Stephen Drivick's Blog - Posts Tagged "zombies"
Sample Saturday #2
A sample from Sometimes We Ran, Chapter 20: The Accident
We rounded a slight curve in the road and came upon an intersection. I squinted my eyes in the darkness and saw several buildings arranged near the road. I almost jumped for joy as I spotted a possible safe place. I felt like I had been reunited with an old friend.
It was a gas station with an attached food store.
It was a few hundred yards away, and looked like excellent cover. I decided to make a run for it. I picked up Claire and carried her as I ran for the front door. With my bruised ribs and hurt knee, it felt like I ran a mile. The parking lot was full of wrecked cars and decaying bodies, but the building looked intact. The door was partially open. With my arms full of Claire, I kicked it open. I had to turn sideways in the doorway to get inside. The inside was wrecked, as usual. I took a quick look, but found nobody inside. I cleared a spot, and laid Claire on the floor. She had gone really pale, and had passed out. She was definitely going into shock.
I heard a noise at the door. I quickly turned around, and drew my shotgun at the same time. A young Red-Eye stood in the doorway. It seemed that I had forgotten to close the door.
He stood there watching me for a moment. He cocked his head from side to side perhaps sizing me up. The worst part was his eyes. They were twin glowing red orbs in his skull, that seemed to pierce right through me. He let out a low growl, and leaped at me. It wasn't very good. Outside the store, it would have been a graceful jump, and he would have killed me where I stood. Inside the store, though, it was a clumsy, staggering fall through debris and glass. I pulled the trigger and fired at the attacking zombie. The shotgun blast caught him in the shoulder. He stumbled, recovered, and then reached for me. I stepped back to avoid his reach, and jammed the butt of the shotgun into the creature's skull. He fell backwards on the floor, and I shot him again. The shot grazed the side of his head. The Red-Eye screeched, and started flopping around in the doorway of the gas station. I stood over him, and blew his brains out with another shell. The Red-Eye went silent.
Adrenaline coursing through me, I stood over the broken body of the zombie. I heard a sound outside, and glanced out the open door. Two more Red-Eyes stood near the dead gas pumps.
They were staring at me as I stood over their dead companion.
Suddenly, a feeling of rage washed over me. I had reached my breaking point, and the time for fear and running was over. I stowed my shotgun, and dragged the dead Red-Eye into the parking lot. I then stood up, drew my shotgun, and pointed it at the two zombies in the parking lot. They started at me in confusion.
I screwed up my courage. “Look at your buddy, you ugly bastards. I blew his brains out. If you want to eat me and my friend, you're going to have to go through me. You got it?”
They stood silently for a minute staring at me and my shotgun. After a little calculation, they began to make their move. I aimed my shotgun at their heads. “I'm not bluffing. One or both of you are about to die.”
The zombies got the message, and with a series of clicking noises and growls, they retreated. They paused for a minute when they got to the road, and glanced back. It almost looked like they were trying to remember me for future encounters. After a few seconds of heavy glancing, they took off into the woods.
I stood there for a second, my shotgun ready. It seems the Red-Eyes had achieved some sort of intelligence. They recognized me as a threat, and had retreated to fight another day. I had no doubt that they would keep watching, and waiting for a chance to strike. After all, you can't pass up a good meal, even if you're a zombie.
I stowed my shotgun, and ran inside. I slammed the door and locked us in. I piled a few things in the doorway for a little added security. I took a quick look through the door glass at the parking lot. Nothing was moving. The Red-Eyes were going to leave us alone for now.
I turned my attention to Claire. She was starting to come to, and attempting to get to a sitting position. I ran to her side. “Don't move. You're hurt.” She lay down on the hard floor without protest.
I took off my backpack, and took out our first aid kit. I tended to her cuts and abrasions as best I could with my limited supplies. She winced in pain whenever I dabbed a cut with antibiotic ointment. Some of the cuts were pretty deep. I began to wonder if Claire was going to be all right.
During my attempts at first aid, Claire reached up and touched my face. “John, you're bleeding. Were we in some kind of accident?”
I looked into her crystal blue eyes. “Yes, Claire. I crashed the scooter, remember?” I may have to add a concussion to her list of aliments.
“Oh, yeah. I remember,” she said weakly. “Guess that's why I'm lying on the floor, huh?”
I tried to laugh, but was unsuccessful. “I'm sorry. I wish it was me who was on the floor.”
Claire touched my hand. “It's okay. I'll be okay.” A weak smile crossed her lips.
And that's when I noticed the bite on her wrist.
It was about two inches long, on the top of her wrist near her hand. It looked like tiny red lines spaced close together in a circular pattern. I moved her sleeve slightly down her arm, and turned her wrist over. The tiny red lines continued underneath her arm as well. It was a dog bite. It was hard to tell in the darkness of the store if it had penetrated her skin. Claire wasn't showing any zombie symptoms yet. Maybe the dog bites took longer. I felt very weak and dizzy.
I started to tremble as I held Claire's wrist. I couldn't believe what I saw. After all we'd been through, after all the precautions, one of us gets bit by a damn dog. It should be me. Why didn't it bite me? Claire didn't deserve this.
She must have seen the concern on my face. “What's the matter, Tiger?” she asked in a weak voice. Without uttering a word, I showed Claire her wrist. She glanced at it for a second, and a terrible look crossed her face. “Great,” she said. “Just great.”
I looked away so she couldn't see the tears welling up in my eyes. “Claire, I'm sorry,” I said, choking up.
She lay there for a few minutes, then she grabbed my arm. “John, look at me.” I reluctantly looked her in the eyes. “It's okay. I think we both knew our luck would run out eventually. I think we had a good run. We tried. We really tried. Now you have to be strong.”
Unfortunately, I knew what I had to do. “I'm sorry. I didn't want this for you. It should be me.” I was holding both her hands now, and tears were running down my cheeks.
Claire tried to smile, but she was crying as well. “Shh ...Don't talk like that. You know what you have to do. Don't let me be one of those things for more than a few seconds, okay?”
I nodded. “I ...I don't think I can do it.” The thought of shooting her made me sick to my stomach.
Claire painfully picked her head up to look me in the eyes. “You promised, remember? Back when we first met. You promised to take care of me. Please don't let me become one of those things.”
I nodded weakly. “I remember. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of you.”
Claire laid her head back down on the floor. “Thank you, Tiger.” She paused for a minute, then said, “You've been a really good friend. You and I have become sort of a family, you know.” She started squeezing my hands till they were almost breaking. “I'm really glad we found each other. It was fun.” Claire paused to touch my face. “I love you, John,” she said through her tears. She lay back and closed her eyes. “Okay. I'm ready. Just make it quick”
I looked down at her for a moment. There was nothing I could do or say to ease her pain. Once you're bitten, it's all over. I could only do what she wanted, and not let her join the other undead. I brushed aside some pink-highlighted auburn hair, and kissed her on the forehead.
I drew my gun, and sat down beside her in the dark store. I sat beside her and waited.
I waited for Claire to turn.
Thanks for stopping by!
***********************
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CZLEYZE
CreateSpace (Paperback)https://www.createspace.com/4307201
DriveThruFiction: http://www.drivethrufiction.com/produ...
NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somet...
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/eboo...
Leanpub: https://leanpub.com/SometimesWeRan
Libiro: http://www.libiro.com/index.php?route...
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id65...
Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/book/230611071/...
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/c0...
We rounded a slight curve in the road and came upon an intersection. I squinted my eyes in the darkness and saw several buildings arranged near the road. I almost jumped for joy as I spotted a possible safe place. I felt like I had been reunited with an old friend.
It was a gas station with an attached food store.
It was a few hundred yards away, and looked like excellent cover. I decided to make a run for it. I picked up Claire and carried her as I ran for the front door. With my bruised ribs and hurt knee, it felt like I ran a mile. The parking lot was full of wrecked cars and decaying bodies, but the building looked intact. The door was partially open. With my arms full of Claire, I kicked it open. I had to turn sideways in the doorway to get inside. The inside was wrecked, as usual. I took a quick look, but found nobody inside. I cleared a spot, and laid Claire on the floor. She had gone really pale, and had passed out. She was definitely going into shock.
I heard a noise at the door. I quickly turned around, and drew my shotgun at the same time. A young Red-Eye stood in the doorway. It seemed that I had forgotten to close the door.
He stood there watching me for a moment. He cocked his head from side to side perhaps sizing me up. The worst part was his eyes. They were twin glowing red orbs in his skull, that seemed to pierce right through me. He let out a low growl, and leaped at me. It wasn't very good. Outside the store, it would have been a graceful jump, and he would have killed me where I stood. Inside the store, though, it was a clumsy, staggering fall through debris and glass. I pulled the trigger and fired at the attacking zombie. The shotgun blast caught him in the shoulder. He stumbled, recovered, and then reached for me. I stepped back to avoid his reach, and jammed the butt of the shotgun into the creature's skull. He fell backwards on the floor, and I shot him again. The shot grazed the side of his head. The Red-Eye screeched, and started flopping around in the doorway of the gas station. I stood over him, and blew his brains out with another shell. The Red-Eye went silent.
Adrenaline coursing through me, I stood over the broken body of the zombie. I heard a sound outside, and glanced out the open door. Two more Red-Eyes stood near the dead gas pumps.
They were staring at me as I stood over their dead companion.
Suddenly, a feeling of rage washed over me. I had reached my breaking point, and the time for fear and running was over. I stowed my shotgun, and dragged the dead Red-Eye into the parking lot. I then stood up, drew my shotgun, and pointed it at the two zombies in the parking lot. They started at me in confusion.
I screwed up my courage. “Look at your buddy, you ugly bastards. I blew his brains out. If you want to eat me and my friend, you're going to have to go through me. You got it?”
They stood silently for a minute staring at me and my shotgun. After a little calculation, they began to make their move. I aimed my shotgun at their heads. “I'm not bluffing. One or both of you are about to die.”
The zombies got the message, and with a series of clicking noises and growls, they retreated. They paused for a minute when they got to the road, and glanced back. It almost looked like they were trying to remember me for future encounters. After a few seconds of heavy glancing, they took off into the woods.
I stood there for a second, my shotgun ready. It seems the Red-Eyes had achieved some sort of intelligence. They recognized me as a threat, and had retreated to fight another day. I had no doubt that they would keep watching, and waiting for a chance to strike. After all, you can't pass up a good meal, even if you're a zombie.
I stowed my shotgun, and ran inside. I slammed the door and locked us in. I piled a few things in the doorway for a little added security. I took a quick look through the door glass at the parking lot. Nothing was moving. The Red-Eyes were going to leave us alone for now.
I turned my attention to Claire. She was starting to come to, and attempting to get to a sitting position. I ran to her side. “Don't move. You're hurt.” She lay down on the hard floor without protest.
I took off my backpack, and took out our first aid kit. I tended to her cuts and abrasions as best I could with my limited supplies. She winced in pain whenever I dabbed a cut with antibiotic ointment. Some of the cuts were pretty deep. I began to wonder if Claire was going to be all right.
During my attempts at first aid, Claire reached up and touched my face. “John, you're bleeding. Were we in some kind of accident?”
I looked into her crystal blue eyes. “Yes, Claire. I crashed the scooter, remember?” I may have to add a concussion to her list of aliments.
“Oh, yeah. I remember,” she said weakly. “Guess that's why I'm lying on the floor, huh?”
I tried to laugh, but was unsuccessful. “I'm sorry. I wish it was me who was on the floor.”
Claire touched my hand. “It's okay. I'll be okay.” A weak smile crossed her lips.
And that's when I noticed the bite on her wrist.
It was about two inches long, on the top of her wrist near her hand. It looked like tiny red lines spaced close together in a circular pattern. I moved her sleeve slightly down her arm, and turned her wrist over. The tiny red lines continued underneath her arm as well. It was a dog bite. It was hard to tell in the darkness of the store if it had penetrated her skin. Claire wasn't showing any zombie symptoms yet. Maybe the dog bites took longer. I felt very weak and dizzy.
I started to tremble as I held Claire's wrist. I couldn't believe what I saw. After all we'd been through, after all the precautions, one of us gets bit by a damn dog. It should be me. Why didn't it bite me? Claire didn't deserve this.
She must have seen the concern on my face. “What's the matter, Tiger?” she asked in a weak voice. Without uttering a word, I showed Claire her wrist. She glanced at it for a second, and a terrible look crossed her face. “Great,” she said. “Just great.”
I looked away so she couldn't see the tears welling up in my eyes. “Claire, I'm sorry,” I said, choking up.
She lay there for a few minutes, then she grabbed my arm. “John, look at me.” I reluctantly looked her in the eyes. “It's okay. I think we both knew our luck would run out eventually. I think we had a good run. We tried. We really tried. Now you have to be strong.”
Unfortunately, I knew what I had to do. “I'm sorry. I didn't want this for you. It should be me.” I was holding both her hands now, and tears were running down my cheeks.
Claire tried to smile, but she was crying as well. “Shh ...Don't talk like that. You know what you have to do. Don't let me be one of those things for more than a few seconds, okay?”
I nodded. “I ...I don't think I can do it.” The thought of shooting her made me sick to my stomach.
Claire painfully picked her head up to look me in the eyes. “You promised, remember? Back when we first met. You promised to take care of me. Please don't let me become one of those things.”
I nodded weakly. “I remember. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of you.”
Claire laid her head back down on the floor. “Thank you, Tiger.” She paused for a minute, then said, “You've been a really good friend. You and I have become sort of a family, you know.” She started squeezing my hands till they were almost breaking. “I'm really glad we found each other. It was fun.” Claire paused to touch my face. “I love you, John,” she said through her tears. She lay back and closed her eyes. “Okay. I'm ready. Just make it quick”
I looked down at her for a moment. There was nothing I could do or say to ease her pain. Once you're bitten, it's all over. I could only do what she wanted, and not let her join the other undead. I brushed aside some pink-highlighted auburn hair, and kissed her on the forehead.
I drew my gun, and sat down beside her in the dark store. I sat beside her and waited.
I waited for Claire to turn.
Thanks for stopping by!
***********************
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CZLEYZE
CreateSpace (Paperback)https://www.createspace.com/4307201
DriveThruFiction: http://www.drivethrufiction.com/produ...
NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somet...
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/eboo...
Leanpub: https://leanpub.com/SometimesWeRan
Libiro: http://www.libiro.com/index.php?route...
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id65...
Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/book/230611071/...
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/c0...
Almost Time to Lift the Curtain.
I just sent Sometimes We Ran 2: Community off to the editor. I've done all I can. It's up to the professionals to make it into a book.:)
It's about 68,000 words, and it continues John and Claire's story as they try to survive in a shattered world. It feels a lot like the first book, so I hope zombie fans will enjoy it.
Now on to new business. How about Sometimes We Ran 3? :)
It's about 68,000 words, and it continues John and Claire's story as they try to survive in a shattered world. It feels a lot like the first book, so I hope zombie fans will enjoy it.
Now on to new business. How about Sometimes We Ran 3? :)
The Journey Begins... Again.
Sometimes We Ran 2: Community is back from the wild world of editing. Now it's time to see if I can make it into a book. Pray (or maybe it's prey... after all, it is a zombie novel :)) for me as I dive into the sea of red ink.
Happy Hoildays
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my friends on the internet.
And remember...Red-Eye zombies know when you're awake. :)
And remember...Red-Eye zombies know when you're awake. :)
Sometimes We Ran 2 - It's Published!
Sometimes We Ran 2: Community is published on Leanpub. It will be coming to an ebook store near you soon.
Here's the rollout schedule, barring any more sick breaks:
-publish to Leanpub
-download to my devices to check the files and make any adjustments
-MOBI files to Amazon(They are the biggest, so they get it first.:))
-EPUB files to Draft2Digital(NOOK, Kobo, Apple)
-EPUB, MOBI, and PDF files to DriveThruFiction
-PDF files to CreateSpace for print copies
-PDF and EPUB to Libiro.com
-do some promotion
-profit! (I hope.:))
That's it. If you absolutely need to read it right now, you can get it from Leanpub.com. They have instructions on how to download. You can even pick how much to pay!
Thanks for reading. See you soon zombie fans.
Here's the rollout schedule, barring any more sick breaks:
-publish to Leanpub
-download to my devices to check the files and make any adjustments
-MOBI files to Amazon(They are the biggest, so they get it first.:))
-EPUB files to Draft2Digital(NOOK, Kobo, Apple)
-EPUB, MOBI, and PDF files to DriveThruFiction
-PDF files to CreateSpace for print copies
-PDF and EPUB to Libiro.com
-do some promotion
-profit! (I hope.:))
That's it. If you absolutely need to read it right now, you can get it from Leanpub.com. They have instructions on how to download. You can even pick how much to pay!
Thanks for reading. See you soon zombie fans.
Zombies
This is my eighteenth and last entry for the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. Today we look at Z-Zombies.
And now we come to Z. I'm going to talk about Zombies.
The story for Sometimes We Ran was bouncing around in my head for a couple of years. At the core, it was a story about a man who decides to leave his survival compound to seek his fortune in a post-apocalyptic world. At first, I had decided to use an old favorite, nuclear war, to end the world. Further research told me I couldn't pull it off. Total nuclear war seemed a little too destructive.
It was during a Walking Dead marathon that I hit on zombies. Zombies would let me end the world as we knew it, and allow the infrastructure to stay intact. My hero could walk for years fighting zombies.:)
I decided on two types identified by the color of their eyes. Yellow-Eye varieties would appear first in my zombie apocalypse. They were the classic zombie: slow-witted walker types that could be trouble in large groups. When fresh, they would be fast. Also, cruel and unusual injuries could be assigned to Yellows, like missing arms, legs, etc.
The Red-Eyes would be different. I made them a little smarter, faster, and more crafty. They worked in small groups sometimes with a leader. I made them ambush predators, hiding in the woods waiting for a meal. Another cool thing was the noises they could make: growling, hissing, or the occasional screech of pain. Red-Eyes are the new top of the food chain in my world.
Both Reds and Yellows follow the zombie rules. Shooting them in the head puts them down. Grievous injury to their body only slows them down. If you are bitten by one, you become part of their crew. They also have a problem with doorknobs and fences. In most of the zombie-themed media I have consumed, the undead can't climb a fence, or turn a doorknob to get at the heroes of the story.:)
That's the zombies of Sometimes We Ran. I decided from the outset that I wasn't going to try an rewrite the genre, but I hope I added to it a little bit.
And as always, zombie fans. Watch out for the Red-Eyes.:)
And now we come to Z. I'm going to talk about Zombies.
The story for Sometimes We Ran was bouncing around in my head for a couple of years. At the core, it was a story about a man who decides to leave his survival compound to seek his fortune in a post-apocalyptic world. At first, I had decided to use an old favorite, nuclear war, to end the world. Further research told me I couldn't pull it off. Total nuclear war seemed a little too destructive.
It was during a Walking Dead marathon that I hit on zombies. Zombies would let me end the world as we knew it, and allow the infrastructure to stay intact. My hero could walk for years fighting zombies.:)
I decided on two types identified by the color of their eyes. Yellow-Eye varieties would appear first in my zombie apocalypse. They were the classic zombie: slow-witted walker types that could be trouble in large groups. When fresh, they would be fast. Also, cruel and unusual injuries could be assigned to Yellows, like missing arms, legs, etc.
The Red-Eyes would be different. I made them a little smarter, faster, and more crafty. They worked in small groups sometimes with a leader. I made them ambush predators, hiding in the woods waiting for a meal. Another cool thing was the noises they could make: growling, hissing, or the occasional screech of pain. Red-Eyes are the new top of the food chain in my world.
Both Reds and Yellows follow the zombie rules. Shooting them in the head puts them down. Grievous injury to their body only slows them down. If you are bitten by one, you become part of their crew. They also have a problem with doorknobs and fences. In most of the zombie-themed media I have consumed, the undead can't climb a fence, or turn a doorknob to get at the heroes of the story.:)
That's the zombies of Sometimes We Ran. I decided from the outset that I wasn't going to try an rewrite the genre, but I hope I added to it a little bit.
And as always, zombie fans. Watch out for the Red-Eyes.:)
Yes ...I Did Write a Book.
"You wrote a zombie book?"
"Yes ...I did."
"Really?"
"Yes ...Really."
"Seriously?" (snicker)
"Yes ...seriously"
"So, I guess it's about dead people walking around eating brains, and big-chested women killing everything with chainsaws while wearing leather thongs. huh?" (lol)
"Well ...no actually it's about regular people trying to survive after an apocalypse. No chainsaw weapons in my book."
"Well ...I may pick it up, but I'm not a zombie person."
The conversation above may be a little embellished, (Okay, it's all made up.) but lately it seems like discussions about my books seem to slant in two directions. Either they don't believe I wrote anything at all, or they think it's a story where zombies get cut in half and women suddenly forget to wear any underwear when they hunt the undead.
Even though my novels are about zombies, I take it seriously and play it straight. In my world, zombies are just another (fun and creepy)way to destroy the world. I put my characters in danger, but I try not to go crazy with chainsaws and such. And the women will usually fight the undead in tasteful blouses and jeans. :)
So the next time someone asks you if you wrote a zombie (or werewolf, vampire, unicorn adventure, elves vs. trolls) book, you say yes.
Seriously.
"Yes ...I did."
"Really?"
"Yes ...Really."
"Seriously?" (snicker)
"Yes ...seriously"
"So, I guess it's about dead people walking around eating brains, and big-chested women killing everything with chainsaws while wearing leather thongs. huh?" (lol)
"Well ...no actually it's about regular people trying to survive after an apocalypse. No chainsaw weapons in my book."
"Well ...I may pick it up, but I'm not a zombie person."
The conversation above may be a little embellished, (Okay, it's all made up.) but lately it seems like discussions about my books seem to slant in two directions. Either they don't believe I wrote anything at all, or they think it's a story where zombies get cut in half and women suddenly forget to wear any underwear when they hunt the undead.
Even though my novels are about zombies, I take it seriously and play it straight. In my world, zombies are just another (fun and creepy)way to destroy the world. I put my characters in danger, but I try not to go crazy with chainsaws and such. And the women will usually fight the undead in tasteful blouses and jeans. :)
So the next time someone asks you if you wrote a zombie (or werewolf, vampire, unicorn adventure, elves vs. trolls) book, you say yes.
Seriously.
Keep Fighting Until They All Come Home.
Sometimes We Ran 3: Rescue is (finally) released to the general public! Right now, you can buy it from Amazon and DriveThruFiction. NOOK, Kobo, Apple, and Scribd coming soon.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VYWHZP6
DriveThruFiction: http://goo.gl/3p9dNR
I hope everyone enjoys it, and thanks to all the zombie fans out there.
Now, on to Sometimes We Ran 4: Enough with the Zombies already!. :)
Link to the cover if you want to take a peek: http://goo.gl/9UVuA5
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VYWHZP6
DriveThruFiction: http://goo.gl/3p9dNR
I hope everyone enjoys it, and thanks to all the zombie fans out there.
Now, on to Sometimes We Ran 4: Enough with the Zombies already!. :)
Link to the cover if you want to take a peek: http://goo.gl/9UVuA5
Happy Halloween
Judging by the Christmas trees going up for sale at my local Wal-Mart, it must be Halloween.
Halloween has a special significance for me. I had a story in my head for Sometimes We Ran, but I didn't have the disaster that ended the world. I thought about a few ways the world could end – nuclear war, chemical warfare, pandemic, global government collapse, famine – and none seemed right. I even envisioned a scenario where a planet crashes into Earth, but it was too flashy.
A somewhat popular zombie apocalypse show with everyone's favorite unhinged sheriff was having a Halloween marathon. I watched, and jotted down creative descriptions for zombies and ways to eradicate them. Sometimes We Ran was born.
Two sequels followed, both as a result of that night. The third part of the series, Sometimes We Ran 3: Rescue is celebrating its sixth month of publication. A fourth and fifth part will follow, and then I won't know what to do. Maybe I'll nap a bit. :)
Like I do every year since writing these books, I've put them up for sale. Until 11/02, all three e books in the Sometimes We Ran series will be 99 cents each – if I set the Kindle Countdown deal correctly. You can also borrow all three with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. I thank you for your support. :)
Until next time, and Happy Halloween.
Halloween has a special significance for me. I had a story in my head for Sometimes We Ran, but I didn't have the disaster that ended the world. I thought about a few ways the world could end – nuclear war, chemical warfare, pandemic, global government collapse, famine – and none seemed right. I even envisioned a scenario where a planet crashes into Earth, but it was too flashy.
A somewhat popular zombie apocalypse show with everyone's favorite unhinged sheriff was having a Halloween marathon. I watched, and jotted down creative descriptions for zombies and ways to eradicate them. Sometimes We Ran was born.
Two sequels followed, both as a result of that night. The third part of the series, Sometimes We Ran 3: Rescue is celebrating its sixth month of publication. A fourth and fifth part will follow, and then I won't know what to do. Maybe I'll nap a bit. :)
Like I do every year since writing these books, I've put them up for sale. Until 11/02, all three e books in the Sometimes We Ran series will be 99 cents each – if I set the Kindle Countdown deal correctly. You can also borrow all three with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. I thank you for your support. :)
Until next time, and Happy Halloween.
