The Darkest Days
(Death & Decay
Book 0.5)
by R.L. Blalock
Published: August 27,
2016
Genre: Genre: Science
Fiction, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
Blurb:
**SHORT
STORY TO BE READ ALONG SIDE THE DEATH & DECAY SERIES NOVELS**
To
protect and serve.
The
motto that every officer is taught from their first day in the academy. On a
humid June day in St. Louis, it is a motto that could get Officer Wyatt Ward
killed.
Desperate
citizens flock to the station as the officers of the Cottleville Police
Department struggle to handle the chaos that is enveloping a city already
shaken by rioting. But as darkness descends something much worse is rising.
The
deranged. Brutal, unforgiving, single-minded monsters that were once the
citizens Wyatt was sworn to protect. Now, they attack. They bite. They infect.
As
fear takes hold…
As
the city begins to eat itself…
As
the world crumbles…
What
is a man who is sworn to protect to do as the world dies?
Buy
Links:
My
Review:
Officer
Wyatt Ward’s day is not going too well. Ever since he came to work this morning
there have been a lot of weird calls. Now he gets a call that there is a dead
body on the street. Right before he makes it to the street where the dead body
was reported a call goes out that one of their officers was in trouble. Wyatt
wants to go help his fellow officer but he has a call of his own that he must
attend to first. But when he gets there the body is gone and while he is
looking around to see what might be going on the dispatcher comes on the radio
telling all officers are to report to the station now.
Once
Wyatt is back at the station he sees a lot of people trying to get into the
station. Wyatt meets another officer while trying to make his way inside. On
closer inspection they soon realize that some of the people are eating other
people. They don’t have a clue what is going on but when one of these people
come at them trying to eat them as well it is on then and it doesn’t matter as
to why they are trying to eat them.
Well
needless to say it is not long before the station if overrun with these
monsters that use to be human. Wyatt and the other officers are not sure what
to do. It is their job to protect the people but how do they protect the people
when the same people are attacking them? Will Wyatt and the other officers end
up trapped in the police station? Who will make it out alive? Will anyone make
it out alive? Who is going to protect the ones that are supposed to do the
protecting?
I
have honestly enjoyed following along with Officer Wyatt while he fights the
zombies. I sure do love me some zombies and if you love zombies then you are
going to as I say “tee totally” love The Darkest Days. I highly recommend The
Darkest Days to anyone who loves a good zombie story of any kind.
An
Interview with R.L. Blalock
So,
what have you written?
My first work was a
novella called Mark of Perdition. It’s a demonic story that started as a
nightmare and allowed me to find my voice as an author. Currently, it’s free
for anyone to read on wattpad.
After that, I wrote
another novella called The Darkest Days. It’s an offshoot of the Death &
Decay series. I loved writing it because it was all action. I felt like I
really hit my stride while writing it and it gave me a lot more confidence when
I tackled my novel, Devour. Devour is the first novel in the Death & decay
series. It’s really where the story starts and what I wanted to write for a
long time.
Right now, I’m working
on Divided, book two in the Death & Decay series. This one has tripped me
up a few times. There is a lot going on with the story. But I’m really excited
for it to be finished.
What
genre are your books?
Science fiction and
horror. Both together and separate.
What
draws you to this genre?
I like stories that draw
me into a new world, even if that world is terrifying. I want something that
will let me forget about reality, even if it’s just for a little bit. I
particularly like storylines where the needs are much more basic. Survival,
food, water, shelter. Things that make the problems of daily life
insignificant. It’s that kind of dire situation that I can really lose myself
in and shrug off the stress of the day.
When
did you decide to become a writer?
When I really decided to
go for it and write something, was not too long after my daughter was born. I
have wanted to be a writer since middle school, but after my daughter was born
it became much more important. Parents are supposed to lead and teach by
example and if I want her to follow her dreams and make them a reality, then I
need to show her that it can be done by following through with my own dreams.
Do you read much and if
so who are your favorite authors?
Finding time to read has gotten difficult between working,
writing, and raising a 3-year-old, but I try to set aside at least thirty
minutes each night. My all-time favorite authors have to Joe McKinney, Rhiannon
Frater, Ernest Cline, David Wong, Anne McCaffrey, and Tamora Pierce.
For your own reading,
do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
I’m old school. I love a good, old
paperback book. I love the feel of the pages and the look of the words. I love
being able to see them on my bookshelf and be instantly reminded of the other
world they hold within their pages. However, begrudgingly I have a kindle I
read off of for the most part. IT’s hard to argue when the books are so much
less expensive.
What
are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Good reviews are what
keep writers going on the bad days. I still remember my first five-star review.
I was stressed out by work, stressed out with an upcoming book launch, a to-do
list that could bury an elephant, a novel that was well behind schedule. But
with that one review I could feel some of my energy return. I found new
strength to push on and get more done. And each one does that. Each one is like
a little energy boost. Someone saying, “keep going. You’ve got this.” As for bad
reviews, they are what they are. No one book is going to make everyone happy.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t deflating. They are. They can make you question
what you’re even doing. But some of the bad reviews can actually be really
helpful. They can force you to face the shortcomings of your writing and figure
out how to fix them.
What
advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write. And just keep
writing. It sounds easy, but it’s not.
You’ll doubt yourself.
You’ll doubt your writing, your plot, your characters. But keep pushing
forward. Keep getting words on the page. So many people start writing and never
follow through with their idea. Even if you just finish the story, you’ve
already finished more than most people ever will.
Other Books in Series:
Devour
(Death & Decay Book 1)
Author Bio:
R. L. Blalock’s love of
reading started young, but her love of zombies started later in life. In 2008,
when R. L. Blalock first watched the remake of Dawn of the Dead she instantly
fell in love with the genre.
Born and raised in Sacramento,
California, R. L. Blalock now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her loving
husband, precocious three-year-old daughter, two dogs, and a bird.
Find
out more about The Darkest Days and R.L. Blalock
0 comments:
Post a Comment