Dead New World Book Blitz

It's mid October and, believe it or not, Halloween is just around the corner. To get us in the mood, we thought we'd feature a novel that couldn't be more perfect, Dead New World by Ryan Hill. Have a look...

Dead New World by Ryan Hill 

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press

Publication date: October 13th 2014

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Zombies

Synopsis:

Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

Before the world fell into chaos, the undead existed only in the imagination. Now, more of them walk the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans entomb themselves inside concrete barricades to stay alive.

All that, while the leader of a powerful cult – known only as Reverend – becomes the next threat to the rebuilding United States. Believing zombies to be God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With his combined army of humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose…though he survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.

      

EXCERPT

Disgusted with myself, I let go of Nancy and walked, alone and with a heavy heart, to Ambrose’s room. I could see him through the window, asleep on a twin bed.

“Push the red button to talk into the microphone,” Nancy said.

I pressed the red button on the control panel next to the door. “Hey, man, wake up.”

Ambrose slowly stirred from his sleep. “Who is it?”

“Your mother.”

“Ha.” Ambrose stood, draping bed sheets over his white scrubs. The days of being stuck in this small room seemed to have sapped his strength. He leaned against the wall, too tired to stand on his own for long. “Nice to see you on your foot.”

“Funny. I could say the same for you. I hear you got one hell of a hickey. Didn’t your mother teach you to stay away from strangers?”

“I never did mind her like I should have.”

I tried to get a good look at him, but the lack of light made it impossible. “They said most people don’t last a day after being bitten. You’ve made it four. I guess I should congratulate you.” Surviving this awful disease longer than most. What a terrible silver lining. I bet he wished the virus would get it over with and turn him.

“Yeah, lucky me.” Ambrose coughed into his bed sheets. “Maybe they’ll give me a prize, like some bacon or something.”

“What… what does it feel like?”

Ambrose shrugged. “Kind of like being sick. Had a fever at first, then some numbness over part of my body.”

“Is it getting any worse?”

“No.” Ambrose sniffed. “Some parts still feel like me, others… like these gray parts, nothing.” He pointed at his arm where the skin had turned a sickly gray. “They’re dead, I guess.”

Nancy loudly cleared her throat. “We need to get you back to your room. They patrol this place pretty regularly, especially when we have… guests.”

I nodded to her, then turned my attention back to Ambrose. “I have to go. I’m sorry. I wish it was me in there, instead of you.”

Ambrose stepped up to the window. The light from the hallway revealed his face. For the first time, I got a glimpse of what his loyalty to me cost him. I froze, unable to take a breath for a long beat. One of his eyes remained normal, but the other took on that awful redness. Patches of dead skin were all over his face. The guilt rising up seemed almost too much to bear. What kind of hell had I sent my friend to?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

                  

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Guest Post: The Importance of Time Between Edits by Elsie Elmore

Hello again! Beth here. After a whirlwind of a week, I'm back, and stoked to participate in the book blitz for The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore. Elsie has stopped by today to share with us the importance of giving a novel some time to simmer before jumping back into the editing pot. Very good advice! But first, here's a little bit about her debut novel:

The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore 
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: September 3rd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope
of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and a chip on his shoulder.

While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living.

Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at all.

            

The Evolution of The Undead: The Importance of Editing After Time Has Passed

by Elsie Elmore

Photo Credit: Flickr by Jennifer Donley

Writing blogs often suggest letting your manuscript rest between edits. That time allows the story to become fresh again and offers you distance from your work.

The Undead began as a tale told only from Lyla’s vantage point. Her troubles at school were chronicled in detail, along with the tension at home, and oh yeah, the awakening of her ability to resurrect the dead. Eric was a character, but not a main character because we never understood his motivations.

When my editor read my ms for the first time, she had many questions about Eric and suggested I offer more information about him. He was too mysterious, in an incomplete and frustrating way. His motivations were not understood. What did he want? What did he need? I thought long and hard about how to show more of him. But the trouble with showing more about another character written in first person is the fear of info-dumping or labored conversations to include the pertinent past information.

To develop Eric's character more and make his motivations central to the story, I gave him a voice of his own. And boy did he take off.  I could barely keep up with everything he wanted to do and say. His depth of emotion ran deeper than I expected.

Without someone suggesting I offer more and allowing my work to rest, I wouldn’t have thought to push that way.

Having a CP, beta reader, and/or an editor read your work and offer feedback are critical steps for your story. Sometimes a suggestion or question is enough to turn your tale into something deeper and stronger. Especially if you’ve given it enough time.

About the Author

Elsie Elmore lives in North Carolina with her husband and two kids.
She loves the color red, has an appreciation for chocolate and coffee that borders on obsession, writes stories that challenge the laws of nature, and wishes fall temperatures would linger year round.

Elsie is a member of several writing organizations: RWA, SCBWI, and WSW. The Undead : Playing for Keeps is her debut novel.


               

Book Excerpt: Resurrection by Laury Falter

Happy belated Valentine's Day! I hope you each had a special weekend filled with love, be it romantic love, parental love, or friendly love. Today we have a double-header featuring two pretty awesome sounding books! Check it out!

Resurrection by Laury Falter
(Apocalypse Chronicles #2)
Publication date: January 18th 2014
Genres: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, Zombies

The second and final installment in the two-book series, Apocalypse Chronicles...
a dystopian romance about five high school seniors who set out to cure an apocalyptic world of a contagious infection.

Bestselling author Laury Falter finishes off this two-part series--a dystopian romance filled with an electrifying plot, a powerful romance, and unexpected twists.

Goodreads
Amazon
B&N


EXCERPT

He laughed to himself. "You're always my strongest supporter, Kennedy, and therein lies the problem. That blind loyalty could get you…" He closed his eyes and seemed to swallow back the words, or one in particular. "Could get you killed."

"What are you saying?"

"Kennedy," he exhaled patiently but with a great deal of effort, "I'm not sure how much venom my body can take, what the effects of it have been on me, or even how it is merging with the antibodies. Every time I'm bitten I put you in danger, everyone who is near me is in danger." He exhaled in frustration. "Why do you think I wait for sixty seconds after I'm bitten to come near you?"

That had never occurred to me, but he was right. I remembered seeing him move away from me after an attack; he'd gone so far as to put a muzzle to his head. I'd even caught him positioning himself within range of Doc, Mei, and Beverly.

"Wait…," I mumbled, an understanding of something forming in the recesses of my mind. "Wait a second…"
Then it hit me. He had been training them to defend against the Infected's strengths…the same traits that he possessed. He had trained them to detect weaknesses, the same weaknesses he possessed.

"Wait…" I said again, bile rising in my throat.

He had done this in front of me, with my help, and I hadn't even realized what he had been doing.

"You…," I whispered. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "You…"

He was watching me now, waiting for me to wedge free the statement that was so rigidly stuck in my throat. "I…?" he said coaxingly. "I what, Kennedy?"

What began the fire of infuriation in the pit of my belly was that he knew. He knew what he'd done and he knew I'd figure it out sooner or later. This was that moment.

The memories flooded back to me then. The shift in his positions around the group after he'd been bitten, the line of sight he'd  maintained with someone, anyone but me on our team to take him out if it was needed.

"You trained them to kill you," I uttered.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laury Falter is a bestselling author of young adult romantic suspense and urban fantasy. She has three series out: the Guardian Trilogy, the Residue Series, and the Apocalypse Chronicles.

Find out more news and information about Laury and her novels on her:

Website: www.lauryfalter.com
Twitter page: twitter.com/LauryFalter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laury-Falter/196033543803745

Review and Giveaway: The Path Unchosen by Kim Cleary

If you're a fan of the very non-YA Herculine series, this story will grab you and hold tight from the very beginning. Written in the gothic style complete with meaningful glances, and heavy on the atmosphere and accessible sensory detail, Cleary builds a post-apocolyptic throwback world where the rules have changed with energy. Something in her world building puts me in mind of The Dearly Departed series.

I admit, ever since my earliest Necromancer books, they've had a special place in my heart, so opening with Judy, a young natural necromancer being raised in a convent orphanage, it nestled right into that place in my heart and I decided from the beginning that Judy and I were going to be good friends. I liked that she was a straightforward girl and that Cleary never pretends that she has the sort of omnipotence of a character, but instead Judy has the attention span of a real person who misses details and daydreams. She reminded me a little of Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre, if she was a post-apocalyptic necromancer in a world overrun by the living dead.

On the one hand, I wanted more of the world building details and backstory, but on the other hand, I don't suppose that they're pertinent to the story if it's Judy's world and she accepts it. A book about my life wouldn't include the entire social history that led to the conditions in which I live with the technology we enjoy and the epidemiology associated  with the diseases we currently face.

All and all, it's an interesting read with some tea and biscuits before bedtime, you know, if zombies, intrigue, and the casual raising of the dead won't give you too many nightmares.


Check out the Path Unchosen Blog Tour's giveaway below if you'd like to enter to win your very own copy.



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Book Blast: Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden

Tour Schedule

Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden

“Left Behind for the Hunger Games Generation”
In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meets The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for Sanctuary
“Pauline Creeden managed to mix more genres into one book than I could possibly imagine. The overall concept, aliens attacking the earth, is straight out of Science Fiction, but then you throw in a few zombies and post-apocalyptic fiction with how the dead/sick humans are acting. Overall, the entire story was charged with the adrenaline and thrills of a suspense/thriller novel, but the mood was terrifyingly eerie like a Horror story. There was almost too much sensory information for my primitive human brain to handle. Still, all of these genres combined made for one unique and fascinating story. This kind of book is of the same flavor as The Hunger Games with its originality, which I really appreciated.” - Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite

“Sanctuary is a fast-paced Christian fantasy thriller that is original and quite entertaining. The story revolves around Jennie and her family, Pastor Billy and his wife, and two brothers who are polar opposites of each other. Each chapter is presented in the point of view of Jennie, Brad or Hugh (the brothers), which gives Pauline Creeden's Sanctuary, a multidimensional feel. The three different story-lines merge into a full-fledged fantasy/horror novel that never sags or lets up on the action. While there are Christian themes present in Sanctuary, and Jennie's faith is an important part of who she is, I, a non-Christian, did not feel I was being preached to or proselytized. I recommend Pauline Creeden's Sanctuary -- it's well-written and a lot of fun to read.” – Jack Magnus for Readers Favorite



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Author Pauline Creeden

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.

Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary has already been nominated for two awards in YA Science Fiction.

One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group.

Website * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest * Facebook

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 11/30/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Guest post by Lyra McKen: Slopar, the Zombie Language

“THE ZOMBIE LANGUAGE SLOPAR”

Guest Post by LYRA MCKEN

Slopar

'A Zombie Language'

In my novel the Zombies can actually communicate with others in their hoard. They talk to one another with noises, groans, and slow moving hand signals.

The language of the Zombies is a simple yet effective one. They can alert each other that there is fresh uninfected meat nearby. They can warn each other of impending human gun fire or explosives. The fact that they can't move away very quickly usually means the warning comes too late.

In the beginning of the novel Cassie is attempting to explain to the man she is eating that there shouldn't be any hard feelings. To him it sounds like she is moaning in pleasure over devouring his leg. She names him Neil because she doesn't know his name. I think that she forgets that humans can no longer understand her.

When Rose first turns Cassie cannot understand her either. The art of Slopar comes slowly to the infected, and they eventually will understand it when they are completely transformed.

Through the use of their Zombie language they discover that they work better in slow moving hordes then groups of one or two.

Thanks again for allowing me to post on your blog. I hope everyone who reads Zombified enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

xx Lyra Mcken

AUTHOR BIO

Lyra McKen (aka, Emily Walker) resides in the mountains of North Carolina. She lives on top of a mountain quite literally with her other half of nine years and her fur baby, Rebel. After a couple of jobs ghost writing for other successful authors she embarked on her own journey to write a novel.

ZOMBIFIED

Cassie is a typical teenager.  She’s crushing on a boy and trying to make it through high school. It’s a typical day of classes when all hell breaks loose. Forced to run and hide the situation just keeps getting worse. She makes a mistake and soon becomes infected. She meets others like her and together they sent out to find a cure. Is their fate already sealed? Can they find a cure before it’s too late? See what happens through the eyes of the infected when Cassie tells you how Zombies are people too.

LYRA MCKEN’S LINKS:

Author Page

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Facebook Fan Page

Interview with Elita Daniels

Today we're chatting with Elita Daniels, author of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. I spotted the cover for her book and was instantly drawn to it. I had no other choice but to track Elita down and ask if I could feature her book on my blog. So I'm glad to have her with us today.

Welcome, Elita! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm from a small town in North Queensland, Australia. I started writing when I was 25. My husband and I have been married for 11 years and we have two cats, Mikro and Lulu. Usually every night before I sleep I have a scene playing out in my mind, purely for my own entertainment.

How long have you been writing?

I almost typed 25 years, that wouldn't have been good, haha. I've been writing for 5 years and have been published for 2 years.

I love the cover of MY BOYFRIEND IS A ZOMBIE. What’s the story about?

Thank you! The story is about a girl who follows a strange man into the cemetery who turns out to be a zombie. They end up falling in love and he takes her into the world of Black Hollow, a place full of zombies, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, all manner of strange things. Oh and she's being haunted by a dead bride.

Sounds awesome! I can't wait to read it. How did the idea of the story come to you?

Ever since I watched the zombie dance on "So you think you can dance" I wanted to write a zombie novel, but I'm not really a zombie fan. I think they're pretty cool, and I don't mind the occasional zombie movie like Resident Evil, but generally that's not my thing. Then I started thinking about Edward Cullen and how perfect he was and I thought wouldn't it be funny if the boyfriend for once was ugly and imperfect. The title "My Boyfriend is a Zombie" popped into my head and from there I just started piecing together a story. I haven't read the Twilight books yet, but I'll get to it.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I do a lot of self-editing and I have some beta readers and I usually have an editor. Blair Kenney, Ph.d., M.S.W.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

I'm a bit of both, but I do like to have a lot of notes and an outline and I generally know where the story is going and how it's going to finish before I start writing, so I guess I'm more of a planner than not.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Keeping myself in check is probably the hardest thing. I have a perverse mind at times and I have to keep it reined in especially when writing YA.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Everything I need is on my computer. Music, pictures, the internet, my notes. I enjoy having my husband nearby and I have to have my picture of Murtagh. I have a freakish obsession with him.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Can I give you my top three?
1. Invisibility. It could get me into so much strife but it would also give me the means of getting out of it.
2. The ability to read minds.
3. The ability to glamour people and make them do my bidding. That sounds a bit evil doesn't it?

Number three would be my number one, lol. What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Memento Mori, Victorian death photos. When a loved one died, their relatives would sometimes have a photograph taken of the corpse in a pose – often with other members of the family. These photographs were like a keepsake to remember the deceased. Very creepy stuff. I don't like to look at the pictures too long, they'll give me nightmares.

I just got chills. That is very creepy!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: fluctuate, gravity, and cheesecake.

I suck at this sort of thing, so I got help from my writing group : )

The gravity of the situation hit me when I realized the calories in the cheesecake could cause my weight to fluctuate by at least 1 - 2kg just by looking at it.

Perfect! (And sadly, true.) Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

eating chocolate.

Me too! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I want to thank the girls from Paranormal Reads, they go out of their way to support and encourage authors and to give as much exposure to books as they can. To Paranormal Book Club and Sassy Book Lovers for also giving a helping hand to all authors in need and getting the word out there. I want to thank my closest friends, my family, and my husband for all their love and support. And last but not least, I want to thank my readers for sharing the experience with me and for contacting me and letting me know how much they enjoyed my stories and for encouraging me to keep going!

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Boyfriend-is-a-Zombie/209533819058584

elitadaniels.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elita%20daniels

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4204268.Elita_Faith_Daniels

Elita, thank you so much for letting me interview you. Good luck with your book. You are welcome back to my blog anytime!

Thank you, Dorothy, for such and entertaining interview, I really enjoyed it!