Tag: spy

Categories
Life

Tear My Hair Out!!!!

This past week, i’ve had the joy of tearing out my hair with frustration.
I’m sure you can relate somehow – but EVERYTHING went wrong with something in particular.

I had a short turn around writing deadline this week for another project (more on that another day), so I was already under the pump with a Packed week of work! So, when I had pre-planned the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles eBook release, it was something I’d already arranged, I had ready to go, and all I had to do was upload and GO!

I WAS WRONG! 

It came to Friday (release day), and I logged on thinking it would be easy street. Nope. Almost anything that I could have thought of went wrong.

FRIDAY – RELEASE DAY

  • I couldn’t use the eBook platform I had planned on, and had to quickly change it to Amazon Kindle (not a biggie, it was already on my list. I can do this – just a minor change)
  • I couldn’t upload in the BEAUTIFUL PDF version I had worked HOURS to create. So I had to transfer everything to a Word Document (Hours, and hours, and hours, wasted on formatting, making it look good etc… I’m feeling disappointed but we can still do this!)
  • Spent about an hour transferring it into a word doc, and still making it look good – picked nice fonts, tried to make it look snazzy etc. Uploaded it, previewed it, then realised – NONE of my fonts transferred over, and it looked crap! (Definitely frustrated at this point. All the normal fonts are bollocks, I want the pretty ones. Another hour down the tubes…)
  • Noticed also, that there was no Table Of Contents for people to find each chapter (great… another thing to change)
  • Went back and re-formatted AGAIN – added the TOC, changed all the fonts to an acceptable ‘staple’ font that Amazon would have (Another hour of my life gone, and i’m starting to run late with all the other things I had planned that day)
  • Uploaded it AGAIN, and previewed – only to notice that in the transfer, Some of my titles and words which were supposed to be capitalised were NOT! (Wouldn’t annoy some, but for a nit picker like myself, it was excruciating. Screaming out in frustration at this point, and very close to hair pulling)
  • Fixed. Uploaded. Proud of how it looks. Pending review. (Wait, what?? It could take a few days!! I hadn’t factored that in.)
  • Posted an update to everyone on Social Media that my book was officially delayed. (Waiting until tomorrow – it’s another day!)

SATURDAY… FINGERS CROSSED

  • Woke up to see that Hannah Carmichael is LIVE and ready to go. (Fantastic! Yesterday is behind me)
  • Went onto Facebook to set up some promotions. Realised that the eBook cover was not in line with advertising policy. Ad account deactivated. (What!!?? How was I supposed to know a crime book cover would make Facebook crap themselves?? All the frustration of yesterday is coming back. NOW is the hair pulling!)
  • Put in a review for Facebook to re-activate my account. Book still Live, hardly anyone knows about it however. Found out that it can take from 2 weeks to 6 months to re-activate (NOW the hair pulling is in full swing!)

SUNDAY… LAST CHANCE

  • Woke up to a message that the advertising on Facebook is now activated once again. Uploaded the ads. Approved (1, not both). Finally sorted…

Sometimes we plan something out TO THE LETTER, but life, circumstances and other people can de-rail out plans. It’s how we deal with it that matters.
I joked about pulling out my hair, but the truth is, although all of that was frustrating, end of the day? It’s all okay. Set-backs are a part of life, and I’m glad I had them – because now I can learn from the frustration of my writing weekend.

If you want to download the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles eBook – head to the book preview link below! I’d love for you to get lost in the spy journey!

I WANNA READ IT

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Hannah Carmichael Chronicles

The Spies are Here!

The Hannah Carmichael Chronicles (Part One) is now an official eBook!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089DJLP4P/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hannah+carmichael+chronicles&qid=1590791694&sr=8-1

 

You can grab your copy, the first 30 can be free if you join the CGSP Readers List, but for the rest (Updated and Re-designed) is available now, so make sure to check it out and enjoy a spy adventure!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Plan B, cdefg…

“The Plan is going perfectly.”
“What do you mean perfectly? Everything’s going wrong!”
“That’s why we have a Plan B.”

When you make a plan, do you automatically come up with a backup… just in case?

There are advantages for having a backup plan. When that pesky spy you didn’t want crashing your operation tries to stop you, what else is there but to have a PLAN B?
CGT needed a lot of Plan B’s when Hannah Carmichael came along. Their latest one, was to kill those they couldn’t control (Check out the link at the end of this post for what happened with THAT plan b).

But what about normal Plan B’s – the ones that don’t involve spies or life and death?
A plan B for if it rains on your wedding day, or the movie you picked is sold out? What about your favourite restaurant not having a table for you?
Do you come up with backups, just in case?

I don’t know about for normal life decisions (like the movies or having dinner), but when it comes to committing a crime, a heist or some other sort of dangerous activity – plan B (and c, d, e, f etc) would probably be a good idea. NOT that i’m saying it’s okay to commit such acts, or that we should be thinking about these things on a regular basis, but what happens to a police officer who doesn’t have a backup plan (or the training procedures in place for an alternate option). On a bust, the criminals throw something at you that you didn’t expect… did you come up with a backup plan?

I was thinking about the Plan B idea, and it feels a little like you don’t have faith in your Plan A, but on the flip side, that you’re thinking of every possible outcome. So where do you land on Plan B’s? I think for something life altering, maybe we should have one….

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so comment below 😀
If you want to read what CGT’s Plan B was, check out the link below and join the super spy Hannah Carmichael:
https://atomic-temporary-148610121.wpcomstaging.com/2020/02/11/senseofhumour/

Hope your Plan B’s are going okay during times of lockdown and isolation!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Hannah Carmichael Chronicles

The End…?

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The Hannah Carmichael Chronicles is at 70 instalments this month – 70!!!! Which is the END to a large PART ONE of her adventures.

When I reached this ‘ending’ it made me feel accomplished, but also a little sad – because it really is like the end. So, what happens now? Do I keep writing something that has brought me so much joy, or put it away and come back to it a little ways down the road?

It did also make me think about other endings. Like endings of a season of life (like being a teenager, being single, or finally retiring), and the end of a chapter (in a book, but also maybe dating somebody and either breaking up, or getting married, or maybe the chapter of mental health issues is closing?).

What chapter or season of life are you closing the book on? And what are you stepping into next? I’d love to know as I step into a new chapter of the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles.

Yes, there are more Hannah Carmichael that I have in store, and that I’m excited to continue writing and releasing, but it feels like the end of an era in a way!

Let me know YOUR transitional time in the Comments or on the CGSP Facebook page!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace 

Categories
Fiction

Happy New Year…BANG (Furious Fiction)

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Below is a Furious Fiction written for the AWC in January 2020 – Enjoy!

 

Happy New Year… BANG

“Three, Two, One! Happy New Year!” Cheering echoed through the city.
“Cue the fireworks,” Elliot chirped beside me, as the sky lit up. I peeled my eyes away from the spectacular display in my binoculars, and focused on our target instead.
“New Years Eve is perfect for this type of mission,” Elliot said.
As I pulled the binoculars down, he moved to his sniper perch.
“Nobody hears the shot when all the fireworks are booming,” He flashed a side smile in my direction. “It’s just serendipity that our target is in the city tonight.”
I sighed and pulled down the eye glasses, watching as he set up the long-range sniper rifle.
“Do you ever feel bad?” I asked.
Elliot chuckled, then turned to face me, “You knew what this gig was, why feel bad now?” He frowned and continued setting up the rifle.
“This mission is in the high double digits for me, maybe I’ve done enough.”
Elliot paused then let go of the gun, his voice now a whisper, “Careful what you’re saying Stella, the walls have ears.”

As he turned back to the rifle again, I glanced around the room.
‘Good reasons don’t always mean good actions’
My mothers the words from childhood echoed through my thoughts.
Maybe it was time for me to get out.
I spotted the emergency burner phone sticking out from one of the gear bags, and I checked again on Elliot. As he stared through the sniper scope, I silently slipped the phone into my pocket.

This target was supposed to be a traitor, but there was no concrete proof. It was as good a person as any, to warn of the impending consequences.
Fireworks continued to crack above us and I pulled out the secure phone, unlocking it. I typed in the number, then a warning message and took in a deep breath, hitting the button and sharing the assassination plans.
Slipping out the battery, I then pulled out the SIM card and snapped it in half, tossing the phone back into my bag.

As I pulled up the binoculars once again, I heard Elliot inhale, “Ok, I see the target. I almost have a clear shot.” We watched as the spy checked her mobile phone.
After a moment, she put it back into her pocket, then in a sudden burst, dove onto the floor.
“What’s she doing?” Elliot asked. Shots from the spy’s apartment flew towards us, and we ducked, waiting for an opening to return fire.
“We’re blown, we’re blown! Agents need backup!” Elliot yelled into his radio.
It was done. I was out, one way or the other.

Hope you enjoyed this ‘Furious Fiction’ short story! For more, check out the ‘ADVENTURES’ page and search for Furious Fiction!
See You in The Adventures
CG

Categories
Hannah Carmichael Chronicles

Who is Hannah Carmichael?

Hannah Carmichael (Super spy working with the CGT agency)
Daughter of Evelyn and James Carmichael (Criminal & Believed to be Dead, Respectively)
Wife of Zeke Anderson (Secretly Working for the Government)
Best friend of Stephanie Winchester (Fellow CGT Agent)

If you’ve been following my adventures for a while now, you know who Hannah Carmichael is – but 70 instalments later, maybe you’ve forgotten how we came to where we did with Hannah and the Conspiracy of the CGT spy agency!

Hannah Carmichael’s husband Zeke Anderson (No, they don’t have the same last name, and Yes, that is a thing that people do these days) went missing. Along her way to finding him, Hannah discovers that her mother Evelyn (a criminal on the run), knew where he was.

As she finds him, she realises that not only is he okay, he’s also a part of her world – the spy world. He tells her the beginning of the conspiracy – that her agency CGT is actually working for their own profit, not the good of the country.
Hannah agrees to go back in, but undercover this time, and stop them from the inside.

While trying to expose CGT, Stephanie and her friend (and former boyfriend) jump on the bandwagon, with a shot taking down Ian forever (spoilers).

This is where we leave the FREE download of the Updated, Edited and Re-Designed eBook for PART ONE of The Hannah Carmichael Chronicles. Once we move forward, the conspiracy on CGT and how far it goes deepens, we see family and friends coming and going – death and resurrection continue as Hannah goes deeper into the world of spies, double agents, faked deaths and good vs evil.

I’ve loved finding this character along the last year and a half. She is someone very dear to my heart, which is why, the full 70 instalment eBook is going to be available for you too!

The first 30 instalments are FREE at the link below, but keep your ears perked and hands over your mouse/keyboard for the announcement very soon, of when you can download your Hannah Carmichael Chronicles eBook!
I can’t wait for you to fall in love (or rediscover your love) with Hannah Carmichael – just like me.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Changing Things Up

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WIFE – “Do you notice anything different about me?”
HUSBAND – “What?”
WIFE – “I changed something, what is it?”
HUSBAND – “Ummm, did you change your clothes?”
WIFE – “No! What’s different?”
HUSBAND – “…….”
WIFE – “I changed my hair colour!”
HUSBAND – “It’s still blonde…”
WIFE – “It’s a darker SHADE of blonde.”

I have to admit (and no judging here), i’m usually a lot like the Husband in that scenario. I’m not good at picking up on subtle changes, but sometimes I have my moments. My sister in particular, is someone who changes things up all the time! Her hair is a different colour, style, length etc every few months – THAT, I can usually notice. BUT, if she changed her earrings, forget it Jack – I wouldn’t pick it up at ALL.

When it comes to changing up your look, if you’re going for a drastic change, most people would be able to tell that you look different. Recently, I got my sweeping side fringe back, and the amount of people who commented (either that I looked different, or noticing the fringe) was huge!

Hannah Carmichael recently had to change up her look; after the world and the spy agency CGT thought she was dead, she couldn’t very well head out looking the same! If someone spotted her, their undercover advantage would be gone!
So, she changed her hair, put in colour contacts and dressed differently – small changes, but if you looked at her at a glance, you probably wouldn’t put it together (particularly because the world thought she was Dead)
I’ll pop the link to Hannah’s transformation instalment at the bottom of this post so you can check out her changes yourself!

I steer away from changing how I look too much – it took me 26 years to colour my hair for the first time! But, I think if I was going to change it up COMPLETELY, I would go with an eclectic quirky vibe (like all those Brave souls in cities all over the world – wearing whatever they want, regardless. Like a dress made of meat :P).
Sometimes I can be brave with my fashion choices, but if I could go down to Kmart wearing pool floaties on my arms, a pink tutu and long knee high purple socks with sneakers, I would… maybe

But not every style suits every person – I know for a FACT, that I wouldn’t suit the grunge look or attitude! Then again, if I was on the run, it’s the opposite of my personality, so maybe it would be a good look to go for…. hmmmmmmm

How many times have you changed up your hair, or your personal style? I want to hear about the cool, unusual, and perhaps regrettable changes you’ve made! Comment below and share the stories – and don’t forget to Like this post and share it with a friend who’s gotten a bad haircut, or a good one – or maybe they wore only Pink for four years… who knows!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Life

Real Super Spy Covers

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Real super spies can’t talk about what they REALLY do – only certain people get to know. So how would they introduce themselves and what they do?

“Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock, Nice to meet you!”

Okay, maybe that name would be a little too unusual to pass for a cover name….
But, some of the fake names in HCC did get me thinking about what MY fake name would be if I was ever on the run, or a spy…. or maybe the name I could give to the coffee people instead of my own (which I always forget to do when i’m actually up there!).

If you’re a spy (like Hannah Carmichael), you don’t get to tell a lot of people what you REALLY do, and who you REALLY are, so what’s to say you haven’t already met a real spy? What do you think they would have told you they did for a living?

Maxwell Smart from the Get Smart television series in the 1960s (NOT the remake with Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway – although it did have it’s very own special place, just not in comparison with the original series in my humble opinion) told people that he was in the Greeting Card business…

In the HCC Flashback instalment, ‘Back to Reality’ Hannah and Zeke’s covers were Travel Agent, and Travel Writer (respectively), but Hannah didn’t realise Zeke knew what she REALLY did, and that he wasn’t a Travel Writer, like she wasn’t an Agent.
A link to that instalment will be at the bottom of this post.

If YOU were a secret agent (and you were allowed to pick your cover story/job), what would you say that you do for a living to people? Would it be a ‘Travel SomethingorOther‘ to explain your frequent trips? What about being self-employed, or working for the ‘government’ in an administration capacity?
I don’t know the standard story (as I am NOT a spy myself), but I’d like to think I could tell people that I was a travel writer – I’m already halfway there anyways!

Share YOUR story in the comments, and Like and Share this post with someone who has a COOL job anyway!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace