Oh I know this is the November newsletter, but since I am writing this on Halloween day, and Peaches is bit obsessed (insists we make a big of a fuss), we'll just go with it.
Did any of you dress up in costumes? If you don't live in the U.S. do you have any interesting local traditions or holidays around this time, like the Mexican Day of the Dead?
After this weekend, for many of us it will be time to plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas. AKA Cookie Season. :-P
October Giveaways
Blank: Mind the Gap by Matt Eaton
West Antarctica’s collapse was no act of God. Global coastlines are flooded by the five-metre rise in sea levels. But instead of focusing on survival, China and America are blaming each other for the catastrophe, brandishing nuclear missiles like terrifying fingers of accusation.
Australia is caught in the middle and is probably first on China’s hit list, owing to the US-Australian defence base at Pine Gap in the nation’s red centre.
Special Forces soldier Stone Luckman is tasked with journeying in secret to Alice Springs – to blow up Pine Gap with normal ordnance before the Chinese do it with nukes.
Upon arrival in Alice, he finds a town untouched by the woes of the outside world. But that’s impossible, because something else tore a hole in modern civilisation when the oceans rose. A massive solar event, dubbed the Sunburst, shut down every power station on the planet and destroyed global communications.
Worse than that, the Sunburst took a heavy toll on anyone exposed to its full impact. Like a cosmic neuro-virus, it wiped people’s minds, leaving them Blank.
Luckman trusts no-one. He barely trusts his own eyes. The only person he knows for sure is on his side is a woman he rescued from a collapsing building in the ruins of the Gold Coast. Mel Palace didn’t go Blank. She went the opposite way – she now reads minds."
15 ebooks, click here to enter.
Shades: The Gehenna Dilemma by Eric Dallaire
In 2039, when people die owing money, the government turns them into mindless servants. Shades. These undead workers toil until their debts are settled. Without complaint, they pave roads, till fields, and build moon settlements for the wealthy.
Jonah Adams struggles to balance his life in this grim world. To prevent his dying mother from becoming a shade, he joins the IRS as a ghoul, an agent that collects recently deceased debtors. The pay is good, but the cost is high. His girlfriend, Vanessa, a bankruptcy lawyer protecting the rights of the poor, despises his line of work. To set things right, he just needs to complete a few more missions. With luck, he can settle all scores and maybe have enough to buy two tickets to the lunar colony. However, nothing comes easy for Jonah, especially when others come to reap what he has sown.
10 ebooks, click here to enter.
The Undead King: The Saga of Jai Lin: Book One by Jared Rinaldi
Combining the intricate dark-age politics and intrigue of GAME OF THRONES with the bloody zombie horror of THE WALKING DEAD, The Undead King is sure to keep you riveted from beginning to end.
In the not-too-distant future, when humankind is living in the ruins of its once great civilization, there is a war brewing in the Green Lands. East versus west, might versus mind, brother versus brother...
While this battle over power and resources consumes the land, the Undead King is clandestinely marching north. At his command are an army of ravenous corpses, their appetite for living flesh insatiable. In the king's possession is a scepter of great power, forged in white fire by the monks of Jai Lin...
Mercer Crane is a young wanderer who has lost everything and means to make a name for himself in the war. He has come into possession of a sword, its edges lined with dark matter. This blade is special, as is the man who wields it, for together, they are the only thing that can stop... THE UNDEAD KING.
2 ebooks and 2 signed paperbacks, Inetrnational OK. Click here to enter.
Last chance! October Giveaways
Here's your last chance to get in on the October giveaways - in the next day or so I will close them and announce winners.
UPDATE: Bonus read by an AW author — "Ain't No Grave" by S.A. Softley
I have to admit, when we ran the final poll and our selection for the bonus read was a zombie book, I was hesitant. Yes, for some of us, there actually IS such a thing as too much zombie fiction. However, personally, I was pleasantly surprised and found it to not only be an enjoyable read and a refreshing take on the idea.
It's still early, feel free to give it a read (274 pages) and come by and tell us if you loved it, hated it, or just fell asleep. Join the discussion.
New books recently published of Apocalypse Whenever September/October
There is a new thread now for letting us know about new books you've published - check it out.
Robbie the Dysfunctional Robot by D. Miller
Divulgence (H Narratives #1) by S.J. Romero
The AW Book Club
In January and February we are doing another Big Read- we'll be reading and discussing Stephen King's "The Stand"! The book will be chunked into 150ish page sections per week, stay tuned for more later this year.
Dawn by Octavia Butler - NOW/November
Dawn is a bit different from many of the post-apocalyptic books we've all read. Maybe a lot different. If you've heard of Octavia Butler (one of my favorite authors, gotta say) but never read her work, this is a great place to start.
"Lilith lyapo awoke from a centuries-long sleep to find herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. Creatures covered in writhing tentacles, the Oankali had saved every surviving human from a dying, ruined Earth. They healed the planet, cured cancer, increased strength, and were now ready to help Lilith lead her people back to Earth--but for a price."
Pines by Blake Crouch (Nov/Dec)
Have you read this one yet? It gets strong reactions from some people - I loved it, while some of my friends did not. I think most of you will get a kick out of it and the discussion should be interesting. The thread is open now for peripheral chatting, and the book discussion will open Demeber 1st.
FREEBIES
As always, 4 stars and above. These may also be available on Nook.
PHANTASIA (Book One: Into the Rain) by M. U. Riyadad
Tremor: If your world was falling apart, how far would you go to save it? (The Tremor Cycle) by Ryan Mark
Slow Burn: Box Set 1-3 (Slow Burn Zombie Apocalypse Series) by Bobby Adair
Mortis (The Mortis Desolation Book 1) by Logan Rutherford
New Reality: Truth by Michael Robertson
-Fin-
I hope you enjoyed the newsletter — if you have any questions or notice any errors, just send me a message!
Apocalyptically yours,
Gertie