Winter!

With the never-ending snow this winter, this seemed fitting to post today.

It's a mystery location, but looks like Chicago, where part of GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie is set. And it looks a lot like that now in Wisconsin though things are thawing (and dripping!) since it hit 40 degrees. (Enjoyable while it  - barely - lasted. It's supposed to go below zero again all week as of 2/23. Arggggh!)

New Review for GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie

  Happy-happy!! Just got a great review from the Midwest Book Review, Small Press Bookwatch for GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie (book comes out Aug. 1):

"...Can anything stop the deadly Z transformation - and is it too late for Becca to live as a human again? Told in first person from Becca's point of view, Girl Z is a different type of zombie apocalypse story, especially recommended for fans of the genre!"

** Read the rest under Fantasy/Sci-fi shelf:

* Pre-Order at Amazon.com

*** And another new review: "....The story is well written and the timing throughout the story is just right.  As a fan of anything ZOMBIE related, I can truly say that this novel is a much needed “Breath of fresh air”! - Dina B. Reed, actress,  One Last Sunset

New zombie story and GIRL Z: Teen Zombie excerpt

New zombie story and a new excerpt from GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie is now up!

See How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse - Or Not -  at Zombie Pop.

Girl Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie Linkpalooza Giveaway!

Okay, zombie fans,  Let's Celebrate a Linkpalooza Giveaway!!! 

What is that, you ask? 

Well.... celebrating two things - You can now PRE-ORDER GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie at your favorite online sites!!!  (see below)

* Amazon.com  * Amazon.ca - Canada  * Amazon.fr - France

* Amazon.de - Germany   * Amazon.jp - Japan

* Amazon.co.uk - UK

* Barnes & Noble    * Books-A-Million

 * IndieBound      * Powell's 

And....

I got my beautiful new bookmarks!!!   

Ain't that reason enough to celebrate???? Keep reading now...

So....Let's have a giveaway!

Okay, we'll make this easy - first - if you haven't, please go LIKE my Facebook page -

Next: the first 10 to comment ON THIS BLOG  - I'll mail you a bookmark and email you the full size of this cool zombie wallpaper.... (be sure I know where to email you)

** Even Better: **

The first five to comment here and email me (chrisATcverstraeteDOTcom) a receipt showing you pre-ordered the book will get the bookmark, emailed wallpaper, and some neat zombie stickers! 

Have fun!!

Sabrina's Word Wednesday - Survivor and the Zombie Apocalypse

Sabrina's Word Wednesday - Survivor

Survivor. We all know what that word means in terms of the zombie apocalypse; someone who survives, i.e. doesn't get dead. (And apparently a zombie apocalypse was just announced in Montana when someone hacked a TV broadcast...) 

But there is a deeper meaning to the word survivor, as well. In C.A. Verstraete's upcoming YA zombie story, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, sixteen year old Rebecca not only survives becoming a zombie, she has to continue being a teenage girl, which is hard enough to survive on its own. 

Throw in missing moms, strange and frightening changes, weird diets, and meeting (and crushing on) another part-Z survivor, Gabe, and it's easy to understand how Becca is more than just a regular, run-of-the-mill zombie survivor.

For more information on GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, check out this interview with C.A. Verstraete. 

What would be the hardest thing about trying to survive in a zombie apocalypse?

Life to Death to Undeath, the Zombie brain...

Guess I'm on a brainnnnssss kick. ha!  Must be because I've been getting over all this cold-flu whatever  clogging up my own brain.

So before you run off and check out the graphic (and please do come back and share your comments, or comment before you go!)  thought I'd share a few random thoughts on what makes a zombie, well, a zombie.

Theories abound, of course, on what the contagion is that can cause this gross, unnatural form of reanimation. Is it a viral or bacterial mutation? An alien life form? While many do go the bacterial-viral route as I did in GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, I gave the virus a mutation. Those who are young, strong or caught in the earliest stages of infection can be treated and will only turn into part-zombies. They have special dietary needs and odd physical traits, things that can seem worse than death to a teenage girl. But to her credit, Becca survives and learns to adjust, her love of family and the goal of  protecting her cousin providing strong motivation.

Obviously, "real" zombies have no motivation except hunger as explained in this very interesting graphic over on BuzzFeed showing the Anatomy of a Zombie's Brain. Take a peek and share your thoughts.