What do you need for a Zombie Apocalypse?

Now that zombie season is upon us (meaning it's almost Halloween and The Walking Dead is back on), it's probably the best time to talk about what must-haves should be in your ZA kit. Thankfully, Landra Graf's got your back.

Here's what you need:

1- Machete

Why? You'll need to chop off heads.

2- Gasoline

Why? This serves a multitude of purposes, from escaping towns to preventing zombies from getting to certain places. There's also the possibility of char-broiling a zombie when needed.

3- Guns and Ammo

Why? Pretty obvious, but you need something that packs a punch to get rid of the zombie hordes. Not every single zombie will come at you one at a time. I highly recommend multiple guns and clicks for quick reloads. Also do a double tap head shot, anything else is a waste of ammo.

4- Full body armor

Why? My personal preference is everything kevlar. I want a full body suit made of the stuff or chain mail. No zombies biting me through clothes. I'd be protected all the time and ready for action. I suggest the same for anyone else wanting to get through the gobs of fleshing loving folks.

5- Lighters

Why? Yes, you'll need a lot of them. For the gasoline and lighting candles when or if the power goes out. Torching fields and all manner of things. Stock up at the nearest store and hit every gas station in the house. 

Want to read more of Landra's zombie expertise? Her new book A Rose by Any Other Name is available now! 

Zombies don’t belong in fairy tales….at least not those with a good chance of a happily ever after…

Jason Prince, Charming's once-upon-a-time star jock, only attends his Charming high school reunion to find his way into the heart of a certain wallflower who had no date for the prom.

Shy, geeky, chemical engineer, Emma Fay has been keeping her love for Jason a secret because she knows Jason and Rose belong together. But, when Rose Briar pricks her finger, fulfilling a prophecy about death and a plague, she throws a wrench into the class reunion that not even the best planning committee can tackle.

Can Jason and Emma stop Zombie Beauty Rose before she turns their loved ones into her undead court and sends them forth to spread the infestation to the rest of the world? Or will human flesh become the daily special at diners everywhere? And will there be enough left of Jason and Emma for romance to blossom?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rose-any-Other-Name-Fairytales-ebook/dp/B014RKVLTC/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441845738&sr=1-3&keywords=a+rose+by+any+other+name

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-arosebyanyothername-1876890-149.html

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-rose-by-any-other-name-7

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26212498-a-rose-by-any-other-name

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/a-rose-by-any-other-name-0

Excerpt:

The exclamation from one crowd member was followed up quickly by another. “That’s her.”

She looked again at the person she’d mistaken for her friend’s spirit, visible to everyone. The floodlight on the stage disappeared, and the lights in the gym came on. Between the rows stood her friend, eyes dark and bloodshot, skin pale. Em’s mouth parted, and she wanted to go to her but couldn’t move. You’re alive.

Sheriff Fowler and Dr. Mason moved from their chairs and began to approach Rose, arms outstretched in a tentative manner.

“Sweetie, it’s us. I’m going to come closer to help you.” Mason reached for her arm, and Emma’s sickly friend let out a guttural growl, launching herself at the sheriff.

Several screams filled the air, and Emma let out a gasp when the sound of torn flesh echoed over the cries. At that sound, the crowd jumped into action. Women and children ran for the door as Ewan, Dr. Mason, and a couple of other men she vaguely remembered grabbed for the wild woman gnawing on the sheriff’s shoulder. They pulled her off, and she thrashed about, fighting to free herself. However, with one man on each arm and another holding onto her legs, she couldn’t move.

“No! Let her go,” Em yelled, running for the stage stairs. Her legs moved faster than her two-inch-heeled feet did, and she almost tripped on the last step. She inhaled sharply, ready to charge, when a strong arm encircled her waist and pulled her back. The only other people left in the gym were a group of men slowly moving her friend toward the door. Ewan remained behind and helped Fowler to his feet.

“You need to release me. They’re hurting her.”

“We have to get out of here,” Jason said into her ear.

About the Author

Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.

Author Links:

Website: http://landragraf.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LandraGraf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landra.graf

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7847192.Landra_Graf

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/landragraf/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Landra-Graf/e/B00IESJED4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1440641120&sr=8-1

Guest Post - Landra Graf

Raven -- Video Game Style

Thanks, first and foremost, are due to my host, Catherine Peace. Can't thank her enough for allowing me to hijack her blog. That being said I wanted to think about my story in a different way, and the idea suddenly came to me. What if Raven Pirate Assassin Spy was a video game?

Would it be RPG? Hell yes, I'd want people to choose which character they play. Either Sorella, Ian, or even a secondary party like Sorella's first mate, Bastille.  Heck, I'd even endorse role playing choices to change things up, but for those we'd have to add some more characters to the story, ones not part of the main book.

I'd definitely want this action based. So there's lots of fighting and continuous stream of challenges to face as the characters help Sorella locate her brother. It's perfect as a video game, right? Tough, assassin heroine on a journey to find her long-lost sibling. The other characters are there to help and would give insight into life on Sorella's ship, tag along on missions.

And then, add in some first-person shooter POV at certain tense scenes. Making it to the ship after a bar in Bourbon Street Pub in New Orleans. Taking out enemies as Sorella's ship the Liberte battles in the skies against a mercenary vessel.  There's so many possibilities - for action, romance, and a gazillion other things. The story building would be amazing, as well as weapon design. That gets my blood pumping...weapons.

That leads me to my question - Is there a book you've read (extra smiles if you name a romance) that you'd want to see in a videogame format? 

Blurb: Once Upon A Time...

Sorella Corvino lost her brother to The Cursed years ago. Sorella is so determined to find him, she'll make any deal, rescue the outcasts and those like him, and risk flying into any port to rescue him. When her latest pirate efforts partner her with a bounty hunter who's too charming, sexy, and handsome for his own good, she knows she's in trouble.

Ian Marshall no longer believes in fairy tales…

Disowned and a marked criminal in the United States, this merchant turned bounty hunter, is one bounty away from freedom; and freedom's price is handing over one person to the most cutthroat gang in the world, The Cursed. Yet, he can't get to them without Sorella's help. Too bad she's gorgeous, aggravating, and a little trigger happy.

As the attraction mounts, the danger grows and the pair find themselves invading a skin trader den, the ballrooms of dictator-ruled Germany, and fighting battles in the sky in the hopes of getting everything they want. Only thing they didn't plan on... falling in love.

Buy Links:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Raven-Pirate-Assassin-Spy-Fairytales-ebook/dp/B0148UZ1BU/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

All Romance Ebooks - https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ravenpirateassassinspy-1873959-149.html

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raven-pirate-assassin-spy-landra-graf/1122559905?ean=2940151004435

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26140840-raven-pirate-assassin-spy?ref=ru_lihp_up_rs_1_mclk-up2548297283

“I already paid off the police, at least for the moment. Until your cousin offers them more.” The words rolled off her tongue matter-of-factly as if this sort of situation occurred every day. His pants tightened at her words. A woman who feared nothing, who didn’t believe in danger.

“Very generous of you.”

“Hmm?” She stopped playing with her balisong knife and looked at him.

He came toward her, arms open, expecting her to move away from the door and put distance between them. She didn’t. “You protected me at your own expense.”

“I thought you might take my generosity as replacement for me losing the bet.”

Less than six inches separated their bodies. The pulse point at her neck fluttered, her breath shallow. Her knife stilled in her hand, closed, but ready to deploy. She waited for him to make a move.

The distinct possibility existed he’d be dead in the next minute, but her lips were deep red, like cherries he’d eaten in late summer. To leave them untouched would be a crime. “You thought wrong.”

He leaned in. She gasped, and then he kissed her.

She’d been kissed before, but it had merely been her parents’ chaste touches to her cheeks or forehead, and, once, her fiancé had brushed her lips with his. Otherwise, she had remained untouched until now. As he touched the tip of his tongue to her closed mouth, a sinful sensation swamped her body. Gooseflesh broke out underneath her clothes, and little hairs stood up on the back of her neck.

Sorella grabbed the lapels of his coat and opened her mouth. Something carnal took over, an instinct to engage his tongue in some primitive dance. If this was considered uncivilized, she’d gladly abandon society and all its norms.

As fast as the moment began, it ended, and Ian pulled back a few inches. “You taste amazing.”

He did, too; like peppermint, and…. “You taste familiar.” Not as if she’d tasted him before, but somehow the aromatic tang of his mouth and the scent of his breath on an exhale resonated within her. She’d bottle it if she knew how. “Kiss me again.”

“As my captain commands.”

Cover reveal!!!!!!!

Earlier this afternoon, I shared the cover for my Beyond Fairytales story, GEMINI (AKA the little story that almost killed me). In case you weren't around for the Beyond Fairytales chat on Facebook, I wanted to share the cover with you!

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ISN'T IT GLORIOUS???

Big thanks to Seneca Featherstone for this gorgeous cover!

No release date yet, but as soon as I know, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops!

Blurb:

Being one of the Embassy’s glorified treasure-seekers has its perks. Komadan Uriah Jacobs recovers ancient artifacts in exchange for more than just decent pay; he also receives guaranteed protection from his former owners, the nyx…until an emergency landing on a too-familiar colony brings him face-to-face with his past life and something more—a surprisingly priceless treasure in the form of a human woman.

A slave to the nyx since childhood, Shadi spends her waking hours in the forge, dreaming of rescuing her brother with the help of a man she once worshipped as a father. A crashed ship on the colony becomes her only hope to escape. But before she can steal the ship, the pilot abducts her. They may be the same species, but will he help her find her Shilah?

Regardless of their circumstances, their attraction is undeniable. Fighting it seems inconsequential as they evade the nyx's bounty hunter and uncover a conspiracy that shines unwanted light on Shadi's past and reveals the corruption in Uri’s beloved Embassy, placing their fledgling love in danger. As the universe systematically falls apart, will Shadi and Uri’s newfound passion be enough to keep them alive?

New Cover Alert! Razor by Jon Keys

James and Micah both face serious illness. Checking off things from their bucket lists, they find themselves drawn to a club like none they’d ever experienced. From the doorman’s leather kilt, to the waiter’s jockstrap uniform, they thought they had seen it all, when a tower of masculinity in leather and stainless steel walks onto the stage and turns the couples lives upside down and inside out.

Excerpt

Micah made the landing and stood watching James ascend. A few seconds later, he reached the top and looked around. They found themselves outside a door almost as dark as the night, set into a wall of cimmerian brick that disappeared into the gloom on either side.  The doorman standing beside it was equally striking. He stood taller than James's six feet, and wore only a black leather kilt and heavy boots that seemed to consume the lower part of his muscular legs. No one would dare challenge the man. His torso rippled in ways James had never seen before. His face was rugged, covered with a few days scruff trimmed precisely along his jawline. Before he could think of what they should do, the doorman spoke.

“Welcome to Razor. What’s your pleasure tonight?”

He stood speechless as the deep bass of the man’s voice resonated through the night. “The music. The music is wonderful. We caught it from a few blocks off and wanted to hear more.”

A smile emerged on the man’s face and changed him from executioner to guardian. “Of course, the music. You’ve found the right place. Just in time, too. Tonight is drawing to a close.”

He grasped the bronze door pull that was easily as long and thick as James's forearm and opened the massive door with little apparent effort. He motioned them into the portal with a wave of his hand. “Go. Enjoy yourself.”

Curious for more? You can find Jon at the following:https://twitter.com/jon4keys

https://www.facebook.com/jon.keys.773

http://jonkeys.com

http://www.pinterest.com/jonkeys/razor-contemporary-paranormal-novel/

Book Review: Hunter's Mark by VS Morgan

Artist Casey Smith lives a quiet life, under the radar of his enemies, until one fateful night he loses control and the astonishing image of a wolf racing down a suburban street splashes all over social media.

Hunter’s bullet never misses its target. The assassin seeks out and kills his prey with a clear conscience by following two simple rules: 1) Don’t kill innocents. 2) Don’t kill shifters.

Realizing his latest assignment violates those rules, the hunter activates Princess Protocol and the assassin becomes the protector. Red hot attraction flares between the hit man and his former target. Can Hunter resist the sweet shifter in his care?

This is one of those books where I just want to write: THIS BOOK. MUCH GOOD. GO BUY.

But, as I'm being reminded yet again, that doesn't constitute a book review. So. Here's my review:

Hunter's Mark is the first of the Beyond Fairytales I've actually had a chance to read, and I was definitely not disapointed. I'm amazed by the creativity the authors display in adapting their fairytales into romances and what they do with their stories. This is one that stayed with me long after I hit The End.  

I'm madly in love with Hunter. I feel like I need to put that at the forefront. He's tough, he's sexy, capable, and has such a glorious way with Casey that is kind of difficult to put into words. He's gentle without being mushy, and kind without losing his hard edge. It's obvious he'll do whatever it takes to keep Casey safe. Meanwhile Casey is working through his own issues with being a shifter without a pack and what being with Hunter means for him. The dynamic works quite well and I think VS pulled off something that could've been a little tricky. 

Also, I need to take a moment to appreciate Rex, Hunter's friend and packmate. Rex is awesome and I need his snarky butt. >>

Fans of fairytale happy endings full of awesome men, this one is for you.

Available at:

Decadent Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ain't No Place for a Hero

One of the funnest things about writing is the different characters who populate your brain and your story world. A lot of people seem to have this misguided notion that we, as authors, have some modicum of control over what happens with our characters, but I have learned over two decades of writing that life goes a bit more smoothly if the inmates take over the asylum.

For me, that hasn't been truer for a project than with my Beyond Fairytale story Gemini. Uri wasn't so much the issue, There were a few places where he basically told me "No, it happens this way," but Shadi? She became more than a handful. 

In the beginning I tried to rein her in a bit, make her somewhat relatable. An orphan whose only family is her twin brother, raised on a slaver ship to be a mechanic, she's like a combination of Kaylee and River from Firefly. Reclusive and somewhat antisocial, she warms up to both Uri (of course) and her new crew in the end, but one of her defining characteristics--and admittedly one that I struggled a little bit with--is her total disregard for the sanctity of life. She can kill far more easily than she can love, but once you're in her circle, she'll do whatever she can to protect you.

It wouldn't be a Blessings bloghop if our characters didn't get to share what they're thankful for. Uri?

Uri: I'm thankful for quite a few things, but the most important is freedom, for certain. Without that, nothing is worthwhile. Nothing matters. 

Thanks, Uri. Shadi?

Shadi:  My brother.Even though we've been separated for so long, I am always grateful for him. Without Shilah, I doubt I would be alive now.

So there you have it. As part of the bloghop, we're giving away copies of our Beyond Fairytales stories! And for those of us (like me) whose stories aren't out yet, we're giving away a copy of one of our backlist titles. Entry is below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway