Eva Gordon | Genre bending paranormal romance into the zombie apocalypse genre

Thank you for letting me post on Fresh Fiction. I’m an author of fantasy, paranormal romance, steampunk and dystopian stories. Books currently published or soon to be published are in the werewolf romance subgenre. I have two series, After the Bane, my zombie apocalyptic series starting with book one Apocalyptic Moon and my paranormal historical series, Wolf Maiden saga. Lycan Gladiator (Coming August 20, 2013 from Corvallis Press) book one in the Wolf Maiden Saga (a genre bending paranormal historical/epic fantasy romance series). Raven Moon, book 2 in After the Bane series is currently with my editor. On top of that I also write steampunk/Victorian-era gothic romance.

I write stories I enjoy to read and can’t put down. My background is in the zoological and biological sciences so I often add science and science fiction tidbits to my stories. I’ve also had the pleasure to volunteer at animal sanctuaries and observe wolves, ravens and currently raptors up close and personal.

So why add zombies to the mix?

Every since I can remember of all the monsters out there that shuffle in the basement, sneak outside your door, stalk in the dense forest, or make the most chilling to the bone moans; the flesh eating zombies beats out vampires, werewolves, aliens, demons, and clowns as the scariest creature out there. There is nothing more horrific than being eaten alive by another former human. Not that being eaten by a shark or lion is any worse, but the thought of cannibalism by a former family member, friend or the pizza delivery boy is the stuff of nightmares. Zombies were always my favorite horror movie monsters since I saw Night of the Living Dead.

The Walking Dead, World War Z, and a growing number of movies, games and books shows just how popular and mainstream zombies have become. Even the Centers of Disease Control has a site on how to prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse. CDC and zombies

What I like about zombie movies and books is that the story is not just about flesh-eating ghouls but about the survivors. Do they band together and help? Think,‘me only’ survival? Or without the law, is it time to loot, rape and pillage? Because I’m a romantic at heart, I want to believe that despite the apocalypse there can be a happily ever after. No, not the fairytale ending but a grittier ending where our heroine can wield an ax and sever heads just as effectively as our hero.

So why add shifters to the zombie end of the world genre?

Okay, secret is out, I’m a big werewolf and animal shifter fan. I teach werewolf and animal lore to writer groups and I’m biased that way. I love normal and fantasy worlds that include shifters, so why not write an apocalyptic story that includes them as well? My universe is now open to a new question. How will the zombie apocalypse affect the shifters? In Apocalyptic Moon , the zombies only infect and go after humans. Typical of the genre, my shifters live clandestinely amongst humans. Since zombies only attack humans and not animals, the shifters have survival advantage. But not all can shift at will and then only as adults. At least in book 1.

So what will the shifters do? Help humanity, only help themselves, or turn bad? In my novel, I have several factions of shifters both good and bad. Bad humans, bad shifters, and the hungry zombies equal the trifecta of grave danger.

In the mixture of chaos, I added the passion driven romance between forbidden lovers. If there is a zombie apocalypse, I would love to cuddle with a hot alpha werewolf who can show us all, which monster carries the strongest bite.

Apocalyptic Moon the first in the After the Bane series will be followed by, Raven Moon, Book 2 After the Bane.

Here is the book trailer for Apocalyptic Moon

Ravaged by a global zombie pandemic, humanity’s survival depends on the secret society of shifters, but can they be trusted?

Dr. Dora Adler’s life has been in disarray since the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, but when she gets bitten by one of the undead her whole world is turned upside down. Held captive in a secret underground lab, the tall, muscular hunk in the next cell is her only hope for salvation. Unfortunately, he claims to be a werewolf. Yeah, and she’s supposedly a witch.

Dirk Gunderson is an alpha Arbor pack werewolf. Captured and collared, he’s sold to the zombie lab in hopes his blood serum can create a vaccine. He needs to escape, but not without the hot little brunette witch.

In the midst of enemy werewolves and the hordes of undead, Dirk and Dora’s sexual tension ignites a blaze hotter than the desert highway. Along their journey, they battle the inevitable: a werewolf must never take a witch as a mate.

One commenter will win a copy of APOCALYPTIC MOON, e-book.