C.A. Verstraete's Blog, page 45
May 14, 2017
Lizzie Borden - 125th Anniversary of Borden Murders #horror
I'm doing sporadic new and older posts about Lizzie Borden in honor of the 125th anniversary this year of the Borden murders.
Yes, it is nothing to "celebrate," but the murders of Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby Durfee Borden have become part of history and folklore. Who hasn't heard that little ditty... Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother 40 whacks...
The real crime that August 4th morning of 1892 is no less horrific, even if the rhyme has the numbers wrong. See Borden autopsy reports.
Though Lizzie Borden, the younger spinster daughter/stepdaughter, was charged with the crimes, the jury declared her not guilty of the crimes on June 20, 1893.
Did she do it? What do you say?
Let's hear what the fictional Lizzie, based on my book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, has to say for herself:What are you doing now?
Reading. I found a rather unusual book of poetry recently published called The shadow of death: poems, songs, and sonnets written by Eric Stenbock. Given recent turns of events, it fit my mood rather well.
What keeps you awake at night?
Not what you think.
Are you a glass half empty or half full person?
I would say half full. I’ve learned there are things you can’t control in your life, so it’s best to look forward.
What is it about Fall River that keeps you here?
I was born here and prefer to die here. No matter what others think of me, this is my home and always will be.
If you could have a five-minute conversation with anyone living or dead, who would it be?
I would ask my father one question: Why?
--Christine Verstraete
Amazon link - all countries
About LizzieBorden, Zombie Hunter by C.A. Verstraete:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
May 12, 2017
Another May Reading List
Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time for Beach Reads!
Or, conversely, if you don’t have a beach to visit, just regular reading. Whatever your plans, I’ve compiled a list of books that are on my To Read list or Have Been Recently Read list that I recommend to others.
We’ll start with the zombie books.
The Girl with All the Gifts
Great new take on the zombie genre. I really enjoyed the book, and the movie wasn’t terrible either.
After the Cure
Another really fascinating new take on the zombie genre. I haven’t read the others in the series yet, but I will attempt to get to them at some point.
The Cold Beneath
This was written by one of my indie-author friends. Fantastic mix of steam punk and zombies and a little mystery. I really enjoyed it.
Non-zombie Books
Jurassic Park
I just finished reading this book to my boys. It’s been about 20 years since I last read it, and I apparently did not remember what happened in the story, so it was great to be reminded and surprised.
Aliens: Bug Hunt
This is my current read. I love pretty much anything that has to do with the Alien world, so I was thrilled when this book came out. I’ll let you know how it is.
Thrawn
In addition to all my other nerdish leanings, I’m a huge Star Wars fan. I just finished rereading the Thrawn trilogy recently—I should actually clarify that I relistened to it. I got the books on audio, but it’s just like rereading. I had originally read them several years ago, and I remembered better what happened in these books, but it was still fun to revisit them. I’m excited to see what happens in this book.
What books are on your list?
Also, if anyone is interested, May is Zombie Awareness Month, so I’m celebrating by giving away signed paper backs. This week I’m giving away Life After the Undead and Death to the Undead. Sign up for your chance to win some copies below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Or, conversely, if you don’t have a beach to visit, just regular reading. Whatever your plans, I’ve compiled a list of books that are on my To Read list or Have Been Recently Read list that I recommend to others.
We’ll start with the zombie books.
The Girl with All the Gifts
Great new take on the zombie genre. I really enjoyed the book, and the movie wasn’t terrible either.
After the Cure
Another really fascinating new take on the zombie genre. I haven’t read the others in the series yet, but I will attempt to get to them at some point.
The Cold Beneath
This was written by one of my indie-author friends. Fantastic mix of steam punk and zombies and a little mystery. I really enjoyed it.
Non-zombie Books
Jurassic Park
I just finished reading this book to my boys. It’s been about 20 years since I last read it, and I apparently did not remember what happened in the story, so it was great to be reminded and surprised.
Aliens: Bug Hunt
This is my current read. I love pretty much anything that has to do with the Alien world, so I was thrilled when this book came out. I’ll let you know how it is.
Thrawn
In addition to all my other nerdish leanings, I’m a huge Star Wars fan. I just finished rereading the Thrawn trilogy recently—I should actually clarify that I relistened to it. I got the books on audio, but it’s just like rereading. I had originally read them several years ago, and I remembered better what happened in these books, but it was still fun to revisit them. I’m excited to see what happens in this book.
What books are on your list?
Also, if anyone is interested, May is Zombie Awareness Month, so I’m celebrating by giving away signed paper backs. This week I’m giving away Life After the Undead and Death to the Undead. Sign up for your chance to win some copies below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 11, 2017
Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter in the news!
Cool! I got a mention for Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter in The Guardian newspaper-
The Lizzie Borden murder industry won't die - but its feminism has.
I like the subhead - But zombies and other kitsch are taking over the franchise.
That's me!!!!
Ooops!!!! - they think C.A. Verstraete is a he. haaa! (Even though one easy check or a look at the Amazon bio says otherwise...) Ah well....
I beg to differ with the analysis, of course, as I never intended to use Lizzie in this setting just for gore's sake. In the horror realm, she has a purpose, and it also makes perfect sense in the genre, based on the actual autopsy photos. It sounds like the writer is not necessarily a horror fan, given the mention of the Christina Ricci movie, too. (Which I liked.) And unlike in real life, Lizzie is even somewhat heroic, and not only a social pariah. I followed the facts, even if I gave them a fictional twist. But hey, a mention is a mention. No complaints, there.
Let's see if this gets anyone curious enough to want to read it!
About LizzieBorden, Zombie Hunter by C.A. Verstraete:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
The Lizzie Borden murder industry won't die - but its feminism has.
I like the subhead - But zombies and other kitsch are taking over the franchise.
That's me!!!!
Ooops!!!! - they think C.A. Verstraete is a he. haaa! (Even though one easy check or a look at the Amazon bio says otherwise...) Ah well....
I beg to differ with the analysis, of course, as I never intended to use Lizzie in this setting just for gore's sake. In the horror realm, she has a purpose, and it also makes perfect sense in the genre, based on the actual autopsy photos. It sounds like the writer is not necessarily a horror fan, given the mention of the Christina Ricci movie, too. (Which I liked.) And unlike in real life, Lizzie is even somewhat heroic, and not only a social pariah. I followed the facts, even if I gave them a fictional twist. But hey, a mention is a mention. No complaints, there.
Let's see if this gets anyone curious enough to want to read it!
About LizzieBorden, Zombie Hunter by C.A. Verstraete:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
May 10, 2017
New Review! Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter - #horror
** Got a great new review for
Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter
- 5 stars!
About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter :
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
"The story flows so well and will give you goosebumps and might make you gag from the epic detail used throughout this book. I am a huge horror fan, so this did not disappoint at all! If you like historical horror, read this! Or Lizzie might hack you next!" - Destiny at NerdGirlOfficial.com
About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter :
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
May 8, 2017
May Reading List! #Horror #Zombie #Mystery #Lizzie Borden
April showers bring May flowers - and some new and new-to-you books to read! Load up that Kindle!
(See links to previous reading lists on the top tab!)
And for something different -
I had to add this as it's too funny not to. And hey, when I last looked it was free. Who knew the Colonel was so, um, hot??
Tender Wings of Desire - Colonel Sanders - yes, it's a romance with that KFC stud-muffin, Colonel Sanders...
Apocalyptic- Dystopian:
(On sale - 99 cents to May 8!) Get it quick! Ends today!
Watcher - (Watcher Series Book 1), AJ Eversley - What if you had to choose who would live and who would die? Sawyer Russo has sworn to protect humanity, and as a Watcher she’s done just that. But the Bots and Carbons that took her city are evolving, and they start picking the Watchers off one by one. A betrayal blurs the line between friend and foe. Now it all comes down to one choice – who can she save? And who does she have to let go? (Amazon.CA)
Horror:
The Monster Pit
- Robert W. Walker - People are disappearing near the gaping hole of the soon-to-be-built Chicago Spire. Can Det. Aubrey Hamilton and members of the retired "Old Fart Squad" find out what monstrous mysteries are lurking beneath the surface of what locals call The Monster Pit? Novella with a touch of history, mystery and horror!
Lizzie Borden:
The History and Haunting of Lizzie Borden - Rebecca F. Pittman Did you know there were actually two murder plots to kill the wealthy couple, the father and stepmother of Lizzie Borden? Here, for the first time, we offer new evidence, photos, and the identity of mysterious key players in the tragedy--two men the police and attorneys searched for, but never found. Who were they? And how did they figure into this surreal murder case? We also offer photographic evidence of how the murderer broke the famous hatchet, and in only seconds.
The Murderer's Maid: A Lizzie Borden Novel - Erika Mailman - Intriguing new tale centering on Lizzie Borden's maid! (Hardcover, releases Oct. 30)
Past and present stories of two women: one, the servant of infamous murderer Lizzie Borden, and the other a modern-day barista fleeing from an attempt on her life. Trapped by servitude and afraid for her own safety, Bridget finds herself an unwilling witness to the tensions in the volatile Borden household. Lizzie, the younger sister, seethes with resentment against her father and stepmother. Unknowingly connected to the events of a century before, Brooke, the illegitimate daughter of an immigrant maid, struggles to conceal her identity and stay a jump ahead of the men she thinks want to kill her. When she meets Anthony, an attorney who believes in second chances, she has to decide whether to stop running and begin her life anew.
Mystery: New! Audiobook!
The Dead of Winter, (A Piper Blackwell Mystery, Book 1) - Jean Rabe -
In a deceptively peaceful county, a murderer hides in plain sight.
Fifty-eight minutes into her first day on the job, 23-year-old Sheriff Piper Blackwell is faced with a grisly murder, the victim artfully posed amid decorations on his lawn. Drawing on former military training, Piper must prove herself worthy of the sheriff's badge, and that won't be easy.Chief Deputy Oren Rosenberg, Piper's opponent in the recent election, doesn't like her and wants her to fail. She doesn't like him either, but she needs Oren to help catch the killer before another victim is discovered. Too late! (NEWS-The sequel comes out Sept. 1! - See her website for updates.)
Happy Homicides 5 - The Purr-fect Crime, Joanna Campbell Slan, etc.
The latest in the Happy Homicides collection of short stories. This one features felines. Includes stories by Joanna Campbell Slan, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Loulou Harrington, Neil Plakcy, Teresa Trent, Terry Ambrose, Amy Vansant, Randy Rawls, Christina Freeburn, Wendy Sand Eckel, and Karen Cantwell. Includes a special email address so you can send away for a bonus file full of recipes and fun project ideas.
Zombie:
Aliens Vs. Zombies, Mark Cusco Ailes - War of the Worlds meets Night of the Living Dead!
In need of replenishing their food supply, aliens travel to Earth - and find a zombie apocalypse. Will the aliens win in their battle against the zombies, or turn into a food source? (Two nightmares in one!)
Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, C.A. Verstraete -
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
BONUS: Apocalyptic - Dystopian:
Babylon Working , Davy Lyons - The end of the world is just a beginning... Sign up for his mailing list to get a free copy. Get Part 2 and Part 3 on Amazon - sale 99 cents.
(See links to previous reading lists on the top tab!)
And for something different -
I had to add this as it's too funny not to. And hey, when I last looked it was free. Who knew the Colonel was so, um, hot??
Tender Wings of Desire - Colonel Sanders - yes, it's a romance with that KFC stud-muffin, Colonel Sanders...
Apocalyptic- Dystopian:
(On sale - 99 cents to May 8!) Get it quick! Ends today!
Watcher - (Watcher Series Book 1), AJ Eversley - What if you had to choose who would live and who would die? Sawyer Russo has sworn to protect humanity, and as a Watcher she’s done just that. But the Bots and Carbons that took her city are evolving, and they start picking the Watchers off one by one. A betrayal blurs the line between friend and foe. Now it all comes down to one choice – who can she save? And who does she have to let go? (Amazon.CA)Horror:
The Monster Pit
- Robert W. Walker - People are disappearing near the gaping hole of the soon-to-be-built Chicago Spire. Can Det. Aubrey Hamilton and members of the retired "Old Fart Squad" find out what monstrous mysteries are lurking beneath the surface of what locals call The Monster Pit? Novella with a touch of history, mystery and horror!
Lizzie Borden:
The History and Haunting of Lizzie Borden - Rebecca F. Pittman Did you know there were actually two murder plots to kill the wealthy couple, the father and stepmother of Lizzie Borden? Here, for the first time, we offer new evidence, photos, and the identity of mysterious key players in the tragedy--two men the police and attorneys searched for, but never found. Who were they? And how did they figure into this surreal murder case? We also offer photographic evidence of how the murderer broke the famous hatchet, and in only seconds.
The Murderer's Maid: A Lizzie Borden Novel - Erika Mailman - Intriguing new tale centering on Lizzie Borden's maid! (Hardcover, releases Oct. 30)Past and present stories of two women: one, the servant of infamous murderer Lizzie Borden, and the other a modern-day barista fleeing from an attempt on her life. Trapped by servitude and afraid for her own safety, Bridget finds herself an unwilling witness to the tensions in the volatile Borden household. Lizzie, the younger sister, seethes with resentment against her father and stepmother. Unknowingly connected to the events of a century before, Brooke, the illegitimate daughter of an immigrant maid, struggles to conceal her identity and stay a jump ahead of the men she thinks want to kill her. When she meets Anthony, an attorney who believes in second chances, she has to decide whether to stop running and begin her life anew.
Mystery: New! Audiobook!
The Dead of Winter, (A Piper Blackwell Mystery, Book 1) - Jean Rabe -
In a deceptively peaceful county, a murderer hides in plain sight.
Fifty-eight minutes into her first day on the job, 23-year-old Sheriff Piper Blackwell is faced with a grisly murder, the victim artfully posed amid decorations on his lawn. Drawing on former military training, Piper must prove herself worthy of the sheriff's badge, and that won't be easy.Chief Deputy Oren Rosenberg, Piper's opponent in the recent election, doesn't like her and wants her to fail. She doesn't like him either, but she needs Oren to help catch the killer before another victim is discovered. Too late! (NEWS-The sequel comes out Sept. 1! - See her website for updates.)
Happy Homicides 5 - The Purr-fect Crime, Joanna Campbell Slan, etc.The latest in the Happy Homicides collection of short stories. This one features felines. Includes stories by Joanna Campbell Slan, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Loulou Harrington, Neil Plakcy, Teresa Trent, Terry Ambrose, Amy Vansant, Randy Rawls, Christina Freeburn, Wendy Sand Eckel, and Karen Cantwell. Includes a special email address so you can send away for a bonus file full of recipes and fun project ideas.
Zombie:Aliens Vs. Zombies, Mark Cusco Ailes - War of the Worlds meets Night of the Living Dead!
In need of replenishing their food supply, aliens travel to Earth - and find a zombie apocalypse. Will the aliens win in their battle against the zombies, or turn into a food source? (Two nightmares in one!)
Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, C.A. Verstraete -
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
BONUS: Apocalyptic - Dystopian:
Babylon Working , Davy Lyons - The end of the world is just a beginning... Sign up for his mailing list to get a free copy. Get Part 2 and Part 3 on Amazon - sale 99 cents.
May 6, 2017
Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter is Book of the Day!
Hey, hey! Today - Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter - is the Book of the Day atat Bookoftheday.org. Check it out! Also see the horror category.
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
May 5, 2017
#Horror #Zombie Movies to See!
Amazingly, there's quite a few movies out or coming out that I want to see! Have you seen or want to see any of these? Actually, I'm pretty excited to see most of these:
* The Girl with All the Gifts:
* The Mummy:
* The Train To Busan:
* Upcoming:
Wonder Woman with Gail Godot
* Just saw there's a trailer out now for Stephen King's Dark Tower. I read this though I quit by about the fourth book. But this will be intriguing:
* Stephen King's IT:
* The Girl with All the Gifts:
* The Mummy:
* The Train To Busan:
* Upcoming:
Wonder Woman with Gail Godot
* Just saw there's a trailer out now for Stephen King's Dark Tower. I read this though I quit by about the fourth book. But this will be intriguing:
* Stephen King's IT:
May 3, 2017
Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter #1LineWed!
It's another #1LineWed - 1 Line Wednesday!
I'm going to plan some regular fact-oriented Lizzie Borden posts, but for now, here's an "icky" line from the "zombie" side of my book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter.
1 Line:The monster struggled to its feet, an ugly hole in its leg leaking black ooze.
About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
I'm going to plan some regular fact-oriented Lizzie Borden posts, but for now, here's an "icky" line from the "zombie" side of my book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter.
1 Line:The monster struggled to its feet, an ugly hole in its leg leaking black ooze.
About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
May 1, 2017
Monday!
A working weekend so I'm way behind on starting the week!
I'll have a May reading list and Lizzie Borden posts coming up this week.
In the meantime, I found this..... (Oh, so bad!)
I'll have a May reading list and Lizzie Borden posts coming up this week.
In the meantime, I found this..... (Oh, so bad!)
April 28, 2017
C.A. Verstraete's Blog
- C.A. Verstraete's profile
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C.A. Verstraete isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
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do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
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