How to survive a zombie apocalypse with Merrie Destefano

As an avid fan of The Walking Dead and the former editor of Zombies magazine, you better believe I’ve thought long and hard about how I could survive a zombie apocalypse. The bottom line? I know I won’t survive without help. So, below are my tips, my list of supplies, and the type of team I would need—and you’d probably need them to—if I want to stay alive when the dead come back to life.

1. First, it isn’t going to be what you think. Very few movies or books take into account the fact that zombies are made out of rotting meat. Scavengers, carnivores, and carrion-feeders come in all shapes and sizes, from bears to hyenas to birds to insects. These creatures are your friends. That zombie outbreak will lose its steam once the crows and dogs get hungry and smell meat everywhere. That means, after a while, you’ll only need to focus on the “newly dead” zombies, like Uncle Harold in the back bedroom.

2. Second, you’ll still need to survive until nature runs its course. Make sure you have a well-stocked bug-out bag. Here’s a suggested list of items to have inside: air filtration mask, sleeping bag, space blanket, tent, MREs [explain], water bottle, filtration system, change of clothes, gloves, waterproof jacket, matches, flashlight, first aid kit, compass, map, knife, pepper spray, prescription drugs, burn gel, pain killers, small shovel.

3. Either form a team or join a team. If you plan to form a team, then you’d better have strong leadership skills. If you plan to join a team, then make sure you bring something indispensable to the table. Consider learning CPR or taking up archeryor practice building a fire in the wilderness.

Who do you want on your team?

Brains: Imagine Ripley from Aliens, tough, smart, and capable. Can make decisions on the fly, has a built-in GPS and never gets lost, can sniff out danger before it’s a serious threat. This person should be able to find you all a safe haven and have an escape route ready so you can survive to fight another day.

Muscle: Take your pick. Tom Hardy, Liam Neeson, Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Somebody who will scare away bad humans and rip zombies apart, limb by limb. If this team member also happens to be eye candy, then that’s a bonus!

Guts: Someone who knows how to handle weapons and isn’t afraid to use them. This person won’t give up or leave a team member behind. They always keeps their objective in mind: kill the zombies before they bite. 

Handy: Someone who can fix anything with a paper clip and a pack of chewing gum. Why do need someone like this? Because before long, everything will be broken. You’ll need someone who can get a generator running, knows how to filter water, can fix a leaky radiator, and can make a bomb to kill zombies.

Heart: Someone with a heart bigger than the world with the faith that you will all survive, somehow. Someone who can pray their way out of any battle, but isn’t afraid to pitch in and do the hard work too. Someone who might just play the role of Mom, since most of you have lost your family.

Healer: Florence Nightingale: A compassionate, brave nurse who can patch up your team members, deliver babies, and knows where to find antibiotics when your supply runs out. Someone who will know what plants are safe to eat, what medicines will cure what diseases, and who will have the stomach to put you down if you’re bitten by a zombie.

A Place of Magic

Merrie Destefano

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy

Publisher: Ruby Slipper Press

Date of Publication: October 12, 2021

ASIN:B09FNSVKZJ

Number of pages:320

Word Count: 73,000

Cover Artist: Elona Bezooshko, 

Psycat Digital Ink and Motion

Book Description:

Halloween is the wrong time to visit Ticonderoga Falls.

Dangerous monsters hunt in the nearby woods.

The Prey...

Maddie MacFaddin.

For her, the nearby forest holds many memories, some joyous, some forgotten. But she has no recollection of Ash, the dark, magnificent creature who saved her life as a child, or that his kind preys upon humanity.

The Monster...

Ash, a Darkling fae.

Trapped in Ticonderoga Falls for a century, he’s required to host a Hunt once a year. Then, hungry, shapeshifting faeries will descend upon the villagers and harvest their dreams.

The Hunt...

There are rules about harvesting humans; the poor creatures are so delicate. If you take too much, they’ll die. Without dreams, they perish. And perish they do—now and then—despite Ash's efforts to keep them safe. Then he realizes Maddie is the prey his unwanted guests are after. But, try as he might, this time he’s not strong enough to protect her. The entire village is in danger.

Soon the Hunt will begin. And no one will be safe.

Amazon

Excerpt:

He nodded, head lowered. Then he lifted his gaze until he was staring into her eyes. One hand rested on her shoulder. “I won’t tell anyone your secret, Elspeth. You’re safe with me.”

Then he leaned closer, his scent overwhelming, his thoughts like the wind through the leaves, a wild rushing, his skin like the embrace of the forest. His lips touched hers and she could hear his heart beating. She slid her arms around his waist, leaning into the kiss, suddenly wanting more. She wanted to cast an enchantment, to lead him into sleep, to harvest his dreams. Wanted to walk into a dream with him, to see the hidden world on the other side of his eyelids. Wanted to know everything about him.

The kiss had only just begun and already she wanted another.

His arms were around her then, and the winter chill disappeared. In its place, fire crackled through her limbs, from her fingertips to her feet.

She could see it then, the world inside him. Tender and gentle as a spring morning, the shadows of night lingering at the edge of the wood, a handful of stars scattered across a pale sky.

She never knew that humans could be filled with so much magic.

It was her first Hunt and she had chosen her prey wisely.

About the Author:

Multiple-award-winning author Merrie Destefano writes lyrical tales of magic, mystery, and hope. Her traditional books have been published by HarperCollins, Entangled Teen, and Walter Foster, while her indie imprint is Ruby Slippers Press. Her novels have won awards in both the science fiction and fantasy categories.

She worked for Focus on the Family, The Word For Today, Engaged Media, and PJS Publications, and her magazine experience includes editor of Victorian Homes magazine, Zombies magazine, Haunted: Mysteries And Legends magazine, American Farmhouse Style magazine, Vintage Gardens magazine and founding editor of Cottages and Bungalows magazine. Her co-authored art books include How To Draw Vampires, How To Draw Zombies, and How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Fairy Tales. Her edited books include The Man God Uses by Chuck Smith, Oil Pastel Step-By-Step by Nathan Rohlander, and The Art of Drawing Fantasy Characters by Jacob Glaser.

Born in the Midwest, Merrie now lives in Southern California, where she runs on caffeine, and shares her home with rescue dogs and cats. And although she dearly loves science fiction, in her heart of hearts, she still doesn’t believe airplanes should be able to fly.

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