The A to Z April Blogging Challenge 2013 is not letting me take a breather, but boy am I excited! I’m co-hosting it on Amlokiblogs, so drop me a comment there if you have something to say about the challenge itself. On this blog, I’ll be featuring mostly indie-published book excerpts for all of April. I love reading, and supporting author-friends, and this is a good way to do both.
Today, for R, I give you a dystopian novel with fantasy characters: Emeline and the Mutants by Rachel Tsoumbakos.
Elevator Pitch: What would you do if your whole family mutated into hideous creatures?
Would you have the courage to do what had to be done when they threatened your life?
(Found in the roof cavity of the abandoned Hart residence)
January 10
I’m hiding in the roof cavity of my house.
Angus was sick, not drunk – Haum sick.
This is my first encounter with zombies. Sure I’ve met a whole bunch of vamps and weres – most of them being my family – and I even know a bit about merpeople (well, actually ‘people’ is no longer correct since all the mermales seem to have been eaten by their spouses), but zombies are new to me.
I am peering down through a small hole I punched in the ceiling with my biro. Angus can smell me, but he can’t work out where I am. I wish I didn’t have to do what has to be done. I wish Angus was like me – immune.
I don’t want to shoot him.
I still love him.
Buy the book on Amazon US, Amazon UK, iTunes, Smashwords, Angus and Robertson
Have you read dystopian fiction before? I’m not an avid reader of this genre but I liked the Hunger Games Series, and the premise of Rachel’s book sounds intriguing!
John, you’re right, ‘ hideous’ can mean ugly, but I did intend it to mean more than that. Thanks for the honesty 😀
ocdreader – I LOVE Mira Grant’s work. The ending for Feed still haunts me 🙁
Ghadeer, I still haven’t read 1984, but it is on my TBR list this year. My first (and still fave) dystopia was probably The Stand (although, technically, that is post-apocalyptic).
Joe, I hadn’t heard of the genre either until reading The Hunger Games – and that was AFTER writing Emeline and the Mutants! LOL. Now I am completely addicted to the genre 😀
Thanks for all the kind comments guys 😀
Just tipping my toe in the waters of this genre…. hope it doesn’t get bitten off!
Happy A to Z-ing
Jemima at Jemima’s blog
Wow! I can’t say I have ever read anything even remotely like this before! My eyes are stinging – perhaps I am catching the disease and am now going to morph into…. well, I’ll let you know tomorrow.
I am so grateful to be here, reading your words today!
Happy A to Z-ing!
Julie Jordan Scott
Our Literary Grannies from A to Z:E is for Ellen Emerson
tweet me – @juliejordanscot
That’s a strange elevator pitch, since the first sentence only says they’re ugly creatures now. If my mom turned into an elephant, I’d learn how to take care of elephants. I guess they actually turn into violent monsters who can’t be cured?
Sounds cool. I’ve never read such stuff…zombies and all. Would be nice to try. Thanks for the review
I love your blog – both aesthetically and content-wise.
I love dystopian! This theme is explored in Mira Grant’s Zombie trilogy, Feed, where EVERYONE can turn and you better be ready to put your family down. Horrifying
I want to read Emeline! Thanks for calling it out. 🙂
I don’t think I even realize what dystopian meant until i read the Hunger Games and saw the word used to describe the premise. Now i enjoy some dystopian works and am pondering my own dip into that end of the pool.
Dystopians are my favourite. It all started when I read the classic, Orwell’s “1984”. But I do enjoy the modern-day dystopians like The Hunger Games triology and Divergent too
You had me at zombies…ok, tht was weak, but it’s honest! New book on my short list, thanks!
Ooh, that sounds pretty scary!
Now that’s a dystopia I want to read. *Shivers*
Dystopian? Mutants? You’ve got my attention.
I haven’t read any of Ciara’s books Alex. Which one would you recommend i start with?
I’ve read Ciara Knight’s books.