The best way to get your revenge on something is to immortalize it in fiction. Not every annoying person you meet is worthy of being eviscerated in fiction for all eternity. In the words of the great Henry Chaucer from the movie A Knight's Tale, " I will eviscerate you in fiction. Every pimple, every character flaw. I was naked for a day; you will be naked for eternity."
Remember, you do them honor when you immortalize your enemies in the written word.
It's no secret that I did not like living in Ohio. To be fair, I came to Ohio from a beach surrounded by the best museums and entertainment I have ever encountered in America. The Moody Gardens, the Johnson Space Center, Sea World, the best science museum I've ever been to (in downtown Houston). So you can imagine how the small Ohio town really compared...It didn't. Plus--and I mean this with kindness, Ohio--you northerners are kinda mean. But any way!
I had enough by the time I graduated with a couple of university degrees and thought it'd be fun to, I don't know, nuke Ohio off the face of the planet. It would be even better if it was because the darn state was responsible for the zombie outbreak that destroys the world. Oh, and of course some of the crazy Ohioans turn in to crazy, religious cannibal cultists too! Haha, take that, Ohio!
The issue here is, my hero also has to be from Ohio. Oops.
This is the story of "Why They Killed: A Waksha Virus Novelette" available now for pre-order. This simple story spawned from my love of zombies and--to my mother's sadness--cannibals. I've written one award-winning horror story and it was about cannibalism so that's always worked for me. The plot of "Why They Killed" is not too complicated. Like most good nuclear radiation, the real damage comes in at the end with the twist! But this story is important to me and is decently crafted if I do say so myself. It takes a few familiar tropes and gives you new characters to enjoy inside a genre you know you like. Despite the horror, it's not dangerous and is a short read!
Our leading man, Rocket, also is the father to a character I know you all will enjoy later this year. You will see many similarities between Rocket and Tzarik from "Season of the Runer". It was kind of an experiment (well, the entire novelette was to be honest). Taking two similar men and seeing what would happen is one lost their partner and the other did not (it's deeper than that, but, you know, spoilers!). This little novelette is also my debut in formatting and self-publishing. The learning experience has been insane! I hope to share some of my lessons to those interested in self-publishing.
But going back to the start: Rocket is a man from Ohio. He is like no man I ever met there. That's where the fantasy part comes in, right? This isn't to say that Ohio sucks and I will never go back. Besides, what do the people of Ohio care if one chick didn't like living there? The entire town I lived in has been there since the Revolutionary War so they won't be moving to come get me. Seriously, no one leaves once they are there. It's a black hole. But now, I nuke Ohio with love. And fond remembrance. You guys have Rocket, and he's pretty great.
This post really got away from me...I hope you read the first in the Waksha Virus series and enjoy it. There are more to come and I know you will love them!