Daughters of Death

The day has finally come!

Today I announce the release for DAUGHTERS OF DEATH on 11/14/16, available only on Amazon. This book has been a long time in the making, and it is with great pride that I make this announcement.

It hasn't been easy, though. I started writing this story in the summer of 2014, and through setbacks, creative dry spells, and the scheduling demands of being a working father of three, it has taken much longer than I anticipated. I finished the first draft back in March this year, and have spent the last seven months editing, formatting, and commissioning some stunning artwork. In fact, here it is!

But what, you ask, is Daughters of Death about? Below is the official blurb. But if you have not yet read Sons of Sludge, I suggest you avert your eyes, lest spoilers befall you:

"In Zaul’s mind, the game is over. After giving himself up to the APA, his true identity now lays bare before the walls of the nation’s largest Hybrid Reanimate facility, where he will rot for the rest of his undead days under the watch of cruel containment officers. No more disguises, no more deceptions, no more pretending to be human… And no future with the girl he loves.

But Genny cannot accept this new reality as easily. Compelled to repay his sacrifice, she searches for any way possible get Zaul out of the Facility, allying with both the living and the undead to make it happen. Zaul also forges unlikely friendships when he joins the Brains Club, a privileged group of higher-functioning containees who enjoy a better diet, recreational opportunities, contact with the opposite sex – and unsettling attention from the Assistant Director of the APA.

As Genny’s world unravels, Zaul’s becomes stranger. But only one constant is guaranteed: Caesar Ortega is hell-bent on destroying them both. When death and temptation are around every corner, can you keep who you were alive?"

This story picks up right where Sons of Sludge left off, so don't worry - your nagging questions from the last book will be answered. And then met with all new ones.

And if you can't wait for 11/14/16 to sink your teeth into some more Hybrid Reanimate mayhem, then I have something for you. By subscribing to my newsletter, you will get Zoo, a Sons of Sludge bonus short story, for the low price of free. Ever wonder who would win in a fight between a ferocious feline and members of the undead? Read Zoo to find out.

I still have a few things to get done before 11/14/16 (have I mentioned that date yet?), but the train will be arriving on schedule. Thank you to all who have waited for the continuation of this story. Your patience will be rewarded soon! 

Daughters of Decay Is Finished! (kinda)

124,612 words. 35 chapters. Over 18 months of production. A cast of THOUSANDS...

Ok, maybe not that last part. But the first draft for the Sons of Sludge sequel, DAUGHTERS OF DECAY, is finally complete!

Why did it take so damn long, though? Especially since the first draft for Sons of Sludge was done in about nine months, and edited in two? No, I did not take a year-long vacation in the Bahamas. I'm not even sure what there is to do in the Bahamas. I'd probably end up Netflixing in the hotel room. Here's a couple different reasons why progress has been so sluggish:

First, I've simply had less time. For S.O.S., I only had two children, but now I have three. I also had two days a week set aside for writing, where now I only have one. With two days in a row, you can kind of piggyback off the momentum of the previous day. But when a week goes by between sessions, the creativity train will have long been derailed. You have to start the process anew.

Secondly, I've just lost steam. Writing an entire novel of storyline and character development, living in that world for so long as you tweak them and pull them, mash them down like clay and reshape them until you have just what you want... And then going right into another novel with those same characters, continuing the same story. I love Zaul's narrative, but sometimes finding even more ways to illustrate his inner struggle with wanting to ravage woman and eat humans is tiresome.

Well, at least the hardest part is over. But if you think you'll be getting to read D.O.D. right away, you had best check yourself before you wreck yourself. Did you see that number at the top? 124,612. That's way too much. The last one was about 101,000 words. And I know sequels can be longer, and since I have no publisher I can do whatever the hell I want. But trust me, it needs to be pared down. I also have the annoying yet persistent notion that the ending is too convoluted, and thus needs to be rewritten. Ugh.

But enough complaining about doing what I love to do, which is create! Lemme tell you a little bit about this baby:

I wrote this in alternating narratives, both Zaul and Genny. It gave me a chance to stretch my gender point of view, and hopefully to positive effect. As the title might tell you, this story gives more of a glimpse into the female world of Hybrid Reanimates. I've also written a quasi-sex scene (PG-13 level) for the first time ever. That was, um, interesting...

And not to give any spoilers, but the body count is considerably higher in this one, nearly tripled from S.O.S. I figure when you have an entire building stuffed full of flesh-craving former humans, and armed officers that hate them are standing guard, casualties will be tallied. This is, after all, a "zombie" horror novel. Would you tune into Walking Dead if three episodes went by and not one face was chewed off? Didn't think so.

More updates to come as they occur. My new projected date for release is this summer, a whole two years after Sons of Sludge (has it been that long already?). After editing and proofreading, I still have to format and get cover artwork done. I want it nice and pretty by the time it hits your hands and eyes. And if you're up for the challenge, I just might need some beta readers when the time comes. Peace out.