, demons and passion . . . though not in that order.

3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

THE HUNT FOR THE CATALYST has already been written and is part of my ETHER WORLD CHRONICLES YA  Fantasy series. It's something I'm very proud of. I have so much to write and so little time!

I have also written a chick lit novel called THE BODYSNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK. It has been written into a screenplay and optioned by a film company called Desert Wine Productions.

4. How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

Since I was 2, I think! I wrote 'graphic novels' on white paper. It was always part of me.

5. Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

I have only tried that once. The rest of my reviews have come from Amazon Verified Purchases. But I would love to.

6. How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?

I came up with my own cover ideas. SNOW WHITE was designed by Telemachus Press, the ones who did all of John Locke's covers. I designed and made the rest of the covers myself. I'm very proud of this because two weeks ago, I knew squat all about making my own book cover!

I would love to show everyone THE HUNT FOR THE CATALYST's cover. Everyone thinks it's gorgeous! I can't stop staring at it myself! The art was done by Phatpuppy Designs, the ones who do a lot of Amanda Hocking's covers.

7. Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?

I tried, but it was too painful! That's why most of my books are fantasy.

8. Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?

Hmmm....I love reading plenty of authors, but influenced by them? No. I think I have my own style, for better or for worse. I've always been told that my voice and sense of humor is distinctive.

9. Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?

Definitely e-book. I'm an environmentalist.

10. What is your favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?

I would say I read Sidney Sheldon's If Tomorrow Comes more than 10 times when I was 16! I know, I know...but I loved it!

11. Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst book to movie transfer?

Yes. The best book to movie transfer is Harry Potter 7.2. I was amazed!

Worst? Harry Potter 6. I was actually bored by the movie, or maybe it's because I saw it on a plane.

12. What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)

Wither. E-format. It's very good!

13. Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?

I'm having trouble with the Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

14. Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?

I would like everyone to watch out for my beta, Lydia Kang. I love her writing style. She's got an incredible voice! I don't think you will see her for another year or so, because she's on submission. Traditional style.

I'm so proud to have helped beta her books. She's also my beta, and a very tough beta she is!

15. Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be?

One of my friends complained he found the beginning of SNOW WHITE to be a bit slow. I asked him to be brutally honest. But I got rave reviews on it too, so most people seem to be OK with it. I guess I would change that, if anything.

16. What do you think about book trailers?

I love watching them. I wish I could afford them, but I can't!

17. What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?

For an indie? Make sure you have an arsenal of manuscripts before you launch. For someone who desires to be traditionally published? Make sure you write that query letter well!

18. Do you or would you ever use a pen name?

Artemis Hunt is a pen name. With a name like that, I could only have been an author, a stripper or a goddess in disguise. Ha ha ha! But with agents, I use my real name.

19. Where can readers follow you?

Your blog details?   http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/
Your web site ?  www.artemushunt.org
Your facebook page? I have only a private one.
Your Goodreads author page?  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5156334.Artemis_Hunt
Your Twitter details? ArtemisHunt1 . Please follow me!
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I looove feedback, so please drop by one of my pages and write to me if you can.

Interview with All the Days Of blog today!

2011-09-30T02:18:00.000-07:00

http://allthedaysof.blogspot.com/2011/09/author-interview-and-giveaway-with_30.html#comments

I love fairy tales, don’t you? Let’s meet Artemis Hunt, author of Snow White and the Alien. :)

Authors bio:
Artemis Hunt has a husband who thinks all fiction is nonsense and all writers of fiction should get their heads checked for situational delusions. At any one time, they have 16 to 20 dogs, many of suspicious virtue.
Artemis frequently wishes she has telekinesis, so she doesn't have to lift a finger to change the room temperature. She's constantly glued to her computer, which serves as her gateway to her friends, books, movies, TV serials and sometimes husband, even though they're sitting on the same bed two feet apart.
Artemis writes under the name of A.R. Hunt for the adult thriller and suspense genre.

Snow White and the Alien
Goodreads blurb:
Rude. Opinionated. Dirty. Bug crazy.

That's how folks describe 16-year-old Snow White, who is more interested in studying insects than her own beautiful, anemic face. When her bipolar stepmother sets a price on her heart, which she'd like served with baby potatoes and Chianti, Snow White has no choice. She must say goodbye to the only people who have ever loved her – her three-chinned nanny, who feels like a pillow, and her childhood friend, Tom, who has spent his life wearing a thick, fleshy armor to fend off her princessy barbs.

Snow White must outwit every studly huntsman, assassin, city guard and robber baron sent to bring her back, preferably dead, before she reaches Lapland.

20-year-old Aein is a one-winged cripple from another planet. Passionate, ridiculed, headstrong, and considered hideous in his gossamer, aerial world, he desires nothing more than to prove to his royal family that flight and beauty are overrated. He gets his one chance when he is selected to go to Earth, disguised as a 'Crawler' – who appears to us as a phenomenally handsome human youth. His mission: to pave our world for colonization and, later . . . annihilation.

The first native he stumbles upon is the fugitive Snow White.

Snow White and Aein must choose their allegiances, and fight a forbidden, growing love for each other before their worlds explosively collide.

Let us get to know Artemis better.

When did you start writing?
When I was 3. I drew naked pictures on a sketchbook and added little stories to them. No, I swear I'm not a deviant!

Naked pictures huh? LoL

How long does it usually take you to write a book?
It depends. There was one book that I wrote within a month. Most of the time, I take 6 months in all - first draft, 1st rewrite, 2nd rewrite.

Six months is very quick – wow!

What inspired you to write this book?I watched 'Tangled', the movie, and I was so in love with it I wanted to do something similar. Then I realized there are no less than two SNOW WHITE movies coming out in 2012, one starring Kristin Stewart and the other Charlize Theron, no less!

What kind of research did you have to do?Mostly about medieval costumes and insects. (Not medieval insects, since I'm sure none of them have gotten extinct yet! In fact, they seem to be getting more plentiful, at least in my house.)
I had to research insects because my Snow White is an entomologist! Yes, she's also the fairytale princess, but even fairytale princesses have to have a job!

Yeah, sad but true . . . even a princess need a job – LoL

Who designed cover?
Telemachus Press.

Good job, Telemachus Press.

What is your next project?I already uploaded it. It's a short story called Psychotic, which was previously traditionally published in my bestselling 2005 collection, Dark City. I'm releasing this under my adult label, A.R. Hunt. It's extremely adult! Search for it in Amazon, read the blurb, and you'll understand why.

Mmmmm, fairy tales and adult fiction . . . what a repertoire!

A typical day in your life would be?
Go to work. Beat the jam. (Moan.) Try to cram in a little writing during the job since no one ever knows what I'm doing, haha. Cram in more writing during my lunch hour. Check my Amazon rankings. Sigh copiously. Get back to work. Go home. Beat the jam. Socialize with the husband and the dogs.

What is the hardest thing about being an author?Trying to be one while holding down a full time, very stressful job! But I've got bills to pay. (Sighs copiously again.)

(Sighs with you – day jobs!!)

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
Over the years? I run newspaper columns as well, and I get emails asking me about this, and that. I reply to every email. On my fiction, I get the occasional email.

Who are some of the authors that inspire you?
I love great storytellers. JK Rowling. Suzanne Collins. Anyone who tells a good story.

And your own TBR pile?
I'm currently reading Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I have Forest of Bones and Teeth waiting. Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

We have the same books in our TBR piles – lol

** Giveaway **

I am so happy to be able to tell you that Artemis has offered you a chance to win a .mobi copy of Snow White and the Alien. You can leave a message for Artemis in the comments and I will draw a lucky winner on 07 October 2011. She will contact you with your prize!

Here are some links if you want to see more.

Links:

This is the book on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Snow-White-Alien-ebook/dp/B005IHALMC/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/83414

My (always in construction because my lazy husband won't finish it) website is at www.artemishunt.org

Thank you so much for chatting with us today, Artemis.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - a review

2011-09-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I emailed Quirk Books, asking if they'd consider publishing SNOW WHITE AND THE ALIEN. "It's right up your alley," I gush, thinking of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, though my book is a true reimagination and not a mash-up.

This is Quirk's reply:

"Sorry to say that your project is simply not a good fit with our current publishing program. [Quirk’s publishing focus is almost exclusively impractical reference, humor, and nonfiction, and so we do not publish much fiction.]"

Impractical reference, eh? What do you call all those mash-ups then. NON fiction? (Sniffs, swallows a sour grape, then drinks 3 glasses of sweet wine to get drunk.)

OK, what do I think of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children? I'm not going to give a lengthy rundown of the story - I assume people browsing this post have read the blurb from Amazon and seen the stellar Book Trailer. (It's the James Cameron book trailer of all book trailers.)

Needless to say, 15-year-old boy has daft grandfather who tells him stories about peculiar children. By peculiar, we don't mean "Mom, Tommy knocked his head and he's now taking off his underwear to show me his -- ". These kids have superpowers like amazing strength, invisibility, the ability to raise the dead - pretty much like the X-Men, only they're in Wales. (Hem, come to think of it, the kids in my HUNT FOR THE CATALYST are pretty much like that too, only they're in a modified vessel which is always being attacked by peculiar creatures.)

When grandfather dies, boy goes on a pilgrimage to that old place and . . . gasp! discovers peculiar children!

I found the beginning a little slow. 15-year-old Jacob is filled with angst, and we're introduced to a whole lot of characters we never see again for the rest of the novel. Things start to pick up (for the story, not Jacob) when his grandfather dies and he goes to Wales. The segment where he gets to discover the peculiar children in a time loop is a little scary, and then the story totally shifts gear to a time travel genre.

WTF????

I thought I was reading a whimsical horror.

Jacob spends time with the kids, discovers who they really are, who's after them . . . and turns pretty peculiar himself. Zip to the ending, which left me majorly dissatisfied. Too many loose ends, as if the author knows he has to put out a sequel.

But what's so amazing about this book are the photos. They don't appear well on Kindle, but I downloaded the PDF format, and they're creepy. I found myself enjoying the photos more than the story itself . . . and I was thinking "Wow! So much more can be done with the execution with these photos." This is NIGHT CIRCUS stuff. WOMAN IN BLACK and HEADLESS HORSEMAN creepy stuff.

I found myself searching for stories over the web as to how the author procured these photos. Did he find them under his grandfather's bed? Was it a case of the chicken and the egg? Is there any chance of ME making a story out of my baby photos (it will have to be horror, of course.)

I found out that the author was inspired by a few photos, then he went all out to get some more from collections and personal libraries. So it's kind of a quarter egg, which led to a whole chicken, which then hatched a few more eggs.

So . . . 4 stars out of 5 from me for the story (minus 1 star for the slow start and the 'grind my teeth' abrupt ending, but a stellar 5 stars for the photos.

Interview with Kindle Author!

2011-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

http://kindle-author.blogspot.com/2011/09/kindle-author-interview-artemis-hunt.html

Artemis Hunt, author of Snow White and the Alien, discusses her book, her journey as a writer, and self-publishing on Kindle.

DAVID WISEHART: What can you tell us about Snow White and the Alien?

ARTEMIS HUNT: It's a fantasy/sci-fi/Young Adult romance set in the enchanted forests of the Brothers Grimm. I call it Tangled meets The Day the Earth Stood Still!

16-year-old Snow White is rude, opinionated, dirty and crazy about studying bugs (the creepy crawly kind). But when her bipolar stepmother goes all out to devour her heart, Snow White has to go on the lam. Being plucky and resourceful, she must outwit every studly huntsman, assassin, city guard and robber baron sent to bring her back, preferably dead, before she reaches Lapland.

On the other side of the coin (and galaxy), 20-year-old Aein is a one-winged cripple. His princely birth makes him eligible to be disguised as a 'Crawler', a scout selected to go to Earth and who appears to us as a handsome human youth. But Aein has a darker mission—to pave our world for his people's colonization and, later...our annihilation.

The first native he stumbles upon is the fugitive Snow White.

DAVID WISEHART: How do you develop and differentiate your characters?

ARTEMIS HUNT: I made Snow White extremely different from all the fairytale and Disney versions. I daresay she'll be different from the 3 movie Snow White versions coming up in 2012! Snow White speaks her mind all the time, to the detriment of all her relationships. My Snow White is a scientist in a medieval world, more interested in publishing entomology journals than pretty dresses.

Because Aein is an alien, who in his natural form looks nothing like a human, I purposefully made him more human than human so the reader can identify with him. He's an underdog, ridiculed because of his deformity. He loves his beautiful cousin, but she's engaged to his most hated rival, a handsome bully who makes Aein's life hell.

DAVID WISEHART: Who do you imagine is your ideal reader?

ARTEMIS HUNT: Anyone who thinks beauty is overrated. This story is about the two most beautiful people in the world (albeit one is genetically disguised!) who are attracted to each other because of other qualities. Aein thinks Snow White is ugly. And Snow White does find out what Aein really looks like. Can they even have a relationship with so many obstacles in place?

DAVID WISEHART: What was your journey as a writer?

ARTEMIS HUNT: I started off when I was in college, doing newspaper and magazine articles for health (because I have an MD as a basic degree), lifestyle and entertainment (because my passion is movies).

Sometime in the last decade, I decided I wanted to tell stories as well. So I traditionally published a short story collection which became a bestseller. But because I'm Asian, I wanted to break into the American market. My then agent couldn't get me in, so I fired him and began the query process myself. Got a lot of nibbles from top agents for another manuscript I wrote (which I intend to indie publish), but they passed even after requesting a R&R. But then, I didn't really try that hard to exhaust agents. If I don't get a 50% request rate, I withdraw the manuscript!

These manuscripts are now being indie published. Snow White and the Alien is one of them. I'm still getting requests on it from queries I sent out months ago!

DAVID WISEHART: What is your writing process?

ARTEMIS HUNT: Because I hold a stressful full time job, I write whenever I can. At lunch, in airports, in planes. My husband complains I never have enough time for him.

DAVID WISEHART: What authors most inspire you?

ARTEMIS HUNT: J.K. Rowling. I love her stories and her writing.

DAVID WISEHART: What one book, written by someone else, do you wish you'd written yourself?

ARTEMIS HUNT: Twilight! It was so simple, and yet so engaging.

DAVID WISEHART: How have you marketed and promoted your work?

ARTEMIS HUNT: In the past, I have only marketed it the traditional way—author tours, newspaper and mag interviews, even a serialization in a newspaper. But e-publishing is a whole new different ballgame and I'm just a debutante at it.

I bought ads at sites like Red Adept and Frugal eReader. I'm contacting book bloggers for reviews. I just got started! I hang out at the Kindleboards. I set up a Twitter page.

And the best promotion is just to write some more! I'm releasing my backlist as well as furiously writing more.

DAVID WISEHART: Why publish on Kindle?

ARTEMIS HUNT: I like the platform. Mobi. files look great! Amazon is an amazing distributing arm.

DAVID WISEHART: What advice would you give to a first-time author thinking of self-publishing on Kindle?

ARTEMIS HUNT: Hang out at the Kindleboards for months first and learn from everyone. I made the mistake of not doing that (too busy writing). They will teach you how to set up a proper launch, pricing, and manage your expectations!

DAVID WISEHART: Thanks, and best of luck with your books.

Got my first book blogger's review today

2011-09-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

http://lyricalreviewsya.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-snow-white-and-alien-artemis.html

I have to admit the title of this book made it pretty hard for me to resist, it’s one that really makes you wonder what the hell is going on in the book and it is far too tempting not to find out what it’s really all about. I have to say, I’m pretty glad that I did.

I guess the first thing I imagined was a mad re-telling, bordering on a farce, of the fairytale of Snow White and although it starts out this way, it soon becomes something a lot more epic in its own right. Snow White and the Alien is definitely a story that veers more towards the original fairytale, paying tribute more to the Grimm brothers rather than Disney, with often very dark and gruesome moments. It can be pretty graphic at times with themes such as sexual assault and cannibalism but this actually lends itself to the more macabre origins of fairytales, the versions you wouldn’t tell your children at bedtime. There are also cameos from other fairytale characters such as the grown up Hansel and his cannibal sister, Gretel. At first I was a bit confused as to why Gretel was a cannibal but a big part in the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel is that the witch enslaves them in preparation for eating them and in the original French version the twins slash the throat of their captor. It’s all pretty gruesome when you wash away that Disney layer!

What does remain, however, from both the old and the updated fairytales, is the sense of heroism and the journey the characters go through. Both the heroes, Snow White and Aein (the alien) begin the story as fairly helpless entities, constantly being trodden down by other characters but as the story builds, their potential for heroism becomes fulfilled. They go from being scared and superficial to taking control of their situations, learning to be courageous and seeing through the physical beauty of each other to find the person they love within, no matter what their form. I just love the way this story builds, becoming more and more epic. It moves gracefully from a fantasy to a sci-fi novel, ending a very different story to the one that began the book.

There’s a real sense of the universe getting bigger and bigger, from a fairytale castle in Bavaria to an all out alien invasion. Just writing that sentence makes me think “this cannot possibly work as a story” but actually it does and it does make sense when you turn the last page even though you try to convince yourself that it can’t. Fantasy, at least the once-upon-a-time variety, and science fiction are just poles apart but Artemis Hunt has taken two opposing stories, skilfully melded them together and created a story that actually makes sense in a non-farcical way. I have to hand it to her, that’s quite an achievement and I’d like to see Disney try to make an adaptation of that!

4 stars

KRISTEN STEWART AND THE SNOW WHITE DILEMMA

2011-09-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

I’ve never been particularly beautiful, and I don’t think Kristen Stewart is particularly beautiful. But try telling that to my 15-year-old niece and her expression freezes like I’ve just cut the tail off her favorite pony.

“How can you say that?” she screeches.

On the chest-of-drawers, vases and other undusted curios rattle.

“Kristen Stewart is the most gorgeous, polished, underrated teen actress there is!” she continues in a tone that would have defended even OJ Simpson. “Kristen Stewart IS Snow White.”

Emmmm.

This is not a good time to tell her that I don’t think Kristen Stewart is beautiful enough to play Snow White.

I don’t what you think about the two SNOW WHITE movies that are coming up in 2012. Kristen Stewart plays Snow White in one, called SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, and Lily Collins plays Snow White in another soon-to-be-completed feature, called SNOW WHITE. (Yup, can’t get more creative than that.)

Lily Collins looks like the 1930s Disney version of Snow White, the one with the cute furry animals who don’t leave animal dander around for asthmatics. But Kristen Stewart is . . . well, what happens when you are one of the most famous teenagers on the planet? Can you actually play any iconic beauty role without everyone from Rumpelstiltskin to the fat bearded lady commenting on your looks?

Kristen Stewart is pretty. Hell, I would go on to say she’s majorly attractive – enough to attract vampires and werewolves, at least. But Snow White is meant to be the most beautiful girl on the planet at any given mythological time. I would have pegged Natalie Portman to play her. Or Keira Knightley. I might even be partial to Emma Stone.

But Kristen . . . the most beautiful girl on the planet?

And then it got me thinking . . . is beauty overrated, or beauty truly in the eye of those who would behold and Twitter about it?

I remember when they were casting Superman the first time round in the early 2000s. The fanboys were screeching every time a less than perfectly muscular, less than 6 foot Adonis was mentioned. It didn’t matter if the actor had acting experience or was better off modeling Calvin Klein briefs. It mattered only if the actor physically resembled Superman of the DC comics.

Then I figured I’m just as shallow as any of those fanboys. I wanted my Snow White to be the most beautiful girl who ever graced a ‘WANTED: PREFERABLY DEAD BY APPLE’ notice on a tree. I had a reason, you see. In my story, I slowly destroyed Snow White’s beauty to make a point – in the end, was she loved because she was beautiful, or because of everything else that she was? When you take that beauty away, would she still be loved?

So can Kristen play Snow White? In the end, it doesn’t matter if some people consider her the most beautiful thing since Venus de Milo got arms, or if other people think she’s not fit to roll naked around Robert Pattinson. It only matters if she makes us believe that she’s Snow White, and that beauty isn’t everything in a fairytale portrayal.

And I for one believe that she can.