Saturday, August 31, 2013

Brainssss....

The perfect zombie topic today... as there have been several science developments lately regarding brains, such as...



Remember that famous line from the scarecrow's song in the Wizard of Oz? "...If I only had a brain?" Well....

Holy cow!  Need one? Looks like they are growing them! Apparently the (mad) scientists have pea-sized brains growing in the lab. (I do not want to think about the monstrosities that went wrong and that you'll never hear about or see-or want to!)

That's not all! Nope!

Migraines may change the structure of the brain... a study shows that migraine sufferers show "abnormalities" on MRIs though they don't know which is the cause and which is the result and would recommend further testing. But doctors also say it doesn't seem to be cause for concern.

And... it seems mice get forgetful as they age, too. A recent study shows that less of a certain protein in the hippocampus in the brain may cause forgetfulness...and boosting it may correct the problem. So it may be reversible?

So, gotta keep those brains healthy since we might be needing them, right?




Friday, August 30, 2013

The Serpent and the Rainbow

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the movie of this same name, but did you know it was based on real scientific work?


Wade Davis is an ethnobiologist who went to Haiti specifically looking for the zombie poison.  And he was successful.  He figured out exactly what the poison did.  But there's more to it than that.  There's a whole sociological aspect.  The book was wonderful.  It read like fiction, and I had to remind myself several times that it wasn't.  As a zombie fan, I totally recommend checking it out.

I also sent Mr. Davis an email a while back.  He was kind enough to respond and recommended I check out his other book.  I'm going to.  I bet it's fascinating!

I'll be honest, I have never seen the movie.  I know, I know, it's been out forever.  Rest assured, it's on my list, and I can't wait to see how they made it.  I know that it's based on Mr. Davis's excursions, but I'm going to guess Wes Craven took a few liberties.  Still, it's research, so I'm excited!


I kind of want to know what Mr. Davis's reaction was to the movie.  Maybe he'll be kind enough to indulge me in an interview after I've finished watching it!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Mary Poppins vs. the Walking Dead

A group I'm in starting talking about mash-ups and someone came up with Mary Poppins Meets the Walking Dead.  I think she'd sing a song something like this:




(spoken)
In each undead we must put down
An element of fun is found
You find the fun and whack!
The undead don’t come back

(sung)
Those who spurned the undertaker
We will send to meet their maker.
A lark!  A spree!  It’s very clear to see that

A shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
The zombie hoard go down, the zombie hoard go down
Just a shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
In a most exciting way!

A man who’s defending his nest
As very little time to rest
While taking out the shambling undead.
Though he’s knee-deep in their gore
He’s ready to take on more.
He knows to stop would be death of Pop

And

A shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
The zombie hoard go down, the zombie hoard go down
Just a shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
In a most exciting way!

(Interlude, courtesy of Walking Dead—much gunfire and people screaming as they do something stupid and pay fatally for it)

Intrepid moms that fetch the food
From the ransacked grocery stores
Always go well-armed and cautiously
‘Cause as they’re filling up their packs
A zombie could sneak ‘hind their backs
And hence (Look out)
They find (Oh, no!)
Double shots work fine

Aaaaaaahhhhhh!  Whew!

‘cause

A shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
The zombie hoard go down, the zombie hoard go down
Just a shovelfull of kickass makes the zombie hoard go down
In a most exciting way!

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

New review for Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie!


   Great new zombie book review posted by reader Joline on the  Knight Stalkers blog.

She says in part... "For months I followed posts and blogs about an upcoming book by Christine Verstraete that really peaked my interest. The title sounded different, Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, and the girl with the crazy eyes on the cover,  hypnotized me. I downloaded my copy the day it became available (August 1st, I believe). I raced to finish the book I was currently reading because I just couldn't wait to get started on Girl Z!

"Right from the first few paragraphs I knew I was reading something unique and smart. The story focuses mostly on Becca (the main character) and her cousin Carm (I would consider her a secondary or even another main character).

"...Oh, and don't be deterred by the Young Adult description for this book. I think the older crowd will enjoy this as well! I was very pleasantly surprised that the teenagers in this book didn't act very much like teenagers. Sure, there were some short moments about boys, clothes, etc but these kids are forced to grow up so quickly that you will not find any teenage type drama in this book!"

Read the rest at the Knight Stalkers blog.  - Amazon - print- Kindle



Wow! Joline thank you! I need about 50 more readers like her.... is it you? ;)


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Get Your Scare On! Halloween Writing Contest at Haunt Jaunts!



My friend Courtney, director of Paranormal Tourism at Haunt Jaunts, is hosting her first annual Halloween Horror Writing Contest!

Get your scare on and writing something scary- spooky - creepy! I'm one of the judges so I'll be waiting.... bwah-ha-ha!

C'mon and enter - and SCARE ME!!!!  Pay entry fee via PayPal and enter story online at link above or here. Prizes are $$$ and publication.


Details: 

What We Want: Horror stories, not horrible stories. Clean, crisp, prose that crackles with terror. Make us not want to sleep with the lights off after reading your story! Original work only. (Meaning you wrote it. No plagiarism please!) Previously published stories are fine as long as you have the right to resubmit and reprint them.

What We Don’t Want: We want to be scared, not grossed out. No bestiality, abuse against children or animals, or excessive violence.

Word Length: Up to 2,000 words.

Entry Fee: $5 per story

How to Enter: Pay the entry fee using the PayPal button and enter story on the Haunt Jaunts page

Deadline: October 15, 2013




Monday, August 26, 2013

Author Stephen Sullivan Talks Zombies and Writing

Gasp. yes, a change of pace! Every now and then we let a guy sneak into GirlZombieAuthors... so today I welcome mucho prolific author Stephen D. Sullivan.


His recent works include a fascinating giant monster serial,  DAIKAIJU ATTACK! (free online!)



 and his ode to Shark Week - Monster Shark and Zombie Shark. Really.  (Buy on Smashwords)



And he has a "secret" project coming soon, probably by fall since we're both participating in the zombie panel at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books... Here's a "teaser" -



And... he's supposedly working on a YA zombie novel and his horror novel Frost Harrow and.... I said prolific right? He's written - gasp! - 35+ novels, so of course, he has some good writing advice to share, too. Read on.


Tell us about yourself.
I’ve been working in publishing professionally since 1980, when I joined TSR Games (the Dungeons & Dragons people) as a staff editor. I’ve spent the years since working as an author, artist, and editor on fantasy, science fiction (SF), and horror projects in books, comics, and games.

 In the mid 1990s, I began writing novels, and now have more than 35 books to my credit -- even more if you count anthologies and collections.  I’ve also published a boatload of short stories. 

 I’ve won the Origins Award (gaming’s highest honor) for my fiction twice, and been nominated for numerous other honors.  Today, I run a micro-publishing company in addition to continuing to write my own books and stories.  Some of the more famous projects include: Dungeons & Dragons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Speed Racer, Legend of the Five Rings, The Simpsons (Treehouse of Horrors) and Star Wars.  

How did you begin writing?
Though I began my professional writing/editing career 32 years ago, I’ve been writing and illustrating stories all my life. While I was interested in writing books as a teenager, I don’t think I ever saw that as a career path. But becoming a novelist (and short story writer) seemed a natural progression after working in comics and games. (I haven’t made it into films, yet, though I have written several SF plays.)

What is your latest project?
Currently, I’m working on some fantasy and horror books, but my most recent release is an SF/fantasy/alternate-history novella. Heart of Steam & Rust is steampunk meets James Bond set in pre-revolutionary Russia.  The main character was inspired -- in a backhanded way -- by the psychic Russian in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  I didn’t think the movie handled that idea well, and set out to make a better one of my own.  My character, Lina Ivanova, first appeared as the villain in my short “Kit Chapman-Challenger & the Last Ranodon.  In Heart of Steam & Rust, she delves into a spy-based murder mystery and readers get to decide if she’s a hero or … something else.  The twist is, Lina is investigating her own murder.

But don’t worry, I haven’t spoiled much by telling you that.

Who’s publishing your latest work?
I’ve published this story with, Walkabout, my own micro-pub company.  Doing so allows me to get the work in front of the public much more quickly.  It also gives me more control over the property in the future.  It’s not exactly self-publishing, as Walkabout has an actual editorial process, which I follow even with my own work.  The process includes editorial passes by professional editors and proofreaders, and I think that’s the key to micro-publishing good work: you need more people than just you working on the project.

Any tips for publishing yourself?
I worry a bit about the number of self-published e-books and novels out there currently, and the lack of professional standards.  Coming from a publishing background, I’m proud that the work of my micro-pub company can stand toe-to-toe with the big NYC houses. 

Having your friends read and critique your work is good and useful, and rewriting your story is obviously key, but even self publishers -- if they hope to put out good books -- need input from real editors.  An editor can turn a bad book into a good  book, and a good book into a great book.  Behind every great book is a great editor.

So, my self-publishing tip is: get yourself a good editor.  Get a graphic designer/book layout person, too, for that matter.

Do you have a favorite quote from the book?
Asking an author to choose a favorite quote from a story is a lot like asking a parent to choose a favorite child.  In this case, it’s particularly hard because a lot of the things that are clever or memorable are keyed to the story, and wouldn’t mean much if you take them out of context.  The novella has plenty of clever twists and turns and dialog, so I guess it’s up to readers to find their own favorite quotes.

What’s been the hardest part of writing?
The hardest part of any writing project is always getting started and building a head of steam.  There’s so much else going on the world, that it’s often difficult to concentrate on just one thing -- and writing well demands that your butt be in a chair in front of the keyboard for a prolonged period of time.  Unfortunately, writers also have to be their own publicists nowadays (well those of us not rolling in money do), which means interacting with social media and other things that can inadvertently suck away a lot of time.  The balance is tricky, but in the end, you need to just find the time to write.  If the story doesn’t actually get done, then how can anybody read it?

Any final bits of advice?
Everybody in the world has a great idea for a story.  The difference between an author and everyone else is that the author has actually done the work.  So sit your butt down at the keyboard and write!

Great advice! Thanks, Stephen!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Walking Dead Season 3 DVD zombie package coming!




It's probably old news to everyone else but The Walking DEAD Season 3 DVD sets come out Aug. 27!

And... if you buy the special limited edition blu-ray set (at the special suggested retail price of $149 ) you get this cool zombie head package by McFarlane Toys. Still cool!

Watch Season 3 episode - and buy Season 3  - $26.99 below


Friday, August 23, 2013

Zombies on Hold

Man, I totally lost track of time this week!  Between my sinus infection and being busy at work, I have no idea what's going on.  I apologize.  I will let you know all about my research next week.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Zombie and Pet Tales

When the zombie apocalypse nears, there's plenty of mentions about finding a safe place, and protecting family and friends, but....what about the pets?

Well, some authors have made sure that their favorite animals don't get overtaken by zombies, but survive and help protect their beloved humans, or some play other roles in the story. Here are a few zombie books with pets that I came across, some you may know and some may be new to you (and me):


 The Book Of Riley ~ A Zombie Tale by Mark Tufo, (the first of 4 books), American Bulldog Riley tries to keep her pack--a high-strung Yorkie, her favorite "two-legger" Jesse and his younger brother, and her arch-enemy the cat--safe as they depend upon each other to stay alive. (86 pgs.) (Also in audiobook)







Pet Sematary (one of my favorites) by Stephen King is of course the definitive love story gone wrong when a beloved pet is buried in a haunted cemetery (and doesn't stay there).











In Zombies, Cats and Heroes by Brett A. Fernau (who appears to be an avid cat lover with a selection of different books featuring cats), a man and his cat find a way to reestablish civilization in the face of a "mind virus."










  In my book, Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie by C.A. Verstraete, one of 16-year-old Becca's greatest fears comes to light when her uncle brings over his big German Shepherd dog, Chico. Becca, of course, wants to make sure her Tia Imelda is safe, but she has a particular (unfounded) fear about dogs as seen in this excerpt:

I love dogs, but I still wondered . . . "Carm?"
"Hmm?"
"Will, you know, the dog hate me?"
"Hate you? Why?"
"You know, because I'm, uh, different? I must smell different, don't you think?"
Carm stared at me, then glanced away, but not fast enough for me to miss the flash of guilt. "Well, maybe. You do, um, kind of smell a little sometimes."
Her comment made me jump like she'd stabbed me. "Wh-what? You-you mean I'm starting to smell like-like . . ." I gulped. The idea repulsed me. "Like one of them?"
Carm gave me a sheepish look before she answered. "Bec, I didn't want to say anything. But don't worry. You're nothing like them. It's only a little. A real little. It's hardly noticeable."
"You noticed."

"Uh, ah, it's because I'm by you all the time," she sputtered. "Don't worry about it."





Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Plants VS Zombies 2 is out!

The sequel is currently out  and now available on Itunes! (Still not out for Kindle yet). If you've enjoyed the original Plants VS Zombies, then get ready to join Crazy Dave and defeat the walking dead. You'll get the chance to take on legions of zombies, try out armies of new powerful plants, and find other ways to safeguard your brain! Visit the official website to learn more HERE




Monday, August 19, 2013

Zombie Book Excerpt from The Complex by Julie Rudolph

Today we welcome Julie Rudolph author of The Complex: Book I  and The Highway: Book II in The Reanimates Series.

   In  THE COMPLEX,  Cali Anglin learns the hard way that nothing stays the way we want it. The mom, wife and nurse had a simple life - and now she must fight to save her family after a virus goes awry and a plague of zombies takes over. The survivors must make a safe zone in their gated apartment complex but how can they survive with their humanity intact?
 
In THE HIGHWAY, survivors driven from their California home by marauders head to family in Idaho. Their hope is to survive on the way to that next safe area, but they find that safety comes at a cost. How much would you be willing to pay for the chance to begin again?

An excerpt from THE COMPLEX: 


Oh. My. God. That was exactly what they were saying, wasn’t it? The patient died. It was after they died that they came back, without a heartbeat, moving and violent. They were talking about real life zombies

 I sat unmoving. While I faced the television I couldn’t see it. All I could see was my son sprawled across the bed. All I could see was walking towards Trent on our wedding day. How would I tell them that there were zombies happening? How could I destroy the world as they knew it?


I walked softly down the hall into the pitch dark of the master bedroom. It didn’t often occur to me how dark it gets in there with the extra window coverings I had up to block out the sun in there. Night shifters like me tend to have a cave for a room. That morning it hit me how truly dark it got. I climbed into my side of the king sized bed and just lied there. What do I say? I put my hand on my husband’s arm and he stirred.


An Interview with Cali:   



My name is J and I'll be meeting with Cali Anglin in just a few moments. I'm standing on one side of a gated fence right now, as they can't allow me in unless I can prove that I am not infected. Instead they have set up an area for me to meet with her.

The drawbridge I crossed to get to the wrought iron gate has been partially raised to keep me safe from any stray zombie that may come shambling by. As I adjust my skirt after sitting down on a plastic lawn chair, I see a young woman walking towards me. She is wearing jeans and heavy, black boots, and a black tank top that says Pirate Teaser on it. Her long, reddish-brown hair has been swept up in a hight ponytail that has frizzed in the mild humidity. Her eyes are obscured by dark sunglasses. Her mouth is set in a determined line.

As she gets closer to the gate I notice her right hand had disappeared behind her back as she searches the surrounding area. When she seems satisfied she takes her hand out from behind her back and shakes my hand through the gate. She stands with confidence, strong and content. She slides the sunglasses off her face and onto her head like a headband. Her hazel eyes are sparkling and the smile on her lips match the smile in her eyes. We introduce ourselves before I get to asking questions. Cali reminds me that the question/answer thing has to be quick, there is only so much time she can spend on this interview.

J: With the zombie apocalypse in full swing, I imagine your priorities in life have changed. What is the most important thing to you?

Cali: Actually J., the things that were most important then are still the most important now. Family. I fought to keep them safe and happy before, what mom hasn't! Though, I have to admit, things were easier in the before. We taught Drew all about the stranger danger lessons—don't take candy from people you don't know, etc. It is a bit harder now, I have to admit. Before, safe was easy. Now? Safe means to literally keep them from being eaten alive by predators.

J: If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?

Cali: A very, very big wall. Actually, I'd want a bio-dome, a nice huge one that covers a small city so we can have farming in it, a few livestock, and absolute protection from the monsters.

J: Has being a nurse come in handy with the apocalypse?

Cali: Yes, and no. I was a heart nurse. Give me chest pain and I could patch you up with some nitro and an aspirin until the doc came to clear out the blockage. If your blood pressure was up, I could give you meds for that and get you stable. If I had truly expected that the zombie apocalypse was knocking at our door any day, I'd have chosen emergency med as my specialty.

J: How do you trust strangers in your area?

Cali: It's the end of the world. Only a few of us survived. I had this delusion that everybody would be on the same page as my group, that we all need to work together to make the whole of the group stronger. We wanted to be this shiny mecca. Some people that knocked at our gate seemed to be on the same page. Others, not so much. We had one group of people with the gall to be aggressive towards us. So, to answer your question, it's all in the approach.

J: Ok, I know you have to get back to your life, so I have just one more question for you. How long do you think you'll be able to last here in the complex?

Cali: (Cali pauses here. She looks thoughtful, turns her head to look at the apartments behind her and her eyes rest on a small group of children playing freeze tag. She sits motionless, wordless, for a short time, then turns her head towards me.)

I have no idea. I wish for forever, but I know better than that. all I can hope for now is for just one more day. One more safe day at a time. The idea that it could all end at any moment keeps me awake most every night. The enormity of it all scares the crap out of me so all I can hope for is just one more day.

J: Thank you so much, Cali!

Cali: No problem!

Cali, who never took even a moment to sit down despite the second chair on her side of the fence, shakes my hand again and urges me to get back to my group and to be safe. She then turns around and softly jogs back.

Now that her back is turned, I can see why she had put her hand behind her. Tucked into her waist band is a gun. She was prepared for the worst, but in her eyes I saw hope for the best.


Another member of her group, one I hadn't even noticed being there, lowered the gate for me. I crossed it quickly and got in my car. As I pulled away, I glanced into my rear view mirror where I saw Cali standing on a roof with several other people. I have a good feeling about these guys. They have stayed human and I think that of everyone I had seen, her group will be the most likely to make it.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Final day GIRL Z: Teenage Zombie book blog tour


 I want to thank everyone who followed my blog tour the past two weeks for GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie- and thanks to those who came out for Wednesday's book launch party! Pix coming!


Don't forget to get the book or ebook for your e-reader  - iPad, Nook, Kindle, etc. - and PLEASE do put a review up on Amazon and other sites. Even the minimum words, ok?

Now... the winners:

Prizes will be figured out later. Thanks for entering!

Winners in order are:
1 Robin
2 Shannon
 Tie: 3 Dana - 4 Kami - 5 Frances



Friday, August 16, 2013

Alien Zombies

I haven't actually had a chance to do any research this week because I've been busy with edits.  Not my own, unfortunately, but freelance projects.  I'm not really complaining, they pay, but I'm excited to get back to work on my zombie project!

Last week, I met with a friend and fellow author, Mike Brotherton, who happens to also be an astronomy professor.  We talked about what it would take for zombies to come from space--if they could come at all.  We also talked about his Launch Pad Workshop, which is freaking awesome and I had the pleasure of being an attendee in 2011.  Man, it seems like a long time ago!

If you recall, the zombies in Night of the Living Dead are created when a meteor with high amounts of radiation crashes onto Earth.  This film was made in 1968, a time when the effects of radiation were just coming to be known.  It was also a time when the space race was on, and no one knew what we were going to find out there.  Radiation causes a lot of awful things--cancer, sterility--but it's highly doubtful it would create zombies.  Because of the time, it was just a convenient causation.

The Ghosts of Mars is another film where zombies are created by an alien substance.  I haven't watched it again (yet), so I don't really remember the details, but the basic premise is that miners on Mars are turned into murderous creatures bent on ridding the planet of the human infestation.  It's a great film.  I really enjoy it, but it never really reached main-stream popularity.

So, anyway, the point was:  what would it take for zombies to come from space?  There is so much out there that we don't know, and there is a theory, called Panspermia, that proposes that all viruses come from space.  I need to do some more digging, but it's a fascinating idea.

The truth is, if there are pathogens in space, they can conceivably make their way to Earth.  Do you have any idea how many meteorites slam into our surface?  And they can potentially make us sick.  Like I said, I need to do a lot more digging to find answers, but the prospects are looking promising!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

GIRL Z: Teenage Zombie book launch tour

I want to thank everyone who stopped by, commented, and showed their support during the past two weeks for the release of GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie. But.... we're not done yet!!!



This is a wrap-up post as tonight is the Book Launch Party!! If you're in the Wisconsin-Illinois area, do stop by! (I will announce the prize winners from the blog tour probably sometime Saturday as I'll be running around like a chicken getting ready for the party.)

The party is from 6-8 p.m. tonight at the Southwest Library community room,
7979 38th Ave., Kenosha WI 

** Almost done! Be sure to visit one more blog tomorrow 
and come back here Saturday to see who won!
 (LAST CHANCE - sign in at rafflecopter and see prize pix on day 1)

Friday, 8/16 – Austin Camacho, Another Writer’s Life, http://ascamacho.blogspot.com
Saturday, 8/17 – Winners announced after 12 noon Central – GirlZombieAuthors,http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com


I've had fun writing the book and delving into the world of zombies. But I'm far from done.  I'm still writing and hoping to continue this and other stories.

Requests of Readers:


  I'm not Stephen King or "famous," so please help me get the word out about the book!  You can copy and paste: (Make sure the links are live)

 GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie by C.A. Verstraete
  • ISBN-13: 9780979478895


All book purchase links and details, download Prologue/Chapter 1 - 

Amazon US: print and Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/csbyqc5
Amazon UK: print and Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/ctyd9dz
Barnes & Noble: print and ebook: http://tinyurl.com/d889gzn
Author blog: http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot..com

-------------------

** Another new review at Litpick: "I found this book to be very interesting and well written. It kept my interest until the very last page..." - Emily, age 16, 5 stars.


** A reader just posted a great review on the Amazon US site:  In part, (and it's all good!) :"... If you've read as many zombie books as I have (I believe I'm up to about 60 now) you may be getting that "been there, done that" feeling. I can that you will NOT have those feelings with this book. If you're looking for a fresh, fun, and fast-paced New zombie book, download, Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie! I firmly believe you will not be sorry you did so..." Read the rest: http://tinyurl.com/kll7gjw


Help me spread the word! 
1. Please post your reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as the more reviews, the more the book gets noticed.
2. Tell your friends - tweet, post on your blog, Pinterest and Facebook about the book.
3. Let any teachers you know who might like to get the book for classroom readings or lessons, or for the school library.  I'll be glad to send some discussion questions and maybe we can even do a Skype author Q&A.
4. Ask your local library to get the book and ask if your local bookstore carries it.

Every little bit helps! I do appreciate it and thank you!!!





Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Book Launch Deadly Duo, Thriller & Zombies!

 Today is DAY 9 of the 
GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie  
BOOK LAUNCH BLOG TOUR!!!! 

But.... today you have to go to DB Corey's blog to get my questions, and comment to enter the prize giveaway. And please do comment here as well since I put in my two cents here and there, too. (Don't forget to follow the rest of the blog tour schedule at the bottom of this post.)

My fellow Intrigue author, DB Corey also has his book launching this month, so we decided to pair up and do a double post today. 

** A little about DB's book, CHAIN OF EVIDENCE: They say the evidence never lies, but don’t tell that to Moby Truax. He’s sure it’s the evidence itself that allows a killer of women to roam the streets of Baltimore.


The evidence is consistent—cyanide: identical in concentration, identical in purity. The victims appear random to all but Detective-Sergeant Moby Truax; a financially strapped cop nearing the end of his career. Truax sees that recent victims are suddenly younger, prettier, and questions the evidence that points to a lone killer. He suspects a copycat, but he must convince his new commander by overcoming the only flaw in his theory—the evidence itself. 

 (Be sure to go to the Amazon link and read the beginning of CHAIN OF EVIDENCE. Wow! And Bernie looks like such a nice guy.... :) )


    


**** Now some Q & A's with D.B. Corey:

Q- What’s scarier zombies or hit-men?
A-    Hit-men are scarier. They look the same as any average Joe carrying a violin case around with them, they don’t make a  racket dragging their own limbs, and they know to blow your head off, and not their own. 
(Chris: I'd be afraid of anyone with a gun, but I think I'd be more afraid of a monster trying to bite my head off!)

Q- Why did you decide to write crime thrillers?
A-    I like mysteries and thrillers, so I thought I should try one of those first to see how it turned out.

Q- If you could be part of a movie, which would you pick and why?
A-    I’m not sure what you mean by “part of a movie,” but if I were involved in a movie, a big screen adaptation of Chain of Evidence for example (talk about Blue-Skying it), I think I’d like a crack at writing the screenplay, or maybe even directing; logical choices for a writer, I think.

Q- In your opinion, what distinguishes a thriller from a mystery?
A-    To me, a mystery offers up clues while withholding the identity of the bad guy. That keeps readers turning pages while guessing who the bad guy is.
B-    A thriller, on the other hand, divulges the bad guy almost immediately. The reader sees the twist and turns that the good guy must overcome—one obstacle after the other—and find themselves looking for solutions right along with the protagonist. 

Q- What makes your characters/novels unique?

A-    I started writing very late in life, so I have an older perspective of the world. I draw my main characters from my own experiences, and invent the ones I need to fill in the blanks. Moby Truax, for example, is at the end of his career, but not the end of his life. His performance is down, his body is giving out, and he finds himself dealing with a young boss and a young partner who do not cater to the old ways. I wrap all this around a crime thriller, and make him deal with it.

Q- If you could meet one character from your book, who would it be and why?
A-    Vecchio. She’s an enigma.

Q- Will the story dictate that a character must die or grow old?
A-    It’s interesting that you ask that question, since Truax is already old, but he’s not ready to die just yet. I think Truax will be over 60 when we next see him. He’ll be retired and he’ll hate it. He’ll be as broke as he was before, and feel as useless as he did when we first met him. But he will find renewed purpose when the next bad guy comes to town.  I’m not giving anything away, am I? 

LINKS:
Twitter - @dbcorey    Facebook – DB Corey

** NOW OUT!!! Get your copy of GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie yet?? **
Sixteen-year-old Rebecca Herrera Hayes faces every teenager's biggest nightmares: bad skin, bad hair, and worse . . . turning into one of the living dead.

Becca's life changes forever when her cousin Spence comes back to their small Wisconsin town carrying a deadly secret—he's becoming a zombie, a fate he shares with her through an accidental scratch.

The Z infection, however, has mutated, affecting younger persons like her, or those treated early enough, differently. Now she must cope with weird physical changes and habits no girl wants to be noticed for. Then she meets Gabe, a good-looking part-Z like her, and fears falling for him. After all, how can he, who shows hardly any Z symptoms, be interested in someone like her?

But time is running out... Becca needs his help as she and her cousin Carm search for their missing mothers and fight off hungry Zs.

Most of all, she needs to find something, anything, to stop this deadly transformation before it is forever too late...

** See Rafflecopter to sign in for prizes ** (prize pix & rafflecopter on Day 1)



















*****************************************


*** Don't forget to follow along the rest of the tour! ***

GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie Book Launch Blog Tour Aug. 5-17
Monday, 8/5 - Marian Allen,- http://www.marianallen.com
Tuesday, 8/6 - Armand Rosamilia, http://armandrosamilia.com/
Wednesday, 8/7 - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Thursday, 8/8 - StraightFromHel, Helen Ginger, http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/
Friday, 8/9 - Dana Wright, ZombieGirlShambling, http://zombiegirlshambling.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 8/10 - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Monday, 8/12 - AR Von, Dreamz of Dragons, http://dreamzofdragons.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, 8/13 - B. Swangin Webster, Books, Shoes, Writing, http://booksshoeswriting.blogspot.com/
Today - Wednesday, 8/14 - DB Corey, http://dbcorey.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 8/15 - Wrap-up - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Friday, 8/16 – Austin Camacho, Another Writer’s Life, http://ascamacho.blogspot.com
Saturday, 8/17 – Winners announced after 12 noon Central – GirlZombieAuthors,http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com