Winner is: Jackie Uhrmacher! Please contact me via my website contact page so I can send you your prize!
...At least, it did in my new paranormal romance series, The Envy Chronicles.
Hi, it's me Joss Ware here, and let me tell you...June 6, 2010, was a really bad day for Mother Earth. That's when the world ended--destroyed by devastating earthquakes, tsunamis, windstorms, and who knows what else.
Much of the human race was destroyed on June 6, and in the days following, even more survivors died. No one really knows what happened, even fifty years later.
Maybe some bad guys were involved, maybe they weren’t--maybe it was nature going crazy (not!).
Or maybe the bad guys didn’t realize just how bad it was going to be when all hell broke loose, and maybe they’re all dead, now, too…but regardless, that’s what happened. Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, windstorms, and who knows what else.
It's all gone.
Fifty years later....enter the Awakening Heroes: five men who were somehow suspended in time in a Sedona cave during the last fifty years. They awaken to find that everything is gone.
The world is eerily silent, empty, and overgrown. It’s not a wasteland like in Planet of the Apes or Mad Max and the Thunderdome. Mother Nature, as one of the guys puts it, is a real ball-buster, and now that all but a fraction of the human race is gone, she’s taken over.
As the five men (Elliott, Simon, Quent, Wyatt and Fence) begin to try and rebuild their lives and find out what happened, they also learn that some of them have emerged from the cave with paranormal abilities. And some of them haven’t. (To tell you who and what would give away more than I want to at this point, though. But suffice to say it’s not like the X-Men.)
The first book, Beyond the Night, is about Dr. Elliott Drake and the woman he meets when she comes tearing in on horseback to save a group of teen-agers from a zombie attack on an abandoned Main Street. She’s brave and smart and a control freak. What’s not to love?
They go on a mission to find a friend of hers who’s missing, and run into zombies, immortal humans called (so creatively) Strangers, and huge-ass snakes. They even take a trip to the mall…or what’s left of it.
These books are hugely different from my other series, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles (written as Colleen Gleason), but in some ways, there are great similarities. Writing a post-apocalyptic world is not so different from writing a historical one: there are many of the same limitations in communication, infrastructure, and society.
These books are first and foremost romances, with a solid hero and heroine and a happy ending at the end of each book…although I’ve included over-arching plots that tie the books together and introduce other potential heroes and heroines.
The second book, Embrace the Night Eternal (Simon’s book), was released in February. And the third, Abandon the Night (Quent’s book), came out in March.
I’m giving away a signed copy of Beyond the Night here today. To enter to win, please make a comment about what skills you’d contribute, or what you'd do, in a post-apocalyptic world.
You may comment here, or on the same post on our Facebook page to be entered.
I'll be randomly drawing a winner on Wed, June 16, and will post the winner at the top of this blog entry--so check back to see who won!
For extra credit, please share this discussion on your Facebook page, blog, or Twitter. We really appreciate you helping to spread the word about The Underground!
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Here's a bonus chance to win all three books...plus learn more! Thanks to Kylie Griffin for being so enthused about the series that she's giving them away...from Down Under!
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47 comments:
I would say I would be good at making due with whatever food stuffs are found. I'm really good at putting things together to make a good meal. I'm also good at finding use out of other peoples junk. I'm sure there would be alot of junk in a post-apocalyptic future. I think i'd be good at pulling people together to work as a group to survive. I've been told I have good leadership qualities. Thanks Joss, the series sounds great. Can't wait to get my hands on it ;-)
Being a teacher of course I would teach! Maybe I would have one of those old fashioned one room school house. I would also probably be a librarian. I would gather as many books as I could find and attempt to share :) hehehe
I have the series and love it so there is no need to enter me. But if you decide to have a teacher in the city of ENVY let me know.
Since mother nature seemed to leave a lot of plant life, I would help people by making natural remedies in place of the drugs people would not have anymore.
I am excited to read your new series! I just heard about it via your Gardella site.
I would be the inventory watcher/counter I'm pretty good with numbers but I dunno if I would even survive if the world ended lol
Cassie c
I have actually been thinking to the end of the world senario with a post apocolyptic story. I LOVE a good PA - big fan of Mad Max movies. I am sooo reading these books.
Hi I guess the skill I would add is that of a healer. I like to think of myself in that way. I hope to read this series soon.
Thank you
D. Alexx
ritbsdoni@gmail.com
I hate to say that I think I would be utterly useless in a post-apocalyptic world. I can't deal with blood and guts, so there goes the warrior idea and any kid of medic idea. I think I might be stuck trying to help domesticate things, helping to rebuild a new place to live...
I think I'd be good at building shelters (my husband calls me the Home Depette because I spend so much time there and have so many tools), and I'd also be good at planting and tending crops (I love to garden).
Just don't ask me to fight any zombies, because THAT'S when I'd be totally useless!
The series sounds great, Joss!
I think I'd be a fighter, protecting weaker people from those who would take advantage of their situation for whatever reasons ... I'd need some kind of training, of course ... but I think I have the right kind of determination :) I certainly wouldn't be able to sit around while others did all the exciting things, that would send me around the bend!
Tweet Tweet: http://twitter.com/izibellz/status/16228031279
I'm not kick ass, I can't cook, and I don't clean, but I could be a historian! Is that lame? lol
Tweeted at twitter.com/jackieuhrmacher
I would probably be quite useless, unless I remember any of the outdoor skills I learned in Camp Fire. But if they need anyone to provide entertainment, I had a boundless reservoir of cheesy camp songs. Come to think of it, that might fall under the category of defense . . .
Hmm.. well I'm not good at building things, or cooking things. I would probably find any weapons I could, and be a fighter. I'd need alot of training, and who knows, maybe I would suck at it. But I think that's my best shot.
Let me say again that this is such a great concept for a series, and you don't pull any punches. Zombies, giant snakes, super powers = much awesomeness.
I've always thought that, in a post-apocalyptic world, I'd use my Tarot-reading skills and cozy up to someone powerful in the new regime, as an advisor. Not that I have psychic abilities, because I don't. But I do have a good knowledge of human psychology and can lie convincingly. It would be a risky job, just like the ancient-Greek soothsayers, where I might be executed if I got too specific and was obviously wrong, and where I'd always be prepared to jump ship to the winning side. But hey, that's politics.
This sounds amazing and it could have so many interesting possibilities!
I would have to be a scout! I love to explore and find things! Thats me! Whatever is needed I will find it. :~)
Hm, yikes...well I do know a lot about history and such, so I could contribute by telling about the past. My head is filled with "useless" info. And I do have some knowledge about plants, and animals
I would be a terrible person to have on your team in a post-apocalyptic world. I can't cook, or sew, or fight, or run fast. But I write and remember things well. Maybe I could record the story for those who survive to read it. Or something with numbers, what I have no clue.
Sounds like a great series :)
hm, I can't cook... so that's out.
Not very good at fighting, sorry.
I can explore the area and try and help find locations or things :)
**I've always thought that, in a post-apocalyptic world, I'd use my Tarot-reading skills and cozy up to someone powerful in the new regime, as an advisor. Not that I have psychic abilities, because I don't. But I do have a good knowledge of human psychology and can lie convincingly.**
LOVE that answer, Esri! LOL You're an conundrum... an honest liar!
Wow! These are great thoughts!
I'm chuckling at how many of you are like me--not a fighter, not sure you'd survive. BUT yes we would!
In my mind, there's a lot of room for people who share the aspects of our world, our technology and knowledge, especially history. Remember, history does repeat itself!
Also, we'd need people to farm and hunt, people to make fabric and clothing (because whatever's left over wouldn't last forever).
I'm also thinking that there'd be an awful lot of plastic leftover. Someone could get really creative with that!
Keep the thoughts coming. I always find it fascinating to hear what people think.
And @Esri...you crack me up. But I totally see you there.
This series sounds fantastic, Joss! I love the setup and the addition of romance makes it perfect for someone like me. I really think that every story is made stronger by having romance as part of the plot. And the happy ending thing--exactly what I love in a book! Can't wait to read this series!
:)
What would I do? I have no idea. I just hope I'd be helpful rather than in the way! I know! I'd wear my "Zombies only want you for your brains" shirt so everyone won't be too somber all the time. :P
I can train any dogs that haven't turned into zombies. However, I don't think that not peeing on the carpet is useful anymore. :) lol That's all I got. ;)
Wow, the world we know ended on my mom's birthday!
Unless I somehow develop skills to contribute to the post-apocalyptic world, I don't know what I would do. It's always hard to say what you would do in dire situations when they haven't happened to you.
I guess I would do whatever I could to survive and help others survive. I'm not super strong or anything like that. I have an overactive imagination courtesy to my reading habits! Which just makes me realize how simply normal I am.
So again, I would do whatever was needed that is within my power to do.
@Melissa: "Zombies only want you for your brains"
I am totally stealing that! :-)
I would be the organizer. I have the ability to get people to work together and see the bigger picture than their own little parts in it.
Hmmm, I think I would bring a copy of every WORST CASE SCENARIO book, so I could study up and learn to survive.
Kathleen Adey
I'd probably be the cheerleader-not the cartwheels kind. I'd be saying, "It's not that bad. I'm sure we can fix things up. We'll get some curtains and some furniture and clean out the rats and zombies. Everything will be just fine." I'm an everything will be just fine type of person. If I say it enough I'll believe it. I think the post apocolyptic future will need a lot of us!
In a post-apocolyptic world, I would need to find someone with a good sense of direction because my internal compass is broken. But I would be very good at organizing supplies and people.
Sara M
sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com
I can be very diplomatic. I'd say that's a useful skill, post-apocalyptic world or not.
Not sure what skill I might be able to contribute but I'd try my best. If I have to fight to survive or protect my family, that's what I'll do. I hope I would be strong enough to help get society back on its feet and bring back a semblance of order. I'd just have to say that if it ever happened, good luck to us ... we will survive though, we've survived everything else, right?!
Looking forward to reading your new series, it sounds great and very exciting!
Joss, this sounds fantastic! And the set up you've got of a hero, heroine and HEA for each book but storylines linking and introducing other characters is what I'm using in the Dream of Asarlai trilogy as well, so I'm gonna have to get my hands on your books to see how I SHOULD be doing it :)
Hi,
Not truly sure what skills that I have would come to the fore front but I know I am a survivor so I feel I would be a good contributor even if I am just a general worker..
Either way I know I would fight to Live!
I don't know that I would have any specific skills to survive, but I would do whaterver was needed and hopefully not get eaten by zombies!
Joss - I haven't read your new series - but I want to! I'm a huge fan of the Gardella series!
"Buried in Books" s the same type I am -- I want to be one of those types calming people down & the cheerleader type. I'd want to help out as much as I can -- finding provisions, etc. EXCEPT - I would probably run screaming from a zombie. Wait - they are slow, right? So I wouldn't have to run. Unless they are uber-fast-zombies on steroids. Then well -- we are ALL in trouble.
I guess I could fight zombies - but can it be to music (like in "Shaun of the Dead"? anyone remember that scene?)
Anyone else addicted to Zombies VS Plants on the iPhone/Ipod Touch?? LOVE it!
I tweeted this:
http://www.twitter.com/ailish79/status/16262581913
I forgot to add my Facebook link to my comment -- it's here:
http://www.facebook.com/reyaluna?v=wall&story_fbid=101911833192674&ref=mf
sorry about that! :)
I think I would be able to do a little bit of everything - I grew up in the country so I've grown food and can identify some edible plants in the wild, I can build stuff, I can hunt (but not really a big fan). I also have first aid training so that would be helpful too - but my helpfulness all depends on a secret stash somewhere of coffee to keep me going ;)
The series looks great Joss!
I'm an engineer, so I would be able to help put together a new society. Plus, I also make a mean Kraft Mac 'n Cheese, and you know that will survive the end of the world. ;)
heatwave96(at)hotmail.com
Assuming much of the flora and fauna had survived, I could manage. I'd be able to set up food production and preservation. Housing and defensive concerns could be addressed. I could set up water collection and storage as well as heating facilities. Life certainly wouldn't be as comfortable as it is, but we could survive.
We as a family could survive on our own pretty well if we had to, depending on the threat present in the world. Why is it a post-apocalyptic world? What threat exists?
This series sounds interesting. I'd like to read it.
Hi Joss,
I'd definitely work in the garden/farm. I love growing vegies - I have my own little plot here at home and I always overplant to trade with neighbours. And having grown up around dairy cattle as well as beef cattle I'd be happy to help with raising animals as well.
Having read all three book so far, and winning a second set just recently, don't worry about putting me in for this draw *grin*.
BTW, did I mention how much I'm hanging out to read the next???
It's great to see some of your commenters, Joss, making their way over to my blog for a double-whammy of information! ENVY overload! :-)
Hmm... I'm pretty crafty & good at improvising so I can make clothes, cook and make a comfy home for one of these five heroes. ;) And I'm a pretty positive person so I can be a "cheerleader" too!
Hm. Not an overly wonderful cook, not an exceptional fighter, but I do plan things pretty well. So maybe some sort of strategist? Mine are skills more honed to figuring things out, looking at the big picture and finding the important little things hidden within. I think that would have to be my strength. Don't know if it's actually handy, but who knows! :)
Hey Joss, don't count me in okay. I am glad I made it back in time to drop in a show some love for you and the ENVY crew.
Guys, these books are fabulous...Quent is mine, so hands off. It is okay to look though. Joss created a fabulous world and the characters are very likeable and believable. If the world was to end soon, I would want these guys on my side.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
In a post-apocalyptic world, I would be invaluable when it came to preservation and re-creation of important literature. Although I am surely not the smartest person, I would certainly document what ever I could so future generations could learn and rebuild the world.
WOW--this sounds SOOOOO good!!!!--And this is only a blog post!!!! I'm definitely putting these on my TBR list!!!
As to what I'd contribute to a post-apocalyptic world...I would definitely get on the hunting/fishing team, because the food providers are the last to be eaten/kicked off the island.
--I posted on my (brand-spankin'-new) blog (plus on the sidebar)
http://nymfaux.blogspot.com/2010/06/fantasticness-of-supernatural.html
--Tweeted
http://twitter.com/moviebunny
--Posted a link on facebook
+3.5 extra credit ;)
Hey hey!
I wasn't around last night...was doing a writers workshop on worldbuilding and had a great time.
Thanks for all the kudos, and also a special hi to the Gardella fans hanging around here! The Envy books are so different, you'll think I'm szichophrenic! ;-)
Contest is closed. I'll be posting the winner shortly.
Congrats to the winner!
@ Terri Garey It's an actual shirt I wear. :) I got it at threadless.com :D
what would I do...I was a microbiologist before I became a mom so maybe I could use that. I am an organizer and if given the chance will take over, someone has to be in charge . Can't wait to try *all your books this summer!
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