One Line Wed #Zombie Books

Saw this tag posted on Facebook - #1LineWed - and thought it'd be fun to share here. 

So here's one line from my latest story, "Puppy Love and Zombies" from the upcoming Young Adventurers anthology. In the story, part-#zombie girl Becca (from my book Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie)  faces her fear of dogs, fights some zombies, and solves a mystery. 

This one's short. :) 

"It was love at first lick."

Check out the Young Adventurers Facebook page with author stuff, excerpts and more. Contests and more coming soon. The book is out Dec. 1.

And from Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie: 


I panted, becoming more frantic, as he scratched and clawed at me.

All Amazon links: http://authl.it/B00E8HCVQM

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/d889gzn

Blog: GirlZombieAuthors

Website: http://cverstraete.com

I'll share others in the coming weeks.

Cute #Zombie Video Quiz

Think cute and zombie don't go together?

Well... fellow co-blogger Karina Fabian's got a new comic video quiz out based on her fun series, Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator and I Left My Brains in San Francisco (Neeta Lyffe Book 2). Check it out! You can comment on the video on YouTube.

 

Where Did This Week Go?

Holy cow!  I can't believe this week is over already.  Where did all the time go?  I've been super busy at work, then getting ready for a conference, so I haven't had time to write a proper blog post.  I apologize for that.  I'll get back on track next week.

My spouse and I watched Cooties last weekend, so I want to tell you all about that.  Next week.

I'm super excited for this conference, though.  I get to talk about my other passion: slasher films.  I'm sure zombies will come up too, they always do.  Pretty much any time I get to talk about horror is a great time!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Sunday's Super Moon & Lunar Eclipse

Some think zombies equals the end of the world and some think another super moon and an eclipse mean the same thing.  I don't as no one but God knows the future. Nor am I that superstitious. 

I only saw part of the last one as I didn't stay up late enough to catch the moon in the full eclipse. Maybe this time I can watch it all and try to get some pix.

Check out more details at Space.com. Neat thing is that this eclipse comes relatively early in the evening for some so be sure to look for it!

Here's a cool schedule (Joe Rao/Space.com)  they posted of the times of the eclipse:

October Horror Paranormal Blog Hop Coming!

Coming October 1-10! Books-Swag-Giveaways, More!! Visit all the blogs below for something spooky!

Life After Zombies

The other day, I was sitting in my house eating a Colby jack cheese stick and enjoying it immensely. It got me to thinking about zombies (because, really, that’s a natural progression of thoughts for me), and I wondered if the cheese stick would still exist after the dead rose and destroyed the world. I figured it wouldn’t, and that made me sad.

That made me realize that there probably wouldn’t be any dairy after the zompocalypse. I love dairy. I have a glass of milk with dinner practically every night and on my cereal in the morning. I’m a huge fan of cheese, and I like butter. What would I do if these things didn’t exist anymore? How awful would that be?

I’m sure that someone somewhere in the world would still possess the knowledge and skill to create these delectable foods, but they wouldn’t be readily available, and that would be a tragedy.

That got me to thinking about other things I would miss after the end of the world, and high on my list was a hot shower. Now, I know I’m not the only one who would miss this. In season 1 of The Walking Dead, when Rick, Morgan, and Morgan’s son get to the sheriff’s department, the first thing they do is take a hot shower.

And who can blame them? Our desire for cleanliness sets us apart from the filthy, rotting undead that are trying to kill us and eat us. It gives us a sense of normalcy and a routine for the day. It makes us feel human.

The purpose of zombie films and shows is to blur the lines between humans and zombies and show how we aren’t much different than one another. We’re both willing to devolve to our basest desires and attack and kill each other to get what we want. The only difference between the humans and zombies is that the zombies’ motives are known—they just want to eat us—but the humans are conniving and sly and should be watched carefully.

Interestingly, the opportunity for the humans in these films and TV shows to take showers is few and far between. Once the characters become dirty and sweaty and unclean, they become even more like the zombies. Think about it.

Dairy and hot showers, two of the things I would miss the most after the apocalypse. What are some of the things you’d miss after the undead rise?

New #Paranormal Idea

Funny how things work out. 

I was out of ideas, or rather uninspired. Fed up, I guess, is more like it.

I was going to try to revamp a kid's zombie story I had started. Well, with a story line suggested by writing pal Stephen D. Sullivan, I got a new idea.

No, I didn't need a new idea. I didn't need to write something new.  But... it actually is old - and new.

Awhile ago I had done a (very) short semi-outline of a fantasy-type story about a princess who wakes up after an accident not knowing who she is.  I've thought of  that idea here and there as I still like it. So I'm combining that and the ideas I'd sketched out with a witch's curse and the little brother.... and so far, so good.

It's nice to write something you're having fun with - and enjoy writing. I'm hoping for a novella. Aiming for at least 60, or 80 to 100 pages.  Hoping I have a strong enough idea to make it work.  It'll have some romance, too. I seem to write mish-mash stories, so this'll be fantasy, romance, paranormal...

I think I'll leave the zombie stuff alone for now. Maybe I needed a change. If you have to force it or hunt for the ideas, then it' s not working anyway. 

I guess you have to go with what works and so far this is it. It's never good to get in a rut. Or maybe it's good to give you time to chill and let your creative brain rejuvenate. On purpose, I had set the fiction aside and didn't write any for a week. I just didn't want to. I'm a daily writer, so I never do this. But it helped, I think. Still, I'm glad to be out of there. ha!

On to new writing adventures!

So... share: what are you working on? What have you abandoned or switched to?  How do you jump start your creativity?

Back to School with #Zombies

What happens when you turn part-#Zombie and have to go back to school?

Becca (from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie) shares some of her experiences over at 
DG Driver's blog. Check it out!

Getting Inspired...

  I'm between projects which is probably one of the worst places for a writer to be.

It's not that I don't have things to write--I do. Plenty. The problem is many of these are stories I started and stopped.

Sometimes you run out of story.

Sometimes you realize the story is going wrong and you can't think how to fix it.

Sometimes you (okay I) have a habit of repeating a certain scenario and don't want to do it again.

So, it's brainstorming time.

I really would like to write a zombie story for younger kids. I wrote a short story, which I like, but now I have a longer story that I want to finish. I like the basic premise, it's kind of fun, but I wrote myself into a dilemma. I don't like the situation I've put the character in as it's slightly unbelievable, kind of too familiar, and I need to rework it.  That's the hard part when your brain won't give you a new idea or another place to go.

So for now, I'm going to ask for ideas; rework an outline and see if I can get this project back on track. I wanted it to be a short, quirky, fun novella type story about a boy who turns zombie and how he copes. I have to change some things in it.

Ideas? Any suggestions are welcome.

Christmas "Cheer" - Krampus Trailer

Another view of Christmas....  coming out soon.

Zombie Presentation

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of going to the Sweetwater County Library in Green River to give my Undead Obsessed presentation. It was a blast!

There wasn’t a huge turnout, only six people and one that wandered in a bit later, but it’s not the quantity but the quality that matters. And when the group is small like that, there’s more of a chance for discussion and questions.

I love talking about zombies. And I love talking about how zombies are a metaphor for our fears of science. But the discussion also branched out from there. We talked about the popularity of zombie films and the evolution of the monster. We talked about our favorite movies and books.

Being around other people who enjoy the same things I do is awesome. It’s so much fun to talk about our shared passion (or obsession in my case) about walking corpses. It rekindles my excitement for the undead and inspires me to write.

One of the most exciting parts about the workshops/presentations are the new ideas the audience members bring to the discussion. While we were talking about the evolution of zombies, we talked about the film Warm Bodies and how the zombies are cured and rejoin the human ranks. Some of the members thought that idea was stupid, but as another one pointed out, since zombies are supposed to be a metaphor for humans’ worst behavior, maybe a zombie turning back into a compassionate being means there’s hope for humanity. I loved that idea!

During another conversation, when we were talking about the stereotypes of science and how scientist are portrayed as greedy or money hungry, it was pointed out that in the real world, scientists have to have funding to conduct their experiments, and to get that, they have to rub elbows with people who can finance them. It may seem like they’re being elitists and power hungry, but they’re just trying to continue their work. It was a fascinating way to look at that aspect of scientists.

October is going to be an amazing month for presentations/workshops. I have several scheduled, and I’m going to Long Beach to be part of a conference. I can’t wait! I’m excited to see where the discussions lead.

Preview! New #Zombie Story in Anthology!

Look what I got in the mail today!!!!  Coming Dec. 1! 

Featuring a new story, "Puppy Love and Zombies" about my part-zombie character, Becca  (from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie).

Here's the story blurb...

Becca's life changed drastically when she was infected with the Z virus and turned part-zombie. Now she must put her fear of dogs aside to rescue one little puppy and find the other dogs that went missing. She'd do almost anything, she realizes, to do that... even break a few laws if necessary.

 Check out the full Young Adventurers story list and authors.

Can't wait to start reading the other stories!

Free Sirens Call Supernatural #horror fiction!

The latest free issue of Sirens Call celebrating Supernatural Horror  is out with 109 pages of horror short stories, flash fiction, poetry and more. Check it out! 

Zombie T-shirts, Anyone?

Bueller?

My amazing and talented friend created the following for me.

And I’m putting it on t-shirts. There are two ways to get one:

1. Purchase it outright for the low price of $18 (includes shipping within the U.S. International will be more and will depend on where it needs to be shipped to—contact me for details).

The order form is on my blog on the right. Fill out all required information and send payment for the shirt.

2. Purchase one of my zombie books and show me proof of purchase. Email a photo of you and the book (electronic or print) to pembrokesinclair at hotmail dot com

Easy peasy. Now, who wants a shirt?

I will be taking orders until September 13th so that I can get them printed and shipped by the end of the month. Sooooo share with your friends and be part of the cool club!

Thanks!

Young Adventurers Anthology stories - #zombies, #mystery, #sci fi

Here's a peek at the Table of Contents, with the story names and contributors for the cool upcoming Young Adventurers Anthology!!! Coming Dec. 1!!

In my story, "Puppy Love and Zombies," Becca, (from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie,) faces her fear of dogs, fights some (bad) zombies, and solves a mystery as she searches for a cute German Shepherd puppy. 

Quite a line-up!!  (See the Young Adventurers Facebook page for updates, news on stories, etc.) 

YOUNG ADVENTURERS: Heroes, Explorers & Swashbucklers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Piney Power                                                    F. Paul Wilson 

(Author of the Repairman Jack novels) 

Sidetracked                                                     Jeffrey Westhoff

(Author of the spy novel, The Boy Who Knew Too Much)

Air and Space after Dark                                Jeff Ayers & Kevin Lauderdale

(Ayers is a longtime Library Journal reviewer and author of Star Trek: Voyages of Imagination, the Star Trek Fiction Companion; Lauderdale is also known for his Star Trek short stories. The story features the characters from their YA novel, The Fourth Lion.)

The Mystery of Raven’s Hollow                    Victoria Pitts Caine

(Author of Not Bound by Time.)

The Girl Who Slipped Through the Mirror      Kevin Singer

(Author of The Last Conquistador)

Puppy Love and Zombies                               C. A. Verstraete

(Author of GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie)

Fangirl, Rip and the Alien                              David Perlmutter

(Author of The Pups)

Coming of Age                                               M. M. Rumberg

(Author of Codename: SNAKE)

Wolf Dawn                                                     A. L. Kaplan

(Short story writer and contributor to Suppose: Drabbles, Flash Fiction and Short Stories)

Sister Grass                                                     Deborah Walker

(Short story writer and contributor to (AFTER)life - Poems and Stories of the Dead)\

Toori’s Constellation                                       Anne E. Johnson

(Children's Lit columnist and author of A Kiss at Vespers)

The Hack-Jack Prospect                                  Chantal Boudreau

(Short story writer and author of The Snowy Barrens Trilogy)

The Wreck of the Blue Plover                        David Turnbull

(Writer, blogger and self-described vagabond)

Return of the Knave                                       Milo James Fowler

(Short story writer and author of Captain Bartholomew Quasar and the Space-Time Displacement Conundrum)

First Mission                                                   Jack Mulcahy

(Short story writer and contributor to Heroes and Heretics anthology)

The Power                                                       Nathan Hystad

(Short story writer - he's also a fellow contributor to the just released Baby Shoes anthology.)

The Blue Orb                                                  H.L. Pauff

(Short story writer, sci fi fan and aspiring novelist.)

Cover Reveal!! #Zombie & Other Stories Anthology!

Check out the cool cover for the upcoming Young Adventurers Anthology!!!

The anthology comes out Dec. 1. Author and story list coming. 

In my story, "Puppy Love & Zombies," Becca, (from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie,) faces her fear of dogs, fights some (bad) zombies, and solves a mystery as she searches for a cute German Shepherd puppy. 

Can't wait to read all the stories!!!  (See the Young Adventurers Facebook page for updates, news on stories, etc.) 

Writing Inspiration-Story a Day September

If you feel uninspired, then the new month comes with a new challenge - write a Story a Day for September. 

Really.

Sign up for the Story A Day newsletter which will provide a new writing prompt each day. Or check out the prompts on the blog.  The only rule is to comment on the blog and share that you've done a story. It can be short or long.

So,... do I dare try? We'll see...

Anyway... the first prompt (since I saw it ahead in the newsletter) is... The Disappeared...

Let me know if you try it.

When I'm uninspired (yes, I am lately), a prompt works great. I usually get an impromptu idea for a flash story, which is always fun to try.  I'm going to see what comes to mind when I read the full prompt for day one.