APOCALYPSE BABES

Bella Street Writes: Apocalypse Babes Winners!

2012-01-14T12:03:00.000-08:00

Bella Street Writes: Apocalypse Babes Winners!: A big THANK YOU to Shawn Maravel for hosting a giveaway at her blog for my book collection Apocalypse Babes: The Complete Series . Shaw...

~Shawn Kirsten Maravel~: Interview & Giveaway with Bella Street! (US Only)

2012-01-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

~Shawn Kirsten Maravel~: Interview & Giveaway with Bella Street! (US Only): Visit Shawn's awesome blog and leave a comment for a chance to my all my Apocalypse Babes books--print or ebook!

The Babes Just Got Better!

2011-12-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

What's better than time-travel, angsty romance, and pink velour? Six books for one low price, that's what!

Got a brand new ereader from Santa? Already have an ereader without this book on it? Get the complete set of Seffy's misadventures for less than the price of buying each book separately. This set contains all six books, complete and unabridged:

The Z Word

The X Factor

iRobotronic

Kumbaya Much

Bite Me

Apocalypse For Realz

Find out why no mad skillz, no sacred destiny, but just a pink tracksuit will take Seffy places she never wanted to go. Pick it up for $4.99 at Amazon and B&N.

The Apocalypse Babes Go To Mark of the Stars Blog

2011-12-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

What would it look like if Seffy, Lani, Gareth and The Others attended a Christmas party before everything went to H. E. Double Sippy Straws?

Find out at Jessica E. Subject's SFR blog, Mark of the Stars.

While you're there, enter to win one of 5 Kindle copies up for grabs, and get a yummy adult beverage recipe. Nothing like a little alcohol to up the hijinks!

Getting Juicy With Apocalypse Babes

2011-10-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Grand Prize Winner of the Spread The Z Word Contest was Cassandra from Virginia, self-described #1 fan of Apocalypse Babes.

Random.org chose her as winner (she had pretty high odds with 511 entries to the average 20) and she won the Juicy Couture Neon Pink velour tracksuit.Seffy has some competition when it comes to rocking a Juicy. Cassandra has also had apparently more kills with her machete, if the blood is any indication.

Congratulations, Cassandra!

Now go kill some more zombies!

Feelin' Freaky, Kumbaya Much, and Other Indoor Sports

2011-09-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

Book #4 of my series Apocalypse Babes is now available for Kindle (other vendors coming shortly).

When a mysterious faction at the Fugere compound resorts to extreme measures for crowd control, problems intensify, threatening not only life and limb, but the already fragile estate between the Apocalypse Babes and the Others--especially as things heat up between Seffy and Trent.

So yeah, things are still wonky in Montana. But that's part of the fun, right?

And don't forget to enter my contest. It ends October 6th and you know you want that Juicy Couture tracksuit!

Small Blogs, Big Giveaways!: Interview with author Bella Street

2011-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Small Blogs, Big Giveaways!: Interview with author Bella Street: Today we’re interviewing the author Bella Street, our last featured author! Enjoy! Living so close to Nashville has provoked me to take...

FREE SQUEE! The Z Word free on Kindle

2011-08-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Y'all, it's been free on Apple, free at B&N, free at Smashwords, I've been handing 'em out free hand over fist, but now, my first book in the Apocalypse Babes series, The Z Word, is FINALLY FREE FOR KINDLE.

*IthinkIjustwetmyselftalkamongstyourselves*

So get your KINDLE COPY here!

If you like The Z Word, enter my contest for a chance to win a Juicy Couture tracksuit, Pink perfume by Victoria's Secret, or an Amazon GC.

iRobotronic...The Apocalypse Babes Saga Continues...

2011-08-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

Time travel, wormholes, pink velour, Unresolved Sexual Tension...it all just keeps going in book three of my Apocalypse Babes series.

The latest entry in this skiffy-rom-goth-com (don't ask) is called iRobotronic. Metaphors abound. Angst is ratcheted up. Pink velour gets torn. (See also books one and two)

And a couple of characters even make it out of the compound, but, Keanu wants to know, it is just a glitch in the Matrix? All this and more for a measly 99 cents.

Check it out at Amazon and Smashwords. And don't forget to enter the contest by October 6th!

Help Spread The Z Word!

2011-07-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

My contest to promote my new release, The Z Word, is live! The best part, is no cost is involved. It's free, baby, free--at least on Smashwords (Amazon is charging 99 cents, so a heads up there).

The Z Word is the first book in the Apocalypse Babes series.

It's been said that a sure sign of the coming apocalypse is an 80s roller skate disco movie coming to DVD (with special features). In the science-fiction novel series Apocalypse Babes, a stylish group of twenty-something friends are torn from the Babylonian arms of 2006 West Hollywood and flung nearly thirty years into the past. It might be because one of them purchased the taboo film in a nostalgic moment, setting off a chain of events more disturbing than a roller skating conga line. They wake up in an apocalyptic but strangely familiar landscape, complete with a hidden mountain compound and retro survivalists, hinting at hidden and retro secrets they must face if they want to survive.

Book One follows Seffy Carter and her longtime friends Gareth, Addison and Lani. The four besties share a past dysfunctional and dark enough to keep them bound together under do-over identities. But rends develop in their relationships from the flesh-eating pressures of ending up in 1980, in a Montana desert, surrounded by zombies wearing dated disco duds.

If you want to help promote the book--tweet, leave a review, friend me on Face Book, etc, send an email to fireflypressbooks@gmail.com detailing the ways you promoted. Each action is worth points and you'll be sent a confirmation email with your total. The drawing will be in October by Random.org. See www.apocalypsebabes.com for all the details. Click on the contest sparkles.

First prize is a Juicy Couture tracksuit (tho the author cannot guarantee magical properties). Second prize is a bottle of Pink (Seffy's favorite, natch) perfume by Victoria's Secret, and third prize is a $25 Amazon gift card (more free books!).

So help spread The Z Word, like a zombie infecting a human--but in a good way!

The Z Word on Smashwords

2011-06-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

My newest book, The Z Word, is the first of six books in this eponymous series.

Seffy Carter and her longtime friends Gareth, Addison and Lani. The four besties share a past dysfunctional and dark enough to keep them bound together under do-over identities. But rends develop in their relationships from the flesh-eating
pressures of ending up in 1980, in a Montana desert, surrounded by
zombies wearing dated disco duds.

The book is free at Smashwords through 10/6/11, and is also available for Kindle for 99 cents. I'm hoping Amazon will make it free for a time, and I'll let everyone know if that's the case.

I'll be having a contest starting July 6th, but any reviews, tweets, or posts about The Z Word will still be eligible to be entered. Prizes will include items from Juicy Couture, Victoria's Secret, and Amazon. Check my website for the latest.

Until then, join Seffy, who has no mad skillz, no sacred destiny--just a pink tracksuit that will take her places she never wanted to go...

When Zombies Become High Art

2011-04-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

I recognize I'm a bit of a Janey-come-lately to this movie, but like any good zombie, it caught up with me eventually.

I love zombie movies and books for what zombies represent (you can't outrun death, lives lived on auto-pilot, etc) and how they reveal human nature when those humans are either bitten or chased.

Zombies can be fun, campy or terrifying, but sometimes they can become high art as in the film, 28 Days Later.

This movie languished in my Netflix queue for almost a year before my son finally lobbied for its rental. It was one of those films that absolutely rocked in cinematography, acting, writing, directing, editing and the score.

But where it really became a tour de force for me was in the story. The heart of 28 Days Later made me care deeply about the characters while at the same time commenting on what makes a society; is it mankind as a whole? Or is it the family?

New Hope in The War on Zombies

2011-03-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Physician and author Steven Schlozman has written the book that gives the downtrodden a ray of hope in the seemingly endless war against zombism:

The Zombie Autopsies: Secret Notebooks From the Apocalypse

From the author's website:

"As the walking dead rises up throughout the world, a few brave doctors attempt to find a cure by applying forensic techniques to captured zombies. Based on the research of renowned zombie expert Dr. Stanley Blum, performed at a remote island where a crack medical team has been sent to explore a radical theory that may lead to a cure for the epidemic, THE ZOMBIE AUTOPSIES documents for the first time the unique biology of zombie organisms. Twenty-five detailed drawings of the internal organs of actual zombies provide an accurate anatomy of these horrifying creatures, including zombie brains, hearts, lungs, skin, and the digestive system, while Dr. Blum’s notes reveal shocking insights into how they function, even as Blum and his staff themselves begin to succumb to the plague. No one knows the ultimate fate of Dr. Blum or his researchers, but now that his notebook, THE ZOMBIE AUTOPSIES, has been made available to the UN, the World Health Organization, and the general public, his scientific discoveries may provide the last hope for humans on earth!"

So run, don't shamble, to your nearest bookstore and arm yourself with the one weapon that may be more useful than a trench spike!

Because the zombies are coming.

All Looks and No Story?

2011-03-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

The reviews are rolling in and they're not good. But I'm holding my hands over my ears and chanting in denial. The look of the trailer is so gorgeous and I adore the actresses--how could this movie suck?

Then again, I thought Red Riding Hood would be a slam dunk, but, well...let's just say the only redemptive value of the film was this.

Here's hoping my wallet won't get sucker-punched. Because what's not to love about Dystopian Manga?

That and Jenna Malone.

Good To Know

2010-12-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Popular Mechanics has always been handy to have around. A recent article gives tips on how to perfectly kill a zombie, via the experts of the TV show The Walking Dead:

"To that end, The Walking Dead special effects team tailors their head hits to the action on the screen. "We have forensic textbooks that we use to match wounds with weapons," Nicotero says. "Part of our job is doing research into the ways that bullets go in and come out, how they fragment and how large the exit wounds are."

And if you forget easily (being on the run from zombies has been known to cause memory loss), here's a handy T-shirt to help.

Now that's information I can use!

Leo Grin's TOP 5: Reasons Zombies Reign As Horrordom’s #1 Monsters

2010-11-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Film critic Leo Grin gives his top 5 reasons why zombies are the best monsters (excerpted from his Big Hollywood article):

1. They’re anthropomorphic.

There’s all sorts of beasties under the sun (and moon), but in general I’ve always found that the creepier specimens are the ones which assail you while housed in a human body. Bruce the shark in Jaws, the Blob chasing a young Steve McQueen, or the wide assortment of killer piranhas, rats, and dinosaurs out there don’t hold a candle to things like vampires, werewolves, and zombies — monsters that retain aspects of their humanity even as they terrorize us with their doom-laden, inhuman fates.

2. They’re the living dead.

An adjunct to #1 above. Some monsters are nothing more than exotic animals, others demons associated with the netherworld of some ancient religion or mythology, and still others ordinary humans with a black nullity where their soul and conscience is supposed to be. All provide us with legions of good scares, and may they continue to do so!
But there remains a special type of unease associated with that which was once alive, normal, and often loved as friend or family returning in a degraded state as recognizable as it is hideous. At their best vampires fit this bill, but zombies manage to routinely do so even at their worst, which makes them to my mind more consistently effective on screen or in print.

3. They’ve got contagious cooties.

With many monsters, your primary fear is getting ripped limb from limb. But the truly frightening ones up the ante by the ease with which they can flip you to the dark side. Along with werewolves, zombies have always been the ones offering our intrepid heroes/victims the least margin for error: one bite and you’re out, baby. In the case of werewolves, at least there is a great amount of humanity left, along with the time and wherewithal to control or mitigate your fate. Get nicked by a zombie, however, and it’s game over — an irreversible downhill slide into permanent monsteria.

4. They possess strength in numbers.

Most bloodthirsty fiends are of the single or limited variety, while others assault us by the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands. Only zombies, however, typically manage to completely overwhelm our entire world and way of life in short order, threatening to throw civilization itself into a permanent nightmare.
An added benefit to this is the frequent spectacle of massive, ultra-cool firepower which we get the pleasure of seeing levied against the limitless zombie hordes.

5. Their resistance to the Twilight effect.

Vampires have been defanged via Twilight, True Blood, and any number of other romantic variations on the Dracula theme. Werewolves are often tragic Byronic brooders who ooze a feral sex appeal in between their bouts of lycanthropic mayhem and murder. Horrordom’s vast assortment of serial killers — Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Norman Bates, Freddy Krueger, et al. — ply their crimson trade on sexy damsels in the throes of passion and/or provocative undress that grants the murders a quasi-erotic quality. Even Frankenstein’s monster had his bride (It always strikes me when I watch Bride of Frankenstein how it’s so campy as-is that Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is almost as much a remake as a send-up).

But zombies steadfastly resist all efforts to sissify, romanticize, or eroticize their essential awfulness.

Read the full article here.

The Page 99 Test

2010-10-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Ford Madox Ford famously said, “Open the book to page ninety-nine, and the quality of the whole will be revealed to you.”

Now there's a website devoted to it. As a writer, you can upload published or unpublished page 99s of your work. Or as a reader you can go read the page 99s and vote/comment. You don't get to see who wrote it until after you vote. It's a lot of fun.

I posted two excerpts from my sci-fi series Apocalypse Babes. Thoughts? Advice? Would you turn the page?

The Z Word

Stepping over the wood fragments, she opened the cabinet and found a bottle of disinfectant. Without giving thought to her actions, she found a washcloth and began to clean the bathroom, from the fixtures to the floor. Her movements made almost enough noise to block the hushed whispers filtering past the door. Almost.

“How long does it take?”

“When will we know for sure?”

“How does infection spread?”

“Through bites.”

“Does that mean through saliva?”

“God, she is so dead.”

Seffy squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach roiled. Lifting the lid on the sparkling clean toilet, she threw up again.

***

“Um, that girl is on the floor.”

Gareth turned to the brunette newcomer. She was pointing at the bathroom door. Ignoring Lani's and Addy's gasps, he rushed to the bathroom and wrenched open the door. Seffy lay splayed on the floor, her skin tone matching the dingy white tile floor, her blond hair puddled around her head.

Gareth scooped her up and took her to the couch, shadowed by Malone and the girls.

“Is she dead?”

He looked up to see the tense expression of the blond guy. Gareth ignored him. As he settled Seffy on the couch, he touched his fingers to her throat. The pounding of his own heart made it difficult to detect a pulse, but he finally felt a faint flutter under her skin.

AND

The X Factor

Geez, I'm running out of supporters fast. I should be nicer. Or less infected. Or something.

“We noticed that the air is dry in here and so we'll be putting in a humidifier. Leave it on all the time and we'll make sure to keep it filled for you.”

“Okay,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Buh-bye now.”

As soon as they were gone, Seffy heaved a frustrated breath. She could not just sit here and stew. She had to do something.

She grabbed the candy bars, ate one, and stuffed the other two in her front pocket. Seffy peeked out her door and saw that the hall was clear. Taking a deep breath, she eased out of her room and pulled the door closed behind her. Still clear. I swear to God, if I see Trent, I will rip his head off...with my teeth.

To the left was the cafeteria, which meant people. So, she chose the right, and hoped it took her where she was determined to go. If she didn't get some fresh air, she'd lose what was left of her frontal lobes. Stained linoleum floor tiles stretched in front of her. Seffy began a light jog and went to the end of one hall and turned down another, in the opposite direction of Trent's room. She kept running until she heard voices.

Spying a storage closet, she nipped inside and held her breath until the voices passed. Seffy groped for a light and turned it on. A greasy set of coveralls was wadded up in a corner next to mops and brooms and industrial cleaning supplies, rolls of duct tape, toilet paper, and light bulbs. On one of the shelves was an old baseball cap. Yuck. But she knew it would help.

She picked up the coveralls, wincing at the stale smell of cigarette smoke, and she pulled them on. Next came the cap, and she stuffed her hair up underneath. Seffy wondered if grabbing a broom was going too far. She debated, then decided to take one. If she got caught she could say she was cleaning up a spill on aisle five.

You Can't Outrun Them

2010-10-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

You probably think it's because of Halloween or some TV show promo, but how can we really be sure? Isn't that the perfect cover? I heard this footage was found on an abandoned camera near Penn Station. The network used jokey anchors and goofy music, why?

De-nial. And those who deny, die.

Matched...I sure hope so

2010-10-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

Forever Young Adult calls it TEABS: The End of an Awesome Book Syndrome.

The Hunger Games trilogy left a hole in my readerly heart (despite the disappointing ending). So a new novel has stepped up to the literary plate and claimed to bring some relief to TEABS angst.

This from io9 (click the link to view the book trailer):

"Matched is being pitched as "Brave New World meets The Handmaid's Tale," and it comes with a pre-sharpened love triangle. USA Today mentioned it as one of the dystopian teen novels to watch out for in the wake of Mockingjay, and it's already been optioned as a film by Disney and Offspring Entertainment."
Here's the blurb:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe, and when to die. It's a small price to pay for a long life of perfection. The Society is entrusted to select your ideal mate, and Cassia has looked forward to her Matching Banquet for as long as she can remember. So when her best friend Xander appears on-screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her perfect match… until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow. How do you know what to decide when you've never had an option? What happens when love can destroy a seemingly infallible world? In MATCHED, Ally Condie debates perfection and passion, security and uncertainty. It's a suspenseful romance and compelling adventure set in a not-so-distant future, and every element of the world feels frighteningly real.

Only time will tell if Matched can heal my trackerjacked heart, but like Gale, I'll give it another chance...

Tell, Don't Show...huh?

2010-10-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

The awesome site io9.com had an article by Charlie Jane Anders I found fascinating (and the pictures rocked, too).Writers have been told the Holy Grail of writerly excellence is 'show, don't tell'. Who would've thunk it that this could be turned on its head? Wait, we're talking about sci-fi, where turning the norm on its head is de rigueur!

Check out my post via Science Fiction Romance Blog.

Quantum Entanglement sounds kinda sexy

2010-08-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

But according to this article, it ain't so much. Well, fine. But a girl can dream, can't she?

The article opens adding insult to injury:

"Quantum entanglement" may sound like an awful sci-fi romance flick, but it's actually a phenomenon that physicists say may someday lead to the ability to teleport an object all
the way across the galaxy instantly.

Whatev.

And then there's this tidbit:

"When two electrons are placed close together, they vibrate in unison. When you separate them, that's when all the fireworks start."

And this:

Then, if you vibrate one of them, somehow on the other end of the galaxy the other electron knows that its partner is being jiggled.

Whoa. I'd read this.

A Bad Hair Day...

2010-07-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

...can be science-fiction. Trust me, I know from experience. However, I admit it wasn't quite this bad:

More zombie love

2010-07-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

"The Zombie Dating Guide. Because dating should be a no brainer."

I ask you, what's not to love about this site? Check it out!

Fact following fiction?

2010-07-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

An article in the UK Daily Mail touts a new synthetic blood substitute that mimics bone marrow production to aid wounded soldiers on the battlefield.

Sounds fantastic and life-saving. But the article failed to mention if Ziodex Industries is behind the development. They are, after all, after a new cash crop.

Of course, the Japanese could be behind the new synthetic. I hear there's a growing market in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

Well, that explains it

2010-07-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

I love this scientific conclusion by Annalee Newitz about this story from from io9:
Mystery object orbiting distant star baffles astronomers

"I think we all know what's going on here. It's a hollowed-out planet that an advanced civilization uses as a spacecraft, which fell into orbit around the star after vacuum vampires slaughtered the crew. It's the most obvious explanation."

Works for me.

Books that make my literaryish paranormalish heart beat faster

2010-06-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Oh man, this went straight into my Amazon cart. As a Jane Eyre and Buffy fan, this couldn't be a sweeter idea.

And if this wasn't enough, I discovered many other titles of pure awesomeness.
This beats comics to film any day.

All that's missing is a classic with aliens. I'm thinking something with Northanger Abby...c'mon, people, don't let me down!

A new sci-fi romance?

2010-06-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

H/t Galaxy Express.

This film looks amazing!

Wonder what Michael Landon would make of this?

2010-05-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Teens pretending to be werewolves

Like wearing colored contacts, fangs, and black clothes, but don't want to be associated with the bloodsucking undead? In some high schools, a new supernatural subculture is gaining ground: wolfpacks.

With the popularity of Twilight and a new Teen Wolf series on the way, it was only a matter of time before wannabe werewolves started forming their own cliques. Furry tails aside, they're not a far cry from the kids playing at being the Cullen clan, but they don't have an entire South Park episode mocking their existence — yet.

Du-ANG

2010-05-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is just soooo cool. And who knew a leaky pipe could be responsible. It's about as likely as a pink Juicy Couture tracksuit!

Time-Travel under the sink (from Ching Studios)

And on a related note, an awesome blog dedicated to the theory of time-travel, Star Theory.

A win-win for Nashville and you

2010-05-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Floodwaters cover downtown streets and sidewalks May 3, 2010 in the Lower Broad district of Nashville, Tennessee. More than 13 inches of rain fell over two days over Nashville, more than doubling the previous record of 6.68 inches and leaving at least seven dead and thousands displaced. (Photo by Rusty Russell/Getty Images)

Story Published: May 3, 2010 at 9:32 PM MDT

In an effort to raise relief money for the victims of the middle Tennessee flood of 2010, a group of authors have come together to auction off critiques, SWAG, or other sundries. Check out Do The Write Thing For Nashville for details. Also, find them on Facebook.

Depending on who you talk to, this is a 500 to a 1,000 year event. Most victims weren't in flood plains, which means no flood insurance, which means devastation. In my small community outside of Nashville, there have been over 700 requests for help alone.

Please be a part while helping your writing career (I know I will). It's win-win!

I knew it!

2010-05-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

A new excuse for my self-diagnosed ADD. I'm really not here!

SFR Brigade cross post

2010-05-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

Check out my post over at the awesome SFR Brigade on Joss Whedon Writing Tips!

my Webby Award remix vote

2010-04-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Natch.

To vote for your choice, go here.

Pure sci-fi awesomeness

2010-04-23T18:35:00.001-07:00

Saw these over at io9.com and had to share.
And see more here at the Ron Turner Cover Collection.

Alfred E. Newman and me

2010-04-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, the hours poring over Mad Magazine in my misspent youth...but I was woefully ignorant about zombies...even though it could be argued I was already brain dead.

If Twilight were a war video game

2010-04-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

*some Twilight spoilers* but gosh, this is funny

Carrie, Kitty and me

2010-03-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

I just finished the 7th book in the 'Kitty Norville' series by Carrie Vaughn and can hardly wait for the next installment, Kitty Goes To War, to be released June 29th.

The series is about a young woman made a werewolf against her will, in a culture only just realizing the supernatural elements of society right under their noses...vampires, fairies, skin walkers, psychics, magicians...and those who want every last one of them dead.

Between hosting her radio show, The Midnight Hour, and searching out the mystical, Kitty becomes the poster child for otherness while trying to come to terms with the changes in her own life and pack.

This series has been fun, suspenseful, and fast-paced, laced with romance that makes me hope the the story never ends. Here's hoping the next 97 days go by faster than a silver bullet.

An (air quote) award-winning trailer

2010-03-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

Some sound advice indeed for stories...

Great zombie line

2010-03-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

All politics aside, this is a great line from Greg Gutfeld, author of the blog The Daily Gut:

"Now, there’s always a scene in zombie movies, when one non-zombie character will turn to another, and say, 'If I ever turn into that, I want you to kill me.' Then they make love, and reload."

It just makes me happy.

I'm not a 100% in love with this idea

2010-02-27T10:06:00.001-08:00

I'm for rights generally speaking, but for brain eaters, not so much. Sorry guys. From the Metro UK:

Joe Crowther - 26th February, 2010

US court rules 'Zombies have free speech rights'

Court rules that horror-movie style zombies have the right to free speech after a group of protesters dressed as zombies were arrested by Minnesota police.

A US court has ruled that 'Zombies have free speech rights'

A court has allowed a group of protesters dressed as zombies to continue with a lawsuit against police who arrested them for disorderly conduct.

The appeal court overturned a previous finding that the group had correctly been arrested over a 2006 protest in a shopping centre.

The group had been wearing makeup designed to make them look like and extra in a horror flick, with white faces, fake blood and black circles round their eyes.

They then proceeded to stagger round the shops, urging consumers to "get your brains here".

They also carried audio equipment, which police described as "simulated weapons of mass destruction", even though they were mobile phones.

The appeals court ruled that the police had no reason to imprison the protesters simply for "dressing as zombies, and walking erratically in downtown Minneapolis."

My favorite new commercial

2010-02-17T12:32:00.000-08:00

No apologies...

Zombies + Romance = er, love

2010-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air...or that rotting flesh stench could be something else, but I'm pretty sure it's love. See, there's even a heart on the cover!

From Orbit Books:

The book is about two unlikely heroes — a couple on the verge of divorce. On their way to marriage counseling, they notice a few odd things: a missing guard, a lack of cars on the freeway, and their counselor ripping out the throat of her previous client.

Now it’s up to David and Sarah to work together, save their marriage — and survive in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.

The book is chock-full of valuable post-apocalyptic marriage advice, including:

Balance the workload in your relationship. No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies.
Put the small stuff into perspective. It’s better to be wrong and alive than right but eating brains.
Talk out your big decisions. Hear both opinions before you decide if you’re going to flee the city or hole up with Campbell’s Soup and CNN.
Share in your activities and interests. If you’re going to kill zombies anyway, why not do it together?
Plan romantic getaways. Or just getaways.
Show physical affection. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like bearing the entirety of your spouse’s body weight.

Can anyone say Amazon pre-order??

Valentine's Day is coming up...

2010-02-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

...and what better way to show romance is...not exactly dead.

The Dismember-Me Plush Zombie from ThinkGeek.

The detachable brain only proves that love isn't cerebral...it's from the heart! Which ostensibly is still intact.

Henchmen job opportunities

2010-01-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Perfect for security at remote Montana compounds to quell zombie uprisings...

Friday awesomeness

2010-01-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

New Twi-spoof

2010-01-12T08:16:00.000-08:00

Why can't I get enough of these? Maybe I'm embarrassed by my squee-ish affection for the movies and this is a passive-aggressive attempt to mock in a snotty high-brow wannabe way.

Or maybe I just love a great spoof.

The Hillywood Show is AMAZING!

Jane Austen, reanimation, and Anakin's main squeeze

2009-12-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

photo: Comicmix

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith is a great book and now it's coming to the big screen, starring Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Benne t. Perhaps Portman's exposure to the Jedi will contribute to the martial arts needed to kill those with wandering sickness while maintaining all decorum.

Apocalypse Readiness

2009-12-09T12:24:00.000-08:00

Image http://www.shotgunreviews.com/category/horror/zombies/

The Brits always seem to be ahead with these things.

And then there's a handy cookbook.

And what one wears is always important.

Bottom line, there's no excuse not to be ready. And we know it's a matter of time because Wikipedia even has an article on it.

So stop moaning and groaning--get prepared!

Some Twi-angst

2009-11-26T18:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, let me preface this by saying I ADORE THE TWILIGHT MOVIE. I saw it three times in the theater and pre-ordered the deluxe 2 disc edition of the DVD, that I've since watched several times.

But I also love funny, and this video is. Also snarky and bitter because it's done by jealous guys. And I laughed until I choked. Thus is my angst at the guilty pleasure of loving and simultaneously poking fun at this movie.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

2009-11-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

The love that comes from those who lay down their lives for others--whether in service, or the ultimate sacrifice--is a special love that I honor and celebrate.

A neat group I've heard of called RomVets is by romance authors who are veterans.

A perfect combination!

This is friggin' awesome

2009-10-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Saw this at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books:

Check out her books here.

A little vintage love

2009-10-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

I just bought these from Harlequin (they're re-releases of vintage titles to celebrate their 60th anniversary), mostly for the cover art, but I will read them. I've been reading romances since I smuggled them from my mom's reading stash and popped them inside of text books at school. Yes, I was a wayward youth.

Here's to love, vintage style...I guess that's how I'm here!

a little Twilight snark

2009-10-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

As a Buffy fan I can't help it...

Video Games - E3 2009 - Attack of the Show

A cure for cynicism

2009-09-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Photo: http://www.bestkisses.com/2007/07/index.html

Since I write romance, I'm always open to romantic things...and I found this great site that made me smile.

www.bestkisses.com

Lotsa kisses...couples, weddings, friends, pets, babies...smooches galore.

Sometimes when it feels like the world is going to hell, it's nice to know that sweetness and tenderness is still out there.

Some Twilight fun

2009-08-20T20:28:00.001-07:00

Even epic romance can be fun. Check out my fav Twilight parodies...

Galaxy Express linkage!

2009-08-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Heather Massey at Galaxy Express--the best Science Fiction Romance site evar--for linking to my blog, inviting her readers to check out my free chapters of The Z Word.

Heather also posted newly released and upcoming titles of new and established 'skiffy rommer' authors' new books. Other earlier titles can be found here. Check 'em out!

Thanks, Heather!

The Z Word chapter one

2009-07-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

Chapter One

It's not the end of the world.
The words confused Seffy for a moment, then were lost in a sudden whirl of explosive noise and flashes, not unlike bad disco lights and a smoke machine from an 80s nightclub. She felt a tremendous force pulling on her, hurtling her into some vast unknown, then a terrifying weightlessness which could only end badly.
Did the tanning salon explode? There had been that fraying tanning bed cord and spilled diet Rockstar at Verity's feet.
Verity.
How could she? I could kill her. Seffy's head swam as she sailed through the atmosphere. Maybe I did. Her and me both. O crap.
Suddenly the velocity of her descent increased. Seffy put out her hands to break her fall. The ground rushed up to meet her. She closed her eyes and braced for a long future of chiropractic visits.
WHUMP!
“Ohhh...umph....” After several excruciating moments air began to seep into her lungs and, with her eyes squeezed shut, she lay there sipping the oxygen in measured amounts. She noticed it tasted funny. Like burnt ozone smelled—sharp, metallic...with a hint of almond.
The force of the blast had surely thrown her into the lobby of the salon. Maybe even the parking lot. Seffy slowly unscrunched her eyes and took a peek to get her bearings.
The sky? I'm outside? She squinted to take in the decidedly non-blue heavens above. Whoa. Pearly pink light shimmered overhead and the sun seemed to be a neon magenta color. Taking a deep breath, Seffy attempted to sit up, only to be tasered in the ribs by a shock of pain. Broken ribs? Crap.
“Seffy? Oh my God, is that you?”
Seffy recognized Gareth's voice. A shadow blocked the freakish sky and concerned golden brown eyes suddenly stared down into hers. Johnny Depp, eat your heart out. She offered her friend a weak smile. His sculpted lips lifted in response.
“I can't believe I found you. What happened?”
“Do you mean the blast?” Her voice came out in a streppy croak.
He nodded, kneeling down and brushing away a lock of hair that was stuck in her mouth.
“I was in the salon with—” She bit her lip. “I'd just finished a tanning session and was going to get my roots lightened after that. Were you there? I didn't see you.”
Gareth's brows knitted together on his noble brow. “That doesn't make sense. I wasn't anywhere near the salon.” He lowered his gaze. “I was at Radio Shack.”
“What!” she screeched. “Someone could've seen you there!”
“I know, I know, but they were having a huge sale on computer p—”
Seffy pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Gareth, I just can't know that!”
“...and well, I was weak. The next thing I knew, I was being thrown like a rag doll through space. Or something.”
Seffy blew out a breath and eased into a sitting position, defying the screaming of her rib cage. Gareth put his gym-enhanced arm around her, encouraging her to lean against him. She nestled against the soft brushed cotton of his designer turtleneck and inhaled his cologne. It was good that some things didn't change...much.
“You were with Verity, right? Addison said you two were going to tan this morning.”
Seffy stiffened and let out a cry of pain. Gareth soothed her for a moment, which gave her a chance to think. “Um, yes, she was there...but I don't know what happened to her.”
“Where are we?” he asked in a gobsmacked voice.
They gazed out at their surroundings—at the pink atmosphere, rusted buildings in piles, fires burning in the oddly sparkly red dirt around them. Seffy closed her eyes again. Something wasn't right but her head hurt too much to think. Besides, her new bombshell pink Juicy Couture velour tracksuit was probably toast.
Gareth gently released her and stood up. “I have to try and find Verity. She must be here somewhere.”
She glanced up at him and nodded, noticing the way his Adam's apple bobbed in the strong column of his throat. She looked away, not needing the stab of conscience to add to the physical pain wracking her frame. Anyway, he's the one who went off the reservation, not me. Radio Shack indeed.
Vaguely aware of Gareth going through the rubble in the near distance, Seffy tested her legs to make sure they worked. She checked the rest of her body and didn't find any wounds. How had she escaped bloody harm? Struggling to her feet, she attempted a deeper breath. The pain had lessened a bit, but the air felt thick and hot.
She watched Gareth frantically paw through some rubble, then realized that the debris could not possibly represent the strip mall where she'd been that afternoon. The buildings must have—
“They've vaporized, Seffy!” Gareth yelled in a strangled voice. He came back to her and braced his hands against his thighs, breathing hard. “Everything's gone! Maybe more. Verity. I don't think she's here. Do you think—?”
Seffy touched his shoulder. “Don't say it.” He looked up at her and she offered a small smile. “Let's go and see if we can find her together.”
Gareth straightened and took her outstretched hand. They walked around small fires burning in seemingly random spots and nudged through what little rubble littered the ground. Shielding his eyes from the glare of the pink sun, Gareth blew out a breath. “Are we even in L.A.? I mean where are the fire trucks and ambulances? Where are the cars?”
“Yeah, I see what you mean.” She looked out at the glittering dirt and sage scrub stretching to the horizon. “Do you think it was a nuclear bomb or something?”
Gareth shook his head. “Doesn't make sense that we'd survive. Remember, you and I weren't even in the same vicinity when the blast happened. And we're both more or less unharmed.”
“Riiight.” Seffy tried to fight down a rising rush of panic. “You said something about Addison? And was Lani working today?” She grimaced. “Ugh, my head hurts.”
Gareth squeezed her hand. “Yes. Lani was working at the spa and Addison was supposed to meet me for lunch at Yoshi's.”
“Wow, I really could go for some good sushi right now.” When she saw Gareth's expression, she bit her lip. “Sorry, levity not such a good idea right now.”
“I just want to find our friends and figure out what happened.”
“Me, too.”
Seffy watched as Gareth flipped open his cell phone. It made her realize she didn't have her purse. No phone, no makeup, no money. Craptastic.
After attempting to make a call, Gareth frowned and shoved the phone back into his pocket. He shook his head. “Nothing. Not even a network busy signal.” He looked up at the sky, which was now taking on the hues of rainbow sherbet.
Seffy watched the emotions flicker across his chiseled yet sensitive features. The mellowing light tipped his fashionably mussed dark hair with gold. He was breathy-sigh handsome and they had nearly a lifetime of memories together. Something Verity couldn't touch.
“Did you hear that?”
“Uh...what?”
“Shh!”
Seffy listened hard and was able to pick up a far off keening sound. “A wounded animal?”
“I think someone is crying. C'mon.” He gripped her hand and pulled her along with him. Seffy gasped, a little louder than necessary, as her rib cage protested. He led her up and over a hill. Below was more glittery dirt and some scrubby blue and yellowish green vegetation. A flicker of purple could be seen through a clump of bushes. The keening sound got louder. Down the hill they went. Ouch ouch ouch.
“It's Addison!”
Seffy squinted at the prone figure Gareth had identified as their friend. The red hair could be called a clue, but lots of people had red hair—
“Gareth? Oh, thank God!”
They were close enough now to see that Addison's face was streaked with glittery grime and her eyes shiny with tears. She glanced at their clasped hands and frowned. Seffy lifted her chin. “Are you okay?”
Addison looked away and motioned behind the bushes. “I'm fine but I don't know about her.”
Gareth dropped her hand and went to investigate. Seffy followed, wishing she was still connected to him. She found Gareth kneeling next to an outstretched figure. “Lani?”
The brunette lay splayed in the dirt, her teal flowered dress covered in what looked like red diamond dust, her blue eyes wide, staring upwards. Seffy pressed her hand to her mouth. “Is she breathing?”
Gareth patted her face. “Are you still with us, sweetie?” Addison came around the bushes and crossed her arms over her chest, emitting a sniffle.
“Bonnie Bell.”
Seffy peered at Lani. On a good day she didn't know whether her xippie friend was right in the head. “Bonnie Bell?”
Lani turned her head slightly and looked at Seffy. “Like the pink lip gloss we used in grade school. The sparkly stuff.”
“Okaaay.”
“She means the sky, you dolt.”
Seffy sent Addy stink eye. “Whatever.”
“How did you two get here?” Gareth brushed some dirt from Lani's cheek.
Addison roughly wiped the tears from her face. “I don't know. One minute I was visiting Lani at Euphoria's—”
“You mean hitting her up for a free spa treatment.”
“Seffy,” Gareth said in a low voice.
“Yeah, shut up, Sef.” Addy took a deep breath and continued. “The next minute there was this huge roar and we were yanked, thrown, whatever, from where we were. We woke up right here on the ground.”
“I am breathing and the earth glows for me right now
all at once I'm in this place.”
Lani's thready voice hit a high note as she sang.
“Misplaced in a different sphere, many miles from earth
but what about it?
I am breathing, I am breathing
I AM BREATHING!”
“Okay, so you're breathing.” Addy looked at Gareth. “This is what I've been dealing with.”
Gareth's eyes softened as he gazed at Lani. “I remember that song, too,” he said softly.
“I miss that music,” she whispered. Lani got to her feet and began a slow spin, singing, “I am breathing.”
Seffy looked around in alarm. “Okay, this needs to stop now. Someone might hear you.”
“Um, it looks like we're pretty much alone out here in case you haven't noticed.”
“Yes, Addison, I noticed. But we can never be too careful.” She pinned Lani with a gentle glare. “Understand?”
Lani didn't appear to hear her, but spun into a kind of skip dance, her arms outstretched. “Don't you guys hear it?” She twirled past, her feet kicking up a cloud of sparkle dust against a backdrop of what looked like a cheap dreamscape scene on a back lot sound stage.
Seffy blew out a ragged breath. “Okay, we're all stressed out. We just need to stay calm and think this through.”
Addy snorted. “So you're the leader now? Who died and made you queen? By the way, where's Verity? I thought she was with you.”
Seffy stared at her for a long moment. “I don't know where she is. And I'm not trying to be a 'leader'.”
The redhead brushed off her designer jeans and violet silk blouse, pretending to be nonchalant. “I just think you're acting high-handed.”
“We're in the middle of a friggin' blast zone. I'm sorry you didn't like my tone.”
Gareth came up to them with Lani in tow, who was humming and swirling her hand about. “Okay, ladies, let's look for Verity before it gets dark.”
“Verity?” Lani's movements ceased and her expression faltered.
Addy crossed her arms. “She was with Seffy.”
“Look, I don't have a clue where she is. I had the same experience as you two.” Seffy struggled to maintain a blank expression under Addison's penetrating stare.
“Interesting. And I see you didn't waste any time.”
“What are you talking about?”
Addy's gaze swiveled to Gareth before returning to hers. “You know what I mean.”
Seffy snorted. “I'm ignoring that.” She turned to the others. “Let's go back up onto the hill. We'll have a good vantage point up there. Maybe we'll see Verity in the distance.”
“I hope for your sake we find her.”
“God, Addison, what is with you?” Seffy turned and marched back up the hill, the soft dirt sending up little glistening clouds under each step. Her throat was parched, her body ached, and now to complete the package, she had a serious pain in her posterior following right behind her. When she reached the top of the hill, she did a full sweep and saw nothing but sandy dirt, rocks, small fires, and apparently inconsequential piles of debris. This just couldn't be West Hollywood, even in a post-apocalyptic scenario. For one thing, there'd be more survivors. And maybe a burned out food coach or two.
The others reached the summit and stood following her direction of sight.
“No Verity?” Lani asked.
“I don't see another soul.” The big magenta sun quavered low in the sky. Seffy began to feel light-headed and shaky. Had she known she was going to survive a quasi-explosion, she would've splurged on that pumpkin cranberry muffin that had sounded so good for breakfast. Instead she'd had ice water with lemon. Dieting never seemed to do any damn good anyway and this just proved it.
“It'll be dark soon,” Gareth said. “Maybe we should try to look for shelter.”
Addison let out a sharp bark of laughter. “I'm looking. Not exactly seeing.” Gareth's hurt expression made her blush. “I'm just saying.”
“Well, let's walk toward the sun to make the most of the remaining light,” he said. “Looks like there might be another hill in the distance. Maybe there's something at the bottom of it.”
Addison lowered her gaze. “It's not like there's anything else to do.”
Seffy felt like kicking Addy in the shin, but didn't want to upset Gareth any more than he already was. She inhaled deeply, wondered momentarily just what the un-eco-friendly stuff she was breathing, then began to trudge down the hill toward the setting orb. As the others followed, Seffy tried to make sense of their predicament. Was this a dream? A nightmare? How could any of it be real?
Seffy pushed a windblown lock of hair from her eyes and focused on a point in front of her. Lani continued to hum that song, which made her skin crawl.
Verity's last words rang in her mind. It's not the end of the world.
And it's not, obviously. There's still a glowy thing in the sky—even if the sky does look like Bonnie Bell lip gloss. And it only hurts a little bit to breathe the heavy air. Plus, I'm still kickin', so...
“Do you think it runs?”
Seffy turned and looked at Lani. “Huh?”
Lani pointed down the second hill. “There's a car down there near those trees. Maybe it can take us home.”
Seffy refrained from pointing out that cars in blast zones in the middle of nowhere rarely ran. They mostly loomed, or in this case, squatted...menacingly.
“Looks like a Caddy,” Gareth said. “An old one.”
They headed down the hill and toward a straggly grove of pine trees, which cast long shadows in the fading light.
“A Coupe de Ville,” Gareth said in that voice tinged with awe and that osmosis-gained male knowledge of all things automotive. “1971.”
“Will it drive?” Lani asked in a nervous voice.
“No, hun,” he said gently. “But it will be a good place to spend the night.”
“Spend the night?” Addison snapped, her eyes flared. “Are you serious? Let's keep walking until we find civilization—”
“Or at least a modestly priced hotel,” Seffy said.
“With a pool,” Lani added.
Gareth turned to Addison and put his hands on her shoulders. “Look around you. We can see for miles. There are no roads and we don't know what direction civilization is in.”
She bit her lip. “It just feels like we're totally giving in here and going all survival modey.”
“It's getting dark. We just need a place to regroup.”
“And then what?” Addison said, her voice trembling. “What happens in the morning? Help arrives?”
Gareth sent her a steady look. “We don't know. Let's just take this one step at a time.” He pulled her close in a side hug. “And we're together. That's something to be thankful for.”
Addy twisted away from his touch. “Except for Verity.”
“Except for Verity,” he echoed in a hollow voice. Gareth straightened. “You know what, I'm just going to assume she's okay, where ever she is. I mean, she's hardly the only person who didn't show up with us. We have to assume the vast majority of L.A. is fine.”
“Unless this is L.A.” Addison crossed her arms over her chest. “Verity is probably drinking a tonic tea at Elixir right now. Right, Sef?”
Seffy distanced herself from Addison's insinuations and walked up to the old car. She peered in the dusty windows and tried the rusted handle. She was shocked when the door actually creaked open. Beating away some of the cobwebs and dust on the seats, she stuck her head inside. “At least it's got a leather interior.”
Gareth joined her perusal then checked along the dash and visor for keys, but found none. He smiled at Seffy. “You never know.”
She sighed. “You never know.”
“It's probably full of snakes.”
“Addison, you'll freak Lani out.”
“Lani's already freaked,” Lani said. “Gareth, can you check for snakes?”
He nodded and grabbed a stick from the ground. After poking and prodding under the seats, he declared the car snake free.
“You probably just stirred up the black widows.”
“Okay, Addison,” Seffy huffed, “you can sleep outside with the wild animals.”
“There aren't any wild animals in WeHo.”
“You weren't with me on the Strip last weekend,” Gareth said with a grin.
Seffy rolled her eyes. “Maybe we're on some other planet, you know, a time warpy thing.”
“Gee, and I thought Gareth was the only one in touch with his inner geek,” Addison quipped.
“Hey!” Gareth said with mock offense. “Let's not get nasty.”
Lani smiled. “So we're not mad anymore?”
“Just give Addison another minute or so and I'm sure we'll be at each other's throats.”
Addy stuck her tongue out at Seffy.
“Also, the sky is green,” Lani said.
Indeed it was. And green coming off of pink just couldn't be good. “Can this day get any creepier?” Seffy slid into the backseat of the car. The leather was warm but the air smelled musty. Exhaustion made her sink into the upholstery and close her eyes. Lani scooted in next to her, emitting a passionfruit scent from her hair.
“You using a new shampoo?”
“Yes,” she enthused, “it's one of the new botanicals the spa is carrying.”
“It smells a lot better than the inside of this car.”
“And it's on sale.”
Seffy laughed, then her smile faded. “If we get back before the sale ends, I'll buy some.”
Lani sensed the direction of her thoughts. She looked down at her hands. “Yeah.”
“Addy, after you,” Gareth said to Addison.
“Should you and I sit in the front?”
Seffy watched her friend's agenda with a jaundiced eye. So desperate, so sad, dear Addy.
“Since it seems like we're in some kind of desert, we might all want to be together for warmth if it gets chilly.”
Seffy could almost feel Addy's disappointment at not having Gareth all to herself for the night in the front seat. She suppressed a smile and tried to get comfortable. Lani's head fell onto her shoulder as the other two got in and pulled the door closed.
A muffled silence fell after they all got settled.
“I'm hungry,” Seffy said after a minute, hoping to lighten the mood. “Think there are any sushi restaurants around?”
“Look at the bright side, Sef. This way you might lose that last fifteen pounds you're always yammering about.”
Seffy mashed her lips together. She'd always been jealous of Addison's whipcord lean physique.
“Not nice,” Lani scolded in a sleepy voice.
“Agreed,” Gareth rumbled from the other side of the seat. “Let's not get into body image issues tonight.”
Seffy glanced over and saw Gareth leaning his head against the seat, one wrist propped on his denimed knee, looking for all the world like a model from Abercrombie & Fitch.
“Besides, you girls are the prettiest little things this side of paradise.”
“And it's that fake countrified twang that gives your words such credibility.”
“Okay, Addison,” he said, “let's start with you. How many natural redheads do you know that have your beautiful olive skin tone and mossy green eyes?”
Even in the failing light Seffy could see Addison's cheeks redden. She stifled a pang of jealousy.
“And Lani, you have that whole wide-eyed Mischa Barton thing going. Very gamine.”
“How does a guy know the word 'gamine'?” Addy said, rolling her eyes.
Lani clapped her hands together. “I always love Mischa's outfits.”
Natch. Seffy glanced at Lani's loud dress and suppressed a shudder.
Gareth leaned forward and caught her eye. “And Seffy reminds me of the beautiful Diane Krueger, without the German accent of course.”
“Or the figure.”
Seffy ignored Addison and smiled at Gareth. “Thanks, sweetie. You always cheer me up.” Diane Krueger. Dang. I can live with that. Suddenly the foreign world they found themselves in didn't seem so bad.
“What about you, Gareth?” Lani asked, not wanting him to be left out.
They regarded him with irresistible smiles. He grinned back, his bleached teeth a slash of white in the gloom. “Hottie,” they said in unison, and laughed.
“See, now everyone feels better,” he said, obviously gratified.
Seffy sighed.“You just flattered us so we'd stop complaining.”
“Admit it, it didn't take much to divert you.”
Addison punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Very funny.”
Seffy closed her eyes, knowing their camaraderie wouldn't last long. In fact they hadn't been this lighthearted since...since forever. As in high school forever. She turned toward the window, not wanting to stumble down reminiscence lane just now. Opening her eyes, she saw the remnant of the neon sun sink below the horizon as an eerie green glow descended on the land. Where in the world are we? How will we get home?
Her heart began to pound out an odd rhythm. She swallowed.
“Is it the end of the world?” Lani's voice broke the suddenly tense silence.
But no one answered the question.

Copyright June 2009 by Bella Street All Rights Reserved

About Apocalypse Babes

2009-07-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Apocalypse Babes has a touch of the fun supernatural seen in monster-of-the-week sci-fi TV shows along with some of the time-travel angst of Lost. All against a backdrop of altered 80s hits in a surreptitious nod toward roller disco movies.

The first novel, The Z Word, follows Persephone (known as Seffy) and her longtime friends Gareth, Addison and Lani. The four besties share a past dysfunctional and dark enough to keep them bound together under do-over identities. But rends develop in their relationships from the flesh-eating pressures of ending up in 1980, in a Montana desert surrounded by zombies wearing dated disco duds.