Follow Friday #20

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 presented by Beefcakes and Babes is: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

Answer: I agree with Beefcakes and Babes answer of 'Renesmee' from Breaking Dawn. I mean I love those books, but I distinctly remember reading this name, sounding it out, putting the book down in my lap when I figured out the combination, and then bursting out laughing. It is literally the lamest name on the planet, and believe it or not, I've actually met a guy called Wayne Kerr.

For me personally, I recently read a great little series by PC Cast which I absolutely adore, but the male lead's name was Clan Fintan - absolutely ridiculous if I do say so. And, due to said stupid name, I found it really difficult to take him seriously. The fact that he was also half horse had absolutely nothing to do with it ...

Anyway, happy Friday and happy reading!

Kristy ;)

The NEW - My Favourite Things ...

Hey Everyone! So, I posted earlier in the week about the fact I'd watched a recent episode of Glee with the song 'Favourite Things' being toted in a Christmas special. (See blog below or click this link) Naturally, I deemed it my duty to deconstruct the song and shamelessly blog about the boorish items of interest within the lyrics. I have to be honest, I've always liked the song, there's something very warm and comforting about it and I mean the intent no disrespect, but after really breaking down the 'Favourite Things', I was left reeling, wondering if I was the only one who thought girls in white dresses and warm woolen mittens were lame.

So, although I appreciate this well worn classic and respect that the items in this song gave people the warm fuzzies back before electricity could do it for them, I thought I'd re-invent the wheel, re-write the song in accordance with more modern aspirations of desire.
I warn you now, it won't be hit. In fact, I can already see my mother rolling her eyes and shaking her head at me, but I'm going to do it anyway. So here goes.
(PS, you must sing it while you're reading it, if for no other reason than to look and sound like a total idiot to those around you.)
Yep, good times.

Chocolate ganaches in over-portioned sizes,

Lipstick that tastes good and won't give you hives,

Large Tiffany boxes filled with sparklies,

These are a few of my favourite things.

Black Audi's and Beamers parked in my driveway,

Books about vampires, werewolves and spiders,

A lawn mower man that tends my hedging,

These are a few of my favourite things.

A husband that loves me despite all my bitching,

Straighteners and curlers that fix my hair quickly,

A pair of great Levi's that make my ass sing,

These are a few of my favorite things.

When my boss bites,

When my cash thins,

When I'm feeling sad.

I simply remember my favourite things,

And then I don't feel, so bad ...

Okay, so that's the gist of it. Try not to love it so much that you start singing it at work and miraculously get me a record deal with Sony. That would just be embarrassing. But, for those of you like me that still find themselves smiling at the end of the song despite the cream ponies and weird German Strudle - here's the original.

Have a good one,

Kristy :)

Favourite Things

I was watching the Christmas special of Glee last night - a little weird considering it's February, but they were singing a song called 'favourite things' which I first heard when watching The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews as a kid. Anyway, during this song while I was actually listening to the words for the first time ever, I
realised that some of those 'favourite things' were really freaking lame.
For example; Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. One, raindrops on roses equals a wet nose, and two, whiskers on kittens are a foregone conclusion so not really worth getting too damn excited about if you know what I mean.
The next step was; Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Right, copper kettles equal lots of cleaning and frankly a rather nasty big 'owie' if you touch them while they're hot, and woolen mittens? They could never be  my favourite thing, but jeesh I am damn grateful for them in cold weather, so I'll concede on this point.
And of course, it follows with; Brown paper packages tied up with string. Now perhaps I've been buried in fiction for far too long or I watch too many movies, but brown paper packages usually have a bomb inside.
Just saying.
So already with the first verse broken down I'm realising quite quickly that I'm a cynic. Yes, I can find all sorts of things wrong with cream coloured ponies, door bells, sleigh bells, and girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes. Ponies leave giant poo, door bells mean unwelcome visitors, and a girl in a white dress could be a ghost.
Needless to say now that I have heard the lyrics completely, I'm certain I can come up with some better favourite things to enjoy. In actual fact, I might even do a re-edit and re-post next week. What do you think?
Anyway, hope you all have a great weekend - I'm sure, everyone's favourite thing!

Kristy ;)

Follow Friday #19

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 would you prefer: reading your favourite book over and over again until you got sick of it, OR reading 100's of mediocre books and why?

Answer: See, this may not be the most common answer among my peers, but I have to say reading 100's of mediocre books. My reasoning is that I need variety in my life. As a creative person, simply existing in repetition would absolutely drive me crazy. Plus even when reading mediocre books I always find something positive (unless the material really does suck). 

Needless to say I will take variety and uncertainty in the hopes that I will find that diamond in the rough. I think that's part of the excitement of reading!

Kristy :)

Mad For Fiction

I would first like to start this post by acknowledging the fact that although I do fly a secret freak flag I am in no way shape or form a psychopath. My husband usually adds 'yet' onto the end of that sentence, but I can honestly say that it's true. The reason I plead such a case is that I often wonder if all this horror/supernatural fiction writing I do has anything to do with my ... um ... urges.
Oh no, they are not the swing your knickers over your head or make you blush kind of urges which are also fun, they are ... *swallows* counterproductive human safety measures. (A nice way to say I'm coming at you with a butcher knife ... kidding!)
Anyway, writing about vampires and werewolves, angels and demons, and all that blood has made me somewhat curious. Don't get me wrong I want no part in it, but sometimes I wonder what it might feel like to bite a jugular, or claw my way through flesh with my long, dark talons. It's like standing at the top of a staircase and wondering what would happen if you just let yourself go and fall.
Needless to say this imagery I create makes for spectacular scenes of grandeur within my stories, but there is a small part of me that thinks, what if I did face slam that asshole who took my car park at the shopping center? What if I did use a flame thrower on that idiot at work that keeps asking me the same stupid questions again and again?
Okay, so I know the answer to that is jail time, so pipe down in front, but just imagine for one second that our kick-ass heroes and heroines from the novels we read and write were us? Would we apologise for body slamming our Peeping Tom neighhbour, or quell our urges to slice and dice an innocent's murderer?
Just saying.
Give me your thoughts on this. You can post as anonymous if you're worried you're a psycho too. Oh, and if you leave a comment saying you want to send me creepy newspaper clippings and then come at me with a machete, think twice about trying to freak out a fiction writer.
We're always one step ahead of you!

Kristy :)