Jessica Rydill's Blog, page 20

Speculative Fiction Blog Hop - Harry Manners

Here is my weekly round-up of the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop. Harry Manners is this week's contributor.

Harry Manners is a Fantasy and Sci Fi writer who has just published his first novel, Ruin, and is working on a sequel, Brink. He is about halfway through and is also editing a Cli Fi novel. Now read on... http://harrymanners.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/speculative-fiction-blog-hop/


Forthcoming blog posts:
September 8:  Carole McDonnell
September 15:  Dean F. Wilson
September 22: Open
September 29: S B James
October 6:  Amelia Smith

There are plenty of openings, especially if you are a member of the KBoards.

Previous blog posts:
Sheila Guthrie: http://newsfromsheilasworld.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Vincent Trigili: http://www.losttalesofpower.com/2014/08/18/speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Ceinwen Langley: http://ceinwenlangley.com/2014/08/11/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Kevin Hardman: http://kevinhardman.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
Cora Buhlert: http://corabuhlert.com/2014/07/28/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Jessica Rydill: http://livinginthemaniototo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Jamie Maltman: http://www.jamiemaltman.com/2014/07/14/writing-process-blog-tour/
Marilyn Peake: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6593691-speculative-fiction-blog-hop
Nic Wilson: http://nicolaswilson.com/index.php/announcements-1/spec-fic-blog-hop
David Pagan: http://davidpagan.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Travis Hill: http://www.angrygames.com/?p=699
Cherise Kelley: http://size12bystpatricksday.blogspot.com/2014/06/speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
RJ Crayton: http://www.rjcrayton.com/2014/06/02/speculative-fiction-writing-method-blog-hop/
Sandra K. Williams: http://sandrakwilliams.net/?p=360
S. Elliot Brandis: http://selliotbrandis.com/2014/05/18/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Elle Chambers: http://indiespiritpress.com/2014/05/12/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
William D. Richards: http://blog.williamdrichards.com/2014/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html
Michael Patrick Hicks: http://michaelpatrickhicks.com/2014/05/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour/
Cat Amesbury: http://catamesbury.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Heidi Garrett: http://www.heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html#blog

If you're a spec fic author and want to participate in the blog hop, please contact Sheila_Guthrie. (The link takes you to the KBoards).

Acknowledgements: Thank you to Heidi Garrett for starting the ball rolling, Sheila Guthrie for taking it up and Sandra K. Williams for keeping the long list of links updated.

Speculative Fiction Showcase: Author interview - Cora Buhlert

Speculative Fiction Showcase: Author interview - Cora Buhlert: Cora is one of the co-hosts of the Speculative Fiction Showcase, and has agreed to be the first to do one of our author interviews. ...

Note: the Speculative Fiction Showcase was originally started by Heidi Garrett as a place for Spec Fic authors to write about their new releases.

The Showcase has now been relaunched, with Heidi, Cora Buhlert and myself blogging. As well as author new releases, we will also be hosting interviews and guest posts, plus there will be a weekly list of interesting Speculative Fiction links.

The Showcase has its own dedicated thread in the Writer's Cafe on the KBoards here, but it originally appeared in the Speculative Fiction High Five Circle, started by S. Elliot Brandis.

The Speculative Fiction Blog Hop - this week, Sheila Guthrie

Here is my weekly round-up of the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop. Sheila Guthrie is this week's contributor, and has also taken over the organisation of the Blog Hop from Heidi Garrett, who is concentrating on the Speculative Fiction Showcase, together with Cora Buhlert and myself.

Sheila has taken up the torch to write about her writing process. Sheila is a fan of Scrivener ( a very helpful programme for writers) and got me interested. She writes both Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction, and tends to write character-driven novels. Go and read her post!

http://newsfromsheilasworld.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-writing-process.html


Forthcoming blog posts:

September 1:  Harry Manners
September 8:  Carole McDonnell
September 15:  Dean F. Wilson
...
October 6:  Amelia Smith

There are plenty of openings, especially if you are a member of the KBoards.

Previous blog posts:
Vincent Trigili: http://www.losttalesofpower.com/2014/08/18/speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Ceinwen Langley: http://ceinwenlangley.com/2014/08/11/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Kevin Hardman: http://kevinhardman.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
Cora Buhlert: http://corabuhlert.com/2014/07/28/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Jessica Rydill: http://livinginthemaniototo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Jamie Maltman: http://www.jamiemaltman.com/2014/07/14/writing-process-blog-tour/
Marilyn Peake: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6593691-speculative-fiction-blog-hop
Nic Wilson: http://nicolaswilson.com/index.php/announcements-1/spec-fic-blog-hop
David Pagan: http://davidpagan.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Travis Hill: http://www.angrygames.com/?p=699
Cherise Kelley: http://size12bystpatricksday.blogspot.com/2014/06/speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
RJ Crayton: http://www.rjcrayton.com/2014/06/02/speculative-fiction-writing-method-blog-hop/
Sandra K. Williams: http://sandrakwilliams.net/?p=360
S. Elliot Brandis: http://selliotbrandis.com/2014/05/18/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Elle Chambers: http://indiespiritpress.com/2014/05/12/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
William D. Richards: http://blog.williamdrichards.com/2014/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html
Michael Patrick Hicks: http://michaelpatrickhicks.com/2014/05/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour/
Cat Amesbury: http://catamesbury.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Heidi Garrett: http://www.heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html#blog

If you're a spec fic author and want to participate in the blog hop, please contact Sheila_Guthrie. (The link takes you to the KBoards).

Acknowledgements: Thank you to Heidi Garrett for starting the ball rolling, Sheila Guthrie for taking it up and Sandra K. Williams for keeping the long list of links updated.

Guest post from Harry Manners, author of 'Ruin'.

I met Harry Manners on the Kboards where he is a fellow member of the Speculative Fiction High Five circle. Harry has just published his first novel, post-apocalyptic science fiction Ruin. To quote his Amazon bio: Harry...lives in Bedfordshire, England with his family. When he's not writing, he studies Physics at the University of Warwick, reads a ton-load of books, and generally nerds out--for which he is staunchly unapologetic.
You can read more on his web-site at: Harry Manners - official author web-site
And now - on to the questions!
What made you choose post-apocalyptic fiction?
I hate to sound corny, but it chose me. It's my default genre, where I'm most comfortable; isolation and extreme circumstances are the themes that captivate me. People behave strangely when they're in trouble, and stranger still when they're under the impression that everything they know might have gone down the toilet. The evolution of relationships and the miracle of civilization--just how shocking it is that civility crept into our world society in the first place, and what a monumental task it would be to try kick-starting all over again--are forever circling in my mind. 
What did you do when world-building for Ruin?
I did a hell of a lot of... well, just sitting and thinking. All the minute details of everyday life that we take for granted would be turned upside down by a real return to savagery. In Ruin, all technology is turned to dust, and over 99% of the human population simply vanish. The survivors are left scattered and alone in a world that sustained no visible damage. How would these people find one another? Would they try to begin again, or try to follow their loved ones? What would happen when the preserved foods ran out, and the gas stations ran dry? Does the average citizen of a first-world country actually have the knowledge required to survive in a hostile environment--or is such knowledge scattered between the teeming masses of our nations?
Endless spider webs of questions, all of which needed answering. It took a long time. 
Besides that, I visited a lot of archaeological sites and ruined temples, mounds, tombs, abandoned towns etc, to get a real feel of the kinds of decay you find in abandoned buildings left to nature's hand.

Which writers have influenced you (inside and outside the genre?)
In the post-apocalyptic genre, I've been hugely influenced by David Brin, of the Uplift and The Postman fame. Stephen King (The Stand and The Dark Tower), George R. Stevenson (Earth Abides), Neville Shute (The Beach), Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) and Pat Frank (Alas, Babylon) also shaped my voice. I spent my teenage years consuming post-apocalyptic fiction, breathing it in and basking in the brilliance of these ruined worlds. 
Outside the genre, I'm something of a literary buff, especially when it comes to 19th and early 20th century works. My chief influences are William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Margaret Atwood, and John Steinbeck.
What is your greatest strength as a writer?
My imagination. The mechanics of writing itself, I've always taken for granted; it's just been something I've always done, to some extent. I've been writing in an organised sense for around nine years, now, and in that time I've only slid backward. By that, I mean that despite spending endless hours with a pen in my hand or my fingers poised over a keyboard, I've slid behind the endless ideas that spark from the ether of their own accord. I feel blessed that I'm able to live a life exploring so many other worlds. But, at the same time, I'm cursed by the knowledge that I'll never live long enough to write it all down; I'll die of old age long before I can explore all the worlds that lie in the depths of my subconscious. 
What are your plans for the series?
The Ruin Saga will comprise a trilogy, all of which will run for around 400 pages each. It's going to be quite the ride!
Further to that, the Saga will be the jumping-off point for a much larger body of work that will span at least a dozen books, the Pendulum Universe. Here's a little taster:
Something has gone wrong. A pendulum’s swing is dying. If it stops, everything stops. The fabric of all existence is in danger. 
Shadows are moving, long-sealed doors have fallen ajar, and the balance of an infinitude of worlds has shifted. 
On one world, something has gone very wrong indeed: the End. Six billions lives have vanished, leaving a barren Earth populated with scattered survivors. While man struggles with mere survival and the eternal plagues of betrayal and retribution lay waste to an already crumbling wasteland, a far greater mission begins. 
The Ruin Saga opens a universe that stretches far beyond Earth, across deserts and tundra, kingdoms of past and future, and ancient forgotten worlds between the cracks. If there is any hope, it lies in a precious handful, creatures of destiny scattered across the depths of reality. The success or failure of their gathering will decide the fate of countless lives. 
Bringing them together will cause destruction, pain and death. Some will run, some will fight, and some will turn to darkness. 
Only one thing is certain: the End was just the beginning. 
------------------

The Speculative Fiction Blog Hop - with Vincent Trigili

This week's exciting instlament of the Blog Hop is from Vincent Trigili, another alumnus of the Kindleboards. Vincent is the author of a saga, Lost Tales of Power.

He says (and I quote):

I write what I love to read. I do not want to read Vogon Poetry so I do not write that. I do not want to read political commentaries, so I do not write that. What I enjoy reading are stories about good people fighting for good causes and doing it with lightning bolts and space ships. I want to read about dragons defending gates to space stations. I want to be lost in the adventure and caught up in the struggle. So that is what I write.

You can read more here, though be warned - the bit about his writing process is quite alarming!

http://www.losttalesofpower.com/2014/08/18/speculative-fiction-blog-hop/

Forthcoming blog posts:
August 25:  Sheila Guthrie 
September 1:  Harry Manners

September 8:  Carole McDonnell
September 15: Dean F. Wilson

Previous blog posts:
Ceinwen Langley: http://ceinwenlangley.com/2014/08/11/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Kevin Hardman: http://kevinhardman.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
Cora Buhlert: http://corabuhlert.com/2014/07/28/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Jessica Rydill: http://livinginthemaniototo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Jamie Maltman: http://www.jamiemaltman.com/2014/07/14/writing-process-blog-tour/
Marilyn Peake: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6593691-speculative-fiction-blog-hop
Nic Wilson: http://nicolaswilson.com/index.php/announcements-1/spec-fic-blog-hop
David Pagan: http://davidpagan.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Travis Hill: http://www.angrygames.com/?p=699
Cherise Kelley: http://size12bystpatricksday.blogspot.com/2014/06/speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
RJ Crayton: http://www.rjcrayton.com/2014/06/02/speculative-fiction-writing-method-blog-hop/
Sandra K. Williams: http://sandrakwilliams.net/?p=360
S. Elliot Brandis: http://selliotbrandis.com/2014/05/18/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Elle Chambers: http://indiespiritpress.com/2014/05/12/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
William D. Richards: http://blog.williamdrichards.com/2014/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html
Michael Patrick Hicks: http://michaelpatrickhicks.com/2014/05/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour/
Cat Amesbury: http://catamesbury.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Heidi Garrett: http://www.heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html#blog

If you're a spec fic author and want to participate in the blog hop, contact Sheila_Guthrie.

Acknowledgements: Big thank yous to Heidi Garrett for starting the ball rolling, Sheila Guthrie for running with it and Sandra K. Williams for keeping the long list of links updated.

Ceinwen Langley does the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop (updated)

A new update to the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop from Ceinwen Langley, author of Young Adult fantasy, The Edge of the Woods.

You can read her post on her blog here:   http://ceinwenlangley.com/2014/08/11/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/

Ceinwen discusses what is unique about her writing for Young Adults, and talks about her work - indeed works! in progress: a Fantasy novella and a Science Fiction trilogy, both in first draft.

I can’t say for sure that it makes me unique among other YA spec-fic writers, but the things I really focus on in my work are interesting and diverse characters, with a focus on women protagonists, and I really try to make sure there are consequences for my characters actions. 

Sheila Guthrie is taking over the organisation of the Blog Hop from Heidi Garrett, so watch this space for more updates.


List of forthcoming author posts:

August 18th Vincent Trigili
August 25th Sheila Guthrie
September 1st - OFF September 8th Carole McDonnell

List of previous author posts:
Kevin Hardman: http://kevinhardman.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
Cora Buhlert: http://corabuhlert.com/2014/07/28/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Jessica Rydill: http://livinginthemaniototo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Jamie Maltman: http://www.jamiemaltman.com/2014/07/14/writing-process-blog-tour/
Marilyn Peake: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6593691-speculative-fiction-blog-hop
Nic Wilson: http://nicolaswilson.com/index.php/announcements-1/spec-fic-blog-hop
David Pagan: http://davidpagan.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Travis Hill: http://www.angrygames.com/?p=699
Cherise Kelley: http://size12bystpatricksday.blogspot.com/2014/06/speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
RJ Crayton: http://www.rjcrayton.com/2014/06/02/speculative-fiction-writing-method-blog-hop/
Sandra K. Williams: http://sandrakwilliams.net/?p=360
S. Elliot Brandis: http://selliotbrandis.com/2014/05/18/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Elle Chambers: http://indiespiritpress.com/2014/05/12/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
William D. Richards: http://blog.williamdrichards.com/2014/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html
Michael Patrick Hicks: http://michaelpatrickhicks.com/2014/05/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour/
Cat Amesbury: http://catamesbury.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Heidi Garrett: http://www.heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html#blog

(Thanks to Sandra K. Williams for the updated list.)

Cross-posted to my web-site at http://shamansland.com/blog/.

The Glass Mountain goes live on Amazon

The Glass Mountain

Now available in the Kindle Store here and from Amazon UK here.
Cover art by Skylar Faith of Truenotdreams Design.
Blurb:

Now aged sixteen, Annat is living in the city of Masalyar and training as an apprentice shaman. Struggling with the pangs of first love and a wish for freedom, she is horrified to see the crows flying over her city. Something she thought destroyed for ever has risen again: a spectre from the past.
When her brother disappears, she and her aunt set out to find out what has become of him. But Annat is caught and imprisoned in the Glass Mountain, a place from legend.
A powerful Magus needs their souls and their father's heart to cast his greatest spell, to bring a dead man to life. Unless he can be stopped, Annat, her brother and their father will die; and the country will be overthrown.
But there is something hidden in the Mountain that will change their lives. They must fight to protect their own world, and to save another: one so small it can be hidden in a suitcase. 

The Glass Mountain will shortly be available in eBook format for Nook, Kobo and iBook.

Round-up of Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for July

The Speculative Fiction Showcase is back! It will restart on 31st August with a new feature called 'Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month'.

In the mean time, Cora Buhlert has reposted the round-up for July from her blogs Pegasus Pulp and her personal blog.

You can read the July instalment here at the Speculative Fiction Showcase.

Says Cora:

On offer this month is a broad spectrum of titles, featuring science fiction, space opera, grimdark fantasy, Steampunk, dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, urban fantasy, Asian based fantasy, fairytale retellings, the ever popular vampires, the ever popular zombies, the not quite so popular selkies, dinosaurs, gladiators, superpowers, soul thieves, funeral gatecrashers, the afterlife and much more. We even have a non-fiction essay collection.

Coming soon: the latest instalment of the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop. Heidi Garrett is curating the Speculative Fiction Showcase together with Cora Buhlert and myself; the Hop, still going from strength to strength, will now be co-ordinated by Sheila Guthrie.

Kevin Hardman does the Speculative Fiction Blog Hop

There is a new post in the Writing Process/Speculative Fiction Blog Tour. The latest writer to take up the torch is Kevin Hardman, author of the Kid Sensation superhero series.

Kevin answers the four questions on the writing process; and he talks about the series he is writing at the moment, Kid Sensation and the Warden series. He describes his liking for underused and unconventional monsters, from the Lamia to the Wendigo!

You can read about his fiction, and how he writes it, from notebook to editing, right here: http://kevinhardman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html

List of forthcoming author posts:

August 11th   Ceinwen Langley
August 25th Sheila Guthrie
(Date to be arranged) Vincent Trigili(Date to be arranged) Carole McDonnell
(There are more authors scheduled!)

Previous posts:
Cora Buhlert: The Speculative Fiction Blog Hop
Jessica Rydill: http://livinginthemaniototo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/speculative-fiction-writing-process.html
Jamie Maltman: http://www.jamiemaltman.com/2014/07/14/writing-process-blog-tour/
Marilyn Peake: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6593691-speculative-fiction-blog-hop
Nic Wilson: http://nicolaswilson.com/index.php/announcements-1/spec-fic-blog-hop
David Pagan: http://davidpagan.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Travis Hill: http://www.angrygames.com/?p=699
Cherise Kelley: http://size12bystpatricksday.blogspot.com/2014/06/speculative-fiction-blog-hop.html
RJ Crayton: http://www.rjcrayton.com/2014/06/02/speculative-fiction-writing-method-blog-hop/
Sandra K. Williams: http://sandrakwilliams.net/?p=360
S. Elliot Brandis: http://selliotbrandis.com/2014/05/18/the-speculative-fiction-blog-hop/
Elle Chambers: http://indiespiritpress.com/2014/05/12/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
William D. Richards: http://blog.williamdrichards.com/2014/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html
Michael Patrick Hicks: http://michaelpatrickhicks.com/2014/05/05/the-writing-process-blog-tour/
Cat Amesbury: http://catamesbury.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/the-writing-process-blog-hop/
Heidi Garrett: http://www.heidigwrites.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-writing-process-blog-tour.html#blog

(Thanks to Sandra K. Williams for the updated list.)

Guest post - On genre by S. Elliot Brandis, author of Irradiated

I'd like to welcome S. Elliot Brandis, a fellow member of the KBoards thread on Speculative Fiction. 

S. Elliot Brandis is the author of Irradiated, the first novel in The Tunnel Trilogy. He lives in Brisbane, Australia, and often sets his stories there, too. He loves hearing from readers, and can be found at many locations across the internet.

The second book in the trilogy, Degenerated, has just been published. 



On Genre: Apocalyptic, Post-Apocalyptic, and Dystopian Fiction
My new novel, Degenerated, was just published. It’s the second in a trilogy of post-apocalyptic novels. Or are they dystopian novels? Heck, what’s the difference, anyway?
Allow me to explain.
First, let’s break this into three broad categories: apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian fiction. All are sub-genres of science fiction.
Apocalyptic Fiction– the world is ending.
Apocalyptic fiction is set during a cataclysmic event. Commonly, at the start of the story everything is normal. People are going to their jobs, seeing their families, and living regular lives. Then, an event occurs that changes everything. The world begins to crumble. These story detail the catastrophic event, and usually follows characters as they struggle to survive.
The event itself varies wildly between stories. It can be an alien invasion (The War of the Worlds), environmental disaster (the film 2012), disease or outbreak (World War Z), or war. In some cases, the reader might not even know the true cause of the catastrophe. In The Day of the Triffids, people go blind after a strange meteor shower, and strange venomous plants appear from nowhere. The key feature is: the world is in danger, and it’s happening right now.
Post-Apocalyptic Fiction – the world has ended.
As the name suggests, post-apocalyptic fiction occurs after the cataclysmic event. It is not about people struggling to survive during a disaster, but how they learn to live after it. It may be set in the immediate aftermath of an event (The Walking Dead), or occur long after it (Wool). Society may have been re-established (Sand), or it might not ever recover (The Road).
These stories usually take one of two forms. They may be a story of survival, often in a harsh and desolate world. In Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a man and his son spend every day scrapping for food, shelter, and safety in a world destroyed by an unexplained event. On the other hand, they may detail life in the ‘new world’, human or otherwise. In Planet of the Apes (the original novel and movie), human civilization has been gone for years and a new ‘ape’ society has been established.
The key feature is: modern society has collapsed, and this is the after.
Dystopian Fiction – society has gone wrong.
In dystopian stories, there is no need for a ‘world-ending’ event, but civilization has become undesirable. It may be that our own society has steered down an unwanted path (1984), or it may be set in a fictional world, not quite our own (The Hunger Games).
Dystopian stories often serve as cautionary tales, or seek to highlight flaws in our current society. In 1984, people are constantly monitored, fed misinformation, and manipulated severely. It acts as both a warning and a critique of modern governments, and remains as valid today as when it was written. Others, such as Brave New World, explore ideas such as genetic manipulation, and warn of the risks of technology.
The key feature is: society still exists, and it’s not so good.
So why the confusion?
Well, there’s often a lot of overlap between these categories. A series can start as an apocalyptic story, before becoming post-apocalyptic. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the beginning of an apocalyptic story. It’s recent sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is both apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic—it has shades of both. The world is still ‘ending’, but in a way society has already collapsed. It is both about the world-ending event, and the way people have adapted to it. The next movie, I presume, well push even further into the post-apocalyptic.
Other stories are both post-apocalyptic and dystopian. My own series (first Irradiated, and now Degenerated) is both post-apocalyptic and dystopian. The world has long-since crumbled, and a society of people lives underground in a series of repurposed road tunnels. People are controlled by a ruthless leader and an army of beings known only as Shadows. Life on the surface, meanwhile, is harsh are dangerous. Every encounter is fraught with danger.

So does sub-genre matter? It can be a good guide, but don’t get too caught up on it. Instead, sit back with a book and delve into these worlds. They carry some rather important messages.

You can read more about Elliot and his work, The Tunnel Trilogy, on his web-site here: S. Elliot Brandis
Degenerated is available from the Kindle Store here, or here if you are in the UK.