Meet Becca from upcoming zombie book, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie

It's about time I introduced you to Rebecca Herrera Hayes, or Becca, as she prefers to be called. She's the 16-year-old protagonist from my upcoming book, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, coming in August.  (See the prologue and chapter one download, and preorder links above.)

First thing you'll notice are Becca's eyes, of course, but shh, not a  peep! She's kind of sensitive about her one eye which "pings around like a pinball machine" ever since she got infected by the Z virus, thanks to her other cousin sharing his secret with her through an accidental scratch.

Now Becca has all these weird quirks and a new life to get used to. Not that being a part Z is ever easy. Luckily, a woman came up with this awesome makeup, "Girls Like Us," (which Becca really thinks should be called "Ghouls Like Us") and helps with some of the more "stubborn Z traits." A little swipe of "Ghoul Girl Pink" on her lips and some blue eyeshadow and she feels, well, almost normal again. A little.

Then her other cousin Carm's friend Jesse arrives with his good-looking, part Z brother Gabe. Becca is skeptical when Gabe shows an interest in her, given all her weird quirks and him looking near normal. But he tries to help her cope with all the changes - physical and emotional - that being a part Z includes. And, to her surprise, Becca finds herself looking at him in a new light...

Despite Becca's crankiness and spurts of anger, which Gabe claims is "normal for us" during their adjustment, he understands - he sees her heart. To Becca's amazement he doesn't turn away from her, even when he sees some of her darkness inside.

He hopes, and sees how things can be, something Becca must accept and face if they are going to have any kind of future, together. And after awhile, this is something she actually allows herself to think about... Will she succeed?

Some Fun Facts about Becca:

1. She shouldn't wear certain colors. "I can't wear green, for obvious reasons."
2. She loves Tamales and Enchiladas and chocolate and...
3. She's close to her family, her aunt (Tia) Imelda, her mother, and cousins Carm and Spence, though Spence is the one who comes home carrying a deadly secret - and changes her life forever...
4. She collects Day of the Dead figurines.
5. She is not a perfect student.
6. She thinks her life is over when she's infected with the Z virus... but it isn't...
7. She dreams of being a model or TV broadcaster, though her dreams change once she's infected. Her new goal? "Maybe I can become the first Z broadcaster, like Oprah, except I'll never be cancelled..."