Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Aim for the Crotch

I did something a couple of weeks ago that I normally don’t do. I’m generally a calm, peaceful individual. I don’t care too much for violence. Yes, I occasionally kill someone in my books. But I think anyone who has read me knows that the people I whack deserved it. So the point I’m trying to make is I usually don’t pick up a gun and shoot something for the fun of it.

Well, until now.

I still remember the weight of that Glock in my hand. It was heavier than I thought it would be. Loading it wasn’t easy either. My hands were sweating and I broke a nail. That ticked me off royally. I was told to aim low. I think someone called it the crotch-shot aim, because when you shoot your reflexes jerks the gun up and that way you’ll probably still hit your target. Personally, I think aiming at the crotch is a great idea. Might even be a way to avoid pulling the trigger.

I was also told that to aim properly, I needed to find out which of my eyes is my dominant one. The way you do this is to focus on something then close your eyes and open one, close it and open the other, and go back and forth like that for a while, and see with eye the “focus itemed” didn’t shift. The non-shifting eye is your dominant eye.

By the way, I’m a lefty. Most people are rightys. I’ve been telling people my brain is mis-wired—now I got the proof. Anyway, so there I was…Gun in hand, broken nail, crotch-aim on, blinking like a crazy woman, and worried about how my brain was skewed. But I wasn’t backing down.

They told me to never put my finger on the trigger until I was ready to shoot. But I was ready.

I won’t lie to you. I was nervous. Shooting things shouldn’t be taken too lightly. A little bit of sweat rolled down my brow. Okay, it was more than a little bit. I had enough sweat pooled in my cleavage to drown a medium-sized rat. But I think anyone who saw me still knew I meant business. They weren’t about to get between me and my target—even if I didn’t aim at their crotch.

When the gun fired, it was loud—even with the ear muffs on. I jumped, my heart started running around my chest like a bird trying to escape a fireplace. I squinted at my intended victim, which was the paper bulls-eye, to see if I’d hit pay dirt. I had. Dag-blast it. I was pretty good. Yup, I went to the shooting range, with my Northwest Houston RWA Chapter (waving to all you gun-toting writers out there) and got me some hands-on experience at shooting things. This is gonna come in handy with my books. You know you’ll be reading about the crotch-shot aim in my books and when you do, you’ll know where that little bit of research came from.

Oh, I brought home my target too. Showed my hubby and my son. I told them all about it. The dominate eye, the broken nail, and the crotch-shot aim. And I then I reminded them that I was on a deadline and didn’t like to be disturbed.

Oh, notice those lower shots down there at the bottom of my target? Well, I was aiming at the crotch and actually got it. Yay me!!

And now…I just want to remind everyone that today is the day my baby hits the streets. I’m talking about my book, Born at Midnight, Book 1 of my new YA paranormal series Shadow Falls, written under my pseudonym C.C. Hunter. I’ve always said that an author’s books are like her children. We put our hearts and souls into trying to shape them into something that can stand on their own two feet, or stand up on a bookshelf. And always somewhere in the process of trying to mold them, they drive us crazy. They talk back to us. They go on tangents. They make us feel as if we’re crazy. We threaten to give up on them, and at times we wish we could. We’re so ready to send them out into the world, and then we worry ourselves sick when they do go out into the big ol’ world. We cry over them. Ahh, but we love them. And we want other people to love them, too. And here’s hoping you do love my baby.

Born at Midnight is a book I’m extremely proud of. It has my humor, and it has my unusual characters, and it has a lot of heart. It also has a few vampires, shapeshifters, witches, werewolves, and few faes.

As some of you know, I always run contests when I have a book release and this one is no exception. I’m giving away a Kindle. That’s right. A Kindle. Oh, and there’s six other prizes. Three copies of Born at Midnight and three copies of an ARC of the second book in the series, Awake at Dawn, that will be delivered as soon as the ARC is available.

Also if you are in the Houston area, please stop by my launch party at Katy Budget Books on April 1st from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, you can go here – Launch Party.

To enter my contest to win a Kindle, all you have to do is go to read the post on my C.C. Hunter blog called “Tweet my Book and Win a Kindle” and click on the “Tweet and Enter to Win” button. It’s that easy. And today is the last day to enter. So don’t waste any time. Go do your clicking now. And if you ever get a chance to go to the gun range, just remember, aim for the crotch.

CC, signing off. Gonna go think about shooting something else.

23 comments:

Refhater said...

Nice shooting there Christie!

Wish I could be in the Houston area for your launch party on the first! I'll be there in spirit!

Made sure to tweet your book this morning.

Have a good one.

Terri Osburn said...

And Blogger ate my comment. *sigh*

Tweeted last night!

Kiddo and I read the short story over the weekend and both loved it, of course. She's already asked me to pick up the book on the way home tonight.

Congrats on the book and the shootin'!

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to read Born at Midnight! Happy release day!

Melissa said...

So excited for you!!! Can't wait to read it!

I agree. This was a fun night of shooting! And you did Awesome, I might add. :)

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Refhater,

I think I have a natural aptitude for firearms. LOL.

I wish you could be at my launch party, too. And thanks for tweeting about my book!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Terri,

Darn that Blogger! It gobbles up mine sometimes, too.

Thanks for the support - I really appreciate it, girl!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Amanda,

I hope you enjoy reading Born at Midnight as much I loved writing it.

Thanks for dropping by!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Melissa,

I didn't think I would enjoy shooting that gun as much as I did. Definitely a fun experience!

Thanks for dropping by!

CC

Anonymous said...

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!
I'm so terribly excited for you!

By the looks of my own target, I need more practice. Maybe I need to think more about the crotch, since my aim was a little high. LOL! But, boy, did we have fun that night!

Happy sales, Christie!

Jenn!

Kristi said...

I downloaded it first thing this morning because I couldn't wait until I got out of work tonight. I'm on page 49 and loving it. I have to go and buy the hard copy tonight for my daughter.

Congratulations. From what I've read so far, it's wonderful.

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Jenn,

Hey, aiming for the crotch seemed to work for me, so give it a try. LOL.

Thanks for dropping by, girl!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Christi,

Aww. Thank you so much. I hope you keep enjoying the book.

Thanks for dropping by.

CC

Anonymous said...

Nice shot, btw!

Susan M said...

My car and hair smelled like gun-powder and my ears rang for two days after our adventure. They never mention that in books. But we'll know to do so next time we kill off a character. Watch out anyone who gets in our way.

Tori Lennox said...

I want to learn to shoot!!! But I don't want to go by myself and I don't have anyone to go with. *sigh*

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Susan,

Yup. They never mention those parts in books and TV, do they? lol.

Thanks for dropping by, girl!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi, Tori,

I definitely recommend going with a group. We had a total blast.

Thanks for dropping by.

CC

Unknown said...

I can't wait to read your new book, its on my list. I have already did you Tweet thingy and yes it was easy. Thanks for sharing.

Ruth said...

Sorry I missed out on the shooting experience, but I have shot at a few things. The first time I held a gun, (my husband was teaching me) it was at a hay bale- no nice little target with circle, but it wouldn't have mattered much. The gun had a massive kick and I landed on my butt, but I have managed to stay upright and hit the target a few times since. Somehow my husband failed to tell me about the crotch shot trick, I wonder why?
Down loading your book tonight, see you at the pary.

Ruth

Kristi said...

Ok Christie, I'm only half way through it, but I have to know now when the next one is coming out. Loving it!

C.C. Hunter said...

Virginia,

Thanks girl. I hope you enjoy it.

CC

C.C. Hunter said...

Ruth,

I wonder why he didn't mention it? Hmmm? LOL. I love it.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

C.C. Hunter said...

Kristi,

Thanks so much girl. The second book, Awake at Dawn, comes out Oct. 11th.

I'm so thrilled.

Well, mu alter ego, C.C. Hunter, jumped in and started posting here. LOL. It's hard being two people.

CC