Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter
C.A. Verstraete
Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy
Paranormal/ Zombie
Date of Publication: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-77223-273-8
ASIN: B01KISRS80
Number of pages: 232
Word Count: 74,000 +
Cover Artist: Ryan Doan
Book Description:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
By Christine (C.A.) Verstraete
Be it a mystery, horror, or even a zombie novel, most books contain some romance, yes, even zombie books.
While most zombie book fans read for the action and even the gore, I’m one of those readers who doesn’t mind a bit of romance in most any novel, even a zombie book. It’s a natural part of the story’s progression. People can’t help but form attachments or form relationships, even in the worst of circumstances. After all, no one wants to be alone when the world ends.
And I think that also includes someone characterized as a “plain old maid,” as one of the newspapers described accused murderess Lizzie Borden during her trial of 1893. Borden was arrested, tried and later acquitted for the murders of her father and stepmother in June, 1893.
As I’m offering an alternate life for a somewhat well-known character in my book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, I figured giving Lizzie a possible romance—or maybe even two—seemed as plausible as her hunting zombies. If she could be thrust into a world where the dead walk, and where her father and stepmother are turned into zombies, then anything is possible, right?
Of course, today we are (mostly) more forgiving in our acceptance of outer looks, or at least should be. In 1893, Lizzie was an unmarried “spinster,” a woman who was certainly not beautiful in the classic sense. She was round of face, a bit chubby, and seemed to be nice, even charming when she smiled. Unfortunately, most photos are not very flattering, though I thought she looked pleasant and really wasn’t that bad looking.
Whether Lizzie did—or didn’t—kill her family in real life remains up for question, but my premise is that she had to do it, and for good reason. If her world was changing and her way of life was being challenged by some horrible scheme, then she, too, would be changed in the process.
Having encountered this most unexpected, and horrid change in her family, I envisioned Lizzie as someone who is far from ready to give up the fight. Having already committed such a horrific act (even if the victims are technically already dead), Lizzie must rely on every ounce of strength to continue the fight and protect her sister. She cannot sit idly by as a wallflower while she and her sister try to find out where this scourge is coming from, who’s behind it, and more shockingly, how their father is involved.
It makes sense then that in the midst of such life-changing events, Lizzie’s views on societal rules, and her own behavior, would change. In real life, she remained the quiet and controlled Victorian lady, living in privacy, and letting only a few in close. There were later rumors of illicit relationships, but again, they were rumors.
In Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, circumstances put Lizzie in situations that would be scandalous in real life. But when you’ve killed your undead parents and are fighting zombies out in the street… when you’re still considered a social pariah… what would a little kiss, embrace, or even a further relationship really matter?
As Lizzie reasons, “I think not much else matters. Everything is different. From now on, my life is never going to be the same.”
Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31553183-lizzie-borden-zombie-hunter
Website: http://cverstraete.com
About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter:
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
About the Author:
Christine (C.A.) Verstraete enjoys putting a bit of a “scare” in her writing. He stories have appeared in various anthologies and publications including Mystery Weekly, Happy Homicides 3: Summertime Crime, Siren’s Call Magazine, and more. She also is the author of books on dollhouses and a YA novel, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie.
Her latest novel is Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter.
Learn more at her website, http://cverstraete.com and her blog, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Goodreads:
Tour giveaway
5 Kindle copies Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter by C.A. Verstraete
No comments:
Post a Comment