google-site-verification: google935433b691795853.html KRISTY BERRIDGE: 2012-01-01

Saturday 7 January 2012

Year Of The Hunted

Yes. This is the year of The Hunted. 
For those of you unaware of this completely awesome series *bows with a good punch of self indulgence* it's mine! I wrote a book, five to be precise and I'm all about getting my lazy butt off the couch this year and working on promotion.
So far it's hard. I'm with a publishing house and publicist, but find I have to do a lot of the legwork myself. So naturally naivety has been a friend of mine for far too long. I guess I thought they'd fly into the book stores on the wings of self-propelled awesomeness, but that's simply not the case, even with hired help.
So currently I'm on a mission to stalk the bookstores. By the time 2012 has ended I'll either have The Hunted on every shelf in Australia, or several restraining orders piled against me. Either way, I'm known - out there, which in the end is the ultimate goal, despite possible jail time.
Anyway, the campaign for self-promotion officially started today, and so far I can honestly say that I am a master of the 'Copy & Paste' - there's nothing like a bit of repetition in marketing. I've streamlined my e-mails and set my sights on mass saturation. I've also worked my poor family to the bone, in turn sending them running in multiple different directions around the house. Avoidance? Definitely a possibility.
Well, before everyone un-follows, coughs under their breath and feign better things to do, I'm going to sign off. But, as a good little promoter, I will leave you with the synopsis and cover design just to get you all familiar with ... Okay, stop yawning, I'm leaving already ... jeesh.


Synopsis: 

Elena Manory is by no means an ordinary teenage girl. Being born with the ability to heal herself from any injury, and with the knowledge that on her eighteenth birthday she will become a Vampire, Elena is aware that she is more than a little different from other girls her age.
It isn’t until she meets William Granville, an alluring and impossibly handsome vampire, that she begins to question her destiny and what secrets the Institute of Magical Intervention and her adopted family have withheld—secrets that could change the fates of not only her own life, but of the lives of all the immortals.
As events spiral out of control, William may be the only person Elena can place her trust in. He, and Elena’s magical family, must fight to save her, joining forces to defeat a common, deadly foe. For William, it is his chance to save the girl that he has searched eternity to find.

Kristy :)


Find me at: Twitter, Facebook, My Website, Amazon, Booktopia and any good bookstore that hasn't issued a warrant for my arrest.

Friday 6 January 2012

Follow Friday #14

Happy Friday everyone!
Yes, it’s that time of week again where bloggers unite to participate in the Follow Friday venture. The idea behind #FF is to promote traffic to your own blog, make new friends with other like-minded bloggers and discuss new and interesting topics each week.
Participating is simple. First you need to follow my blog because I’m totally awesome, then you can follow me on Twitter @kristyberridge (actually you don’t have to do this, it’s wishful thinking), but do follow my blog or assassins will get you …
Then you must follow our illustrious hosts Rachel of http://www.parajunkee.com/ and Alison of http://www.alisoncanread.com/ If you want more details on how to enter your own blog in the follow and hop, all directions are on their webpages
Now, once you’ve followed, check out my answer to this week’s questions and don’t forget to leave a comment so I can do the right thing and follow you back!

This week's question: Go and count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Answer: Only 3 and 1 E-book. Yes, unfortunately I have to pay for my books, I don't get them in my mailbox like everyone else. Boo.
(This is your chance to take pity and go crazy buying my book instead! The Hunted, aka: Best book in the world)

Kristy :)

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

It's book review time. I try to do one of these at least once a month, hanging all my hopes on the hype of others and the good word running around the blogosphere.
Well, this time it's on the most talked about book of 2011 - Shatter Me.
Now as always I try to remain tactful when reviewing another book, mostly because I know how hard it is to write, edit and publish a manuscript. An author's blood, sweat and tears literally are poured between the pages, so I'll never discount the amount of hard work that has gone into producing any novel from any artist. But with that being said, we're all entitled to a personal opinion, and my opinion of this book is good, if not a little let down by all the hype that has surrounded this apparent literary masterpiece.
Now I did enjoy Shatter Me. Tahereh Mafi has developed a dystopian piece full of action and drama, built upon the dreary existence of the future and the possibilities the characters may bring to route change for the better.
It follows the story of Juliette, a girl tortured by her own gifts, bound by the physical limitations of her own body and the depressing knowledge that she can never touch another living soul without bringing about pain, suffering and death.
This idea intrigues me, leaves me wondering if perhaps the character would not be so demure and inhibited knowing the power their touch can bring. I found Juliette as the main character to be borderline insipid, yes certainly beaten down and scared by the prospect of eternity alone, but would there not be underlying anger from years of rejection and suppression?
Without giving too much of the story's fundamentals away, I did expect Juliette to be more proactive in her own survival. She seems to rely heavily on her love interest in the story, Adam, almost as if she's forgotten that should she choose, she has complete power over her own destiny. I also found her love for Adam hasty and somewhat childlike. Tahereh Mafi does provide you with background history of their younger past, but perhaps too convenient and simply a stop-gap to keep the story moving forward and invent believably.
Alas, I was a big fan of the introduction of 'Warner' - the captain of the suppressant army, the militant force that currently polices human interests and undoubtedly destroys those that oppose current opinion. I found this character honest, gritty and particularly interesting. Though he is clearly labelled 'the villain' in this piece, I couldn't help but be drawn to him - his steely gazes, unsympathetic nature yet clearly softened heart for Juliette. For me, his part in the story was fundamental and categorically the movement in which kept this novel fast paced and an enjoyable read.
To summarise there are plenty of highs and lows for Juliette as we move through the landscape of the story with certain ease thanks to writing style and encouraging descriptive language. The creative adaptation of scene setting and introduction of new characters uncovers the deeper depths of Juliette's powers and the unsavoury nature of the world's downfall and almost certain upcoming turn in events. I turned the last page feeling as if I'd stepped into a Marvel comic, feeling the inevitable twist in the story line, the certain predictability of good versus bad. Yet I was left wanting just a little bit more - a little bit more of Warner.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the book, but it was definitely one I could put down and return to without feeling as if I was uncovering some deep dark secret or rifling through a passionate affair. I will almost certainly read the second book in the series, mostly because I feel it can only get better.
Again, well done to the author for this imaginative and enjoyable read.

Kristy ;)