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Archive for the ‘apocalypse’ Category

The virus killed all but one in 10,000 ~ Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: October 5, 2015 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: Author Travis Norwood, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, Sugar Scars

Sugar Scars

By- Travis Norwood

Genre- Post Apocalyptic/Sci Fi

Living after the apocalypse really isn’t that hard for most of the survivors. The virus killed all but 1 in 10,000. The few remaining people are left in a world of virtually unlimited resources. Grocery stores overflowing with food and drink. Thousands of empty houses to pick from.

But one survivor, a nineteen-year-old girl, requires more than simple food, water and shelter. As a type 1 diabetic her body desperately needs insulin to stay alive. With civilization gone, no one manufactures it anymore. She hoards all the insulin she can find, but every day marches toward the end of her stash of vials. She has a choice. Accept her fate and death, or tackle the almost insurmountable task of extracting and refining the insulin herself.

Brilliant scientists struggled to make the first insulin. What hope does a high school dropout have?

(more…)

The Summer The World Ended ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted: August 12, 2015 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, giveaways, YA
Tags: Author Mathew S. Cox, post-apocalyptic, The Summer The World Ended, YA

I’m always looking for books about the apocalypse, whether it’s zombies or some other disaster.

This will be a good summer read.

Check out The Summer The World Ended.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

The Summer the World Ended

by Matthew S. Cox

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: June 29th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

As far as Riley McCullough is concerned, her best friend getting ‘dragged’ off to Puerto Vallarta for the first two weeks of summer vacation was the end of the world―at least until the bombs fell.

Life in suburban New Jersey with her mother has been comfortable, not to mention boring, to an introverted fourteen year old. As if her friend’s surprise trip wasn’t bad enough, her expectations for the ‘best summer ever’ disintegrate when she gets sent across the country to stay with a father she hasn’t seen in six years. Adjusting to a tiny, desert town where everyone stares at them like they don’t belong proves difficult, and leaves her feeling more isolated than ever. To make matters worse, her secretive father won’t tell the truth about why he left―or what he’s hiding.

Her luck takes an unexpected turn for the better when she meets a boy who shares her interest in video games and contempt for small town boredom. In him, she finds a kindred spirit who might just make the middle of nowhere tolerable.

Happiness is short lived; fleeing nuclear Armageddon, she takes shelter with her dad in an underground bunker he’d spent years preparing. After fourteen days without sun, Riley must overcome the sorrow of losing everything to save the one person she cares about most.

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N

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Author Mathew S. Cox

Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

Hobbies and Interests:

Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.

He is also fond of cats.

Author links:

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Zombies Migrate? Fallback by Lori Whitwam ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Posted: July 9, 2015 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, horror, Zombies
Tags: Author Lori Whitwam, Fallback, Horror, The Dead Survive #2, zombies

Summer is in full swing and for me that means Zombies!

Got a good one to share with you today.

Check out the awesome cover art for Fallback.

Enjoy the peek inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Synopsis

After being rescued from a brutal band of marauders, Ellen Hale rebuilt her life in the fortified neighborhood that became her home. A heartbreaking decision and devastating loss pushed her to become a fierce fighter, because weakness only got you and those you loved killed.

Now her community is facing a deadly threat, and Ellen has another choice to make.

Ellen volunteers as a member of fallback team three, tasked with establishing a temporary refuge for their citizens in the event their community is overrun by the enemy. As the danger intensifies, she and her adopted sister, Melissa, set off with the rest of their team on the road trip from hell.

Their mission is cloaked in secrecy, but suspicions of a traitor arise.

Something is affecting the zombies’ migration patterns, and when blacksmith Tyler Garrett is discovered trapped in a farmhouse, the team refuses to trust him. But Ellen believes his story, and it’s not just because of his rugged, blond good looks and soft-spoken manner—his skills can greatly benefit their team.

As the team struggles to reach the fallback, previously secure locations are overrun, and their chances of success seem remote. With the likelihood of a traitor nearly certain, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, Ellen must figure out who to trust before the traitor—or the zombies—destroy them all.

Is there a spy among the fallback team,or is there another threat lurking in the Kentucky hills?

~~~

Check out this excerpt!

“You couldn’t have stopped him,” I said gently. I was familiar with Mason’s sadistic nature and penchant for blood. I’d been his damned bloody canvas too many times.

“I know that now,” Melissa replied, “but I didn’t then. I started struggling, and the guy hit me. Mom started screaming again and fought like crazy. She caught Mason a good one in the face, and he lost it. He hit her, and she fell. Then…” She swallowed and looked back and forth between Rebecca and me, not speaking until we raised our eyes to hers. “Then he cut her. He took that butterfly knife of his, and he cut her throat.”

Rebecca uttered a soft fuck and stood, moving stiffly to the kitchen window.

I couldn’t help it. I was crying, tears silently burning down my cheeks, even if Melissa’s eyes were dry. I flashed back to Mason shooting Matt in the warehouse, and his body sliding to the floor. It was…too much.

“So that’s it,” Melissa said. “We stayed where it was familiar, like as long as we were quiet and patient nothing bad would find us. You can’t get hung up on familiar. You have to think about changing, even if you don’t want to, before you decide what to do. Falling back on familiar just because it feels safe is a sure way to get killed.”

We both stood up then, and I pulled her to me in a tight hug. And finally, she cried. Rebecca stood stiffly a short distance away, looking very much like she needed to kill something. Or several somethings.

Once the tears subsided and faces were mopped, I said, “I get it now, honey. I see why you’re willing to go, and I know how hard it was for you to make that decision.”

Rebecca grabbed her sword sheath and strapped it over her back. She gave Melissa a hearty slap on the shoulder—again, comforting wasn’t really in her skill set—and said, “Well, chicks, it’s about that time. Let’s go find out if we’re hittin’ the road.”

Fifteen minutes later we had our answer. We were leaving the Compound. We were all officially part of fallback team three.

Time for a post-apocalyptic road trip.

~~~

Author Lori Whitwam

Lori spent her early years reading books in a tree in northern West Virginia. The 1980s and 90s found her and her husband moving around the Midwest, mainly because it was easier to move than clean the apartment. After seventeen frigid years in Minnesota, she fled to coastal North Carolina in 2013. She will never leave, and if you try to make her, she will hurt you.

She has worked in public libraries, written advertising copy for wastewater treatment equipment, and managed a holistic veterinary clinic. Her current day job, conducted from her World Headquarters and Petting Zoo (her couch) is as Managing Editor for Limitless Publishing, as well as editing for a select list of indie author.

Her dogs are a big part of her life, and she has served or held offices in Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees rescues, a humane society, a county kennel club, and her own chapter of Therapy Dogs International.

She has been a columnist and feature writer for auto racing and pet publications, and won the Dog Writers Association of America’s Maxwell Award for a series of humor essays.

Parents of a grown son, Lori and her husband were high school sweethearts, and he manages to love her in spite of herself. Some of his duties include making sure she always has fresh coffee and safe tires, trying to teach her to use coupons, and convincing the state police to spring her from house arrest in her hotel room in time for a very important concert. That last one only happened once—so far—but she still really, really appreciates it.

Links

Email / Facebook / Twitter / Website

Publisher / Amazon / B&N

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Teaser Tuesday’s #116 ~ Cannibal Reign

Posted: May 26, 2015 in apocalypse, horror, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: apocalypse, Author Thomas Koloniar, Cannibal Reign, Horror

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My Tease for this week is from

Cannibal Reign

by Thomas Koloniar

13426200

My Teaser from page 58 and page 126 in the Paperback.

From Page 58

“Well, you can stand up here and let us know then, Mr Scientist. I’ll pop the hatch and sweep your ashes up after it hits.”

“Will you spread them on the ocean for me?”

“I’ll flush ’em down the g#!damn toilet,” Ulritch said on his way into the kitchen. “You’ll get there eventually.”

From Page 126

“It was your wife back there, wasn’t it?” Marty said, his eyes filling with tears, his voice thick.

~~~~

Synopsis

First the asteroid would come, slamming into the earth just north of the Montana border, followed by earthquakes, tsunamis, and unending night.

And after that . . . Hell.

Astronomer Marty Chittenden is the first to recognize the approaching doom—a discovery that makes him a marked man.

Green Beret Jack Forrest knows the catastrophe is inevitable, and begins stockpiling an abandoned missile silo with supplies while gathering together a small community of men, women, and children he prays can survive the apocalypse.

Then disaster strikes. In an instant the world they know ends forever, transformed into a nightmare realm of eternal darkness. Soon the few remaining humans are transformed as well, becoming savage things—raping, pillaging, and devouring their own.

And the time is approaching when Forrest and his people will have to leave their underground “Noah’s Ark” to face a shattered world and the unspeakable terrors that dwell there—in desperate pursuit of one slim hope of survival . . . called Hawaii.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

It’s Zombie Month! Could this be the year they rise?

Posted: January 5, 2015 in apocalypse, Holidays, horror, reviews, Short stories and collections, Zombies
Tags: A Zombie Holiday Trilogy, Author Anthony Renfro

Guess what month it is.

It’s Zombie Month!

I’ve been hooked on zombie stories and movies for a long time.

I’ve even got a survival kit started just in case. I add to it when something handy crosses my path.

Don’t laugh. If it happens, I’ll be the one with the last laugh!

Ready to have some fun.

I received a copy of A Zombie Holiday Trilogy from Anthony Renfro.

There are four stories, each taking place during the winter holidays.

I’ve reviewed them individually and now have pulled all of my reviews together for the complete trilogy.

Come on in and share the holidays with the zombies. They look forward to having you for, oops, over to dinner.

A Zombie Holiday Trilogy

Stuff the turkey, deck the halls, and ring in the New year in a Zombie Apocalypse

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A Zombie Thanksgiving

They say the holidays are no longer celebrated because of the zombie apocalypse.

Try telling that to Dawn. All she wants is to bring a little bit of normalcy into their lives. To remind them they are human, that they are still alive, that there is hope.

Guns and knife in hand, Dawn sets off to the grocery store to see if she can find a turkey. I know, this sounds nuts. But people get desperate for the old days, the easy days.

As Dawn stumbles over dead bodies and crashed, abandoned vehicles, she inevitably runs across some shufflers. She takes care of them coldly, efficiently. This is the new way of life.

Meanwhile, back at the safe place, George is handed a note by another survivor in their group. It appears Dawn has left to get food. Fool girl. Doesn’t she know there are zombies out there. What is so important she’d risk this by herself?

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but somehow the author had me feeling the warmth of Thanksgiving. Even As Dawn and George fought off the ravenous zombies that want them for dinner.

Dawn’s fierce determination has me adding her to my list of top female protagonists. She’s not going to stop until she finds that bird!

And George is just as determined. Determined to find Dawn and get her safely back where she belongs. All limbs attached. I liked how his initial frustration turned to alpha male, to lover, as he set out to find her.

I had my fingers and toes crossed for these two. The ending was not set in stone just because it’s Thanksgiving. Maybe the zombies got a nice dinner. Nobody told them they don’t celebrate the holiday.

A Zombie Christmas

He waited until the zombie messed with Rudolph to take him out. No one messed with his Christmas display. The loud crack of his gun brought more and he took care of them too. Then all was quiet again.

Relaxing in his living room, enjoying the lighted Christmas tree, the silence is shattered by the doorbell. Mike can’t believe his eyes. It’s four zombie carolers, singing songs. Or grunting them. Once he quits laughing he quickly dispatches them too. Their noise would bring others.

The loud knocking on his door is welcome. He’s been waiting for Jim and Fred. He needs them if his plan is to succeed.

The plan. Fight a way through the zombies to reach the mall. There, they will grab goodies for the kids in their neighborhood. Everyone is struggling to make it through the apocalypse and the winter is brutal. A little something on Christmas morning for each child would bring smiles to their sweet faces. Would help them forget, for a time, what was happening outside.

Fred and Jim had taken some convincing, but when Mike explained his plan and they realized he’d do it alone if he had to, they were in one hundred percent.

As gruesome as this story got, it also cracked me up. Those zombie carolers were too funny. And the zombie shoppers, shuffling in and out of the mall with their packages, I could just imagine that scene, and laughed out loud. Nobody told the zombies they couldn’t have a Christmas.

I really liked Mike. He didn’t hesitate to take out the zombies yet kept his sense of humor. And by selecting the only other single men in the neighborhood, he didn’t risk leaving a family without a father and provider.

I think these three gents got as much joy as the children from their plan. It must have brought a small measure of hope and joy to them, playing Santa when the world was falling apart.

While I was writing my review, I happened to glance up at my Christmas tree, and what I saw cracked me up again. Sitting nestled on a branch was a little zombie mummy I had been given. I swear it winked at me.

A Zombie New Year

This short story is also offered in the authors collection, A Zombie Holiday Trilogy.

It is the longer of the stories and really hit home. Just how important is tradition when an apocalypse has occurred? How far would you go to keep a promise? Is there time for love when the world has crumbled?

Becky and Joe become separated during the zombie apocalypse. Both find themselves in dangerous situations as they strive to get to Acorn Drop, the place they first met, and share their promised New Years kiss.

Becky awakens surrounded by men in fatigues. A rough lot. They make their wants known and she tries to stall while making up a plan of escape.

You now that saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Sometimes it’s true. These guys should have thoroughly cleared the house before letting their minds listen to their lower parts.

Zombies stumble out of one of the bedrooms and in the tussle, Becky makes her escape, only to have to fight her way through the ones outside.

Some of the men, still pumped up on testosterone, pursue her and she must find a way to lose them. She doubts when they finish with her they’ll just let her go. And she has some place to be. Someone to meet. Something to do. Acorn Drop. Joe. Kiss.

Meanwhile, Joe is out in the open and vulnerable. The zombies are everywhere and he’s been spotted. Searching, he finally sees a house that looks safe and dashes inside.

First things first, he searches the house finding no immediate threat of zombies. Next, he checks the garage and finds a car. Could the keys be in the house? He reenters to search for them. There’s not much time as the zombies will eventually find a way in.

Joe soon discovers he’s not alone in the house. But it’s not zombies and it’s not people. Of all the houses, of all the streets, he had to choose this one. This is one battle he wasn’t prepared for.

He keeps his mind on his goals. Get to Acorn Drop. Find Becky. Kiss her like it’s the end of the world. But New Years is almost here and he’s got a long way to go.

I believe love is all we have when the world falls apart. Even if it doesn’t. Who will mourn you when you die? Who will fight for you, with you? What will keep you going when all seems hopeless?

The dynamics of people when faced with the thinkable has always fascinated me. Sometimes, the threat by man is every bit as deadly as the threat outside.

I’ve read many zombie books and I know there isn’t always a happy ending, but I have hope for Becky and Joe.

A Vampire At Christmas

The story opens in a tomb. All is calm. All is bright. The little Christmas tree in the corner casts a dazzling display reflecting off of the large coffin.

If you put your ear right up against the coffin, you might hear Jimmy Buffet singing Margaritaville. This handsome vampire loves being a vampire, loves Christmas, and is a fan of the southern artist and has been to many of his concerts. His powers enable him to fly to any location and blend into the shadows to enjoy the the shows.

He’s been waiting 364 days for this night and he grabs his bag of goodies and heads out. But first he must feed.

When he was a new vampire he killed at random. But after many years and witnessing the miracle of Christmas, the warmth and cheer of it, he became more selective. Only killing those who deserved it.

I am amazed at the power of this character with the story being just over 20 pages.

He coldly stalks and consumes his prey, yet he’s also gleeful and excited, like a child. He really gets into the Christmas spirit and spreads hope and joy. Not to his prey, of course, but to those who are in need.

I live in the south and have seen Jimmy Buffet in concert. Been to his restaurant. Met him a few times. While I was reading this story, I hummed Margaritaville and thought, this vampire would like it here.

I loved all of these stories and you can bet I’ll be reading anything everything I can get my hands on by this author.

Each story got 5 Stars from me which added up to 20 Stars. Since I can’t give it that, I give this collection a resounding 5 Stars.

~~~~

Author Anthony Renfro

Anthony Renfro

Anthony Renfro lives in Apex, North Carolina. He is a reader, writer, runner, husband, father, and stay at home dad – one of the toughest jobs anyone could ever do. He was born in Bristol, Tennessee, and is a graduate of UNC-Greensboro.

You can find him at many spots on the web, but if you really need to find his center in the social media storm it would be at his blog, apoetryjourney.wordpress.com.

Now reach out, just beyond the light, right into that big black space, and let him take your hand on a journey into cold dark places. You will be scared, and you may even be terrified, but in the end you might just find you liked the ride.

Find him on:

Blog ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Teaser Tuesdays #91 ~ A Zombie Christmas ~ Giveaway and freebies!

Posted: December 9, 2014 in apocalypse, Freebies!, giveaways, Holidays, horror, Teaser Tuesdays, Zombies
Tags: A Zombie Christmas, Author Anthony Renfro, Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My tease is from

A Zombie Christmas

by Anthony Renfro

Here is my tease from page 73 of the paperback.

“I want the kids in this neighborhood to wake up Christmas morning and find a present at their door. I want them to feel like Santa is still here, and he is one mean zombie-killing machine that won’t let Christmas die, no matter what the situation.”

and from page 81

The three men sat huddled in the cold, waiting and watching the mall parking lot. There were a lot of zombies shuffling around the open ground, some going into the mall, some coming out. Many of them were carrying shopping bags as if they had spent this day doing last minute Christmas shopping.

~~~

Description

In a Zombie Apocalypse, three men risk life and limb to bring happiness to surviving kids on Christmas morning.

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Anthony has A Zombie Christmas print copy giveaway on Goodreads

You can enter the Giveaway HERE

Ends December 14th

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I’m so excited!

Anthony Renfro is going to have all of his books available as free downloads!

I’ve read his Zombie Holiday Trilogy and I’m reviewing each story to coincide with each holiday.

You can find the link to my A Zombie Thanksgiving review further into this post.

And I’ll be reviewing A Zombie Christmas on the 18th so be sure to stop back by! There will be another short story surprise review also.

So check out the dates, mark your calendar or save this post, and get your books FREE!

Click on the covers to see the books on Amazon and get your free copies on the specified dates.

Here is the schedule.

December 7 – 8

Killer Treads

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December 9 – 10

A Haunted House Tale

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December 11 – 12

Daylight Vampires and Sunrise Werewolves

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December 13 – 14

Terror Ride

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December 15 – 16

Evil Beach

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Here’s the schedule for when his Zombie Holiday Stories will be free.

A Zombie Thanksgiving: December 9 – 13

You can read my review HERE.

***

A Zombie Christmas: December 17 – 18

Catch my review on December 18th also.

***

A Zombie New Year: December 12 and December 20 – 21

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A Zombie Holiday Trilogy: December 19th

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Author Anthony Renfro

Anthony Renfro

You can find him at many spots on the web, but if you really need to find his center in the social media storm it would be at his blog, apoetryjourney.wordpress.com.

Find him on:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

What are you worth? Meritropolis ~ Author Interview and Giveaway with Special Sale

Posted: November 29, 2014 in apocalypse, Book Promos, Dystopian, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: Author Joel Ohman, Meritropolis, post-apocalyptic dystopian sci fi

In the mood for something different?

I have just the book for you.

Meritropolis has many diverse characters, and curious animal combinations.

Keep reading to learn more about this post-apocalyptic dystopian with science fiction and enjoy the author interview.

This is on sale for a limited time!

There’s a huge giveaway too, so don’t forget to enter!

~~~

In Meritropolis everyone is assigned a numerical Score that decides their worth to society and whether they live or die. After a young boy is killed because of a low Score, his brother plots to take down the System.

Sounds good, right? Well, this exciting YA Dystopia is on sale for just 99 cents Thursday, November 27 through Monday, December 1. You can pick up your copy on Amazon.

To celebrate, we are offering a giveaway for an autographed copy and a $100 Amazon gift card—hooray!

Check out this interview with Joel Ohman, the author of the book critics are calling, “The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist”, then scroll to the end of this post to learn more about the giveaway. Happy reading, and good luck!

An Interview with Joel Ohman

Who or what was your inspiration to write about post-apocalyptic, dystopian sci-fi?

I’ve read a lot in this genre, so I would say it’s a mix of a lot of different things. I really just wanted to explore this question of, “What gives a person worth?” Is it their usefulness to society? Is it because someone loves them? Is it because of how they look? Is it because of their health or ability? As a Christian, I believe that all people have worth, because they are made in the image of God. I wanted to explore some different takes on this question. I think that the post-apocalyptic/dystopian/sci-fi genre was the best vehicle to tackle some of those deep philosophical questions in a fun and interesting way.

Why do you write? Is it for fun, or because you have something you need to say in your writing?

Some writers are loath to say their writing has a message, because maybe they think doing so diminishes their art (not true, in my opinion), but I think that everyone has a message in their writing, even if they aren’t as consciously focused on it—and that’s a good thing. My message is in my epigraph: “Because everyone matters – Psalm 139”.

Why the title Meritropolis?

I wanted a short one word title that was a clever—or at least semi-clever—play on two different words. I like “Meritropolis” because it combines “Merit” and “Metropolis,” two words that are great for describing a city where each resident’s worth is measured by a score given to them.

In Meritropolis how were the animal combinations decided upon? For example, I know you chose to write about a bion (bull-lion), as well as many other freaks of nature. So what I want to know is how did you decided which animals to meld together and why.

I have a big list of animal combinations that I came up with before I began writing the book, and I tried to work in as many as I could. Sometimes the only criteria was that I liked the way the name sounded. Look for many more in the following books!

Can you tells us about your characters and who/what inspired them?

I am a big believer in John Truby’s approach to building a “character web”, because this deepens the relationships between characters and helps to make each of the characters more complex. Absent building a good character web, it can be all too easy to fall into the not-very-true-to-real-life good-person/bad-person false dichotomy where your protagonist devolves into this I-can-do-no-wrong character and your antagonist is just pure evil. I was very much aiming to show the imperfections and brokenness in each of the characters. My thinking as a Christian influences this to some degree, given that the Bible teaches that we are all essentially the same; we are all sinners—only God is perfect.

Do you have a favorite genre that you like to read?

I read pretty much everything! Fiction, non-fiction, you name it! I am of the opinion that, as an author, I can learn something from almost every kind of writing. Sometimes, it most definitely is a matter of learning what not to do—but, on the whole, I love to read a wide variety of writing styles, genres, etc.

Are there any books that have inspired your own writing?

I read A LOT so there are many different things that have shaped my writing over the years, but I wouldn’t say there was any particular book, or books, that I was consciously looking to for inspiration while writing Meritropolis. Looking back though I can definitely see different threads of influence in almost everything I have read over the years that contribute toward making Meritropolis what it is: the strong protagonist of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, the philosophical bent of C.S. Lewis’ fiction, the dystopian setting of Hugh Howey’s WOOL series, and many more.

Are there any authors that have emerged in the last three years that have caught your interest?

Hugh Howey is an author that I really like that has caught my attention lately. I would highly recommend his WOOL series!

Don’t forget!

Meritropolis is marked down from its regular price of $5.99, but only for a limited time. Feed your Kindle by picking up a discounted copy for just 99 cents, but make sure you do it before December 2!

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Now enter the giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card

Autographed copy of Meritropolis

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway.

RAFFLECOPTER

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

A Zombie Thanksgiving

Posted: November 28, 2014 in apocalypse, Holidays, reviews, Short stories and collections, Zombies
Tags: A Zombie Holiday Trilogy, A Zombie Thanksgiving, Author Anthony Renfro, zombies

Happy Thanksgiving ya’ll!

I have just the book for the holiday.

I was visiting my blogging sis Emily and she shared this awesome book on her blog.

Emily is also an author and she does these awesome Pay It Forward Friday posts featuring other authors. Check out her blog HERE.

I just knew I had to read it and was thrilled when she contacted the author and he got in touch with me.

I now have my very own signed print copy.

There are three stories in this book.

A Zombie Thanksgiving.

A Zombie Christmas.

A Zombie New Year.

Plus a bonus one – A Vampire At Christmas.

I knew immediately how I wanted to review these, each individually to coincide with the holidays.

First up is A Zombie Thanksgiving.

Lets get to it!

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A Zombie Thanksgiving

by Anthony Renfro

23612082

My Review

They say the holidays are no longer celebrated because of the zombie apocalypse.

Try telling that to Dawn. All she wants is to bring a little bit of normalcy into their lives. To remind them they are human, that they are still alive, that there is hope.

Guns and knife in hand, Dawn sets off to the grocery store to see if she can find a turkey. I know, this sounds nuts. But people get desperate for the old days, the easy days.

As Dawn stumbles over dead bodies and crashed, abandoned vehicles, she inevitably runs across some shufflers. She takes care of them coldly, efficiently. This is the new way of life.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but somehow the author had me feeling the warmth of Thanksgiving. Even As Dawn and George fought off the ravenous zombies that want them for dinner.

Dawn’s fierce determination has me adding her to my list of top female protagonists. She’s not going to stop until she finds that bird!

5 Stars

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Stay tuned for my other reviews as each holiday approaches.

Synopsis

A short story about a woman who risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.

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Click on the covers to get your own copies.

Author Anthony Renfro

Anthony Renfro

You can find him at many spots on the web, but if you really need to find his center in the social media storm it would be at his blog, apoetryjourney.wordpress.com.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Afterworld Series by Karice Bolton ~ Recruitz and Alibiz ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: November 21, 2014 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, giveaways, horror, New Adult, reviews, Zombies
Tags: Afterworld Series, Alibiz, Author Karice Bolton, Recruitz

I’m so excited. I have a new zombie series to tell you about. This one is a little different. The story takes place a few months after the apolcalypse. Life is struggling to get back to normal. Kind of. Sort of.

Have I teased you enough? Okay, come on in and check out Recruitz and Alibiz, books 1 and 2 of the Afterworld Series.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Afterworld Series by Karice Bolton
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

My Review

Being a lover of all things zombies, I knew I had to read this series.

The first thing I loved was the cover and title.

Rebekah, the kick ass protagonist, is front and center.

Then there’s that catchy title, RecruitZ. Love how the author replaced the s with a z.

The next thing that made me love this book was the beginning.

Imagine you and your husband are sitting in the car in your driveway. Here come the zombies. They aren’t supposed to be there. The area has been cleared of the shufflers, but there they are.

When you make the decision to mow them down with your car, there’s a problem. It’s self-driving and keeps saying there are obstructions in the way. It won’t hit them.

What happens next is tragic and horrifying.

This beginning is so powerful, so traumatic. And this is where I first fell in love with this author’s writing.

She keeps it coming as Rebekah struggles with the loss of her husband, and tries to look like she’s pulled herself together to her friends.

As she digs to find out why the zombies were waiting for her and her husband and who sent them, she forms a reluctant alliance with a mysterious man. Everything about him screams, don’t trust him. But, she needs help and he’s offering. Plus, she’s pretty sure he knows more than he’s telling. Rebekah has to rely on her instincts as she gets deeper into the conspiracy.

The other thing I loved about this book was the protagonist being female. So many movies and books have men as the lead protagonist. Nothing wrong with that. I love Daryl Dixon, Rick, and Glenn and many more in The Walking Dead. But you also have Carol, Maggie, and Michonne, to name a few, always stepping in to get dirty and take down some zombies.

I almost forgot. There’s something fishy about the zombies. The author threw in a new spin on them. As if they aren’t scary enough already. I like it.

Rebekah uses her grief to fuel her anger. She’s determined, gutsy, and accepts help when it’s offered. The author makes her believable and you can’t help but fear for her and cheer her on.

You don’t have to love zombies to love this book. The conspiracy powers the book as much as fear of being eaten. That and the reckoning to come when Rebekah discovers who killed her husband. The zombies are the bloody icing on the cake. Keep it coming.

5 Stars

I won this book in a giveaway. What a great prize!

Synopsis book 1 – RecruitZ:

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

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My Review

I was hoping I could get the ARC of Alibiz read in time to post a review, but due to circumstances I had no control over, I didn’t get my review ready in time. So stay tuned.

Rebekah is back in town. And I’ll be back to tell you what’s what!

Synopsis book 2 – AlibiZ:

The outbreak might be over, but the nightmare is just beginning…

Rebekah vows to expose the truth behind the RecruitZ that are killing the innocents. These creatures must be stopped, but so should the people controlling them. When Rebekah uncovers who is behind the uprisings, her own life becomes in danger.

Rebekah knows that she is not alone in this fight but vengeance alone won’t help her and the others to victory. It is up to her to uncover the truth for the public before the world is turned over to an elite few.

Regardless of what may happen to her, she knows it’s a race against time to destroy these creatures and the monsters controlling them before there is no one left worth saving.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon ~ B&N

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AUTHOR BIO

Karice received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W. She has written fifteen novels and has several exciting projects in the works. Karice lives with her husband and two English Bulldogs in rainy Washington.Books currently available:
Luke Fletcher Series: Hidden Sins (Book 1), Buried Sins (Book 2) – coming soon
Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) Beyond Intent (Book 4) Beyond Chance, Beyond Promise, and Beyond the Mistletoe coming soon
Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1) AlibiZ (Book 2) – October 2014
The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
The Camp

Author Links:

Blog ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden ~ Review Tour and Giveaway

Posted: October 27, 2014 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, reviews
Tags: Author Pauline Creeden, NA Apocalyptic Dystopian, Sanctuary

I have a great post for you today.

I read Sanctuary back when I received the ARC and loved it so I’m excited to share it with you again today.

I loved the old cover art and love the new cover too.

Looking for a great Apocalyptic Dystopian. You’ll find it here.

Enjoy the excerpt and my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Title: Sanctuary

Author: Pauline Creeden

Genre: Apocalyptic/dystopian, clean NA

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

My Review

As the story begins, the aliens have already damaged the sun, causing perpetual twilight during the day, making it difficult to grow crops. And they’ve contaminated the water supply, which has killed off one-third of Earth’s population.

As the aliens don’t do anything further for quite some time, just hover in the skies, people try to go about their daily lives.

But the aliens unleash something horrific, something beyond imagination, and it has serious repercussions, killing off another third of the population.

This is where things really get dicey.

What comes next? Are they planning on wiping us out completely? Or do they have something else in store?

Jenny never did get to return for her second year of college. The aliens attacked again and life as she knew it crumbled.

Now, she’s separated from her parents and has to protect her five-year old brother.

I admire Jenny. She’s a young woman, alone, facing something we couldn’t even imagine. What she focuses on is getting her and her little brother to safety.

She’s scared to death as she navigates the streets. But she has keen instincts and stays sharp when things get really bad. She’s a natural nurturer and has a heart of gold.

You’ll get to know Hugh and Brad, the brothers.

Hugh was a teacher at Jenny’s old highschool. He was trapped in his apartment building. When people were being attacked in the street, his first instinct was to go outside and help, but the apartment manager wouldn’t risk unlocking the doors.

When he finally does leave his apartment, he ends up at the church. There he runs into his younger brother Brad.

There is no love lost between these two.

Brad is lucky when he stumbles upon the church. But he didn’t much like the fact his brother was there.

I liked Hugh. He was a quiet, introspective man. Willing to help in any way he could.

Brad was another story all together. Every story needs a villain and he seemed to wear the title proudly. He was arrogant and self-serving. Quite the spoiled brat. And he never missed a chance to get under Hugh’s skin. One thing he did had me thinking he might be redeemable but I can’t spoil it for you.

Each chapter is told from the points of view of Jenny, Hugh, and Brad, but they flow easily and you quickly recognize their individual voices.

This is listed as a christian thriller, but it’s not like any you’ve read before. There are aliens, dog/lion creatures that bite you and turn you into zombies, and the disturbing situations you have to deal with when in a group, struggling to survive.

I was kind of reminded of Stephen King’s The Mist, when they are all confined in the grocery store. Not everybody likes each other or gets along. Life and death situations make people do weird things.

While Jenny draws on her religious beliefs to get her through this, I never felt like I was being preached at. If anything, she had me asking myself how I would hold up, what would I turn to. And with so much going on, I was kept busy following the action, trying to stay one step ahead of the horror.

The religious tones in this story are a natural progression and make it more real. Look at all of the disaster movies and books out there. So many of them have people gathering at a church, either for spiritual strength or just solace in the company of others.

If you like a mix of genres, some science fiction and fantasy with your horror, I recommend you read Sanctuary. It keeps you connected, never bogs down, and there’s plenty of action and danger.

5 STARS

*****

YouTube book Trailers:

http://youtu.be/tVQNvPzk3rc

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this glimpse inside Sanctuary

Jennie filled the
glass and set it on the counter. She needed an ibuprofen.

As she reached up
to the top shelf in the pantry, a vibration started in her chest. Holding the
white bottle in her hand, she turned around confused.

Like a jet when it
flew too low, the rumble increased in intensity as it approached. Jennie
watched the glass tremble on the counter top for a moment before fear clenched
her stomach. “MOM!?”

She rushed to the
sink and looked out the window, but her mother wasn’t in the garden any more.
Jennie barreled through the kitchen, the vibrations in her chest like bass on a
stereo. “MOM?”

When Jennie
reached the back door, she saw them. Four large dog-like creatures with pinched
faces like bulldogs and lion-like manes. They snarled, and one of them leapt at
the window on the top half of the door when it saw her. Jennie jumped back and
fell hard on the cold tile floor. The bottle of painkiller bounced across the
kitchen tiles. The creature slammed against the window a second time, cracking
it. She blinked hard. Her heart sunk, and the hairs on her arms stood on end. A
horrendous gargling howl rent the air, causing a shiver down her spine. She
held her breath and waited for the creature to slam into the door again.

“What on earth?”
she whispered to herself.

When the third
attempt never came, she scrambled toward the door. Blinking hard, she used the
door knob to help herself stand. Out the cracked window, her mother was still
out of sight, but the last of the dogs headed across the field behind her
backyard.

“MOM?” Jennie
called out.

The rumbling
faded, and the vibrations in her chest receded with the dogs. She pulled open
the door and rushed onto their back deck. “Mom, where are you?”

When she reached
the banister, she looked over the side. Her mom lay sprawled with one hand on
the lattice. Blood gushed from Mom’s leg and her opposite arm. Jennie’s ears
rang and flooded with every beat of her heart.

Jennie didn’t know
how she got to the second floor of her house, but she found herself shaking her
sleeping father. How had he slept through the rumbling? “Outside, it’s Mom…”

Her father leapt
from the bed. Mickey, her little brother, lay asleep and undisturbed. Dad ran
down the stairs and outside in his flannel pajama bottoms and white t-shirt. He
scooped Mom up to his chest and carried her inside. Blood stained his shirt in
crimson.

“Jennie, call
911!” Her father had said it at least
three times before it finally registered in her brain.

She pulled the
cell phone from her pocket, but it refused to connect. With a groan, she
grabbed the cordless from the wall receiver, glad her heart stopped pounding in
her head so she could hear.

“All operators are
busy at this time,” a mechanical voice deadpanned, “Please stay on the line,
and the next available operator will take your call.”

“They have me on
hold, Dad. Should I hang up and try again?” She held the phone in both hands
away from her face.

“No, just stay on
the line.” Her father lifted the shredded jeans from Mom’s leg. “It looks like
a shark bite. What on earth happened?”

Jennie took in the
damage through tear-filled eyes. A huge chunk was taken from her mother’s calf,
exposing the fibrous tendons that covered the bone in her leg. A bloodstain
grew on the beige couch. Was she going to die? Panic rose up.

“What happened,
Jennie?”

“I…I…They
looked like lions, or dogs, or something. The rumbling shook the whole house…I
tried to go outside to get Mom, but—” A sob blocked her throat.

Her father grabbed
a throw pillow and held it against the leg. Mom’s exposed forearm laid across
her chest in much the same condition as her calf.

“Grab me the duct
tape.”

Jennie suddenly
remembered the phone, put it back to her ear, and headed to the hall closet.
She reached for the shelf above the jackets and grabbed the junk basket next to
the toolbox.

“Please stay on
the line. An operator will be with you shortly.”

She shoved the
phone in the crook of her neck and fished through the box. Half the contents dropped around her feet. Who cares? When her fingers wrapped
around the silver duct tape, a short-lived relief sent prickles down her arms.
But the urgency gripped her chest in less than a heart beat, and she threw the
junk basket on the ground with the rest of the items.

“Hurry, Jennie!”
her father called from the living room. “And turn on the TV. Maybe they’ll have
something about what’s going on.”

She handed her
father the tape and turned toward the TV. The mechanical voice on the phone
came through again, followed by more easy listening.

When she clicked
on the TV, the shouting and wailing began before the picture warmed up on the
screen. A sideways picture of New York
City broke through, with the shaky voice of the
newscaster voicing over.

“What we are
watching now – I can’t believe it – is live footage of Times
Square,” the newscaster’s voice paused for a deep breath. “We’ve
lost our man on the scene and his camera man to what appears to be some kind of
new alien creature. Just a short half-hour ago, the doors to the ship that
hovered above Central Park opened and these
dog-like creatures flooded out.”

Jennie couldn’t
pull her eyes from the screen. She straightened and dropped the phone on the
hardwood. The battery popped out and skidded across the floor.

—————————————————————————————

About Pauline

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

Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. It is also the 2013 Book Junkie’s Choice Winner in Historical Fiction. Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and 2014 Reader’s Choice Gold Award for Best YA Horror Novel.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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$20 Amazon Gift Card

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Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours

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Archive for the ‘apocalypse’ Category

The virus killed all but one in 10,000 ~ Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

The Summer The World Ended ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Zombies Migrate? Fallback by Lori Whitwam ~ Spotlight and Giveaway

Teaser Tuesday’s #116 ~ Cannibal Reign

It’s Zombie Month! Could this be the year they rise?

Teaser Tuesdays #91 ~ A Zombie Christmas ~ Giveaway and freebies!

What are you worth? Meritropolis ~ Author Interview and Giveaway with Special Sale

A Zombie Thanksgiving

The Afterworld Series by Karice Bolton ~ Recruitz and Alibiz ~ Tour and Giveaway

Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden ~ Review Tour and Giveaway