Days with the Undead Blog Tour: Round-Up #3

Have you been reading along with Julianne? Perhaps you’ve missed a stop on her fantastic Days with the Undead: Book One tour? No need to worry, we’ve done another round-up for you so that you can caught up and perhaps enter yourself in some giveaways to win a free copy of the book!

March 23 – Dana Wright

Book Review and Zombie Lit That Has Influenced Me (guest post) –

I have been reading Zombie literature for quite some time. It makes sense though; I love anything to do with them. I’ve been thinking for quite some time about the Zombie literature that has influenced me and I ended up coming up with a relatively short list in comparison to the troves of treasures out in the world.

The first book that really made me realize that Zombies had invaded the pages of literature was Herbert West – Reanimator by HP Lovecraft. It is something I read in high school and it opened my eyes to a whole new realm of horror literature. I had been watching Zombies for quite some time but I hadn’t really read that much about them. Nor had I really even looked, to be honest. I had my favorite authors already firmly entrenched and while I read books from other authors, my favorites kept me busy. When I stumbled across it, though, I found that Lovecraft has such a specific style in what he writes. Even with the simplest words, he can strike a chord of fear deep down inside. If you haven’t read it yet, I suggest you get to it!

If you’re interested in reading Dana’s review of Days with the Undead: Book One and the rest of the Zombie Lit that has influenced Julianne, you can find it here.

March 24 – Erin O’Riordan

My Other Favourite Supernatural Creature (guest post) –

I think it’s safe to assume that everyone knows that I love Zombies. I read about them, I watch them on television and in movies and I even write about them. My first book Days with the Undead: Book One is currently available at all the major self-publishing outlets. But the subject of this post is not Zombie related. What I want to talk to you about is my other favourite supernatural creature: shape shifters.

I have had a fascination with supernatural creatures as far back as I can remember. There is something dangerous and secretive about the things that we don’t readily understand. Shape shifters are among the most compelling of those for me. You’d never know that you were looking at one unless it let you in on its secret. The ability to transform into someone else is a power that many just may covet. Imagine if you could be someone else for a few days… The things that you could do, the things that you could find out, and the experiences that you’d be able to live. The list is endless.

Interested in reading more about Julianne’s Other Favourite Supernatural Creature, find it here.

March 25 – Coral Russell

**TOP SECRET** (flash fiction) –

Attention: An audio file was accessed remotely by the Centre for Disease Control shortly after the incident in Toronto, Canada. The following is a transcript of an examination performed on an unknown individual.

Begin Transcription –

This is Case #01-3967 conducted at the Centre for Forensic Sciences on May 31st, (year unintelligible). My name is Dr. Julie Odette, resident pathologist. Assisting me is pathology assistant Greg Travers. Greg, are you ready to begin?

(Unintelligible chatter in the background, sounds of trays being moved around)

On the table in front of me is a Caucasian female, approximately 20 to 45 years of age with brown hair, blue eyes and an average build. The decedent – err – patient was brought into the morgue under heavy restraint about 45 minutes ago with no vital signs and no identification. The female is currently restrained to one of the autopsy tables. What I am encountering defies all reasoning. I admit that I am scared but unashamedly curious.

If you are intrigued enough to read more of Julianne’s flash titled **TOP SECRET**, you can read the rest of it here.

March 26 – Coral Moore

An Interview

CM: What’s the first word of your book? (You can exclude articles, pronouns or prepositions.)

JS: The first word of Days with the Undead: Book One is “close”.

CM: Tell me something about your book that I can’t find in the blurb.

JS: That’s a very interesting question… It’s a book about choices. You can choose to live or you can choose to die. Each of your actions is a micro decision closer to either one of those extremes. It’s also a book written completely from the perspective of the protagonist and is told through narratives only.

To read the rest of Coral’s interview with Julianne, you can find it here.

March 27 – Jeremy Hawkins

An Interview

JH: Tell us about your career and what you are currently working on or involved with?
JS: My writing career is only just starting. I have published one book, Days with the Undead: Book One and have been writing for different anthologies. I currently appear in Women of the Living Dead with a story titled The Living Dead of Penderghast Manor and will soon have two more stories in upcoming anthologies both released by Sirens Call Publications.

JH: Is this what you thought you would be doing with your life, what was your first passion?
JS: That’s an interesting question, to be honest. I have always had a passion for writing but I admit that I lost it somewhere along the way. Lost it might not even be the correct term either. I took the advice of a mentor and focused more on science over literature. I was still a voracious reader; I just didn’t have the time to write anything original. I’m very much glad to be in a position to fulfill that need within my soul again.

To read the remainder of Jeremy’s interview with Julianne, you can find it here.

March 28 – Kriss Morton

Book Review

I want to go on and on about how wonderful this collection of days is. It was a brilliant idea and with Julieanne’s forensic background she was able to bring to the plate not only a scientific take but her own passion for this genre. We as readers are immersed in a daily fight for survival. From the early days. Unlike with The Walking Dead where Rick wakes up much later, this is them riding the wave of infection out of Toronto.

There are parts of these days that definitely make this a mature read. The video games have rated most zombie games as Mature (17 and above) I would have to label this read with the same. Not because there is gore and violence, there is but it is not the show it is the reality. But because there are specific scenes with particularly small individuals that I would not want my 16 year year old, let alone the younger ones, reading just yet.

To read the rest of Kriss’ review, check it out here.

March 29 – Nikki McCarver

Zombies: The Romantic Lead? (guest post) –

It’s an interesting question. Could the zombie take over the top spot as the romantic lead in books and films? Before you make a decision, let’s consider a few specifics first.

Intellectual Attraction: Can a monster that is thought to have no intelligence hold the collective heart of a nation in a romantic story? This seems like a no brainer. Zombies don’t really have the ability to think so the chance of an intellectual attraction developing between your favourite heart throb and a Zombie is fairly slim to none. There can be no intellectual attraction where there is no intellectual stimulation. Do the Undead make you think? Yes; but what you are thinking about is not how great they look in their tattered and bloodied blue jeans. Instead, you are doing your best to escape their clutches. Interesting thought… Perhaps the Zombie can be resurrected after all as the stalker that continues their pursuit until it catches the heroine. Certainly gives it a Stockholm syndrome feel, doesn’t it? Albeit, there is a certain appeal in some circles for the quintessential airhead – mayhap the Zombie fits that particular bill a little too perfectly?

Interested in reading the rest of what Julianne thinks about Zombies as the romantic lead, you can finish it here.