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Friday, March 31, 2023

Release Day Blitz Mid-Flight by Lisa Wilkes


Mid-Flight
Lisa Wilkes

Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Romance 
Publisher: Extasy Books 
Date of Publication: 03/31/23 
ISBN: 978-1-4874-3651-3
Number of pages: 270
Word Count: 78,451
Cover Artist: Extasy Books

Tagline: She failed to save her brother and her best friend from destructive forces. Could she topple the most sinister villain of all time?

Book Description: 

2037 was a really bad year.

Lexi Brennan’s best friend was killed in a plane crash. Two weeks later, an intergalactic crisis threatened the fate of humanity. Authorities responded by launching a genocide.

Lexi opposed this vicious attack. Then again, what could she do? An eccentric flight attendant drawn to glamorous trysts, she felt powerless to incite change. 

Until tragedy struck close to home. Suddenly, Lexi was forced to acknowledge the widespread atrocities. She uncovered a network of lies along with an opportunity to restore basic human rights. To protect others, Lexi would have to launch a movement that could destroy everything important to her, including her promising new romance.


About the Author:

Lisa Wilkes has spent 13 years as a flight attendant, jetting across the globe and collecting inspiration for her writings. Her debut novel, Flight Path, is a fast-paced romance laced with serendipitous encounters. This book follows a daydreaming stewardess as she learns to navigate a new terrain: unconditional love.

In her second novel, Mid-Flight, Lisa transports readers to the year 2038. A flight attendant begins to unravel after her best friend is killed in a plane crash. In the throes of unspeakable grief, she uncovers a political ploy to decimate one-fifth of the population. To combat this sinister plan, she must risk everything. Including her breathtaking new romance.

Lisa’s writing is provocative and timely, with a focus on societal issues and powerful internal conflict. Flight Path’s readers will appreciate Mid-Flight's emphasis on hope and redemption, while newcomers to Lisa’s work will be drawn to the power of her storytelling.



 








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Friday, March 24, 2023

Author Advice with Kim Catanzarite #SciFi #Thriller #AuthorAdvice


Hello, everyone. Kim Catanzarite, author of Bright Blue Planet, Book 3 in The Jovian Universe series here. Not everyone knows this, but I am also an editor of thirty years, and today I want to share some tips on editing your novel. 

First things first: yes, you do need an editor. Most people need more than one. I know they’re expensive. That is true. But that’s because editing skills are not easy to come by. And neither is good editing advice. If you can find an editor who helps you take your book to a higher, bright and shining level, you must hold on to them as if your life depends on it. Because your writing career most certainly does. 

Why can’t I just have my friend do it?

Bottom line, you need professional help (not amateur help) to successfully whip your book into shape. Of course you need early readers and they can be amateurs (your friends, siblings, aunts, grandparents, and writing colleagues can and should beta read for you), but they can only take you and your book so far. Trust me. There’s way too much involved when it comes to the beta relationship, and most (if not all) of your friends and writing acquaintances simply don’t have the depth of knowledge. They worry about hurting your feelings, and they don’t know how to fix problems—most of the time they read right over the problem anyway. 

In addition to the professional editor’s higher skill level, you need the “you’re not paying me to worry about your feelings or tell you you’re great” bluntness editors provide. Yes, seeing all of your mistakes marked up in Track Changes and Comment-blurb color hurts at first, but at least you know only one person saw those errors, and now your book will be much stronger for it. You know what hurts a lot more? Bad reviews written by random readers who are out for blood because you “made” them slog through three hundred pages that didn’t quite add up. How could you!

There are two kinds of editors that self-publishers need and benefit from. The Content Editor lets you know how you’ve done building the story structure, growing the characters, ramping up the pacing, fashioning the twists and turns, and making the most of the emotion. In general terms, she concentrates on the big-picture parts. The story parts. She points out where you’ve gone wrong and provides suggestions for changes that will help you get it right in your next revision. 

The Copyeditor, on the other hand, comes into play when all of the content issues are nailed down, and the manuscript is deemed complete. The story is written, and it’s time to take a close look at the writing. Grammar, syntax, spelling, style, and formatting are addressed and corrected, leaving behind asmooth, polished, blissful reading experience. A good copyeditor will work with what he finds on the page, leaving his own voice and personality out of it. 

Copyediting is a skill that takes most editors years of experience and practice to master. Everybody needs this type of editor because it’s almost impossible to catch all of your own mistakes. The brain is an amazing and mysterious thing, especially when it comes to writing and editing—the writer you is not an editor and the editor you cannot clearly see something it actually wrote. Just doesn’t work. 

So, do yourself and your book a favor and invest in the editorial professionals that you need to not only avoid those mean reviewers but to bask in the confidence of having created a high-quality product you can be proud of. 


Bright Blue Planet
The Jovian Universe 
Book Three
Kim Catanzarite

Genre: Sci-fi Thriller
Publisher: Forster Publishing
Date of Publication: March 1, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-7359522-4-6
ASIN: B0BT2ZKJRS
Word Count: 65,000
Cover Artist: Damonza

Tagline: At a time when humans and clones begin to clash, two men—one Jovian, the other, human—struggle to navigate the new world order and their own families within it.

Book Description: 

Continuing the story that began with They Will Be Coming for Us and Jovian Son, Bright Blue Planet, Book 3 in The Jovian Universe, takes readers behind the scenes of the otherworldly Jovian family, revealing their most startling secrets. 

Former three-term President of the United States, Evander Peterman, does his best to uphold the promise he made his human mother, Svetlana, to protect ordinary humans from the stronger, more-intelligent race of clones the powerful Jovian family has created.
 
Fran Vasquez, former FBI agent and current head of the Jovians’ security squad at Starbright International, not only works with clones and hybrids but recently hired his young, struggling son, who immediately creates tension between members of the squad.
 
Meanwhile, Caroline, matriarch of the Jovians, may be at odds with her husband, Edmund, who abruptly left Earth for no known reason. She doesn’t seem to care that humans and clones aren't getting along—and suggests something much more menacing looms on Earth’s horizon.  

As the story unfolds, Evander and Fran must do their best to navigate not only the rising world order but their own families as well.


Excerpt 2:

Down the corridor, someone shouted, “Hey, no! I didn’t mean—stop!” Sounded like Max’s voice. High-pitched in a panic.  

The scraping whine of a chair against the floor followed.

A scuffle in the break room?

Fran ran the rest of the way down the hall. He arrived to the thud of a punch making contact, and his son thrown sideways before bouncing across the floor like tossed dice. The kid shot up with fire in his eyes, his hand dabbing a bloody lip and his chest heaving.

A group of clones stood by, mouths closed.

Fran couldn’t tell which one of them had thrown the punch.

Max dropped into a chair, head down.

It took every cell in Fran’s body to keep his voice to a low roar. “What the hell is going on here?”

The group of individuals present, all of them members of the security squad, gathered in a loose circle. Several stepped back.

Consuela spoke first: “Just a disagreement, sir. Between Leonard and … Max.”

“Why is my son bleeding?” He pushed past Consuela and Andre, and stopped in front of Max, who continued to stare at the ground, hunched in a humiliated way.

“Somebody better start talking,” Fran said.  

Leonard, the most military of all the squad and the highest ranking, stepped out of the circle of uniform-clad employees. Diligent, careful, mature, Leonard was at least a foot taller than Max. Fifty pounds more solid too. One of the early clones, he’d received his DNA from Leo—his sandy hair, pale skin, and slate-gray eyes made that much obvious. He would have had a normal American-guy build, like Leo’s, had he not spent the past two decades eating egg whites and lifting barbells in his free time. Leo, the husband of Miranda, headed Startbright’s department of security. He was Fran’s boss, in other words.

Leonard stepped forward and without hesitating, said, “He was complaining about the job, sir.”

“And?”

“We don’t do that at Starbright.”

“Okay. So, I don’t understand,” Fran said. “You hit him?”

“Yes, sir.” Leonard perfected his already snapped-to soldier’s stance: chest puffed to barrel size, boots together, arms straight as fence posts. The guy was a senior officer. It didn’t make sense that he would throw a punch—or even a slap someone.

Jovians never resort to violence.

“Everyone but Leonard and Max get out of here,” Fran said. “Go find something to do.”  

“Yes, sir,” they responded in unison before scattering like billiard balls.

Fran lingered on the fact that no Starbright employee on record had ever hit another employee. Period. Not even accidentally … or in self-defense. If a threatening individual accosted you, you were to take them to the ground and apprehend them using forceful but nonviolent measures.

That’s the way it was, the way it always had been as far as the Jovians were concerned.

How did Max always find a way to screw up?

Fran rubbed his forehead as he unearthed the commanding attitude he once dispensed to cocky FBI recruits: “You just punched your boss’s kid, Leonard, so I’m gonna need to see you in my office immediately.”

Leonard shook his head, his chin looking more square than usual. “You’re not my boss, sir.”

This gave Fran’s face a reason to contort in a befuddled and infuriated way. “Excuse me?”

“Sir, you’re not my—"

“You better believe I am,” Fran exclaimed, determined not to hear the statement twice. “I’ve been your boss for the past eight years.”

“I take orders from the Jovians—”

“What’s gotten into you?” Spit flew from Fran’s mouth. He pointed to the room’s exit. “Get to my office before you say something really stupid.”

The clone turned and left without another word.

Fran stared after him, perplexed. Clones were obedient. Difficult to rile. They had a shallow depth of emotion perfectly suited for this line of work. No one wanted their security staff punching, shooting, or otherwise going off because they were spooked, afraid, or angry. So how did Leonard end up so pissed that he broke rule number one and hit Max?



About the Author:

Kim Catanzarite is the author of the award-winning Jovian Universe sci-fi thriller series. She is a freelance writer and editor for publishers and independent authors, and she teaches copyediting for Writer’s Digest University. Her Self-Publishing 101 blog discusses the ins and outs of indie life as well as all things writing craft. When she’s not writing or editing, Kim enjoys hiking, drawing, and talking to her cats. She lives on the east coast USA with her husband and daughter. 

For more information, visit:
 









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Thursday, March 23, 2023

Character Confessions- Kari from Storm and Shadow by Valerie Storm #YAFantasy


Kari plopped down, arms folded over her chest. 

After a few tense taps of her foot, she unraveled and splayed her hands. 

“I hate her. Or…I don’t hate her, but. Can you even imagine? To…to play some higher being with people’s lives?”

She shot up from the ground and began to pace. 

“I mean, okay. Without this writer I wouldn’t have met all the people I love. But I ALSO wouldn’t have lost anyone! I’d…I’d be…” She trailed off, running her hands over her face before throwing them in the air. 

“I wouldn’t exist without her.” 

That realization deflated all the pent-up rage. 

Kari wilted. “This is why I hate gods.”


Storm and Shadow
Demon Storm 
Book Two
Valerie Storm

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Date of Publication: 11/13/2022
ISBN: 978-1-956883-06-0 
ASIN: B0BHYWJNKD 
Number of pages: 317
Word Count: 88352
Cover Artist: Ginka Jack

Tagline: The shadows call.  Will the lightning answer? 

Book Description:

Kari was dead—and then, she wasn't.

But for the wolf-demon with lightning in her fists, resurrection is no reprieve from exile. After old witch Zina revives her, Kari must conceal her true nature better than ever before, lest her slayers find her breathing and put her down for good. And since she can no longer return to what she once knew, Kari finds herself adrift—in search of purpose.

She gets it when Zina entrusts her with the Lapis Anima, a gem imprisoning the soul of wicked woman, Raven. This brings Kari into conflict with Raven herself, who's still very much a threat without her soul…and has devious plans in mind for Kari's destructive abilities.

Will the wolf-demon succumb to Raven's cruel temptations?

Or will Kari turn to an unlikely ally for help—the very man who killed her, one year ago?

Excerpt

Before she could answer, Raven’s words filled her mind. Such needless fear and
indecision. There is nothing wrong with wanting to survive, Kari. The only ones who will blame
you are the ones who deserve to die.

Kari staggered to a stop and ripped the necklace off. She held the gem in a hand, fingers
wrapped so tight the jagged edges cut her palm.

Kari’s vision swam. She recalled the redheaded woman leaning closer, her eyes glowing embers, her smile long and large. I’ve thought of the most wonderful plan.

“You!” Kari shouted.

“Oh,” the Fire Witch said. “And I thought my day would be dull and dreary.”

“You!” Kari yelled again. Her legs were numbly locked in place, but her chest was
aflame. Lightning crackled to life at her fingertips. She mouthed exclamations, insults, but her
voice failed. The woman was here, the one who had ruined everything!

She extended a shaking hand. Zina dropped the gem into her palm, where it flashed as it
touched her skin.

“Since you have taken it of your own will, you and the gem are now Bound.” As she said
the word, the air around Kari stiffened. Magic. “Should you die an unnatural death, the gem will
shatter, destroying the soul within.”

The palm-sized crystal tumbled to the ground and began to bounce. Kari watched, her eyes widening. Dark smoke issued from the gem, curling over the ground, swirling until it took the form of a kneeling woman. Her features coalesced: long, dark hair to match her wintry robes and contrast her ivory skin. The woman lifted her head, looking about with eyes cut from obsidian.

Her pale-pink lips were uplifted in a sneer, betraying little surprise.

The woman spared Kari no attention as she stood to her full height and looked around. She faced the nearest patch of darkness and raised a hand, curling her fingers into a fist. The shadows stretched away from the trees, bending toward the woman in lazy snake-like wisps.
They lifted off the ground and twisted around her fingers.




About the Author:

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children and children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.









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Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Cover Reveal The Storm Darkens by Valerie Storm #CoverReveal #YAFantasy


The Storm Darkens
Demon Storm 
Book Three
Valerie Storm

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Date of Publication: 04/13/2023
ISBN: TBD
ASIN: TBD
Word Count: 92210
Cover Artist: Ginkahederling

Tagline: Ancient power wrapped in ancient secrets.The power to rend the world and save her loved ones, unless it devours her first.

Book Description:

Evil never really dies. It rises, again and again.  

Now—Kari knows it’s rising inside her. 
 
After barely defeating wicked Shadow Witch Raven, the wolf-demon knows her turmoil is far from over when her vanquished foe invades her dreams. And a new power stirs within her: thanks to Raven’s cunning, Kari’s potential as the Catalyst has awoken. A conduit for a terrifying, world-cracking force—one that could open at any moment. 
 
Kari has resisted this new temptation thus far. But Raven again forces her hand, unleashing a demonic abomination to draw her prey out—a deadlier foe than any Kari has faced before. If she taps into this dark new power, she could become strong enough to defend the people she cares about. But the Catalyst has bloodthirsty designs of its own…
 
If she submits, what new horrors will be inflicted on the world Kari’s come to love?
 
And when the Catalyst is finished with her at last—what will be left of Kari?


About the Author:

Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the path to sharing with other children and children-at/heart looking for a place to call home.











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Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Ten Ways to Tell If You’re Dating a Shapeshifter with Roxanna Mason #ParanormalRomance #ParanormalDating




Dating is a fun and exciting way to get to know someone new. We’ve all had the rush of meeting a cute guy at the gym or a local bookstore and immediately wanting to get to know them better. It’s even more thrilling when that cute guy asks you out on a date. 

There are plenty of tips and tricks on how to make the object of your affection fall for you but what do you do if you suspect that he might be a shapeshifter? 

Whether this is your first supernatural dating experience or just your first time dating a guy who can turn himself into any man you could dream of, here are 10 tips to help you determine if your new crush has a secret.  

Be Yourself (because Lord knows he won’t)  

Any dating guide will tell you that you should always be yourself when meeting someone new but this is especially important when you find that you might be dating a shapeshifter. How are you going to notice his peculiar behavior when you’re too busy trying to come up with your own alter ego? Being upfront and honest about yourself is the easiest way to detect if someone you're dating might be hiding something. 

Does he have too many things in common with someone you know?  

Nothing is really a coincidence, especially when you’re dealing with the supernatural. When you ask your new date questions do you find that he has a little too much in common with your friend or neighbor or maybe even a co-worker? If you find that your new date and someone you know has the same love for 80s metal, obscure horror films, or drink their coffee in the exact same way they could just be the only two people you’ve ever met with that in common or… they could be the same person. 

Does he seem too good to be true? He probably is 

Let’s face it, prince charming usually doesn’t just show up out of nowhere. 
If you suddenly find that the man of your dreams just appeared in your life without much explanation and you can’t find a single flaw, that might be because he’s a shifter. It’s one thing to meet an attractive man, it's another to meet a male model who sends your flowers at work and whisks you away to The Hamptons for a weekend. 

Ask yourself, where did he come from? 

Even if you haven’t known someone for long, in the world of social media it’s usually pretty easy to figure out where someone came from. You can find everything from family photos to the high school someone attended if you search hard enough online. If you’re searching and there isn’t much of a digital paper trail on that gorgeous man sitting across the table from you, it might be because he doesn’t actually exist. 
 
Find out if he’s a firstborn son.  

A little-known fact about shifters is that the gene only shows up in firstborn males. Casually, ask your date about their siblings and see where he falls in the birth order. While it’s not a surefire way to detect a shifter, it’s definitely something to keep in mind while you’re playing detective. This is also good to remember when you start investigating who in your life might be a shifter. If they aren’t a firstborn son, you can safely eliminate them. 

If you suspect your date might be someone you know, ask them to be in two places at once.
 
Your shifter might have the ability to physically look like someone else but what he doesn’t have is the ability to be in two places at once. If you suspect that the guy you’re seeing might be someone you know, invite them both to a party or event. If they both show up, you know you’re not dealing with a shifter but if one of them ducks out with a lame excuse, you could have a shifter on your hands. 
 
Mention something you don’t like about your date to the person you think he might be. 

If you think you are dating a shifter and you have an idea who might be underneath the perfectly chiseled jaw of your dream man, mention something you don’t like about your date. If you tell your friend that your date isn’t particularly funny and the next time you see him he’s practically Matt Rife, you are probably on to something. 

Ask them obscure personal questions. 

Shifters have amazing supernatural abilities but they don’t necessarily have improv skills. It’s easy to make up random facts on the spot but if you ask your love interest obscure questions about themselves you might just throw them off their game. Ask them about the strangest food they’ve ever eaten, their favorite Ninja Turtle, or what their mother did for a living before she had children. The more specific and uncommon the question, the better.  

Say something incorrect about yourself and see if they accidentally slip up.  

If you suspect that your shifter may be someone that you’re very close to, throw in an incorrect fact about yourself. Tell them that your middle name is Elizabeth when it’s actually Morgan or that you love to garden when you can’t even keep a cactus alive. If you’re right, there’s a possibility that your shifter might slip up and call you out on it. If it’s really just a hot guy you met at a bar, he won’t know the difference.  

Does someone you know have a mysterious past?  

If you think you have a shifter on your hands but you aren’t sure who it is, start thinking about the pasts of the people you know. Do you have a friend whose family you’ve never met and who gets cagey every time you ask about them? Do you have a neighbor who you know almost nothing about but who artfully dodges any attempt you make to get to know them? If the answer is yes, you might have found your shifter. 

Dating a shapeshifter isn’t all bad. In terms of supernatural creatures, they make for pretty easy partners. They don’t go hunting at night, they have normal human lifespans, and caring for them is relatively easy. There’s also the perk of having a boyfriend who can look like Jason Momoa one day and Thomas Doherty the next. The best thing you can do if you find out that you’re dating one of these unique supernatural creatures is get to the bottom of who they are when they aren’t pretending to be the man of your dreams. You might find that beneath his alter ego, he’s not the one for you. However, there is the possibility that what you do find is even better than you were expecting. That’s the thing about shifters, they will always surprise you. 



Shifted
The Shifted Series 
Book One
Roxanna Mason

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 12/18/2022
ISBN: 979-8-218-12243-0
ASIN: B0BNCBQT61
Number of pages: 516
Word Count: 109,379

Cover Artist: Benjamin Richard

Book Description:  

Jacey Lange has everything she has ever wanted. She is newly engaged, and her menswear line is one of the fastest-growing in the country. Beautiful, successful, and deeply in love, Jacey feels like she's on top of the world.

That is, until she catches her fiance in bed with her assistant.

Everything around her comes crashing down.

Thankfully, her best friend, Leon, welcomes her back to her old apartment with open arms. The people in Jacey’s life watch for months as she wallows in her misery, until Leon hatches a plan: if Jacey agrees to get herself back out there and promises to go out with the next five guys that ask her, no matter who they are, then not only will he give her the master bedroom in the apartment, but both Leon and Jacey’s sister, Elise, will agree to stop meddling in her love life.

In rapid succession, Jacey finds herself falling for five completely different men. Yet despite all their differences, there is something oddly familiar about each one. When she finds out why, it won't just change the way she feels about love, it will make her question everything she once thought was real.

Amazon      BN

Excerpt:

I didn't know what Owen had in mind, but it was already obvious to me that I would go anywhere this man was leading. He kept his hand in mine as he guided me through the crowded bar and toward the pool tables. Thankfully, because the band was still playing, the back of the bar was far less populated.

"Is playing pool normally part of a first date with you, or are you just trying to get me alone?" I teased.

Owen took a step towards me, pinning me between him and the pool table.

"Both," he said with a smile on his face that I could only describe as wicked.

I tilted my head to the side as I looked up at him. "Let's make it interesting, then."

"Interesting?"

I took a step to the side, sliding out from between him and the ancient wooden table. I grabbed a pool cue off of the rack and tossed it to him before grabbing a decidedly smaller one for myself. "We're going to need more shots," I said to him.

A smile crept over his dark features. "My kind of girl..." he murmured as he lowered his head towards mine.

"Nope, if you want to kiss me, you better plan on winning."

Owen shook his head and left me at the table while I started to rack the balls. A few minutes later, he returned with four shots; two of whiskey, two of tequila. I took one of the shot glasses filled with dark brown liquor straight out of his hand and threw it back. I winced as the alcohol made my throat close in on itself. The truth was, I might have been putting on a show. I enjoyed the way I felt around Owen, but I didn't know if I was as wild as I wanted him to believe.

"So what are the stakes here?" he asked me as he set the remaining shots on a nearby hightop.

"If you win, you get to take me home..." I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. It was breathy and seductive. Those two shots apparently went to my head faster than I thought.

"And if you win?" Owen asked with a raised brow.

"If I win, I get a second date."

"Who said we can't do both?" he said with a chuckle.

I rolled my eyes. I didn't have this whole impulsive, whiskey-drinking, short skirt-wearing Jacey completely figured out yet.

Owen took a step towards me. He reached for my hips and pulled me toward him. "What do you really want?"

I could feel my pulse banging in my ears, and the loud, crowded bar faded into the background. He reached around my head, threading his fingers into my hair and tugging me towards him. I leaned forward, expecting him to kiss me, but his mouth hovered over mine.

"What do you want?" he asked again.

"You," I said, my voice caught in my throat.

"What was that?" he asked teasingly. His deep voice, vibrating through me.

"I want you."

Finally, he brought his lips to mine and kissed me deeply. Kissing Owen wasn't new to me; we couldn't stop kissing the night he drove me over the Brooklyn Bridge. But this was something else. I wasn't sure I even knew my own name anymore.

"When I take you home, it's going to be because you're begging me to...not because I won at pool."


About the Author: 

Roxanna Mason is a debut paranormal romance author and formally trained actor from Los Angeles, California. It was her deep love of storytelling that led her to study theatre and that same love of storytelling that drove her to write her first novel. When not writing, Roxanna is binge watching horror films, creating vegan recipes, and dancing around her living room to Fleetwood Mac.



  


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Monday, March 13, 2023

Dani Ripley's Top Ten Female Apocalyptic Heroes #FemaleHeroes #Horror #EcoApocalypse #Dystopian


Top Ten Female Heroes of the Apocalypse

I’m Dani Ripley, author of the eco-apocalypse horror novel, North Woods. Thank you for having me as a guest blogger today! My novel features a female protagonist, and because of that I’m here to talk about my top ten female heroes of the apocalypse. I’ll discuss several of my favorite apocalypse movies/shows below along with their female leads to see what kind of woman it takes to survive the end of the world.

#1: Alice (Milla Jovovich), Resident Evil. Alice is the person you want next to you when fighting your way through hordes of zombies, or anything else for that matter. This goes for all of the Resident Evil movies; though they may vary in quality, Alice is always front and center, kicking ass while saving the world and her friends (well, most of them anyway).

#2: Alexa “Lex” Woods (Sanaa Lathan), Alien vs. Predator. Sanaa Lathan is outstanding in this. You could argue this isn’t technically an “apocalypse” film - it’s more of a pre-apocalypse– but I think it’s a perfect example because Lexprevents the apocalypse, thereby making her a hero of the apocalypse. Particularly because when considering all of the various end-of-world scenarios, face huggers and chest bursters are a horrible way to go!

#3: Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor), The 100. Clarke makes some seriously ugly decisions when other people can’t andbecomes a strong -albeit complicated – leader. She saves everyone again in the end when she makes another critical decision, even though it costs her everything and leaves her completely alone.If you haven’t seen The 100, you’re definitely missing out.

#4: Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), Edge of Tomorrow. Also known as the “Angel of Verdun”. Sergeant Vrataski sacrifices herself over and over to save the world, providing a vital assist to the “star” of the movie Major William “Bill” Cage. I’d argue here that Rita is the star because, without her training and guidance, Major Cage wouldn’t be able to save much of anything. Honestly, both are amazing in this, but this is about the women, so Cage takes a back seat. One of my all-time favorites.

#5: Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), The Walking Dead. Note I’m speaking about the television show, not the comic! In the show, Carol has an incredibly complex arc, going from an abused wife to one of the series’ most effective leaders. In the world they portray, most women wouldn’t be able to survive with just brute strength – they’d need to be clever and adaptable, and Carol is a perfect example. She’s a woman who not only survives the apocalypse but becomes the strongest version of herself because of it.

#6: Michonne Grimes (Danai Gurira), The Walking Dead. Again, speaking only to the television show and not the comic, but I can’t mention Carol without mentioning Michonne. Michonne’s debut on the show is unforgettable (which I won’t spoil here for those who’ve yet to see), and her spectacular survival and fighting skills – not to mention her incredibly deft use of her constant companion, the katana – guarantees her spot as one of the ten best female heroes of the apocalypse.

#7: Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), Mad Max Fury Road. A one-armed fighter who starts on the wrong side but ends up on the right, Imperator Furiosa is an avenging warrior to the women known as the Five Wives, and a super inspiring feminist icon for anyone who enjoys a great action movie but doesn’t always want to see dudes having all the fun!

#8: Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I love this show for its unabashed girl-power vibe. It’s entertaining and fun, but it also has a moral center and a ton of heart. Its lead Buffy is just your average friend, sister, and daughter who’s just trying to get through the hellscape known as high school when she finds out she’s the Chosen One – and now she’s tasked with being the only thing standing between literally EVERYTHING evil and the world as we know it. 

#9: Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), Prometheus. She’s an archeologist who discovers a star map, so she’s smart, and she’s tough. In order to survive her experience aboard the Prometheus she ends up performing abdominal surgery on herself, and then in order to save our world she sets off alone for a distant unknown planet with only a severed robot head for company, just to try to convince our hostile ancient ancestors not to annihilate the entire human race. 

#10: Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Terminator: Dark Fate. I love the Terminator franchise so much. The original movie scared the crap out of me as a kid in the 80’s. It still does. But Sarah Connor kicks the Terminator’s ass every time and that makes me feel better. She even comes and kicks its ass again in Dark Fate. A special nod here also to Emilia Clarke, who plays Sarah Connor in Terminator: Genysis. Recently I saw a headline asking if it was “time to stop making the Terminator movies”? My answer is a resounding NO. Do. Not. Ever. Stop. Making. These. Movies. That is all.

Everyone has their own idea of what makes a hero and I certainly have many, both male and female. I’m giving the women a shout-out here because I’d love to see lots more of them in these kinds of roles in the future.

I’d love to know your thoughts below. Did I miss anyone? Who are your favorite female heroes of the apocalypse? And why?




North Woods
Dani Ripley

Genre: Horror, Eco-Apocalypse
Publisher: Dani Ripley
Date of Publication: Jan. 26, 2023
ISBN: 979-8375227313
ASIN: B0BT9W7CHL
Number of pages: 337 
Word Count: 64,537
Cover Artist: Dani Ripley

Tagline: Outrun the horde. Survive the ice.

Book Description:

Post-apocalyptic female buddy-western set against a backdrop of a sudden, cataclysmic ice age.

Hax can barely remember her real name, it's been so long since she's used it. “Hax” is a shortened version of the word Haxa – the Swedish word for witch - a nickname given to her by people afraid of her seemingly supernatural abilities: appearing out of nowhere then disappearing again just as quickly; uncannily accurate weather pattern readings; and extraordinary skill at tracking prey, human or otherwise. Or perhaps it was simply her propensity for sudden and extreme violence.

A natural loner, Hax isn’t bothered so much by the apocalypse as she is by other people. As such, she’s surprised to find herself traveling with a small group after a long solitary stint in the woods, but when a larger, more savage gang threatens her new people, she’s unable to convince the smaller group of the danger. Realizing it’s too late, she abandons them to their fate, but not before one of the younger members, Pip, sees her escape and decides to follow.

After witnessing the brutal slaughter of their fellow travelers, the two strangers set off through an icy northern wilderness to find Pip’s father, whose last known residence is a camp near the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. In order to survive, Hax and Pip will have to find a way to escape the ruthless horde of marauders still stalking them at every turn, as well as withstand extreme cold, starvation, and exhaustion. And above all, they’ll have to learn to trust each other. 


Excerpt

In the middle of the night, I awoke to a low growl. Confused, I groggily fought my way up through thick layers of sleep to realize it was Misha. Fully awake now, I shushed him and listened. Faint footfalls crunched outside. Whoever it was, they weren’t on top of us yet, but they weren’t far away.  I shook Pip awake and held a finger to my lips as she blinked up at me. Misha growled again, making Pip sit straight up in her sleeping bag.

“Get the gun,” I whispered. “And hold onto him,” I gestured at Misha, who stared intently at the tent flap. I dug my large hunting knife out of my bag and unsheathed it. “And don’t shoot me,” I added.

“Don’t go out there!” Pip hissed.

“It’ll be ok,” I said. “You remember how to use that, right?”

“Yes, but I still don’t think you should go.”

“It’ll be ok,” I repeated, as much for myself as for her. I unzipped the flap as quietly as I could.

Misha twitched behind me, but Pip held him tightly in the crook of her left arm. In her right hand, she clutched the gun, her finger loosely on the trigger. “Be right back,” I whispered. “If you see anyone who isn’t me, shoot them.” I slipped out before she could answer, leaving the flap open in my wake.

Holding my knife in front of me, I crept away from the tent, every muscle in my body tense with anticipation. The clouds had dissipated, leaving a clear, moonlit night. I didn’t see anyone in the immediate area. Our fire had gone out. I crouched low and made my way around the smoldering pit to the check on the horses.

Dancer huffed and regarded me with huge, calm brown eyes, his scruffy coat in desperate need of brushing. I gave him a good scratch. Blitzen shook her head and whinnied, shoving her nose at me to be stroked too. They didn’t seem upset. Perhaps what we’d heard were simply sounds of the winter forest settling for the night.

Just as I had the thought, a huge arm covered in stinking fur grabbed me around my neck and a grimy hand clamped roughly over my mouth. I sputtered and backed up into what felt like a brick wall. Without thinking, I stomped down hard with my right boot and shoved my butt out as far as I could, surprising him and breaking his hold on me. I whirled around and got low, grunting like an animal and diving for his knees. I didn’t manage to knock him over, but I drove my knife deep into his inner thigh just above his knee. When I heard the solid wet ‘thock’ of its hilt hitting his flesh, I jerked it up all the way up to his groin, severing his femoral artery.

He didn’t so much fall as crumble to a sitting position on the snow. He grabbed at his leg and looked at me. I scuttled backward on my butt like a crab, putting a couple more feet between us even though I was pretty sure he was bleeding out. “Demon,” he hissed. “I know you.” I crept forward again, my bloody knife held before me like an offering. “Get away from me,” he said.
“You’re dying,” I said back. “How many of you are there?”

“All of us. We’re coming for you.”

“Yes, but how far away?” I asked, exasperated. We didn’t have time for this. I was absolutely sure he was part of a group.

“We’re everywhere,” he said, fading. The blood beneath him was turning black, growing like a cartoon shadow. “You and your little girlfriend are going to die.”

“Not before you,” I said, rising. I looked around in the gloom. The horses huffed and stomped their feet. Was it possible he’d been alone? Maybe just a scout?

As I turned to go back to the tent a single gunshot shattered the stillness of the night. I broke into a run, skidding through muddy snow, sliding to a stop just beyond the fire pit. A body lay in a heap outside the tent. It was too large to be Pip. Cautiously I approached and leaned over. I could tell it was a man, or formerly a man, but that was all. His face had been completely obliterated from the point-blank shot. I peered into the tent, saw a smoking barrel, and Pip’s pale face beyond. “Are you ok?” I asked her.

“Misha’s gone!” she cried, pushing her way out of the tent. “He ran away when I fired the gun!”

“We’ve got to go, Pip. Others are coming.” I began throwing things into my pack and stuffing them down. Gently I took the gun from Pip. Her hands were shaking.

“We can’t leave Misha!” she yelled at me.

“Pip, we have to go. They’ll kill us, or worse. Get your stuff now!”

She rolled up her sleeping bag quickly and secured it to her pack, zipping up her parka. Mine was already done and strapped to my pack. “I’ll get the horses. You stay here,” I ordered.


About the Author 

Dani Ripley lives in Michigan and loves writing.












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