Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts

Saturday, April 4, 2020

#A to Z Blogging - D for Dogs, #Apocalypse & #Zombies

Dogs, zombies and the end...


(dog-reaper dz, pixabay.com)

What's life without a dog, right? Well, when it comes to apocalypses and zombies, a dog can complicate things. Not surprisingly, though, there are quite a few books that bring these three things together. Here are a few examples:

  

Cadaver Dog (Zombie Dog Series Book 1) Doug Goodman - Training a dog to track a zombie is like training any other dog. It takes patience, trust, and the right dog-and-handler team. And to not be afraid of zombies.

Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall, C. A. Verstraete - In real life, Lizzie Borden tried to resume her life after the "trial of the century" ended, with her being acquitted of the gruesome axe murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. She was snubbed often, however, especially when she and her sister moved into a fancier, larger home in a better side of town. She also was a dog lover in real life, so the book contains one (of her three) Boston Terriers. 
    In the fictional version, Lizzie tries to forge a new life--and maybe even romance?-- even as a new zombie outbreak threatens the town. NOTE: There may be spoilers if you haven't read book 1, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, which centers around the trial and events after.  

Rise of the Dead (ROTD Book 1), Jeremy Dyson - Blake was never one for taking chances. He lived in a world of formulas and equations. A statistician in a controlled society where everything had become predictably mundane. That world disappeared the day the dead got up and began attacking the living. Now, the end is here. Blake finds himself fighting for his life in a world that is rapidly spiraling out of control.

    

The Call of the Wild, Jack London -  This classic book (and new movie) does have an end-of-the-world feel as man and dog tackle the elements alone in the wild.  (Even with a fake dog in the movie, I still want to see it.)

The Hound of Endtown, Ben Longoria - When the world comes to a mysterious end Scout finds himself alone and trapped in the absence of his masters. As hunger and thirst narrowly claim his small young life a chance event opens the doors to freedom. Outside Scout finds a world consumed by horror and death. During his perilous journey across the ruins of civilization Scout encounters cannibals, ravenous animals, the ghosts of the dead, and many other dangers. Through his eyes we witness the thin line between man and beast.

The Last Dog on Earth, Adrian J. Walker - Lineker, a happy go lucky mongrel from London, the day his city falls is finally a chance for adventure. Too bad his master Reg plans to hide himself away from the riots outside... But when an abandoned child shows up  looking for help, Reg and his trusty hound must brave the chaos in a journey that will prove not just the importance of bravery, but of loyalty, trust, and finding family in the unlikeliest of places.  

  

The Taking, Dean Koontz - No dogs, but there is a scene with coyotes swarming a porch. A community cut off from a world under siege, and the terrifying battle for survival waged by a young couple and their neighbors as familiar streets become fog-shrouded death traps.

War Dogs Heading Home: Wounded Warriors of the Apocalypse, .J. Newman - After suffering severe wounds during an IED blast in London, Staff Sergeant Jason Walker and his Military Service Dog and best friend, MMax, are being shipped home. An EMP blast causes their plane to crash in the middle of nowhere. Having survived two disasters, they face the struggle to get home.In a world gone mad, where life clings on by a thread and people will kill for a few scraps of food, can they make it home alive? And if they can, will there be anything left to return to?

Zombie Fallout 12: Dog Dayz, Mark Tufo - The Talbot clan has settled in to life at Etna Station. Mike has earned the rank of Lieutenant, but there’s no time to rest. Colonel Bennington has ordered Mike and his squad of misfits on a secretive mission to New York City to complete a complicated rescue that rapidly becomes nearly impossible to accomplish. As their mission becomes more covert and questionable than they had originally been told, Mike, BT, Gambo and their team are forced to choose between the security of their families and what’s best for Humanity. Will they succeed in what must be done? Or will they fall along the way as their ever-adapting, quickly evolving zombie enemies press the attack?

Thursday, April 28, 2016

#AtoZ - Dogs & #Zombies - EXceptional Young Adult Fiction


Welcome to the 7th annual A to Z Blog Challenge in April!  
Come back daily for more exciting posts and even some giveaways!
Check out the 1000+ blogs on the list! 


Today is the letters X and Y for EXceptional YA fiction 



The fun of developing a character is then finding new adventures for them to get into.

That's the case with my part-zombie girl Becca from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie.

In this case, I had her not only fighting off a few full-zombies, but facing one of her biggest fears - dogs. And how better to do it than have her come face-to-snout with a cute little white German Shepherd puppy. 

When the puppy is lost, Becca has to face that fear and solve a mystery of where other dogs have been disappearing to in "Puppy Love and Zombies" by C.A. Verstraete  in the anthology, Young Adventurers: Heroes, Explorers & Swashbucklers.

Excerpt: 

By C.A. Verstraete
    Most of us had been too busy surviving, and trying to avoid the roaming hordes of ravenous undead, to notice something else was going on.
    Yeah, like the rest wasn't bad enough? It was, but this new thing nearly did what the mutated Z virus didn't already do—kill me.
    The morning started great when my Uncle Franco brought this beautiful, year-old white German Shepherd puppy over for us to meet. Unlike my first dog experience (more on that later), the puppy bounced around, played, barked, and most important, didn't make me afraid.
    Call it love at first lick.
    For once, I forgot all the zombie stuff that had plagued me for the past year. I threw a ball and laughed at how she ran and brought it right back. “Ooh, she’s so cute and smart! I’m going to call her Fluffy! Is she mine? Can I keep her, can I?”
    I begged and begged, though I knew my Tia (Spanish for Auntie) Imelda already loved her as much as I did. Then we heard the yells outside. My uncle's cries of “look out!” came too late. My cousin Carm opened the door and jumped back at sight of the chaos in front of our house. Our neighbor Mr. Thompson screamed, “go back in, shut the door!” as two of the zombies came at him.
    In the last few months, most of the full Zs had been rounded up and exterminated, but a few wanderers like these kept us on our toes—at least they should’ve. My uncle grabbed his gun and fired at the monsters. The excitement was too much—the puppy panicked and pulled out of her collar. I screamed as she darted out the door and ran off in the opposite direction.
    “NO-NO!” I yelled and tried to catch her, but she was gone. I would've followed if not for the strong arms of my cousin and aunt holding me back.
    “No, Becca honey, let her go,” Tia implored. “She'll come back or someone will find her.”
    “No, she won't,” I cried. “She won't!”
    And she didn't.
 *
My aunt's friend Amelia from down the street stopped by later and let us know my suspicions had some truth to them. As a nurse, she had a way of hearing what was going on in the community.
   “Sure glad they got those creatures.” She gave a mock shiver. “The National Guard’s been doin’ a fine job of watching out for stragglers, so I can’t imagine how those two made it into town.”
   I shrugged and tried to be polite, but my heart wasn’t in it.
   Amelia reached out and patted my chin. “Oh sweetie, I wanted to see how you're doing. I saw that cute little dog of yours run by my house. I tried to stop her, but couldn't catch her.”
   She paused for a minute. The concerned look on her face did make me pay attention. Amelia was a sweet, caring lady, who also told us when she heard something we should know about. What made her even more special to me was that of all the people in our neighborhood, she’d been the only one who welcomed me back home after I’d been infected. She treated me the same as always, like she was my aunt.
   “Amelia? Is something wrong?”

   The older woman paused a second, then leaned in, and looked me straight in the eye. “At first I didn’t think much of it, but now, well, I’m not so sure. Two of my other neighbors' dogs are missing, too. One ran off and never came back. He told me his dog never went further than the house next door before this zombie thing hit. My other neighbor said her dog was in the yard and when she went to call her in, the dog was gone, and the gates were still locked.”

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

New YA #Zombie Story Coming!

Can't wait! The cover reveal is Sept. 1 for the Young Adventurers anthology where you'll get to see what Becca (from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie) is up to.

In my story, "Puppy Love & #Zombies," Becca - and her cousin Carm - solve a mystery, while Becca faces her fear of dogs. In this case, one of the dogs is a cute little German Shepherd puppy....

Stay tuned!!!!






Monday, January 12, 2015

Working on... A #Zombie Story with Dogs


What else, right? 

Actually I am working on several things, but I decided to concentrate on finishing a story featuring my part-#zombie girl Becca, and her cousin, Carm, who are the main characters in my book, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie.

 In this yet-to-be-named story, the Z attacks are over, society is getting back to normal - kind of - except for Becca's coping with her own problems, and the occasional full zombie that hasn't been caught yet and makes an appearance. 

Becca also has overcome her fear of dogs via a cute little white German Shepherd pup she names Fluffy. Then when two zombies appear at the house and chaos ensues, the puppy runs off and vanishes. Carm and Becca then learn a lot of dogs are disappearing and they are determined to find out why as they search for Fluffy...

(Stay tuned for details!)

Can't imagine where I got inspiration from, huh? :)




In the meantime....


  You can still read about my part-zombie girl, Becca, in GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie   

           What happens when you're 16 and turn part-zombie? Can things be worse??


Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Story a Day, Zombies & Dogs

Today, for Story a Day, thought I'd share an adorable short video I came across. 
Steadfast Stanley by CalArts student John Cody Kim tells the story of a loyal little Corgi who is determined to find his young owner when he's left behind during a Z attack.  Luckily, both make it.

Using this as inspiration, I'm offering a little flash story:

My Dog Jake

By C.A. Verstraete

They lumber, slobber, stumble and fall,
The zombies, of course, not dogs like my dog, Jake.
Jake runs with me, barking at the creatures, running right by my side.
No matter what, I can't leave him behind.
Not when they come.
Not if they hear.
Not ever.
I can't be alone . . . not with them.
I won't be, not with him.





   * My book,  GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie also features a dog, a German Shepherd, though the relationship is not as charming as this. In fact, my character and part-zombie girl, Becca, is not too thrilled when her aunt wants to bring a dog over as protection. Read that excerpt at the bottom of this post here.