Kimberly graciously accepted to celebrate the release of her new series, starting with The Pledge with us on Tynga’s Reviews! If you want to learn more about the series, you’re at the right place ^^
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1- The Pledge is the first book in a new series, was it hard to step away from The Body Finder's series and immerse yourself in a new world?
I wouldn’t say it was hard, but it was definitely different...and a whole lotta fun! I loved creating an entirely new world from scratch, with new rules and societal structures. Even better, one with new hot boys!
2- In The Pledge, social classes are divided by the language they speak. I have to say it's extremely original and I find myself wondering what triggered this idea?
The original idea for The Pledge came to me in pieces. The first piece was just a simple question: “What would it be like if someone could understand all languages?” But I definitely wanted the story itself to be bigger than just that component. I spent a lot of time thinking about how Charlie’s ability would work, what kind of world she would live in, and creating the monarchies and her friends and family, before I’d ever written a single word.
3- Would you qualify The Pledge as a dystopian novel?
Booksellers and publishers love to classify books with neat little labels, but I have a tough time with that. If I had to categorize it, I’d almost call The Pledge more of a fantasy-dystopic with a splash of romance. But I guess that’s kind of hard to find on the shelves.
4- This is just the beginning, but how many books are planned in the series?
There are three books planned, and I can’t wait to torture these characters some more! ;)
Now onto some Xmas-y questions:
5- What's a typical Christmas like in the Derting family?
We actually have a great family tradition! As a family, we...do absolutely nothing. All day. Seriously, we just sit around in our pajamas, and watch movies and eat junk food. It’s the best day of the year, because we’re all together and we have no distractions!
6- What's your best Christmas memory?
A few years ago we got a gorgeous white Christmas, which is pretty rare around here. It just made our Christmas all the more memorable. And is it just me or does hot cocoa taste even better when it’s 
7- Is there one gift you received that really stuck to your memory?
This is so weird (and random) but I remember getting the X-Wing Fighter from Star Wars when I was in the 5th grade. It was kind of a big deal, since it was the hot gift of the season and I knew how hard they were to get. So when I got one, I felt pretty special!
8- What is Christmas like in The Pledge's world?
Well, there is no “Christmas” in Ludania because I’m pretty sure the queen would not want to share the spotlight with Santa. :) But they still have winter. Their climate is similar to parts of the northern United States and Europe, so it’s snowy and cold.
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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about The Pledge
In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
Kimberly would like to offer one of you a signed copy of The Pledge, also with some bookmarks, stickers, and a Passport.
Open to US & Canada only
Giveaway Ends January 4th, 2012.
All you have to do is fill the Rafflecopter form below.
The only mandatory entry is to provide your name and email addy =)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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You can visit Kimberly here.
More of Kimberly Derting‘s books:
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
