BrigitteWhoa the Book-A-Holic: Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Perimeter by Shalini Boland

Monday, November 18, 2013

Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Perimeter by Shalini Boland

The Perimeter

Series: Outside #3

Author: Shalini Boland

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Publication Date: November 18th 2013

Synopsis

In this fractured world, a sinister force is coming for Riley, and the only things keeping her safe are a perimeter fence and the people she loves. As her life is threatened, she must make impossible choices. But help comes from the most unlikely of places, and all Riley needs to know is: who can she really trust?Meanwhile, a repentant killer searches for peace and salvation, but what he gets is the exact opposite. Now he’ll have to make the hardest decision of his life.

The Perimeter is a darkly captivating dystopian tale of adventure, danger, love and redemption that will have you on the edge of your seat and up at night turning the pages to find out what happens next . . .

Series Synopsis

Set in the near future, these three heart-stopping novels follow Riley as she overcomes the murder of her younger sister by tracking down the killer across a post-apocalyptic Britain. At the same time, she is forced to take on the might of a twisted regime intent on conquering the nation. The series is packed with action, suspense, drama and dystopian adventure.

Excerpt

The two men were youngish with beards, wearing layers of filthy clothing. One of them had a face-full of piercings – lip rings, eyebrow studs and a hoop through his nose. They were both skinny and hollow-cheeked with deep-set eyes. As they drew closer, I saw pure hostility in their faces and it took all my strength of will not to throw the truck into reverse and gun it all the way home.
‘What’s your business here?’ the man with the nose hoop called out.
‘I lowered the window a fraction. ‘I’m a friend of Lou’s.’
‘ ‘Lou?’ They took a few steps closer, their weapons still lowered.
‘ ‘Yeah. Fair-haired girl with two younger brothers. Lives up close to the compound wall.’
‘ ‘I know who Lou is,’ nose-hoop replied. ‘What d’you want with her?’
‘ ‘She helped me out yesterday. I’ve come to say thanks.’ 
‘ ‘Get out of the truck and I’ll fetch her over.’ 
‘ ‘I’d rather stay inside till she gets here if that’s okay.’
‘They stopped a few yards away and talked to each other in low tones so I couldn’t hear. By now, several other gypsies had come close to the wire fence to see what was going on. I’d started to cause a bit of a stir – exactly what I hadn’t wanted to do.
‘ ‘Out of the truck,’ nose-hoop repeated, aiming his rifle at the windscreen. ‘Slowly. Hands in the air.’
‘I hadn’t come here for a gunfight, so it didn’t look as though I had much choice. I would have to do as he asked.

Book #1 Trailer

Book #2 Trailer

About the Author

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect.

Author Links

Why I Write YA Fiction by Shalini Boland

I’m just a big kid.
I write in the Young Adult genre mainly because I identify most with that age group. I’ve never really felt like a proper grownup. (Except when I’m arguing on the phone with British Telecom).: Brave or stupid?
It’s a biological fact that teens’ brains are wired differently to adults’ brains. Which is probably why adults and teens clash so much. Teens don’t necessarily make the same informed choices that adults do. They might just do things as opposed to, erm, thinking things through. I’ve had readers say, ‘Why did such and such a character do that? It was just dumb.’ But another reader might class the same action as extreme bravery. That’s the beauty of writing YA fiction; you have these amazing vibrant characters who just do stuff of their own accord. Sometimes, I swear they take over my laptop and write themselves.: Ahh, teen angst,
I love it. It’s deliciously self-indulgent, but absolutely justified. All that sexual tension and hormonal activity racing around teen bodies is a recipe for deep introspection/rage/misery/burning love. Those moments when they gnaw the skin off their knuckles and stare at the ceiling, fuelling their angst with music and dark literature.: Coming-of-age
Forging their way in the world. Making mistakes and finding their place when everyone else seems to know theirs. I especially like dumping my teens into scary settings without parents. Making them grow up quickly. Throwing them into tricky situations where they have to lose their childish ways and come through for someone else.: I don’t write FOR young adults. I write for myself,
for the memory of the teen I used to be, if that makes sense. I imagine being back at that age and how it truly felt to be neither child nor adult, but something in between. In your own exclusive world that no one else really understands. When I write, I pull out all those feelings I once had and keep them close to the surface – that first kiss, the insecurity, the excitement of new experiences. It’s all there inside us, if we care to remember. I think that’s why adults enjoy reading literature about teens – it takes us back to that time and place; like the smell of cheap aftershave or an illicit cigarette.

Author Q&A

What can you tell us about The Outside Series?
Set in the near future, these three novels follow Riley as she overcomes the murder of her younger sister by tracking down the killer across a post-apocalyptic Britain. At the same time, she is forced to take on the might of a twisted regime intent on conquering the nation. 

The story is full of action and adventure with a smattering of angsty romance. Books two and three become more darkly dystopian.

How do you develop your characters?
My characters grow as I write them. I always think of their upbringing and their circumstances and what bearing this will have on their actions. I try to put myself in their position - How would they really react in a particular situation? 

I often back my characters into impossible situations or give them difficult dilemmas to deal with, that even I don’t know how to deal with. I hope this makes the story more unpredictable and the drama more realistic.

The naming process is very important to me. If a character has a good name, they can come alive. Sometimes, a minor character with a great name will try to take over and carve out a bigger role. I usually let them!

Who is your ideal reader?
Someone who likes the ‘what if …’ scenario: What if you were living your life and it took an unexpected twist?

My books are aimed at young adults, but I write the kinds of books that I would like to read myself – post-apocalyptic adventure and urban fantasy with a twist of horror and a dusting of romance. My current readers are aged anywhere from thirteen to seventy.

What was your journey as a writer?
I used to be a singer songwriter, signed to Universal Music. But it’s not a lifestyle that goes well with having a family and I found myself resenting the time spent away from my kids. I wasn’t successful enough to have nannies and entourages! 

One day, I had an idea for a great ending to a story and I started scribbling my first novel. Writing fiction gave me the new creative outlet I needed. Plus, I can write from home and set my own timetable. I love it!

What is your writing process?
I don’t have a set-in-stone process. I usually have a rough plan and work my way steadily through the chapters, editing as I go.

What authors most inspire you?
Authors who can weave multiple plot lines with ease, whose characters evoke strong emotions and who can keep you guessing till the end. I’m in awe of Carlos Ruis Zafon, Laini Taylor, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins and Paullina Simons.

What books, written by someone else, do you wish you'd written yourself?
Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Giveaway

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