Another fabulous installment of the Zombie Bible by Stant Litore. In this installment of the Zombie Bible by Stant Litore, we find ourselves in the Gospel of Luke, outside a small village that has been spirituality and physical torn by a horde of zombies after a brutal occupation by Roman soldiers. For followers of the series, it may have seemed inevitable that the Zombie Bible would move from the Old to New Testament, but moving forward from the stories recited in Sunday school to the ones recounted from the pulpit is risky.
So how did he do it?
The same way the writers of Jesus Christ Superstar did when they created that infamous musical with care, joy and great skill. Both of which profoundly shaped the way that I approach the bible and particularly the stories of Jesus. Too often the human side of Jesus is forgotten and he is made out to be so divine that no human could walk in his steps. Litore creates realistic characters which are both relate-able and true to the original biblical tales.
Did he do it well?
Yes, the action is non-stop so readers won’t be bored or feel weighted down. At the same time, Litore takes you to emotional depths that you might not have thought possible. This isn’t just a bible story with zombies added into the mix; it is instead a masterful piece of story-telling. A must read for horror and historical fiction fans. This novella is well work a space on your reading list.
When young Nobody Owens was just a baby, a very bad man broke into his house and killed his family. The young tot escaped by making his way into a graveyard where he came under the protection of the spirits who reside there. Bod has he comes to be called inhabits the graveyard walking in and through places that only the dead know. Raised by loving and well meaning ghost, Nobody has little contact with the living save those who come into his twilight world. Most don’t even notice him. When one does, it begins the first friendship Bod has with a living soul. Outside the graveyard, the world has forgotten about his parent’s murder and everyone except the murder who is waiting to finish the job.
Gaiman’s prose combined with the illustrations by Dave McKean give the book a unique feel not quite macabre, but definitely dark and twisted in a way that draws readers in. Basically, everything we love about Halloween except the candy. The only thing that I would have liked to have seen more of were the illustrations. Thankfully, Gaiman with the assistance of another illustrator took care of that with the creation of a two volume The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel.
Something I am officially putting on my wish list.
Reading one of my favorite blogs this morning – Live to Write – Write to Live inspired me. They were discussing what the summer time means to your writing and reading schedule. Summer as a teacher and a writer means there is actually less time for me to write. No set schedule which seems like it would be a blessing and some days it is.
Some days, I sleep until my body tells me to wake up, walk Luke and settle down to the writing desk after making breakfast. So far in the three weeks since school has ended this hasn’t happened once. Most days, I am up just about the same time and headed off to my second job at a local theme park. The days I do have off there have been other things that needed to get done. Things that I have neglected during the school year.
What I have been able to do is read more. So far I have finished three books and am more than half way through a fourth book. Three more books have made it on to read list by two wonderful authors – Stant Litore and Erik Hofstatter. Those delicious treats are next. Something a little dark to take the bite off of the blistering summer heart.
One of my goals is to read as much as I can and work on writing reviews this summer in what will most likely be a vain attempt to have reviews done in advance of Blood Child’s publication. Beyond reading, writing reviews and completing the publication process, I have three on-line classes to complete and some quality gym time.
Everyone needs to do it sometimes. I should have done it a little sooner this year, although I did it a little too much when I was in college. We all need to play hooky and today is my day to do it.
But, hooky isn’t the same when you are an adult. You have to be responsible about it and call in. In my case, you also have to prepare lesson plans. A small price to pay for sleeping in and being able walk Luke without fear of running late. This morning’s walk was wonderful. I pushed myself to go farther than I have in a while. It felt terrific. Absolutely terrific.
Everyone should do it, play hooky that is, although leisurely morning walks are also nice. And you should do it before you really need to do it. Before your body makes you do it or your co-workers beg you to do it.
I won’t be sitting around all day playing on the internet or watching movies. Don’t get me wrong, there will be some time wasted today. It is a necessity of playing hooky. Mostly, I will be going down my to-do list taking time to do everything right and not rushing which really stresses me out. Stressing myself out has been the key to me falling behind in almost every area of my life. Except for loving on Luke, the cats and my characters.
Two new stories have been banging around in my head and it turns out that they are the same story. Now, I just have to loop them together or just wait for them to do themselves. I am pretty sure I am going for the latter. One because they seem to be looping back into one of my novel projects (This Dragon Friday) and because it is just easier to let them go where they want and not force them. Not sure when they will be ready for a preview by readers, but they are progressing.
Reading Time
This is also a day for me to get back to reading just for fun.
Victoria Laurie writes some of my favorite brain candy. For the last couple of nights, I have curled up with this book. I love how the protagonist, Abby, can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble even while nursing a broke pelvis. In short, she is my kind of girl. I am looking forward to spending some real quality time with her, today. This is the tenth book in the series. The eleventh is already out which will make it easier on me after I plow through it. And I will. Laurie, like Laurel K. Hamilton, makes books that I love and that suck me in.
The action is swift and writing is witty. It really is a series to check out. You can find her books online at Amazon or at your local bookstore. I picked mine up at the grocery store.
The next item on the reading list is Amulet: Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibusihi. A graphic novel series that my students turned me on to a couple of years ago. I ended up buying the first four books in rapid succession more for myself than them. Come to think of it both these series I started reading because of my students. Thanks, kids.
The Amulet series revolves around a young girl named Emily who moves with her family into the abandoned house of her great-grandfather following the death of her father in a car accident. The house is rumored to be haunted, but financial pressures make it the only option for the family. As they clean the house, they find a mysterious door which unbeknownst to them is the entrance to an alternative Earth. It may have remained closed but as the family was sleeping creatures entered the house and kidnap Karen, Emily’s mother. The kids do what any kid would do and set off to rescue their mother. Classic archetypes mix well with the art to draw you in the story and the world.
Once there the family fights to be reunited in a world where magic and airships. I hated putting down the first four and can’t wait to dive into this one as well. It is a good thing for me that the next book is already out and pay day is around the corner.
Amulet is also available at Amazon or your local comic book store. I picked mine up at Coliseum of Comics at my local mall. I really prefer to read graphic novels versus comics, not because I am a snob but because they are easily for me to keep up with. This past Free Comic Book day may change that as I am really digging the New 52 – Futures Endthat I picked up. I really want to know where the story began and where it is going.
Hope you all have a great day and don’t forget to play hooky at least once a year.
Love,
Lu
A happy writer after Free Comic Book Day as predicted, she is addicted.
This evening on the way to teach my evening classes, I thought about how much I am in love with two new books. Well, one of them isn’t new new, but both are new to me (kind of like my car). Then I was a bad teacher and checked Facebook. So rather than a poem or a post on the books I am reading, I am starting information on a book that I reviewed a couple of months ago. Why because it is free today. And free is awesome.
But, if you take advantage of this offer and love the book as much as I did, please be kind and leave a review for the author, Edward Medina.
Edward Medina, Native New Yorker and Kick-ass Author
This short story from Amazon bestselling author Edward Medina was originally intended for an anthology submission. But Edward fell in love with Awilda, and decided to keep her all to himself. Now it’s time for him to share her with you.The story of Awilda is an urban paranormal trip through the mind of a dedicated hunter. A hunter specifically designed to kill a very particular form of vampire. Believing it to be her mission since birth, Awilda puts a meticulously planned set of events in motion in order to eradicate the world of this infestation. Good girl by day, holy terror by night, Awilda is not the type of woman you’ll soon forget.
Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com
The past couple of months, I have continued to read with a passion, but haven’t produced a book review. My brain just wasn’t in the game. Not sure where it was, but writing reviews or keeping up with this site wasn’t apart of its plans. Then I won two books in a Thanksgiving Contest which I devoured shortly after receiving but it failed to bring me back to the keyboard.
Slowly, but surely over the holiday break I have been sitting down and working on posts for this blog. The first new review will be published this Friday. Poetry will return next week if not sooner.
Everything happens for a reason and I have faith that things will not only get back on track, but they will get better. My New Year’s resolution is to be active in pursuing my dreams and bettering my life. Less talk of plans and more time and effort implementing them.
Some plans like my trip to Peru have had to be place on hold as a result of purchasing a new to me car, but they haven’t been abandoned. I have been continuing on the path to a healthier me and look forward to the next year biking around town with my friend, Sonia, and taking Luke for walks. Hope all is well with you and yours.
This e-book delivers on its promise to make you laugh. Not just a chuckle, but a full body down to your toes laugh that heals the bit of our soul that life wears down. It is the true story of a man who went into get his haircut and came out with so much more. His “Magician” is more than just a stylist, she uses her magic to make all of her clients feel better.
I truly wish that I had this book when my mother went through her cancer treatments and plan on sharing it with her as soon as possible. She has her own “Magician” who gives her more than just a hair. She makes my mother smiles and honestly cares about her. I know because the last time she went in, I was there. Life no matter how bleak always has a ray of sunshine. Sometimes getting your hair cut or nails done is more about the people doing it than the final product.
No Lasting Burial by Stant Litore
