Diary of a Teenage Zombie: Excerpt "Chapter Two"

Hello my wonderful blogger friends and pledges! Since the pledging is coming along swimmingly (I'm at 35% which you can see on the left side of the page), I thought I'd reward you all with a short excerpt from the novel. Bear in mind my editor is still looking this all over so there may be a few minor changes here and there, but it's still just a little slice into the life of Katie Palmer, zombie extraordinaire.

Your continued support is greatly appreciated, I have less than two months to go, and honestly, if everyone that reads this post donates even just $5 - $10 I am in with a chance, plus anyone who donates $10 or more gets a copy of the book anyway, so pledging = good karma and prizes!

Thank you again!! 

Dear Diary,

I found a tiny padlock on Jack’s bedroom door last night. I suspect Mum and Dad are a little worried about my flesh eating tendencies bad temper. They must have found the Nelson’s cat in our backyard.

But my complexion looks awesome today and that’s a good thing, because Connor called me yesterday and organised a date training session for this morning. I couldn’t exactly think of a reason not to, considering my armpits smelled okay and Mum double-washed my jogging gear in preparation.

Bless her.

I’m also going to meet up with Nikki after classes this morning to organise the classroom lock-in, the first stop on our social calendar for the year. Right now I think it’s a great idea, but I’m well fed in a good mood. Who knows how I’ll feel at the end of the week when my skin starts peeling away from my face?

Katie xo

Connor was already waiting for me on the back oval by the time Mum dropped me off at school. Being awake at such an ungodly hour meant I was still yawning, scratching at my belly and rubbing pockets of dried sleep from the corners of my eyes.

I know I paint a pretty picture. I’d have rather worn a low-cut top and slapped on some make-up, but it was only just after six and running a few miles would make me sweat like a pig. Practicality was key.

‘Palmer,’ Connor greeted me, a broad smile plastered across his face. ‘I’m not keeping you up, am I?’

‘I usually train in the afternoon,’ I complained, covering my mouth as another yawn threatened to escape. Suddenly my tired brain remembered that this was the hottest guy in school and that he’d woken up early especially to go running with me. I quickly changed my attitude.

Happy dance.

‘Boo-hoo,’ he teased, blonde hair flopping in front of his eyes. Connor smoothed his fringe back from his forehead and continued to reach up with the one motion, stretching his arms high above his head.

‘Let’s just hope you can keep up.’

Small wonder that I found words at all given my current distraction. A quick glimpse at Connor’s toned abdominals and exposed Calvin Klein briefs had my imagination overflowing with unladylike, erotic thoughts.

‘Is that a challenge, Palmer?’

‘Take it how you want,’ I said, shaking my head in an effort to break the spell his underwear apparently had over me. Languid scenes of our sweaty flesh pressed together stirred my desire, threatening to weaken me at the knees.

Connor’s knowing grin suggested he was more than aware of my eyes on him, plotting the possibilities.

Fuck.

Embarrassed by my open gaze, I sniffed and rolled my shoulders, reaching back to grip an ankle and stretch out my quadriceps, then hamstrings and calves. I didn’t need the preparation but I wanted to look anywhere but at Connor, certain there was a flashing neon sign above my head screaming ‘desperate’.

‘You ready?’ Connor asked, patting me on the back.

Was it wrong to savour that casual touch, deciding to embellish upon it in my fantasies later on? As far as I was concerned, that innocent gesture would be re-counted as brazen fingers grazing my spine, warm palms flattening against me, and sliding down my back until they cupped my ass. Connor would tell me he could crack walnuts on it.

Yes. That would be how inaccurately I’d remember this moment.

I took a deep breath, inconspicuously sniffed my armpits and then nodded. Connor had already bolted from the starting plate with a hiss and a roar, setting an unsustainable pace in his eagerness to impress. An oxygen tank loomed in his foreseeable future, as several laps at this speed would lead to him to undoubtedly coughing up a lung.

After circling the track a few dozen times and nabbing the five kilometre unspoken goal, I slowly realised that Connor was not built for endurance. Keeping pace with his frenetic stride was almost too easy, yet he struggled on and tried to match my predatory gait. Sweat trickled down Connor’s face and saturated his shirt. He was puffing like a geriatric chasing a big-breasted blonde; his face was rose-tinted and his blue eyes were bulging.

‘Palmer!’ he gasped. ‘What kind of stride do you call that?’

‘The one you set?’ I felt a little bad. I was breathing easy and had just lapped him for the second time in five minutes. Nikki had made it clear that in order to win Connor’s affections I had to embrace my athleticism but also not show him up. Something about damaging his ego, which she’d likened to kicking him in the balls.

‘You’re not jogging, you’re running!’ Connor panted. He was tripping over his own feet, his arms windmilling to keep himself upright.

I slowed, my inner predator rolling her eyes as I fought to contain a hysterical outburst. ‘I’m sorry. Do you need a rest?’

Connor was well behind me now. He had regained his balance but was swaying, perhaps on the verge of passing out. Bent in half and with hands propped against his knees, he attempted to draw in great gasps of air but instead started to cough like he’d just contracted emphysema.

I doubled back, concerned by the sudden pale sheen of his skin. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked, tentatively smoothing my hand across his back. The muscles bunched and tightened under my palm, but Connor was inconsolable, shoving me out of the way. Seconds later he was emptying the contents of his stomach onto the field.

‘Wow,’ I yelped, jumping free of the partially-digested debris, ‘I guess we know who’s going to win this upcoming marathon, huh?’

The contemptuous glare Connor shot me while wiping his mouth suggested I was not doing my best to lure him in with my feminine wiles.

Fuck.

The Damned (volume 2 The Hunted) It's coming ...

Great news peoples. The Damned - the long overdue, much anticipated second installment in The Hunted series is almost here. The books are in print and should be shipped and in my hot little hands within a fortnight.
And have no fear! For those of you super keen on e-books, they're being organised as you read this, including new formats for The Hunted. So in light of this fact, I've decided to post the preface for you to have a read through - whet your appetite so to speak.
Enjoy, my friends. The real deal will be here lickety split. Thanks for your patience.

PREFACE

The stranger lifted the warm mug of AB negative to his lips. He took a few swift gulps, felt the sweetness of the warmed fluid caressing his tongue and setting his tastebuds aflame. Like liquid velvet it slid down his throat, strengthening and replenishing his body from within, and filling him with the rich satisfaction that could only come from the taste of blood.
He could feel his arteries dilate, his senses sharpening as life-force began to satiate his awakened thirst. His pulse throbbed under the influx, eventually slowing to a stop again once the blood had dissipated into his system.
It was good to be a vampire.
Body still burning for more, the stranger gestured to the barman for another. This packaged stuff known as Synth Blood could sustain him but was nowhere near as gratifying as fresh blood from a warm human body. He longed to bury his fangs in the neck of an unsuspecting victim, rend at flesh until the warmth of their essence spilled across his tongue, making him whole again. For now he had to suppress his instincts, though, to prevent his detection from the ones still hunting him.
Only one month had passed since the stranger had last killed but his skin already itched with the need to taste a human’s fear. As he revelled in his memories of the hunt, an image of his wife came to mind, and with it a sadness that was all consuming. His wife had shared in his bloodlust, his uncontrollable desire to feed. She had hunted beside him, night after night, and eventually murdered because she had rightfully lived as the predator she was created to be. The stranger’s blood still boiled thinking about her unrighteous death and the creature that had caused it. But the time for retribution was coming.
He would make sure of it.
The stranger glanced around the bar. It was mostly empty; no real surprise considering it was high noon. The turned vampires would all spend their daylight hours hiding in darkened spaces, waiting for nightfall. Born vampires were able to move around in the daylight but were still forced to avoid direct sunlight. At this point, as the thirst still rode him, the stranger cared little for shelter.
‘You travelled far this evening?’ the barman asked, setting down a fresh mug of heated blood and jogging the stranger from his reverie.
He accepted it gratefully and took a sip. ‘Not especially,’ the stranger said, eyeing the barman from head to toe.
The barman was a turned vampire, probably no more than thirty years of age. He had short, sandy blonde hair and unassuming blue eyes. Despite being slightly rotund in the mid-section he was still as beautiful as the rest of his race.
‘Are you from Spain or Italy?’ the barman asked, an eyebrow rising. ‘I’m trying to pick your accent.’
The stranger took another sip. ‘I’m Italian.’
‘No kidding?’ He wiped at a spill on the counter top. ‘You must be part of Lucius Valerius’s coven.’
The stranger contained his desire to sneer. ‘No. I belong to no coven and I especially do not answer to Lucius Valerius. At least, not anymore.’
‘Here, here. The last sixteen years under Lucius’s rule have been difficult. I really used to enjoy hunting humans before it was outlawed.’ The barman absently wiped at another spill. ‘Granted, I make money from the sale of Synth Blood and the shelter my neutral bar provides, but it’s not the same as the thrill of hunting for fresh blood. The only way I can function now, without being hunted down by Lucius or his thralls, is to stay here where I have all the blood I need. Confrontations with humans are too ... tempting.’
‘That’s pathetic,’ the stranger said.
The barman frowned. ‘We all do what we can to survive. Sometimes that means swallowing your pride and advocating for the Devil.’
The stranger smiled. The barman didn’t realise how on the money he was. Lucius was demon spawn.
Taking the stranger’s smile as an invitation to talk further, the barman leant forward on his elbows, smiling warmly. ‘So what brings you to Paris, anyway?’
The stranger wasn’t in the mood for idle chit-chat, but doubted that the barman would leave him alone. ‘I’m looking for someone.’
‘Perhaps I can help?’
The stranger shook his head, taking a few more gulps of blood. It wasn’t his favourite brew, but the liquid was undeniably starting to satisfy his primal cravings. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘If you’re looking for a vampire in Paris, I know everyone by name.’
The stranger gritted his teeth. ‘I thank you for the drink,’ he said, holding up the mug, ‘but I wish to finish it in peace.’
The barman scowled. ‘I was just making conversation.’
‘Unwanted conversation. Go find another patron to annoy.’
‘There are no other patrons.’
The stranger looked around, noting that the few other patrons had left. He’d always had that effect on people.
He glanced at the barman.
Pity.
The stranger drained the remaining contents of his mug and pushed it back towards the barman.
Frowning, the barman turned his back on him.
‘Barman, I require another drink.’
‘In a minute. I gotta clean,’ he said, busying himself with the relatively unimportant task of filling a small sink behind the bar with hot, soapy water.
The stranger drummed his fingers on the counter impatiently. The barman started to wash and stack glasses, now ignoring him completely.
‘Barman, I bid you pour me another drink before you make me angry. And before I do something that you will regret.’
The barman glanced around and smirked insolently. ‘I’ll pour you another drink when I’m ready.’ He went back to stacking glasses. ‘And do not threaten me. I am Vampire, just as you are.’
The stranger sighed. He could have left the bar. He could have sought nourishment from some other venue or even hunted down his own humans. But, now, that wasn’t enough.
The stranger, moving with inhuman grace, was behind the bartender moments later, his hands gripping the creature’s sides so tightly it could barely move.
His rage could no longer be contained.
‘What the―let go of me!’
‘Are you ready now?’ the stranger whispered, spinning the barman around to face him. In one swift motion, he sank his fangs deep into the barman’s throat, ripping out his jugular in a vicious shower of crimson-slicked gore. As his victim thrashed in his embrace, warm blood poured down the stranger’s chin and sprayed the front of his shirt. As the stranger felt the last of the barman’s life leaving his body, he tossed what remained onto the floor with a resounding thud.
He wiped the excess blood from his lips, spitting onto the floor. 
‘Much better,’ the stranger murmured, stepping over the body and moving towards the front door without so much as a backward glance. ‘Turned vampires―as easy a prey as humans.’ 
He pushed open the front door and cringed. Where the rays from the midday sun struck him, blistering lines burned across his features. Searching quickly for a shady area through which to walk, he soon spied a darkened alleyway and hurried out towards it. 
He considered the next step in his plan carefully. He needed leverage, something that would turn an enemy into a friend, or at the very least, an enemy into an ally. 
The Vânătors, a fierce race of fanatical werewolves, were not exactly known for their negotiating skills. They were hungry predators, born from the blood of the Vampire and completely uncaring of anyone’s needs but their own. They were wild, the very worst variation of a vampire’s genetic nature, and were the perfect tool for his vengeance. 
The Vânătors penchant for vampiric blood would definitely work to the stranger’s advantage. Their mating habits produced large packs, enough to cause any vampire trouble. Also, their ability to shapeshift into the form of any human they had previously fed from meant they could move around mostly undetected—a useful trick. 
He just needed to figure out what it was the Vânătors desired. 
The stranger smiled. He saw the future in his mind, laid out in the front of him. It was a future he hoped to share with other, likeminded vampires, with any other supernaturals tired of suppressing their natural instincts. The stranger’s future would mean no more hiding in the shadows, where vampires reigned supreme and blood was the word on everyone’s lips. 
A future he could really sink his teeth into.

Kristy :)

Want more information? Head to this link to keep you updated; The Hunted Facebook page

Diary of a Teenage Zombie - Synopsis

Hi Guys,

So you all know by now that I'm trying to crowd fund for this latest novel I've penned - Diary of a Teenage Zombie. I've gotta say, I'm really proud of this one, I even crack myself up. I've managed to jam action, gore, romance and witty banter into a 60,000 word novel that I can honestly say will put a smile on your dial.
The release is set for August this year, and there will be no delays because I'm producing the venture myself, albeit hopefully with the help of my lovely fans, family and friends who are currently pledging a couple of bucks here and there to try and make this happen (Click POZIBLE widget on the left side of the page, and donate for good karma)
Anyway, I've decided to leak little snippets of information along the way to light your excitement fires since I'm still a long way off my goal of raising $8000. Today I have the completed synopsis. Next week? Maybe an excerpt, so stay tuned because this novel is happening!

Dear Diary. Today I ate the mailman. My bad.

Being seventeen is hard―Katie Palmer has to deal with school, pimples, hormonal boys, and malicious cheerleaders. After the Zombie Apocalypse, though, she no longer sweats the usual teenage drama.

Athletics star by day and flesh-eater by night, Katie’s done well to hide her transformation from friends and Zone-sanctioned security, but now someone or something’s onto her secret and if she doesn’t feed soon she’ll start falling apart.

Dead bodies are piling up and all the evidence points to Katie’s blood-stained hands. Will she end up killing the competition before security discovers she’s rotten underneath?

Again, thank you all for taking the time to check out my Pozible crowd funding venture - a great way to support poor authors like me and promote opportunity for the arts.

Have a great weekend,

Kristy :)

The Damned is Coming ...

Hey guys,

Guess what? I finally have my files for The Damned, the second installation in my Hunted Series. And because you've all been waiting so long for this release, it is my gift to you to provide 5 free days of Kindle downloads of The Hunted to get you ready! (Go here for Download)
Yes, you heard me. I am putting the first novel The Hunted for free on Kindle for five days!
This is your chance to grab a copy, tell your friends and family and generally just share the information so when the Damned is released everyone is ready for round two.
The promotion starts on the 23/2/2013 and will run until the 27/2/2013. Remember  these promos run on Pacific Standard time, so keep checking in if it's not registering free when you read this post.
If you've never heard of The Hunted series, check out the two trailers below to whet your whistle, view the upcoming cover for The Damned and read the synopsis's right here!
Cheers guys, thanks as always for your support and don't forget to share, share share!

The Hunted Book Trailer (Book one)

The Damned Book Trailer (Book two)

The Hunted 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.

The Damned Synopsis:

Life for Elena Manory skipped past ordinary just over a month ago. Discovering she was born a practically invulnerable vampire-werewolf hybrid was shocking enough, but she’s also become a target. Elena is being hunted by the Alpha werewolf Roshan, who’s fixated on the properties of her unique blood and the pleasurable possibilities of her flesh.

Moving to the Institute of Magical Intervention in Romania was supposed to provide her with protection and anonymity, but Elena soon realises her enemies are legion. None are as they seem, with no agenda truly without nefarious intentions. 

A strange twist of fate and the actions of a vampire previously pressing for her affections lead Elena into the arms of another—one whose middle name spells trouble. Himself a vampire, Sebastian is perplexingly familiar, handsome, and arrogant. He introduces Elena to a world she never thought possible, uncovers a past believed long buried, and unearths a future she may not survive.

Kristy :)

Hi All!
I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! To all my followers you have been a massive support and to those of you that read my posts regularly, leave comments and amazingly don't die of shock from my sometimes ferociously inappropriate subject matter, I wish you all the very best!
It has been an amazing year with a few more of my books due to be released early 2013, so I'm shutting down until after New Year so I can get all of this finished for the eager Hunted fans. Oh, and there will be zombies on the horizon in the New Year ... lots and lots of zombies.
Anyway, you should probably get your hands on a copy of 'The Hunted' for Christmas either for yourself or for a friend or both. I've been told by one of Santa's big-mouth elves that if you don't have a copy under the tree or sitting on your bookshelf then you will be added to the 'naughty list'.
This is fact. *Maniacal laughter*
So now that you're all on the 'nice' list, I'm going to head off, enjoy my Christmas and bid that you all do the same - be safe, be happy, be merry, and of course do what I'm going to do and eat ridiculous amounts of food despite that I know there will be a week long crying sesh followed by massive regret when the scales whisper to me 'one at a time please'.
Have a good one everyone!

Kristy :)

Buy The Hunted on Amazon Now!

Follow Friday #50

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: Activity! Who do you want to be? If you could choose any character from a book. What do you think that character looks like and what do you have in common?

My answer: Truthfully, my character Elena Manory from The Hunted Series is pretty much me as a teenager but with a set of big, brass balls. While writing, I just kept thinking to myself, what would I do? What would I say? I don't think I planned it that way, it's just that this five book series is very close to my heart and I couldn't help but inject a bit of myself into it.

Follow Friday #47

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: What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form.

My answer: I can happily tick off the irritation box on all the things that the Ya Bookworm Blogger suggested on Parajunkee's blog. But for me, my biggest pet peeve is the injection of new information deemed convenient to keep the plot moving forward. 

For example a boy is just a boy, then suddenly he's a boy with the ability to time shift because it's convenient for this character to suddenly be somewhere else. Then suddenly this boy can shift time and shoot fireballs from his ass. I'm just saying, the injection of super powers or forgotten information into the story to resolve the unexplained is just plain annoying! Authors - consider your plot from beginning to end and don't leave loose ends unless it's a lead into the next novel!!

Gah, okay, said my piece. Have a super weekend.

Kristy :)

Follow Friday #44

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: What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? Is it to one day become an author yourself, just for fun, maybe get some online attention, or maybe something very different?

My answer: Truthfully, I just think it's great to have a voice that people actually want to listen to. It still boggles my mind that people actually care about what I have to say (even when rambling crap).

I am an author, so a blog is great exposure, but I also very much like to read and appreciate the written word of others, posting reviews that are fair and impartial.

Oh yeah ... and thanks for stopping by my blog and promoting it further - have a ripper weekend!

Kristy :)

The Damned good Giveaway - Winners!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the competition and I do have three, random lucky winners to announce who I will contact shortly to send their autographed, first edition copies of The Damned!:

Ann-Marie Boland (Cairns, Australia)

Kelly Mills (Kansas, USA)

Tianna Scott (USA)

Funnily enough I know all three of these beautiful women who contributed to the competition and I want to say a massive thank you for all your constant posts, shares, likes and complete and utter dedication to The Hunted series. I hope you enjoy The Damned, and naturally, write me an awesome review (hint, hint)

Here are all your photo entries from the comp!!!

The Damned Cover Reveal!

Hi everyone!

Well, it's the moment that a lot of you have been waiting for, and I know, very patiently at that. I can't apologise enough for the delays in the release of The Damned, but I can promise you this ... it will be worth the wait!
So without dragging my feet, here is the cover release for the second book in The Hunted series "The Damned" - I hope you love it as much as I do, but please feel free to leave opinion. You guys know how much I love your comments. Oh! And don't forget about the giveaway! Click this link to take you to the sign up page!
Have a good one,

Kristy :)

Here's the synopsis again if you missed it!

Life for Elena Manory skipped past ordinary just over a month ago. Discovering she was born a practically invulnerable vampire-werewolf hybrid was shocking enough, but she’s also become a target. Elena is being hunted by the Alpha werewolf Roshan, who’s fixated on the properties of her unique blood and the pleasurable possibilities of her flesh.

Moving to the Institute of Magical Intervention in Romania was supposed to provide her with protection and anonymity, but Elena soon realises her enemies are legion. None are as they seem, with no agenda truly without nefarious intentions.

A strange twist of fate and the actions of a vampire previously pressing for her affections lead Elena into the arms of another—one whose middle name spells trouble. Himself a vampire, Sebastian is perplexingly familiar, handsome, and arrogant. He introduces Elena to a world she never thought possible, uncovers a past believed long buried, and unearths a future she may not survive.

And the trailer!

Pre-release 'Damned' good giveaway!

Hey everyone! Well I have some exciting news for all you 'Hunted' fans out there. The release of The Damned is now imminent, the second and long-awaited book in The Hunted Series. Cover design is just finishing up and my Galley releases or ARC's (advanced reader copies) as some of you may know them, will be on my doorstep within a few weeks!
So what does this mean to you?
Well, what it means is that I want to give three lucky readers the opportunity to grab one of the these freshly printed, autographed paperback copies of The Damned to read in advance! Yes, you will get your copy weeks before anyone else will get their hot little hands on a purchasable book.
So how do you get one?
Easy. All you need to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions at the bottom of the blog if you haven't already :D.
But, how I will draw the winners is entirely up to you. I am going for total global domination here, so think big! I want you all to take photos of the first book 'The Hunted' in creepy, horrifying, creative, and exciting places. Jump in the picture too if you don't mind your face on my blog, but the point is - post it everywhere! The most creative photos posted regularly where you tag me in are more likely to win - so get cracking.
I can't wait to see where The Hunted will show up next! Also, keep your eyes peeled on the blog, there will be some cover and synopsis revelations soon for The Damned ...

Kristy :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get Hunted!

Hey Everyone,


This is a quick post today to let you all know that my first book in The Hunted Series, aptly called "The Hunted" has now been reduced to $4.99 (Kindle version)!
Feel free to grab yourself a copy, especially in light of the fact that my second book, The Damned is due to be released in the up and coming months, so getting in and reading the very first installment is a must!
For those of you that don't know much about my series, I'll be as succinct as possible. The Hunted Series is supernatural fiction targeting young adults and seasoned lovers of paranormal romance. Vampires, Werewolves, Angels, Demons, and Magic rein supreme - peppered with true violence and a strong female lead, you've got yourself an epic little read (okay, not so little at 582 pages) but nevertheless pretty damn awesome according to just about every review I've received so far. Plus, you want to make sure that you're reading the next big thing ... it's uncool not to covet this book and tell everyone about its awesomeness. I'm just saying ...

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.

What Follow Friday #2

Okay, I'm starting to suck at following through.
About two weeks ago I blitzed the ever popular meme "Follow Friday" through Parajunkee and Alison Can read's blog sites. Then, it was due to a girls night out where we sung badly, I watched other people get smashed, and then I snuck off home to bed before the clock struck twelve.
This week it was in celebration of my dad's birthday. While you were all undoubtedly discussing your favourite books (The Hunted Series), or raining praise upon the most influential author of our time (Kristy Berridge, aka: me), I was out eating.
Yes, please ignore my latest post Warring with my waistline Part 3. Although I am deeply committed to maintaining my gym membership and exploring healthy food options in the quest to assassinate my thighs, I was in fact eating myself into a food coma.
Pan seared Barramundi fillet, Jasmine rice, succulent greens, and hollandaise sauce. Yes, I spread them all over my lips, chewed vigorously and swallowed like I was doing Gandhi a favour.
Did I mention the sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce and ice cream? No? Probably best that I don't. As it is, I set myself back a full day at the gym and my husband has had to put a forklift on standby in case I can't roll myself to work on Monday.
Wait *looks up timidly* do you guys hear that?
It's an air raid siren. It seems that my thighs have already launched a counter attack. I apologise. I must run - literally.
Happy Birthday dad, you are the greatest.

Kristy :)