Apocalypse Training? Every once in a while, a Survivalista has to test her mettle. She must put herself in a situation that requires quick thinking, a reliance on instincts, and the ability to make a conscious decision about whether to fight or to run. She needs to prove to herself that she will survive The Big One.
Since most sports - all of the ones I can think of at any rate - are games of war, any one of them could help in this endeavor. They are about two sides fighting to be the winner. They run. They chase. They attack! By Gods, they defend themselves, their side, and each other!
But this is organized madness. It has rules and standards and reliable outcomes. Despite the look of the field and the state of some of the players after the match is won, there is relatively little danger here. Okay, yes, I know: even with helmets, football players get brain injuries when they hit their heads. (By the way, technically speaking, that goes for anyone who takes a good wallop to the head.) But the madness is on a clock and there are people around trying to ensure that no one gets really hurt.
If you're brave, and possibly a little reckless, try going to a less than reputable bar. I don't want anyone running off to their nearest biker bar or gang bar or whathaveyou bar. Almost any bar will do. Well, except possibly really posh bars where people go to be seen drinking expensive scotch they don't actually like and cannot really afford.
Go to a local place that's well established (i.e. - has been there a long while without a change in management) with a few friends. They should have a couple of bartenders and at least one bouncer. Bars that play hip hop and techno music are your best bets for a fight.
This isn't due to some racial stereotype. It's due to ageism. Younger people, particularly men, are more likely to get into bar fights than older ones.
Dress for the bar: if it's a jeans and T-shirt place, don't wear a sequinned dress and heels that would make a runway model feel uneasy. In fact, don't wear heels. Whatever outfit you wear, make sure to match it with flats. I repeat: flats. You can have fun while you're out, but this is a training exercise: wear proper shoes for Apocalypse Training. You wouldn't wear stilettos to the track.
As far as actually being a part of the fight, try not to be. Good Survivalistas know how to pick their battles. Fighting one that doesn't actually pertain to anyone except a couple of drunk guys (or girls) who are posturing for the approval of their peers doesn't make sense.
While I am advising you to go out and essentially look for a fight, I am not telling you to fight. Go out into the world of uninhibited madness and learn the signs of a fight.
As weird as this sounds, the movies and TV didn't lie about this one: there really are signs that a bar brawl is about to break out. Time doesn't slow down and I've never heard of anyone having sudden flashes of the future. The signs are more a collection of ordinary things or events: drunk people in a bar; jovial teasing or taunting; loud music; lots of people in a small space; people getting bumped and jostled around. Look for these. (Did I mention that pretty much any bar will do?)
And listen to your instincts. Humans may be evolved, but we are still animals. If you pay attention to the little hairs on the back of your neck when they raise up in anticipation of danger, you will have a much better chance of avoiding said danger.
How will you train for the apocalypse? Tell us in the comments!
feedproxy.google.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:39:00 +0000
Watch Free Movies Online and Knowledge Various Video Makes ... Sci-fi motion pictures provide visitors for you to wonderful places such as far-flung exoplanets as well as simultaneous dimensions. Plenty of sci-fi motion pictures are set in the disorderly as well as dangerous post-apocalyptic planet that is ...
geopp.org Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:13:11 GMT
thequestionclub: Okay, so I know this is incredibly broad Okay, so I know this is incredibly broad, but I need your help because I'm drawing a stupid freakin' blank: At the end of February I'm going to be key makeup artist for an independent post-apocalyptic film, and I'm putting together a folder of ...
thequestionclub.livejournal.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:39:06 GMT
Create a Post-Apocalyptic Photo-Composition � Tuts+ Premium ... In this Tuts+ Premium tutorial, author Mark Mayers will create a post-apocalyptic photo composition that will take inspiration from movies such as Planet of Apes, where an astronaut finds himself marooned on Earth thousands of years in the ...
freewebdesignscottsdale.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:38:01 GMT
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:29:48 -0600
Happy Lunar New Year 2012 Explore your surroundings, find clues and solve puzzles to move the story forward. Enjoy the lush surroundings as the.. Road Wolves Aggresive racing game in post-apocalyptic world. Weapons, upgrades, unlockable vehicles and 13 maps in ...
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:24:05 -0600
Digital Comics Deal: Dark Horse Rock & Roll Sale | Geeks of Doom Tom Morello's Orchid is a story about a girl fighting against an oppressive regime on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Her family has been ripped apart, and she's on a mission of revenge and freedom alongside some unlikely allies. Personally, I've ...
geeksofdoom.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:17:33 GMT
The World in the Satin Bag: Book Review: After the Apocalypse by ... But, mostly, the collection about survival, without all the exotic images our post-apocalyptic movies show us. There are no grand heroes here, nor an assurance that "things are turning around." These are stories caught in the middle between ...
wisb.blogspot.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:10:00 GMT
Complexity of Meat | Flotsam and Jetsam That �weird moral environment� is why I've said flat out to Mike that in the post-apocalyptic world, I will be a vegetarian because I cannot imagine killing, let alone preparing the animal for food. Even now, I can't eat food that has a face (e.g. fish ...
cheryl.dewolfe.bc.ca Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:54:39 GMT
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:53:10 -0600
Gays Versus Zombies: Yay, Walking Dead! Aaron and Eric are residentsAlexandria Safe Zone, a former gated neighborhood community where a small number of post apocalyptic survivors are holding out. They work together as scouts who evaluate other survivors to decide if they're ...
Prototype in the works. Gonna be a long weekend for my kitty.
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:45:42 -0600
End of Days - Post apocalyptic gaming: Say hello to the ladies....errrr End of Days - Post apocalyptic gaming. A blog about my post apocalyptic gaming project. Saturday, 28 January 2012. Say hello to the ladies....errrr. A few quick pictures of a couple more mutants for my my mutant family. Both of these are errr ...
jonswargames.blogspot.com Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:02:00 GMT
8 Best Post Apocalyptic Games So many titles have been spawned under the post apocalyptic genre of late, it was a tricky task to pick out the best of these offerings.
Exclusive Interview: Luke Perry returns with GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE: THE ... Assignment X By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Contributing Writer Luke Perry is known to '90s TV fans as BEVERLY HILLS 90210's Dylan McKay , HBO's OZ fans as the Reverend Jeremiah Cloutier and to fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction for his portrayal of the title role in ...
I was going through my notebook where I write blog post ideas and such and I found an old topic that I never got a chance to write about.
Apparently, cursive writing is no longer a required part of the school core curriculum as stated on the Common Core State Standards for English. The majority of the U.S. has already adopted the standard.
Public schools can still teach cursive but students are expected to be keyboard-proficient.
My question is: if those who don't already know how to write cursive aren't taught how to write it (21st century children) then what motivation would they have to learn how to read it? Can you imagine an entire generation unable to read a simple document hand-written in cursive?
What about the individuality of having your own recognizable, unique penmanship?
It saddens me that even school officials would refer to cursive as a dying art.
It's like saying "I don't have to be good at spelling, that's what auto-correct is for."
Editor's Note: I'm not at all surprised that cursive is being phased out of the public school system. I still remember when I was in high school, there were budget cuts that eliminated the animation and film program --- in an ART SCHOOL. So all of us who went to this specialized high school strictly for these programs were bumped into commercial art and photography instead. I've attended private schools from pre-k all the way up to junior high - and when I transitioned into a public high school, I realized then how much more advanced my level of study had been. As a freshman I was taking senior level classes because I had already covered everything else.
It's essentially what happened to 3d animation replacing the "old-school hand drawn on paper and cells" process. During art school one of the first required classes was traditional animation. Why? Because not only did it teach us the basics and foundation, it gave us a greater appreciation for it once we moved into the digital phase of the curriculum. Many of the skills learned from the traditional skills were transferrable to the digital one.
This is especialy disconcerting to me because I'm a writer as well. While I compose a lot of my stories on my laptop or tablet, I still spend a lot of time writing stories in longhand.
I take all of my notes down for school in longhand as well, as do all of my classmates. Some of us use laptops / tablets in conjunction with it but not as a primary method of jotting notes.
While I agree that students' curriculum should keep in pace with modern technology and prepare them for the future, learning cursive can only further benefit them overall in their pursuit of education and future endeavors and should not be viewed otherwise.
Mixing the old with the new would be the optimal solution to this and not just making one completely obsolete.
Speaking of obsolete, here's one of my personal favorite episode of The Twiilight Zone. The Obsolete Man.
Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.
Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.
Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.
And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.
I have to start this review with a disclaimer. I’m not a huge reader of YA fiction, and if I do read YA it tends to be post-apocalyptic or dystopic, contemporary is something that I only really read in my teens. But when I saw New Girl was an interpretation of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier I was intrigued, so still with some trepidation I started to read…..
New Girl starts with new girl (her name is revealed right at the end of the book, so for the purposes of the review, I’m going to call her NG), who has fantasized of attending a big old boarding school since reading Harry Potter, being accepted into Manderley which is located far away from her home town in Florida. Upon arriving things seem a little “weird”, and she quickly learns that as well as being the new girl in school, she is also replacing Becca, who mysteriously disappeared before the summer break. As the story progresses, more of Becca’s story is revealed and NG struggles with the pressure (and nastiness) of being the “replacement” for a beloved classmate and friend.
The story of New Girl is intriguing, captivating and well-written and is in first person POV for NG and third person POV for Becca. I was constantly drawn back to the story and every time I was forced to put it down I just wanted to get back to reading. Ms. Harbison’s writing style is near faultless and matched the story perfectly.
What I liked best about New Girl was the story, but also the characters of NG and Becca. Although completely different in their lives and behaviors, there are common themes of peer acceptation, self-identity and isolation. NG is an average, nice girl and as a reader I liked her immensely while simultaneously feeling sympathy toward her situation. The romance between NG and Max could have been built up a little further, but it wasn’t a main feature of the book for me.
The only thing that stopped me giving this book 5 stars is the ending – it felt a little rushed and things fell a little too neatly into place. However I will definitely be reading more of Ms Harbison’s work in the future.
Despite my hesitation when it came to New Girl, I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. It is important to point out that there is alcohol, some drug use and “funky-time” in this book which does mean it is aimed at the older end of the YA spectrum. I’m not a prude when it comes to books, so this wasn’t even an issue for me, but something to keep in mind if you are looking for a clean YA read.
and a big 1/2
I received an advance copy of New Girl from the publisher, but this has not influenced my review in any way.
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000
Book Review: A Greater Monster by David David Katzman, and Caitlin Drake McKay ... Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) ORG Set in post-apocalyptic times, A Greater Monster takes the reader on a vividly detailed journey in which a man, sometimes called "Last Man," goes on a quest for a meaning and a reason. His search takes him to places where the creatures are ...
We need to stay vigilant because they may have lost this last battle but they are not giving up on the war. They’ll be back with more of this same Big Brother shit but probably under a different name. The terms SOPA and PIPA are now poison. They’ll likely try to slip a lot of this stuff in some omnibus bill. In the meantime, we need to punish express our displeasure with those who supported SOPA/PIPA and reward those who opposed it.
Someone should build a list of websites and companies that are or were or still is Pro SOPA /PIPA so that users who were opposed to this Grossly unconstitutional and tyrannical bill will know what websites to Boycott and what company/products to boycott for #blackmarch my only reason for thinking this is that there are good company /websites/products…
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:21:50 -0600
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.
My copy of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight landed on my desk at work just over 24 hours ago. Despite the looming piles of books to be read surrounding me when I woke up this morning, I picked this book up intending to read a few pages and then get some of things I had planned for today done. You know what they say about the best laid plans….
I’m hesitant to call this a “cute read” because I don’t think it does the story, the characters nor the writing justice. I had assumed that this book would either be written in first person POV of Hadley, but it is actually written in third person, which makes it feel a little bit more “grown-up” – in a good way! I really liked Hadley as a character, and felt sympathetic towards her without feeling pity, enjoyed her sense of humor, her claustrophobia is something I can completely relate to and Oliver is funny and sweet in that most English of ways (am I a little biased as Mr Kat is English? Most probably.)
Ms. Smith’s writing is excellent, delicately balancing the story with dialogue and story and moving at a quick but unrushed paced, with emphasis on character interactions, detailed but not over-the-top descriptions of people, places and situations and I was completely immersed.
I highly recommend this book, particularly to lovers of YA contemporary novels. It also has huge appeal for anyone who enjoys a good, sweet story.
(as contemporary YA)
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000
Excellent coffee for those who are always on the go.
This is not as strong as what I'm used to as far as coffee blends go but I use it mainly as after dinner coffee and for in between my classes. It's just strong enough to get me by for another few hours.
I'd say the major thing this has going for it is that it already includes the creamer and the sugar in the packet. Just add hot water.
Those of you who like their coffee very storng might find this week tasting to start off with but it's definitely worth a shot.
Suitable for: college students road warriors dayhikers / campers / light backpackers preppers on a budget
It currently sells for $1.99 / box (each box has 10 individual packets)
Real AK with Real Chainsaw for a bayonet. Practical? No. Sweet? Hell, yeah!
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:47:18 -0600
Post-Apocalyptic Time-lapse Online version of the leading monthly contemporary and underground art bible, Juxtapoz Art and Culture Magazine, with featured articles, blogs, video, reader art, gallery guides, forums, and archives. Juxtapoz Magazine
Seventeen-year-old Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day!
High school is hard enough; imagine rapidly aging from seventeen to seventy in a matter of weeks, with no logical explanation, and with prom, graduation, and the state championship basketball game all on the horizon. That’s what happens to Cameron, a popular pretty boy who's never had to face a day looking anything but perfect.
All Cameron wants to do is go back to normal, but no one, not even the best doctors, can diagnose his condition. When he finds love with a mysterious young woman, however, he realizes his only hope for survival might be with the one person who started his condition in the first place...
I’d seen this book around the blogosphere and thought the premise sounded interesting – what would you do if you were ageing a year for every day that you lived? How would you cope with ageing faster than your peers, becoming physically older than your parents, knowing that instead of having another 60 years to live, you would only have another 60 days. And how much worse would it be as a teenager, with your whole life ahead of you, knowing your dreams and plans would never eventuate?
For Cameron (who I have to say is a bit of an arse in the beginning of the book), he decides to continue living his teenage life as normal – despite being ridiculed and ostracized by his former girlfriend and basketball team-mates, the pressure of his father and the fact that every day he wakes up looking and feeling a year older than the day before.
The characters of Happy Birthday to Me are interesting – Cameron is a self-assured brat at the beginning of the book, but as he rapidly ages he comes to realize some important things about life – as well as having a few creepy and surreal experiences as a 17 year old in the body of an adult. His parents and sister struggle with watching him age before their very eyes, and the adults around him begin to treat him differently, despite that he is still a teenager on the inside.
Happy Birthday to Me is well written – the story is clear and moves at a good pace, is engaging and raises some interesting questions about the restrictions we place on people when they reach a certain age, a family dealing with a medical anomaly and a little bit of supernatural thrown in for extra entertainment.
I did have one niggle with this book, and that was Cameron’s relationship with his girlfriend, Charisma (the name just grated on me!). I didn’t feel it added much to the story, only made me grind my teeth a little.
As this book is part of a trilogy, I won’t say much about the ending (although I did tear up a bit!), but it did definitely make me want to move on to the next book as soon as possible. As a YA writer, Mr. Rowe has amazing potential!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0000
Hunter: After the Fall, by John Phillip Backus, is a captivating post-apocalyptic adventure that takes place 15 years after an all out worldwide nuclear war has devastated the planet and killed the majority of its human inhabitants. After surviving the war and subsequent nuclear winter, Hunter, a former special forces operative, has made a home for himself in a long abandoned gold mine nestled into the side of a mountain. The rich detail in which Backus describes Hunter’s rocky mountain home creates the sense that Hunter is truly returning to being one with nature. Hunter’s lifestyle is similar to those that lived throughout North America for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. Much like the wolves and bears that roam the area, Hunter is deeply connected to the mountain wilderness. He is able to sustain himself from the abundant resources that the rocky mountain ecosystem provides. Hunter is content with his life until the arrival of Elise, who is the daughter of Hunter’s former commanding officer. Elise is sent by her father to find Hunter and to seek his help in the defence of their community of New Eden, which is in danger of being overtaken by an army of bloodthirsty invaders. In an effort to repay his former commanding officer for saving his life during the war, Hunter is quick to offer his assistance. The story follows the many adventures of Hunter and his counterpart, the strong and beautiful Elise, as they fight to save New Eden. In Hunter, the first book in his After the Fall series, Backus combines a unique blend of Native American shamanism and post-apocalyptic action that makes for a very thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining story.
apocalypticfiction.com 2012-01-27T01:39:14Z
Survivors : The new version Right now Survivors is available on watch it now via Netflix. It is kind of a re-make of the original ’70s show which are both based on a book of the same name. Same deal, a flu outbreak kills everyone and a small group of survivors wander around England trying to survive. It definitely is [...]
postapocalyptic.us Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:32:32 +0000
Notify me of followup comments via e-mail Singularity Hub Sons of Chaos is a short post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie written and directed by french director Mathieu Turi. The film is 15 min long and was shot for only $3000. Despite its super low budget it manages to not only grab but also keep the viewers' ...
Full Moon jumps on the Nazi train with PUPPET MASTER X: AXIS RISING One could wonder if Nazis are destined to become the next big concept to cross over into the mainstream, like Zombies before them. The indie horror scene is certainly all over them these days with Full Moon's Puppet Master series the next to adopt them as well.
Welcome to my stop on the Young Adult Giveaway Hop! Co-hosted byI Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Down the Rabbit Hole, there are dozens of blogs participating. Make sure you hop through the links!
I love ''free choice'' giveaways - reading what everyone would like to win, and seeing what the winner chooses is fun - it also gives me some GREAT ideas for books I want! So I'm doing it again - this time up to the value of EUR 15 from The Book Depository (as long as they ship to you for free!) - any YA book you want!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:30:00 +0000
The Walking Dead Season 2 Returns Promo Video Take a look at the new promo for the return of AMC’s The Walking Dead, which hints at things coming to a head between Rick and Shane. We also know that the first episode will deal with the mounting tensions between Hershel and the group after what happened at the barn. Especially as it seems [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:16:35 +0000
It’s the anxious eve of the millennium. The car is packed to capacity, and as midnight approaches, a family flees the city in a fit of panic and paranoid, conflicting emotions.
The ensuing journey spans decades and offers a sharp-eyed perspective on a hardscrabble future, as a boy jettisons his family and all other ties in order to survive as a journeyman in an uncertain landscape. By turns led by love, larceny, and a new sexual order, he must avoid capture and imprisonment, starvation, pandemic, and some particularly bad weather.
Things We Didn’t See Coming is the story of one young boy, 9 years old on the eve of the millennium, and his subsequent journey through a world irrevocably changed by Y2K. As the world falls slowly apart and suffers through drought, flood, fire and disease, he teeters on the fence of petty crime and respectable government employment and experiences all facets of the evolution of human civilization.
The writing is beautifully stark, poetic and chilling, and the story twists and turns along with his fortunes and falls. This is not a book for the faint-hearted; there are few redeeming moments and little happiness in his journey through his teenage years and adulthood. The characters are flawed, but fit completely in the story – alliances are easily broken and every person is focused on their own and their families survival.
I enjoyed Things We Didn’t See Coming immensely – Mr. Amsterdam’s writing reminded me of Tim Winton or Ian McEwan and I was more than surprised to learn Things We Didn’t See Coming is his debut novel. I look forward to reading more of his work in the very near future.
and 1/2
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000
Survivors: Original Series There are two Survivors television series, one that is from the 70s and one from 2008. Personally I find the original to be the better show. Although not as exciting or fast paced, its more believable and realistic. (Well maybe not some of action scenes, they are pretty terrible). The show is about a flu [...]
postapocalyptic.us Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:57:50 +0000
I purchased 4 items on 1/14 that were in stock and 3 of them just shipped yesterday 1/25 with a delivery date of 2/4. This is a full 3 weeks! I used free super saver shipping but this is ridiculous. The forth item that was in stock from amazon still has not shipped so i will be canceling it. I purchased multiple items from Amazons main competitors recently that shipped next day. Amazon used be fast, but I may have to take my business everywhere from now on!!!
Non-Essential But Awesome Skills To Learn Before The Apocalypse I have mad skills when it comes to Microsoft Excel. I can cook a mean dinner. And, I’m somehow capable of folding a fitted sheet without using curse words or outside tools. None of these skills will help me survive anything outside of a housewifeing contest or the cubical wastelands — Everyday life. I was watching Ninja Warrior and [...]
feedproxy.google.com Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:22:22 +0000
The Time Will Come is a fantastic meme hosted by Books For Company where we can feature those poor books that we brought, put on the shelf, and haven't (yet!) read.
All you have to do is: - Pick a book you have been meaning to read - Do a post to tell us about the book - Link the post in the linky - Visit the other blogs!
Adele Pietra has heard her mother say that her destiny is carved in the same brilliantly hued granite her father and brother cleave from the Stony Creek mine: she is to marry a quarryman. But when Adele's brother, Charles, dies in a mining accident, Adele sees the chance to change her life. Enrolling at Yale as Charles, Adele assumes his identity -- and gender -- as a way to leave behind her mother's expectations and the limitations of her provincial Connecticut town.
To her own surprise, hair chopped and chest bound, Adele falls in naturally with a lively crew of undergraduates: the Jewish Harry Persky with his slick Manhattan know-how, the quiet and mysterious legacy student Phineas, and the lanky, charismatic Wick. And in many ways, Adele faces her freshman year at Yale as would any undergraduate boy: she dreads invasive PE examinations and looks forward to dances, experiments with cigarettes and reads the classics. Through her work with a questionable eugenics professor and her friendship with a local Italian family, Adele confronts her class and ethnicity as never before, all the while fearing that both her crush on Wick and her mother's well-meaning interventions will put an end to her delicate masquerade.
I don't remember where I got this book (the case with so many of my books!), but it's been sitting on my TBR for nearly two years now. I haven't read many books set during the 1930's and this one has an interesting synopsis - coming of age, social commentary - I don't know why I haven't read it yet!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000
Super Punch: New post-apocalyptic story by Jeff Vandermeer and ... New post-apocalyptic story by Jeff Vandermeer and Eric Orchard · Tor is hosting a new serialized creepy science fiction illustrated story by Jeff Vandermeer and Eric Orchard. You can read the first 20 pages of The Situation now. Posted by ... Super Punch
I am always skeptical, but not so much as to immediately discredit things that I can’t explain just because I can’t explain it. The phenomena of reverberating sounds all over the world has been happening for several years, and has been increasing ever since summer of 2011.
The chance that it is…
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:29:26 -0600
Eighty Six the Poet I'm writing a series of PA poems. 1000 lines each. Narrated by a turkey vulture. Two are available as ebooks on Smashwords.com. Book 3 is on the way. I plan to have a series of 10. I think they are unique works of PA fiction. You should check them out.
kscottbradbury.tumblr.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:05:49 -0600
MichaelJuge.com MichaelJuge.com is the website for the named author of the Shift Trilogy, a plucky apocalyptic tale that explores how a wired generation, disconnected from reality, cope when technology fails them.
postapoc.net Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:52:42 +0000
'Hunger Games': An interactive map of Panem Panem, the post-apocalyptic country in this best-selling trilogy and upcoming movie, is what remains of North America after droughts, storms, fires, advancing seas and war dramatically changed the landscape. The country is divided into 13 districts, one decimated by war and the other 12 controlled by an iron-fisted Capitol. There is no official map of Panem, but here is our interpretation of ...
mercurynews.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:33:10 -0800
Costa Rican's pay it forward in apocalypse drama EL FIN Apparently El Fin (The End) is about the impending end of the world, but you wouldn't know it from this non-subtitled trailer that's all sappy music over heartwarming scenes of friendship and pallin' around. Of course, in light of the glut of apocalypse films that predict humans would go all agro in light of the apocalypse, a more positive outlook on human nature might be in order too.
American Doomsday Many people prepare themselves for a SHTF-event by stocking up on supplies, planning escape routes and building a bug out location, but what plans has the government for instance in the event of a terrorist attack on Washington D.C.. A very interesting documentary on National Geographic just shows you what the U.S.-government has in mind [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:05:11 +0000
Why I'm Reading This: My Antarctica pick for the Around the World in 52 Books challenge, I'm intrigued by both Antarctica, and what it would be like to actually live and work there. Personally I don't think I could do it - I HATE the cold!
New Girl is the story of the new girl at the boarding school Manderley, where mystery surrounds the recent disappearance of another student, Becca.
Why I Read This: I saw it all over the blog world and was interested by the premise. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, and my review will be up this Saturday.
Why I'll Be Reading It: Ah my zombie friends, welcome back. Set in Wales, written by one of my favourite zombie authors, I'm looking forward to getting back to the brain eaters - and discovering some of Ian's new characters!
What are you reading right now? Or planning on reading next?
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:02:00 +0000
Janice is the blogger behind Have Book Will Travel, a book blog dedicated to her journey Around the World in 52 Books, of which I am also a part of in 2012! She also plays another role in my reading life, as co-moderator of my favourite Goodreads group, You'll Love This One(or YLTO) for short. If you're looking for a friendly, fun group with lots of great challenges and themes, you should come by and check it out!
Firstly – a quick introduction – tell me a little about yourself.
That’s a tall order! I live in Northern Alberta on a hobby farm with a few cows and horses, two dogs and one cat. Our son and his family live on 10 acres of our land so I have a lot of interaction with my grandson (13) and granddaughter (10). I’m a self-employed bookkeeper with 15 clients. I’m celebrating 10 years with my little business.
I love quilting and of course, reading. I always used to say that I have a four year attention span because I take on a sport or hobby passionately for about 4 years and then lose interest. Quilting and reading are the exceptions. They are a life time passion.
Night Owl or Early Bird:
Definitely, I am a night owl. In fact, owls are my favorite bird. I have owl figurines and pictures all over my house. They are my “totem animal”.
Beach or Mountains:
Can’t I have them both? I have a vision of living in a little cottage on a cliff overlooking the ocean. When I was in Scotland on the Isle of Raasay, I found the spot. It’s a mix of mild mountainous area with an ocean view. Now, I just need a small fortune to make my vision a reality.
Sweet or Savoury:
Generally, I prefer sweet. I have to have a bit of candy every day.
Sun or Snow:
There’s no doubt in my mind over that one! Get me away from these snow-bound winters!
Toast or Cereal:
I prefer toast. I love raisin toast with honey.
On Reading
What is your favourite book/author/series? Gosh, I need to put on my thinking cap. I have to come up with THE perfect answer.
My favourite book of all time has got to be “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier.
Stephen King has long been a favourite author. Amy Tam, James Michener, and John Irving are also high up on my list.
As for series, I loved The Clan of the Cave Bear series, by Jean Auel. More recently, The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins stirred my emotions.
Do you have favorite genres, or is there a genre you would really like to read more of?
My favourite genre is a toss-up between horror, fantasy, and historical fiction. I’d like to start writing, and I would start out with horror. Recently, I’ve read a couple of steampunk novels and would like to read more in that genre.
Where do you typically read? Do you have any particular place/outfit/food or drink requirements for a good reading session?
When I was a kid, I used to read lying across the bed on my stomach with my head hung over the edge and the book on the floor. That doesn’t work so well anymore. Now, my reading zone is my recliner, in comfy clothes, some trail mix on which to nibble and a Coke to sip.
What's the first book you remember reading?
Other than the primer we had in Grade One, there was a book about a fairy and fireflies in a garden. I don’t remember the name of the book or I would try to obtain it. A few years ago, I ransacked my former bedroom at my parents, hoping to find it, but my mother had disposed of all my old books. Shame!
How to do you find your next reads?
I get most of my next reads from friends by word of mouth or on Goodreads. I also find them browsing the books on various sites online including Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, etc. There’s no end to where I might find information about a possible next read.
What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading “The Blood of Flowers” by Anita Amirrezvani on my way into the office this morning. Plus, I’m about half way through “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Journey”, by Alfred Lansing. I will be starting the audiobook, “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, on the way home tonight.
On Blogging
When did you start your blog, and why did you start?
I started my blog in December 2011 to blog about my journey in the Around the World in 52 Books Challenge from Goodreads.
What is unique about your blog?
I have decided that I am not going to review the books I read. Instead, I am going to write commentaries based on something arising from the book. For example, “The Blood of Flowers” has many themes that I could write on. The richness of food, spices, and colours has filled my senses. The treatment of women as chattel speaks to my feministic viewpoints. I could even decide to talk about folk lore and the role it plays.
What is your favourite, and least favourite, things about book blogging?
I don’t know. Each blog is as individual as the person writing it and that holds my interest. I’m a little in awe of the sophistication of the blogs that are out there with the inclusion of graphics, animations, photos, links, etc. I’m just a simple blogger who is still a bit confused about all that.
Do you review every book you read on your blog?
No. Initially, the blog was intended to be for the books I read for the challenge. But I will likely blog about other books as well. I might even have the occasion post not relating to books at all. You may find entries about quilting or family.
Where do you get your books from (not just review books!)?
Bookstores have large magnets. I cannot walk past a bookstore without going in and I always end up buying at least one book. I also get ebooks from iBooks and Kindle. Lastly, I love audiobooks and am addicted to audible.com.
And Finally
Do you have an e-reader? If yes, what do you like about e-reading? If no, why not?
I love being able to touch a word and get the dictionary definition. I find myself trying to do that with a dead tree book now and feeling a sense of disappointment when it doesn’t work. I like being able to highlight and make notes which I don’t like to do on DTB’s (don’t want to mark them up). Best of all is the ease of acquiring the books. If there’s a book I want right now, I don’t even have to leave the house.
Does cover art / design influence the books you choose?
Absolutely! I love covers. I love titles. Those will be the first thing to draw me in.
If you could say one thing to all the authors that you love, what would it be?
Thank you for enriching my life and my dreams.
Thank you Janice for taking the time to tell us about your reading, your blogging and yourself! If anyone is interested in joining the ATW in 52 Books Challenge, drop on by HERE and join the Goodreads group.
If you would like to participate in my Blogger Interviews, please click HERE.
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000
Post-Apocalyptic Reading – Impressions: ACHERON by Bryon Morrigan Description of Bryon Morrigan’s Acheron1 Captain Nate Leathers thought being a soldier on the frontlines in Iraq was hard enough. And when his convoy is attacked and he’s thrown in a dungeon by insurgents, he can’t imagine things can get any worse. But then the world is turned upside down. When he escapes, Leathers finds the city [...]
feedproxy.google.com Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:49 +0000
Writer publishes post-apocalyptic novel Charlotte Observer A post-apocalyptic story about a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter on an island that was formerly San Francisco, the novel appeals to lovers of science, future and medical fiction and has elements of mystery and romance.
CRYPTOZOOLOGY ONLINE: Still on the Track: DALE DRINNON ... Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals. The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing ... CRYPTOZOOLOGY ONLINE: Still on the Track
dailyevergreen.com Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:08:07 -0800
Illness after The End. First things first, I apologise for the rambling nature of this post. I’ve spent the last few days working on my novel, completely forgot I had a post to do and am still slightly in a world of my own. I want to talk about illness post apocalypse. We’ve covered it briefly (by necessity, I [...]
feedproxy.google.com Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:12 +0000
An engrossing collection of funny, poignant and bittersweet stories about busy young women who find men in all the wrong places (the garage attendant across the street, the stay-at-home dad in the playground, the younger man at the diner counter) and discover something about themselves in the process.
The stories speak to the curiosities and actual experiences of many city dwellers...A cross between anonymity and 'what-ifs'.
In the Middle of Almost is a collection of short stories about women and their experiences in meeting men, whether randomly or by design. Without giving too much away, there are stories of love that can never be, realization of the importance of freedom, not settling for Mr. Right Now and conflicts between safety and excitement. There is also an excerpt from the novel A Familiar Stranger and two short-story memoirs focused on family, and in particular, parent-child relationships.
All the stories are beautifully written (some in first person POV, others in the third-person), and although it is difficult to bring characters fully to life in a short story, all the characters are individual and their personalities shine through. Whether I agreed with the choices the characters made or not, I still felt a connection with each and every one of them.
I really enjoyed all the stories, especially Out on a Ledge where I felt a particular affinity to Jessica and her story which was both touching and bittersweet.
If you’re looking for a short story collection that is well-written, engaging and thought-provoking, you should really pick up a copy of In the Middle of Almost and Other Stories – I highly recommend it.
*This book was provided by the author for review - this has not influenced my review in any way.
S.B. Lerner has generously offered two Kindle versions of In the Middle of Almost and Other Stories for a giveaway! Enter below and have the chance to read this fantastic collection yourself!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000
The SILVER Series Official website for The SILVER Series of post-apocalyptic books, featuring the character of Ella Cross, written by Keira Michelle Telford. JOIN THE FIGHT.
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading.
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000
The Colony – a simulated apocalypse Wow, what a busy week. Finally I find some time to write & share about what I stumbled upon last week. The Colony is a Discovery Channel reality tv show. The scenario is a virus has whiped out most of Los Angeles’ population leaving 10 volunteers in a post-pandemic industrial part of the city, close [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:57:22 +0000
Edible microchip: good for your health? So last Wednesday, on January 18, there was this little online movement to protest SOPA. Maybe you heard of it? (Students everywhere may have lost their minds temporarily, since English Wikipedia was one of the protesting sites and went dark for an entire day. Hell, forget the students, *I* went slightly nuts that day, since most of my [...]
feedproxy.google.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:02:38 +0000
kranburn.smackjeeves.com Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:52:16 GMT
A Field Guide To Doomsday A Bestiary for Mutant Futures, Gamma Worlds, and Assorted Post-Apocalyptic Wastelands.
postapoc.net Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:09:44 +0000
REC is back REC the Spanish zombie sensation is back with a new film 30th March this year.The new chapter will see the film in a more traditional cinematographic style. However the film’s roots have not been forgotten and viewers will still be immersed in the action watching certain events unfold through the eye of the video camera. [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:25:20 +0000
For the second installment of my urban /city EDC (everyday carry) I've decided to briefly go over my mini multitool that I carry with me everywhere.
This one's just your standard stainless steel type of multitool - a gift given to me 2-3 years ago - it's monogrammed with my initials and everything...I know...fancy pants, =)
The 3 main tools on it that I use often are the screwdrivers (flathead & phillips), and of course the blade followed by the saw. Most useless feature - corkscrew. It's good to drill a small pilot hole manually but for actually opening up a bottle of wine - not so much. Second least favorite feature is the scissor.
For all you newbie city preppers, I'd say a pocket sized multitool is a great starting point for your EDC. If you're not sure, I'd just get whatever you can afford at the moment and use it well. Keep tabs on which features you use frequently that way when it comes time to upgrade you'll have a better sense of what you're actually looking for.
Would I rely on this multitool for dayhikes? Absolutely. For longer camping/bushcraft type activities - no way.
And here's the vid I made about it.
So in the video, the messenger bag I have is by Nautica (see the link below). Pretty good for light loads but not great for when you have a couple of heavy textbooks to lug around. So yesterday I actually picked up a backpack which I'll be doing a review on shortly.
If you have a pocket multitool you'd like to share here, feel free to email me a photo - what you mainly use it for and a link to your website/blog if you have any. I'll put the content up in a future post.
I'm really not much of a gamer, but I'll dabble in the occasional game as long as it's post-apocalyptic and I can play online. I've been playing Die2Nite daily for over a year now, and more recently I've been spending time in a city devastated by the zombie apocalypse in Zombie Pandemic.
Published by Pixel Pandemic, Zombie Pandemic is "a free browser based MMORPG featuring enriched RPG elements, including missions, advanced combat, perks and an inventory with hundreds of weapons to battle the more than 175 different NPC opponents."
I'm still on the first of three available maps, and have only gotten up to level 20, but it's been fun so far, and has definitely kept me interested enough to want to keep going.
But what I'm really waiting for is Pixel Pandemic to hurry up and release either one of their two upcoming games that look to have even more of a post-apocalyptic theme, Radiated Wasteland and Rise of Robots.
I don't have much information on Radiated Wasteland yet, but I did get a press kit for Rise of Robots. Here's the description:
Machines have risen against mankind and those of us that remain must fight to survive in a world set in flames. As a player you are one of the few survivors who escaped the first attacks, trapped in the ruins of what used to be a metropolitan city. You are now part of the resistance fighting for whatever is left of civilization in this near future post-apocalyptic setting inspired by the Terminator movies.
Players can co-op by joining clans and constructing safe houses, hidden away from the machines who try to hunt you down. You must scavenge resources from what is left of the looted stores and left behind items in the city and you must stay well fed to survive. Combining items you scavenge you can craft improvised weapons and engage in tactical combat against the mighty robots and drones with more than 400 weapons available.
The game features classic MMORPG elements offering a fully customizable avatar which you can equip with the clothing and armor you find. The game is turn based and set on a huge tile based map of more than 3000 tiles to explore. Each tile is customized and during the explorative gameplay players are able to locate NPCs that offer missions, trading or even training facilities.
So it sounds like the gameplay will basically be a clone of Zombie Pandemic with new artwork and storylines. But that would be fine with me, and I can't wait to play them.
From what I understand, both games will hit closed beta sometime in 2012, though I haven't heard exactly when. You can go to the sites to sign up to be notified, or just stick around here, because the folks at Pixel Pandemic have already said that they'll throw some beta keys my way when they're ready to launch.
Airy Contrasts Some time ago I discovered in an abandoned factory in Barcelona some artwork of the Brazilian artist Rodrigo Villas. Some colourful graffitis on the walls and above all the little birds, for which he’s probably best known.
These little bird sculptures provide a light, floating contrast to all the rotting concrete.
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers and readers can talk about the books and booky things they have received in the last week - paper-books, e-books, library loans, swaps, wins, anything!
If you remember from IMM 7 & 8, I was on a book-buying ban - instead of filling up my shelves and e-readers with even more books that are going to take me years to read, I was focusing on review books, freebies and catching up on some of the other books jousting for top billing on my TBR pile.
Well, this week I fell off the wagon - I discovered that a Dutch website has had an explosion of English language titles since I last checked them out a few years ago, and well...some books accidentally fell into my cart and somehow my bank card typed in it's details and BAM some books appeared in my mailbox. A miracle!
It was a flu season like no other. With fears of contracting the H1N1 virus running rampant throughout the country, people lined up in droves to try an attain one of the coveted vaccines. What was not known, was the effect this largely untested, rushed to market, inoculation was to have on the unsuspecting throngs. Within days, feverish folk throughout the country, convulsed, collapsed and died, only to be re-born. With a taste for brains, blood and bodies, these modern day zombies scoured the lands for their next meal. Overnight the country became a killing ground for the hordes of zombies that ravaged the land. This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family and his friends. This is their story a band of ordinary people just trying to get by in these extra-ordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for. Book 1 - Of the Zombie Fall-Out Trilogy, follows our lead character in his self-deprecating, sarcastic best. What he encounters along the way leads him down a long dark road always skirting on the edge of insanity. Can he keep his family safe? Can he discover the secret behind Tommy's powers? Can he save anyone from the zombie Queen? - A zombie that seems by all accounts to have some sort of hold over the zombies and Mike himself. Encircled in a seemingly safe haven called Little Turtle, Mike and his family together with the remnants of a tattered community while not fighting each other, fight against a relentless, ruthless, unstoppable force. This last bastion of civilization has made its final stand. God help them all.
I first read Zombie Fallout in July 2011 and then went on to read Zombie Fallout 2 and 3, all one after the other. The Zombie Fallout Series made it into almost all of my top 2011 lists and still remains one of my most recommended zombie books. I’m not the biggest re-reader – I’m always a little scared that I won’t enjoy the book as much the second time around – but I’m so glad I went back to this one, and I will re-read the rest of the series before moving onto Zombie Fallout 4.
Zombie Fallout is the story of the Talbot family, and their survival through the first weeks of the zombapocalyse, when a government flu vaccination program goes catastrophically wrong. Mike and Tracy Talbot gather together their children and join other survivors in their housing estate, Little Turtle to try and evade the zombie hordes.
Written in the first person POV of Mike Talbot in journal-style, there are also third person entries from other main characters such as Mike’s wife Tracy and daughter Nicole, and his sons Travis and Justin.
Mike Talbot is a fantastic main character, an ex-Marine/Human Resources Executive/Road Worker and survivalist with a die-hard dedication to his family and friends and a wickedly sarcastic sense of humor – he could have been the ultimate zombie book cliché, but is definitely not. The other main characters and supporting characters are well-developed and their interactions are believable and a great mix of laughs, tension and emotion. The bad guys are ultra-creepy and the good guys are imperfect in a way that made me like them all the more.
Zombie Fallout has a perfect mix of tension-building and action, with a great big wallop of snarky, sarcastic, humor - exactly the kind of book I love – great characters and dialogue, good writing and a pee-your-pants-scary Zombie Queen thrown in for good measure.
It’s hard to say more without giving the story away, particularly as I know how it progresses through the next two books, but Zombie Fallout remains exactly what it was the first time I read it – one of my favourite Zombie books/series and one of my most highly recommended books to both zombie enthusiasts and readers who are looking for their first ‘proper’ zombie book.
Extras – here are a few of the lines that made me smile, laugh or smirk!
“I honestly wanted to stop the car and thank Captain Obvious”
“Tipper looked like a cokehead. He twitched more than Tom Arnold when Roseanne was yelling at him”
“He was a good man, maybe a card or two shy of a standard deck but you could always draw in the missing cards on the jokers”
“I was moving like an epileptic on crack, shitloads of movement with no purpose”
“Zombies were coming through like holiday shoppers on Black Friday at a Best Buy with 50 inch plasma televisions on sale”
“I’d like to say there was a face-off but the zombies take that stuff way too literally”
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:55:00 +0000
The Undisputed King of Nothing is a fascinating new post-apocalyptic comic series by Paul Stapleton. The comic follows a man as he grapples with being the last known survivor of a pandemic that wipes out the world’s human population. Due to his unique immunity to the virus, the protagonist becomes ”The Undisputed King of Nothing”. Being the King of Nothing is not easy. The struggle to survive on a practical level is hard work. The loneliness is almost unbearable. Left alone with his endless thoughts, he struggles with his sanity. The Undisputed King of Nothing is survival from a British perspective. You could almost hear Pink Floyd playing in the background, “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way”. The dire nature of the situation is tempered with a dry, witty humor that is quite enjoyable. The Undisputed King of Nothing is a thinking man’s apocalypse. In terms of enemies, zombies and violent raiders pale in comparison to a ruminating mind left alone in an empty world.
A massive THANK YOU to everyone who entered by giveaway as part of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop. Reading all your responses was so much fun, and it was really interesting to see the books you would have chosen! So interesting in fact, I'd complied a list of the Top 11 books that were ''wished'' for:
And the winner is……. On Tuesday 17th January, in a lovely little pub on the river Thames, the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club gathered after battling with the Victoria line to listen to the shortlisted entries of End it! and vote for a winner. I am … Continue reading →
post-apocalypticbookclub.co.uk Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:19:48 +0000
The Darkest Hour Review Director: Chris Gorak Cast: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor, Joel Kinnaman, Veronika Ozerova Summary: Sean and Ben (Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella) are two hotshot software designers that arrive in Moscow to finalise a business deal only to find that their dodgy middle man has ripped them off. Reeling from the days [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:08:52 +0000
The Time Will Come is a fantastic meme hosted by Books For Company where we can feature those poor books that we brought, put on the shelf, and haven't (yet!) read.
All you have to do is: - Pick a book you have been meaning to read - Do a post to tell us about the book - Link the post in the linky - Visit the other blogs!
I can't even remember where or when I purchased this book. I do know it was on my wishlist for a while, and I'd decided I wanted to read some more historical ''non-fiction''. It still sits on my e-reader, waiting for it's time. Right now I'm reading a lot of review books, and a lot of ''light reads''. I'm hoping that will change this year and I can get into some meaty books that I want to read!
Mary, Katherine, and Jane Grey–sisters whose mere existence nearly toppled a kingdom and altered a nation’s destiny–are the captivating subjects of Leanda de Lisle’s new book. The Sisters Who Would Be Queen breathes fresh life into these three young women, who were victimized in the notoriously vicious Tudor power struggle and who se heirs would otherwise probably be ruling England today.
Born into aristocracy, the Grey sisters were the great-granddaughters of Henry VII, grandnieces to Henry VIII, legitimate successors to the English throne, and rivals to Henry VIII’s daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. Lady Jane, the eldest, was thrust center stage by greedy men and uncompromising religious politics when she briefly succeeded Henry’s son, the young Edward I. Dubbed “the Nine Days Queen” after her short, tragic reign from the Tower of London, Jane has over the centuries earned a special place in the affections of the English people as a “queen with a public heart.” But as de Lisle reveals, Jane was actually more rebel than victim, more leader than pawn, and Mary and Katherine Grey found that they would have to tread carefully in order to avoid sharing their elder sister’s violent fate.
Navigating the politics of the Tudor court after Jane’s death was a precarious challenge. Katherine Grey, who sought to live a stable life, earned the trust of Mary I, only to risk her future with a love marriage that threatened Queen Elizabeth’s throne. Mary Grey, considered too petite and plain to be significant, looked for her own escape from the burden of her royal blood–an impossible task after she followed her heart and also incurred the queen’s envy, fear, and wrath.
Exploding the many myths of Lady Jane Grey’s life, unearthing the details of Katherine’s and Mary’s dramatic stories, and casting new light on Elizabeth’s reign, Leanda de Lisle gives voice and resonance to the lives of the Greys and offers perspective on their place in history and on a time when a royal marriage could gain a woman a kingdom or cost her everything.
What do you have languishing on your shelves?
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:14:00 +0000
Lamb of God Unleash Post-Apocalyptic Animated 'Ghost Walking' Video Loudwire Want to venture into a post-apocalyptic, urban landscape with only Lamb of God's 'Ghost Walking' as the soundtrack? Well, you can, courtesy of the band's new video for the song, which is the lead single from LoG's latest album, 'Resolution,' out Jan.
Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.
The synopsis of Revealing Eden sounded fascinating – a girl in a post-apocalyptic world where class is determined by the color of one’s skin, a little lurve, some science – what more could I want?
Well, a little more actually. The idea of Revealing Eden is a good one and there are so many themes that could be explored and the writing is good and flows easily, but at times a little too easily – scenes change quickly in the first part of the book and several times I found myself thinking “Huh, what just happened?”.
I also didn’t really take to Eden – I assumed she would be a strong, independent girl who wouldn’t be easily convinced, but instead she came across as needy, whiny and manipulated at every opportunity. The relationship between Eden and her love-interest could also have been fleshed out more – it felt a little bit too “insta-love” (or maybe I’m just a cynic!) to really pull me in.
Revealing Eden for me needed a little more world-building, there is so much potential that isn’t really tapped into apart from the opening chapters.
But there are definitely some positives to Revealing Eden, interesting science and biology, characters just waiting to be explored further, a beautiful setting in the second half and references to Aztecs and Mayan traditions and beliefs.
Would I read the next book in the series? Maybe, but only if I could be convinced that Eden matures as a character. There is a lot of potential in Ms. Foyt’s writing and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more of her work in the future.
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000
Resident Evil RETRIBUTION on track for Sept 2012 The new Resident Evil film offering Resident Evil Retribution is still on track to being released this September despite a few minor production problems. This the fifth installment of the series is being released in fabulous 3D and brings back a few old friends including a sexy blond and this time evil Jill Valentine (Sienna [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:31:06 +0000
Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan - where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller - Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world.
I first heard of Battle Royale when reading reviews of The Hunger Games, when it was suggested that Ms. Collins’ inspiration must have come from this book. It took me a while, but after seeing a few more recommendations, I purchased a copy and sat it on my shelf. Where it sat for several months until last Saturday I decided I felt like reading a paperback book and it was the first one I picked up.
To be honest, at first I was a little wary – sure the storyline sounds amazing, but how could I possibly keep 42 (!) characters (with Japanese names which also confuse me) straight in my head? I have trouble with half a dozen sometimes….so it was with a little trepidation that I opened the book to the first page…….
I was immediately hooked – keeping the characters straight was made easier by a list of names in the front of the book, and when characters that had been previously mentioned reappeared, the link back through the writing was strong enough that I was fully aware of who was who, their story, their actions and their fates.
This is not a book for the faint hearted – Takami holds nothing back in his imagination, and some scenes are jaw-dropping in their intensity and detail, but the story itself stops Battle Royale from spiraling into a mindless bloodbath. There are twists and turns I never saw coming and the ending is breathtaking (and unexpected!).
Three days and more than 600 pages later I finished reading (I put off the final 20-odd pages off because I didn’t want it to end!), put down the book, turned to my boyfriend and said just one word “Wow!”.
I wish I could tell you more about this book, but it is a difficult book to review without giving away key parts of the story. If you can get a copy, you should definitely invest in this book – I’ll definitely be going back to this one again!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000
AFTER72 - the new site for preppers Just launched AFTER72 at www.AFTER72.com. The focus is to present information and reviews on prepper related subject from myself and other contributors. We are planning several information seminars in Calgary, starting with Basic Prep.
THE ZONA by Nathan L. Yocum Scheduled for a Mid-February Debut by Curiosity Quills Press; Advance Reading Copies (ARCs ... Award-winning screenwriter and author Nathan L. Yocum's post-apocalyptic thriller - THE ZONA - to be published by Curiosity Quills Press on February 15, 2012. Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) are available for book bloggers, reviewers, and press.Leesburg, VA (PRWEB) January 17, 2012 Award-winning screenwriter and author Nathan L. Yocum's post-apocalyptic thriller - THE ZONA - will be published by ...
news.yahoo.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:03:47 -0800
CollapseBlog.com – News, Headlines, and Information About the Coming Collapse CollapseBlog.com is composed of a group of bloggers, editors, and general mischief-laden unintellectuals who devote some of their time to reporting on the current economic, financial, social, and environmental conditions of the world they live in.
We believe in peak oil, peak resources, and peak population. We promote self-sufficiency, preparedness, and being informed. If you asked us about our political affiliation, we would probably say Libertarian with the stipulation that we don’t need to tow a party line to be engaged citizens.
postapoc.net Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:54:21 +0000
Contagion – A highly contagious movie review The movie Contagion rather deals with the events during an outbreak of a highly contagious virus than with the long term aftermath of it. Which doesn’t make it less thrilling. Actually, you could call it a medical thriller. First it appears that Elisabeth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) has got a normal cold returning from a business trip [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:27:21 +0000
postapocalyptia.tumblr.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:16:02 -0500
Walking Dead Season 3 to have more Episodes! AMC the company fronting The Walking Dead series announced today from the Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour in Pasadena, CA that the third season of The Walking Dead will consist of 16 episodes. Previous season orders were for just 13 episodes. So with that in mind we all have just so much more Zombie [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:04:40 +0000
Today I have Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer joining me for a blogger interview. Please make sure you drop by and say hello HERE!
Kimba reads and reviews a whole variety of books - Young Adult and Adult alike, and is participating in the 2012 e-book Challenge, which I am also part of. You should definitely check out her latest review of Cinder!
Personal Questions
Firstly – a quick introduction – tell me a little about yourself.
I am a happily married mother of three; I currently reside in the Midwest, drinks lots of coffee, love Dr. Who, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Dexter and Fringe. I read two to three hours every day. I will gladly sacrifice a good night’s sleep for one more chapter.
Night Owl or Early Bird: 100% Night Owl
Beach or Mountains: Mountains
Sweet or Savory: Right now I am on a salty and spicy kick so savory.
Sun or Snow: Sun, but I love a snow storm where we can all stay home and snuggle by the fire.
Toast or Cereal: Neither, I am not a breakfast person “Just give me coffee and back away slowly”
Reading
What is your favorite book/author/series?
I have a few at the moment. I love Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series, Jayne Anne Krentz’s Arcane Society. Justin Corwin’s trilogy starting with The Passage, Mira Grant’s Newsflash trilogy, Patricia Briggs’ Moon Called series, Kim Harrison’s The Hollow series and a few YA debut authors like Cynthia Hand and Tahereh Mafi . I could keep listing series and authors all day. In truth I am a series addict.
Do you have favorite genres, or is there a genre you would really like to read more of?
I use to read only historical fictions and major authors like King, Roberts etc. Then my hubby brought home a paranormal book and I thought eek gads what is this crap..hahaha. It turns out I loved it, and suddenly realized I was missing out on a lot of great novels. Now I read all genres and I love it.
Where do you typically read? Do you have any particular place/outfit/food or drink requirements for a good reading session?
I like to read in a quiet place, but I can read in the middle of chaos and completely block it out. My kids refer to it as “bookland” and most recently “nookland” *giggles* In the winter I curl up on the sofa by the fire with a cup of coffee. In the summer I love to read on the back deck with a glass of wine or ice tea.
What's the first book you remember reading?
Hmm..I guess Nancy Drew or Judy Blume
How to do you find your next reads?
I joined my entire favorite series / author’s websites. Recommendations through fellow bloggers, reviewers and book club members. I also follow major publishers, on-line book forums and I window shop for books.( like some of my friends shop for shoes!)
What are you reading right now?
I am reading a BOM called Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay and I will start Cinder on Sunday..wahoo!
Blogging
When did you start your blog, and why did you start?
I started my blog in August of 2011. Friends and fellow book lovers suggested I start one. My second child had just graduated from high school and my youngest was beginning her junior year of high school. My oldest her third year of college. My nest was starting to empty and I had a lot more free time. I was feeling a little down, unneeded and lonely. I was happy for their independence, but suddenly had time to focus on me..imagine that. I have never been happier.
What is unique about your blog?
Hmm..my coffee rating system and the mixed genre. I review both adult and YA. I have also reviewed some non-fiction.
What is your favourite, and least favourite, things about book blogging?
The people are my favorite, I love getting to know fellow readers and sharing our love of books. My least favorite is saying no to an author or having to give a bad review.
Do you review every book you read on your blog?
Pretty much.
Where do you get your books from (not just review books!)?
netGalley, booksneeze, book rooster, B&N, Amazon. I also get books from the library. Publishers and authors send them to me too.
And Finally
Do you have an e-reader? If yes, what do you like about e-reading? If no, why not?
Christmas 2010 I received a e-ink Nook and fell in love. This past Christmas I received the Nook Tablet. I love the portability, the built in light and changing the font.
Does cover art / design influence the books you choose?
Sadly, yes (I am a cover whore) it is almost always what draws me to a new book, and then it’s the synopsis. I will be the first to admit I have read some really fantastic books with awful covers and vice versa.
If you could say one thing to all the authors that you love, what would it be?
Keep writing but don’t crank them out so fast that they lose what made me love them in the first place.
A huge thank you to Kimba for taking the time to be interviewed!
If you are interested in being interviewed by yours truly just click here to sign up.
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000
“Captain America’s” Chris Evans cast for post-apocalyptic “Snow Piercer” Irish American actor Chris Evans is in talks to star in “Snow Piercer” directed by Bong Joon-ho, the man responsible for “The Host”, Variety reports. Joon-ho also worked on the script with Park Chan-work (director of “Oldboy”).
irishcentral.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:47:18 -0800
Sexocalypse In a moment of madness I asked my twitter followers what they’d like me to write about. They said a Sexocalypse. Yeah. So, that’s what I’m doing. Needless to say this is probably not safe for work. When I first started thinking of a Sexocalypse, my first thought was of some kind or contagious mental [...]
feedproxy.google.com Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:06 +0000
I’ve got the pistol, so I’ll take the pesos. The post-Apocalyptic world is going to suck kind of hard. Power grids will go down. There won’t be any Internet. When their fuel runs out, gas and diesel powered vehicles will be useless except for as makeshift homes. Ironically, without power, the safety systems at power plants will fail: expect nuclear issues. Other bad stuff will surely follow!
This is not going to be a world in which living will be easy. Nor will it be one in which living without people who trust you is possible.
Yes, I understand that it will be a Dog Eat Dog existence. Ruthlessness may seem the only option. I will concede that - to some degree - this is true. As a kindness, it may be unavoidable. For example, if your best friend becomes Infected, destroying her brain or removing her head will be the best thing for both of you regardless of how ruthless and unkind it may feel at the time. Read more »
feedproxy.google.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000
That Other Post-Apocalyptic Comic On Sale This Week. Bleeding Cool News That Other Post-Apocalyptic Comic On Sale This Week. There's a lot of comic industry excitement for Prophet #21, published from Image Comics on Wednesday, a kind of William Burrough's The Time Machine, that people who want copies may need to stand ...
darkjade68.wordpress.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:10:06 +0000
No Michonne for the Walking Dead…..Yet??? The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has dismissed reports that Michonne a katana-wielding character of the original graphic novels is being introduced to the show. Michonne is a fan favorite from the original Walking Dead comic, recent rumors suggested that True Blood’s Rutina Wesley had been cast in the role. “That’s not confirmed,” Kirkman told [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:07:07 +0000
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading.
I've decided to join in because I'm always so unorganised in my reading, and hopefully this will mean I spend less time deciding what to read, and more time actually reading!
So, firstly, how did I go with my books from last week?
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay - progressing, but it's going to be another couple of weeks until I'm finished listening to this.
I did read one other book that I hadn't intended to at the start of last week, Tag by Simon Royle (review here), and read nearly 400 pages of Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (not bad in a 24 hour period!)
Other reading-related fun from this week: I launched my Blogger/Reader Interviews Feature. Click here for more information, or hereto see my first interview with Forever Lost in Books.
I had my first ever author interview with Phillip W. Simpson, author of Rapture here.
And I did two cover comparison posts. No wonder I don't read as much as I would like :-D
As in just over one year from now I'll be moving back to Australia, I know that I can't take all my paperbacks with me - they are just going to be too expensive to ship (I could probably replace most of them for the cost of shipping!), so I'm making an effort to try and read all the unread ones. I've read nearly 2/3 of this already, so will definitely finish it this week.
Continuing on with this. I really should have finished it this week as it's the second book in my ATW challenge for 2012, but it's lost me a little bit.....
Book Blogger Confessions is a twice-monthly MeMe hosted by For What It's Worth. It's a great way to find out more about your favourite bloggers, and pick up some useful hints and tips along the way!
Have you ever had reading/blogging slumps? How do you work through them or work around them?
I haven't had a blogging slump yet *touch wood* - I'm more than a little obsessed with writing posts, posting giveaways, writing reviews and replying to comments.
Reading is a bit of a different story. I can read six or seven books back to back and then suddenly hit a wall - nothing holds my attention, and I flit from book to book like a sparrow on steroids. It happens mostly when I'm pushing myself to reach a target or work through a backlog or I read too many 'similar' books in a row - it's like I've overloaded my brain and nothing else will fit in, no matter how hard I try.
I've developed a few strategies for overcoming reading slumps over the past couple of years - reading an anthology of short stories usually helps, I think it helps to reset my brain, and I start to pine for more character development, longer stories and to completely immerse myself back into the world of a full-length novel.
Another strategy that I've used is to simply take a reading break - I read some magazines, I spend a few hours gallivanting through book blogs for new books, update my reading lists or watch some movies.
Most importantly, I've decided to not stress about it any more (well, as much as I can manage!) - I don't want to resent books just because I'm not in a reading mood!
How do you overcome those slumps? Let me in on your secret!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0000
Supertuberculosis Sadly, this isn’t a post about crime-fighting tuberculosis (even though that would be cool). Ann emailed us this link last week about totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB). There have been at least 12 patients who have contracted TDR-TB in India, though this first popped up in Iran in 2009. (Clearly I read the wrong magazines. That [...]
feedproxy.google.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:05:35 +0000
I've mentioned more than once that I'm not a fan of zombies for the sake of zombies. There are only so many ways the dead can rise before the usual zombie apocalypse stories begin to get repetitive. But I've also mentioned that I'm interested in other cultures' takes on the end of the world, and I'm always on the lookout for post-apocalyptic books written in other languages. So, when the folks at Permuted Press offered me a copy of The Wanderers by Carlos Sisi for review, I was anxious to read it.
Originally published as Los Caminantes in 2009, The Wanderers is one of Spain's top selling apocalyptic novels, and is now available for the first time in an English translation.
It starts out with a dead body washing up on the beach, a body that proceeds to do its best to eat the police who come to investigate. We then follow a few different groups of survivors through the early stages of a standard zombie apocalypse as they watch their city fall apart around them.
At first I had some trouble keeping track of the characters, in part because I wasn't used to their names or the place names, but after I got used to them, I found the characters likeable, and believable. They really felt like regular people, mostly young, who were caught in a desperate situation. But luckily I didn't have to try to remember all of them for very long, because, spoiler alert, people die in this book, usually with spurting, gushing, or even fountaining of certain vital bodily fluids.
The story progresses with the survivors slowly consolidating into larger groups while they hole up in various buildings around the city, watching their reserves dwindle, wondering if there is anyone out there who can help them.
But as it turns out, there is another survivor out there, one who helps to set The Wanderers apart from the usual zombie fare. He is Father Isidro, priest of La Victoria Church, and it is his fervent belief that the rising of the dead signals the judgement of God upon Man, a judgement that must fall on everyone, even if it means that he has to be the one to lead the dead to the living.
In most zombie stories, the zombies themselves are the primary threat, or maybe there are agressive groups of survivors competing for the same resources, but I can't think of another one where the shambling hordes are actively prodded toward the living, particularly by someone with such a religious zeal. And it surprised me that a novel written and set in Spain, which Wikipedia tells me is 75% Catholic, would feature a Catholic priest as it's primary villain, but that may have added some of the shock value that made the book so popular over there.
The character of Father Isidro, and his raving lunacy, definitely adds something to the story, and that combined with believable characters, interesting locations, and plenty of gory action makes The Wanderers a book worth reading.
My official rating for the Wanderers is 7 Megatons.
PS Just a quick note on the translation. Generally, it's very good, but I would guess that whoever did it is not a native English speaker. Some of the language or vocabulary used isn't what I would have expected; for example a phrase like "The scene was splattered with blood and screams" which isn't exactly correct. But at the same time there was never a case where the language was jarring, or failed to get the point across, and most of the time it read as any other English novel would, while giving the book a bit of a unique feel.
megaton.us Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:30:53 +0000
Storiad.com Today I decided to talk about a site that I stumbled across awhile ago, and have just now been looki
sundancepress.wordpress.com Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:37:42 +0000
I'm extremely excited to have my very first author interview with none other than the fabulous Mr. Phillip W. Simpson, author of one of my favourite books of 2011, Rapture. You can read my review of the book here.
When did you first realize that you could write books?
Possibly about 10 years ago when I took the time off to
write my first novel. It was a steep learning curve and I don’t think I was
terribly successful. I’ve got better since (I hope). It taught me one valuable
lesson, however – writing is a discipline. Anyone can write books, you just
have to be dedicated. That means spending a certain amount of time each day
doing it.
Do you have a writing ‘’timetable’’ and how do you prepare
yourself for a long writing session?
I teach during the day and my wife and I have just had a
baby boy (Jack), so I don’t have much time during the week. To be honest, I’m
too tired when I get home to summon up the creative energy you need to write a
novel. During school terms, I write in the weekends. Usually both days from 8am
until about 4pm. I can get on a bit of a roll then. In the holidays, I’ll write
every weekday for about the same time. I have the weekends off.
If I write for a whole day, I’ll usually get about 4,000
words done. That’s 20k a week. You do the maths – you can have a whole novel
written in about 4 weeks. Of course, it may be terrible, but that’s what the
editing process is all about. For preparation, I get on the rowing machine in
the morning and listen to my ipod. That’s when I do most of my thinking. I
visualize the scenes in my head and the exercise clears my head and gets me
charged up.
What are the best and worst things about being an author?
The best things are working from home. In fact, working
anywhere you like as long as you have a laptop. Being able to share your story
with others. I love that. I have so much stuff going on in my head (I regularly
have ideas for other novels), that it would be a shame not to share it. Once I
finish this trilogy, I’ve got another three other novel ideas I want to start
on.
The worst things. Hmmm. Some would say being isolated but I
don’t mind that so much. Probably the pressure, knowing that the success of
your writing really depends on you and no one else. You have to treat it like
any other job. You can’t just get up in the morning and say ‘I don’t feel very
creative today. I’m not going to write.’ It doesn’t work like that.
Living up to expectations. There’s been a reasonable amount
of hype surrounding Rapture and I don’t want to let people down by allowing the
quality of my writing to slip. I want the next two books to be at least as
good, if not better. Also, an author is only as good as his or her last novel.
If my next novel bombs, my reputation will suffer. There are never any guarantees in this
business. I’ll be spending the next two years of my life finishing, editing and
promoting the trilogy and if it doesn’t sell well, a part of me will think that
was two years wasted. I hope not. The other part of me will probably just put
it down to experience and get back on the horse. I feel nervous about the other
books but I also know that Sam’s story is a good one. Surely even I can’t stuff
that up.
Sell Rapture to me in 25 words or less.
Demons. Demons and more demons. The end of the world. A
half-demon sword-wielding teenage boy has trained all his life for this moment
(23 words. Ha!)
Are any of your characters based on anyone you know
personally?
Adam, the leader of the Black Ridge survivors is based on
one on my friends. His name is, well, Adam. He’s solid and dependable, too. I
killed off quite a few of my other friends in the book too. Grace’s Aunty and
Uncle (Greg and Linda Muller) are good friends in real life. I killed them off
without giving them a scene. Lots of friends have asked to be included in the
next book (their names in any case), but I keep warning them that they will
probably die. Rapture may have ended on a hopeful (ish) note, but Tribulation
is definitely going to be darker.
Is there a ‘message’ in Rapture that you would like readers
to know about?
That’s a tricky one. I’m fascinated by end of the world
scenarios, possibly because I read lots of books and watch tons of movies about
them. I like the idea of being prepared for a disaster and thinking what I
would do in that situation but I certainly hope it never eventuates. The end of
the world could happen in lots of different ways. A zombie apocalypse, virus,
disease, nuclear war, the Rapture, hit by a meteorite, natural disasters – you
get the idea. It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. I suppose then that my
message is ‘be prepared.’
My thinking on the subject can be summed up by this quote
from Roald Amundsen. I like the way the man thought:
“I
may say that this is the greatest factor—the way in which the expedition is
equipped—the way in which every difficulty is foreseen, and precautions taken
for meeting or avoiding it. Victory awaits him who has everything in
order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected
to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.”
— from The South
Pole, by Roald Amundsen
What has been the most rewarding
experience since Rapture was published?
The feedback and reviews I’ve been getting. As a writer,
it’s hard to be objective. You never know for sure how good your work is and
how it will be received. My publisher and various agents were very excited
about it but I tried to keep things in perspective. It’s all about the
audience. If they like it – that’s all that matters.
How is Tribulation coming along? Often the 2nd book in a trilogy is
seen as the weakest – do you have any ideas on how you can beat that trend?
Crikey! Asking some pretty hard hitting questions here,
aren’t you Kat? That’s exactly what I’ve been worried about. I’m 20k into
Tribulation but it’s all over the place at the moment. Normally, I write
sequentially – basically how I’ve plotted the book out and how I would like it
to appear. I’m trying something different with Tribulation. I’ll write the
entire scene (which might be 2-3 chapters worth) before I move onto the next
one. I’ll chop them up later. I know flashbacks worked really well in Rapture,
but I’m not sure how it’ll work in Tribulation given that we’ve already explored
Sam’s backstory. Tribulation is set three and a half years after the Rapture so
just over three years since the first book. Lots has happened and so I’ll still
need to do the odd flashback to fill the audience in. It won’t be alternating
like it was in Rapture.
In terms of the 2nd book in the trilogy being the
weakest, I really don’t want this to be a filler. I still want epic scenes and
the story to have a climatic ending. This book will be longer, just because
there’s so much going on. Sure, I’m setting things up for the climax but we are
talking about a seven year time frame here (the Tribulation lasts for seven
years).
What are you reading right now?
Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin. I loved the TV series
but I have to admit I’m struggling with it, basically because I’m not reading
in large chunks at the moment. I kind of dip into it when I have a moment but
I’m having a bit of trouble keeping up with who’s who (so many characters). I
have the best intentions but because we have a seven month old, I end up
falling asleep covered in baby food or something else unmentionable as soon as
I open a book. I just bought Tanith Lee’s re-released Tales of the Flat Earth
series which I’m looking forward to revisiting. The redesigned cover looks
amazing. I’ve heard so much about the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins that I
just had to buy it. I’m intrigued too, given that some people have compared
Rapture to it. It doesn’t hurt that the movie is coming out shortly as well.
Finally, I’ve got Peter F. Hamilton’s collection of short stories, Manhattan in
Reverse waiting in the wings. I must admit to being a bit naughty and watching
TV rather than reading lately. The Walking Dead (first season) is being
repeated here and I keep watching that rather than reading.
How would your family and friends describe you?
Depends on what mood you get me in. My wife would describe
me as uncommunicative, intense and irritable if I’m in the middle of writing. Apparently
my ears are painted on too, which is a sin that most husbands are guilty of. Mostly
though, I guess I’m pretty silly and tactile. I like to laugh and make others
laugh too.
Do you have any special hidden talents?
I don’t have any. However, if you define ‘special talent’ as
in some vague skill at something, then I play drums in the school band. I’ve
been playing for years but I’m still pretty rubbish. Long ago, I did Kung-fu for six years (I have
a brown belt). I sing a pretty mean version of ‘Burning ring of fire’ by Johnny
Cash when I’ve had a few drinks.
What would you do if you won a million dollars?
Give up my day job and write full-time.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what are the three
things you’d want to have with you?
Sensible answer:
A knife, a tinder box and a medical kit (I watched Castaway)
Stupid answer:
A Lear jet, a case of 25 year old, single malt whiskey and a
beach umbrella
A massive Thank You to Phillip for taking the time to do this interview (even if you do get up early and eat toast with your dog on a mountain! I'm aiming for a late night with a cat on the beach personally!). I'm really looking forward to Tribulation being released in 2012! If you haven't read Rapture yet, pick up a copy today - I gave it 5 stars, what more motivation do you need?!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000
World War Z Rumblings The much-anticipated World War Z zombie flick won’t be released until 21st Dec 2012, but producers are reportedly already thinking about turning the zombie adventure into a trilogy. The Paramount Pictures thriller stars Brad Pitt as a United Nations employee racing to stop a zombie pandemic. The movie now in production is loosely based on [...]
apocalypticmovies.com Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:29:21 +0000
I'm extremely excited to bring you my first Blogger Interview with Forever Lost in Books!
Firstly – a quick introduction – tell me a little about yourself.
As you must know already by my book blogging; I love reading books. I read lots of genres, but mainly YA, Adult being the second. I love anything that has to do with sugar :D Like cookies, cupcakes, candies, chocolate... and whipped cream!! If you'd ask people at school to describe me, I think they'd say I am a nerd, since I get good (or great) grades :D Something you should know about me : I keep my best friends close by :D I have two besties and we are tight. Oh, and I am French, but I prefer English!
Night Owl or Early Bird: Early Bird! Definitively!
Beach or Mountains: That's an easy one : Beach. I hate flies in the mountains, and just having to climb it.... ugh... And I'd move near a beach anytime!
Sweet or Savoury: Both... I love sweet food as well as savoury, but I do have a sweet tooth :D
Sun or Snow: OMG SUN! We have enough snow where we live, urk!
Toast or Cereal: I'm a Toast person :D I don't eat lots of cereals.
On Reading
What is your favourite book/author/series?
OMG! That's a hard question... :D I'll put lots :D
Book (stand-alone) : Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Author : That's hard, but I'd say J.K. Rowling or Cassandra Clare or Jeaniene Frost. Oh! And Elizabeth Chandler!
Series : Night Huntress series, Mortal Instruments series, and the Harry Potter! I also love the Darkest Secrets by Elizabeth Chandler.
Do you have favorite genres, or is there a genre you would really like to read more of?
I love YA, and I tend to read more dystopian and paranormal :D
Where do you typically read? Do you have any particular place/outfit/food or drink requirements for a good reading session?
I read in my bed or on the couch with my jammies on, and sometimes I like to read with a good lemonade :D
What's the first book you remember reading?
Ever? Um... that's a French title... Geronimo Stilton somethin'.
How to do you find your next reads?
On GoodReads or by searching through book blogs :D
What are you reading right now?
An Adult title : Lover Revealed, the fourth in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward
On Blogging
When did you start your blog, and why did you start?
In July 2011, because I had just read Wuthering Heights and wanted to review it :D
What is unique about your blog?
I post anything bookish I find and participate in memes, I also review books :D I'm just another blogger that loves blogging :D
What is your favourite, and least favourite, things about book blogging?
Favorite : The book blogging community ; it's so inviting and fun!
Least : Um... sometimes it feels like homework :D
Do you review every book you read on your blog?
Mostly, except I don't review my Adult reads anymore. But sometimes I'll review about two weeks after reading it.
Where do you get your books from (not just review books!)?
Chapters and my library :D
Do you have an e-reader? If yes, what do you like about e-reading? If no, why not? Yep, I recently got a Nook and it's fun... I guess because some books you can't get in real books :D
Does cover art / design influence the books you choose? Yes, it's the first thing I see :D
If you could say one thing to all the authors that you love, what would it be?
KEEP WRITING!!
Thank you for your interview, Forever Lost in Books!
If you would like to participate in Blogger/Reader Interviews, please go HERE!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:53:00 +0000
Battle Circle Here some cover versions of the science fiction trilogy "Battle Circle" by Piers Anthony. The covers are by the British artist Patrick Woodroffe.
In an post-apocalyptic world people settle their conflicts with highly ritualized combat in a so called "battle circle". Each warrior wears as second name the weapon he wields. And so the books are name after their protagonists:
Sos the Rope (1968)
Var the Stick (1972)
Neq the Sword (1975)
It’s good old thrilling action stuff, like those novels were in these times paving the way for the Road Warrior and others to come.
IMM is hosted by The Story Siren - drop by and see all the other participating blogs with their overflowing mailboxes! It's a great way to learn about new books coming out and books that you may never heard of before.
It's that time of week again - and my second book-buying-banned IMM. Sigh. So to make up for it, I'm going to actually give you more information on the books for the first time ever!
Purchased (was pre-ordered, doesn't count as a 2012 purchase in my mind!)
Picking up where The First Days ends, Fighting to Survive features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have found tenuous safety in the walled off center of a small Texas town. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.
I loved The First Days (I haven't reviewed it because I read it before my blog was born), and I immediately put Fighting to Survive on pre-order when I finished it!
Free For Kindle
Just because I'm not buying books, the Kindle still gets a workout! These books are really not my normal genre, but I thought I'd be adventurous!
College sophomore Bryn Dawson is a self-proclaimed poster child for normal. However, the day William Hayward enters her life, normalcy is the last thing Bryn will be able to count on if she wants to be with him. Too mysterious and appealing to be good for a girl, Bryn feels drawn to him in a way that seems out of her control—as if fate is orchestrating it.
Despite every red flag and warning siren going off in her head telling her not to, Bryn falls hard for William, knowing he’s categorically different from anyone she’s ever met. She never imagined how right she was. When William takes her deeper into the rabbit hole of his world, Bryn must decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice to be with him, knowing no matter what, fate always finds a way to have the last laugh.
When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom.
But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him.
Sixteen year-old Kara Nightingale’s ordinary life is suddenly turned upside-down when she dies in a freak accident, and she wakes up in a strange new world with a new career—as a rookie for the Guardian Angel Legion. Kara hurtles towards dangerous missions with the help of her Petty Officer and friend, David.
But when she discovers a Mark on her leg, the entire Legion accuses her of being a Demon spy. Angels are dying, and David begins to pull away from her. Can Kara prove her innocence as she becomes the Legion’s only hope?
It’s going to take a miracle to save the Legion, and Kara’s luck has just run out...
If anyone has read any of these three, I'd be interested to hear what you thought of them!
“We strongly caution viewers that the footage about to be broadcast is of a highly graphic and unsettling nature.” The blonde anchor glanced nervously off-camera, as if there were a gun pointed at his head, then gazed back into the lens. “I’d like to remind our audience that it has never been the policy of this station to panic or unduly alarm our viewership in bringing such events to public attention, or exploit or sensationalize any such footage we may receive. That said, the videotape we’re about to present is uncensored and unedited in hopes that viewers might better prepare themselves for what is happening in the eastern portion of the country and which, by all reliable indicators, may spread our way in coming weeks. “This footage comes to us from our affiliate station in Chicago and was shot by W.N.C. cameraman Dennis Kabrich in the neighboring community of Elmhurst. Once again, what you are about to witness is real and is attributed to the so-called ‘Wormwood’ or ‘Yellowseed’ virus, first reported near the town of Willard, Pennsylvania, just two short months ago. This footage is of an extremely graphic nature and viewer discretion is strongly advised.” With that, the cautions ceased and the videotape rolled.
War-driven abductions of children who are forced to join murderous armies and trained to kill are nothing new in other countries, but it’s about to happen within the United States on an inter-planetary scale.
When over eleven thousand teenagers who happen to have the same date of birth are simultaneously reported missing on their sixteenth birthday, no explanation offered can help console a struggling nation as towns, cities and religious communities teeter on the brink of civil war out of confusion and fear.
Joshua and Gabriel are twin brothers among the missing. When they awake in the parallel world of Askival, they are told of a precarious conflict with a rival country and are asked to participate in a war to help prevent the annihilation of an entire race.
Under the influence of a mysterious airborne drug, most of the abducted teens eventually embrace their new calling, but Joshua, Gabriel and their friend Heather are among the few who have nagging suspicions of folly. If their suspicions are correct, that means all eleven thousand were meant to serve as a brainwashed army on the wrong side of the war, and time is running out before they are sent to the front lines.
Haunted by the Hell of his past transgressions, he sets out on an epic journey across the underworld to paradise--not to frolic in the gardens with the righteous, but to drink from the river Lethe which causes complete forgetfulness.
He's a rare soul who remembers his life before death, known throughout the underworld as "The Man Who Remembers". There's a bounty on his memories, and envious spirits hunt his head to steal them.
Erasing his mind will get the spirits off his neck and allow him to keep his crown on its throne, but he will have to continue his afterlife in an ignorant bliss. Even more unfortunate for him, paradise is guarded by a great wall that annihilates any soul that gets too close. No member of the damned has ever broken in. And last but definitely not least, from NetGalley
Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.
Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.
Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.
And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.
Not my biggest mailbox ever, but I'm quite pleased with this one! What did you get this week? Leave me a link, I'd love to see!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000
After The Fall Series The After The Fall Series is a classic saga of survival—of the tenacity of the human spirit when all hope fails and the dark ravages of nuclear winter and social devolution seem to envelop the Earth.
It is a story of ordinary people with extraordinary resolve, who, by their wills and wits alone, rise above the devastation to fashion a new world from the smoldering ashes of the old.
Travel with our champions in this superbly crafted tale of adventure as they seek to establish a new life, refusing to relinquish their freedom or humanity amidst the unprecedented chaos and renaissance of the post-End War environment.
Having survived the Great Purging and its aftermath, they cling to life, to one another, and to all that is cherished by the enlightened mind while navigating a gauntlet of conscienceless villains, hell bent on wreaking further havoc, motivated by a twisted desire to rule their fellows by force.
While the brutal realities of a post apocalyptic future are not easily endured, this remains fundamentally a story of hope, honor, and redemption—and of the triumph of the heart, even when faced with the most dire of circumstances.
Welcome then to the future—After The Fall...
postapoc.net Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:58:54 +0000
John Phillip Backus’ Author Blog John Phillip Backus: American science fiction, adventure fiction, and children’s fiction writer and storyteller. Author of the After The Fall post-apocalyptic series, Jen of Earth – The Dorian Chronicles; Spirit of the Rainforest, The Wilderness Chronicles; Fireside Tales of High Adventure in the Far North Country, and creator of the Happy Hippo, Mean Wigglin, and It’s Everybody’s Wire children’s tales. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 30th, 1952 to Donald Eugene Backus and Mary Aideena (Lee) Backus, as the second of six children of Scotch-English and Native American descent. In the Author’s Forward in Hunter – After The Fall, Backus states:
“Throughout my lifetime, many individuals have influenced my love of the language and of books, not least of whom were my parents. My father, Donald, was a voracious sci-fi and adventure fiction reader. On weekend afternoons, he could often be found relaxing on the couch with his nose in a dog-eared pulp paperback, perhaps by Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert A. Heinlein, Louis L’amour, or H. G. Wells, and boasting some sort of heroic cover art––likely by Frank Frazetta, or one of his counterparts––depicting John Carter of Mars, one of the Sacketts, or Tarzan, smashing his way through hordes of enemies, blade, blaster, or six shooter in one hand and damsel in distress in the other.
My mother, Mary, cherished the more civilized, classic fiction, instilling in me a great love for such books at an early age––books she considered as doorways to a wide variety of experiences, adventures, and ideas––and which I accessed through the offerings of Lewis Carroll, James Clavell, James Fenimore Cooper, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, J. R. R. Tolkien, Mark Twain and Jules Verne to name a few. She introduced me to the wonder of libraries, bookmobiles, and natural history museums, and taught me to respect, nurture, and appreciate the magic of the written word, as well as the beauty and grandeur of our natural world. To my parents, who, by example, imparted their varied literary passions to an impressionable young mind growing up in the American Midwest in the 1950’s, I am truly grateful.”
postapoc.net Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:54:45 +0000
Phase 7 Phase 7 is on watch it now on netflix as of last week. I was looking forward to seeing it, every since I saw the trailer on Quiet Earth. The trailer featured a song by SOD and band I listened to in high school, which I thought was pretty awesome. The movie revolves around Coco [...]
postapocalyptic.us Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:46:08 +0000
This is part of my EDC (everyday carry). Most people call this a survival tin and there's many different versions of it. My approach in preparedness (prepping) in general is a minimalistic one. So everything in this "survival tin" are items I use quite a bit except for the lighter (I don't smoke anymore).
It just doesn't make sense to lug around items that's not applicable to your environment / situation.
I carry this everywhere with me and as I've mentioned on the vid, I have enough textbooks and such to carry around for my classes so I don't need additional things to weigh me down.
my minimalist edc survival tin - interior
Contents: Bandaids Antibiotic ointment for minor cuts alcohol pads ibuprofen & advil zantac chapstick eyeglass repair kit lighter
I still need to add: something for my allergies
Here's the brief vid I made of it:
This is just part of my EDC - minimalist style. I'll go over the other parts in future vids and blog posts. I keep everything interchangeable depending on where I'm headed but this kit remains a constant in all of them.
Do you have a survival tin? What do you carry in yours?
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced on January 10 that they have moved the hands of the hypothetical clock another minute closer to midnight, back to its time in 2007.
They cited the lack of initiatives regarding climate change and rising international tensions as one of the key reasons for the adjustment.
The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by the board of directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago using the imagery of apocalypse -- a countdown to midnight -- to convey the level of threats to humanity and the planet. The original time was set at 11:53pm, seven minutes to midnight.
The Bulletin is a periodical founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The clock was initially focused on nuclear war but has since broadened to reflect other risks that could have a serious impact on human life.
anyheroes.wordpress.com Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:30:58 +0000
A quick review of 5 Survival Shows Survival shows have become very popular in the past few years and although some are quite dramatized you can actually get some valuable information out of them. Survivorman is one of my favourites because I regard it as a very authentic survival show. While other shows have a camera crew, Les Stroud puts himself into survival [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:19:36 +0000
Busy, busy. I felt like this today, but I think that had more to do with the fact that I was functioning on 3 ho
sundancepress.wordpress.com Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:07:43 +0000
Two Journeys – The Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Clemens P. Suter is the author of adventure, fantasy and crime stories. He currently has two books in print: CELETERRA and TWO JOURNEYS - and is working on his third and fourth novels.
postapoc.net Sat, 14 Jan 2012 07:58:05 +0000
Dusk: Origins Dusk: Origins is a collaborative blog serial written by four authors. Set several hundred years post apocalypse, it follows four characters as they head westward, towards the setting sun. The light of the world is dying, and soon enough they may need to stand against the dark. Updates sundays.
Source: kindly provided by the author for my review
In the wake of Arbitrator Jonah Oliver's interrogation of Jibril Muraz, a prisoner of UNPOL, his secure life disintegrates into one of lies, corruption, conspiracy and murder due to what he learns.
Jonah is thrown into a race against the clock to stop a plot designed to eliminate two-thirds of the population. The odds are stacked against him. He soon finds his past is not what he thought it was, those closest to him cannot be trusted, and what he’s learned could get him, or worse, his loved ones, killed.
On 15 March 2110, 6.3 billion people will die at the hand of one man.
A man with a twisted vision, to make humans a better, more intelligent race.
From a world where personal privacy has been forsaken comes a tale of conspiracy, love and murder – and the bond shared by brothers.
I was a little hesitant when I first received this book. The blurb sounded quite science-fictioney (yeah, that’s a word!) and I thought I may have been a little out of my comfort zone. However, I was about to have a very pleasant surprise.
Tag is more futuristic than science-fiction, and the technological advances of 2110 are not far-fetched, they are easily imaginable. International travel has become a breeze, cash is a thing of the past and convenience is exactly what the word suggests. But although the world has a pretty surface, underneath planet Earth and its surroundings are quickly descending into 1984-esque habits, without even realizing what is happening.
The characters in Tag are complex, well-drawn and likeable, despicable or sitting on the fence. Allegiances are formed and withdrawn as the story progresses, and the twists are surprising and sometimes heart-wrenching. The story is told either in first person POV through Jonah, or third person POV through other key characters.
There are a few small niggles for me in this book – the physical descriptions of the characters are a little repetitive, there are a couple of small errors and there are a few places in the book where the action takes a dip – but these could be easily rectified by a good editor, and make Tag a truly fantastic book.
Apart from these small issues, I was very impressed and enthralled by Tag. Don’t be put off thinking this book is science-fiction – it is in a way, but it’s a book that would appeal to anyone that enjoys a good thriller, a good story or an excellent futuristic book!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:21:00 +0000
A Post-Apocalyptic Video With the Help of Crowdfunding A team of artists, including Rubidium Wu, Eric Stafford, Kettie Jean, and Rob Rusli has created an impressive video of New York City an a post-apocalyptic state. Standard fare for a generation raised on the Internet, a place where end-of-the-world …
I love giving away books - and once again this is a Book of Your Choice Giveaway! I really enjoy these as The Book Depository allows free international shipping and I love seeing what people pick!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000
Miniatures Projects for 2012 It is that time again. Time to start a new set of projects for the new year. Last year I planned o
captainapathy.wordpress.com Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:43:29 +0000
Fangirlin’ for Jericho So, remember back in the 90s when Scream was some seriously groundbreaking shit? That was when Skeet Ulrich was famous. It was one of the things that had me puzzled when I started watching Jericho . I knew I’d heard the name but just couldn’t place it. But, once it was placed it was unforgettable. Everything about [...]
feedproxy.google.com Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:48:52 +0000
Blueprints of the Afterlife All I really want to say is everyone go read Blueprints of the Afterlife by Ryan Boudinot. Yeah, it
kelseyblogs.wordpress.com Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:48:50 +0000
Inspired by my recent interview by author Brett J Talley, I will be starting a series of blogger/review/reader interviews beginning with, well, the first person to reply to this post :-D
Like an author interview, the questions will be about you personally, your blog (if you have one but it's not compulsory at all!), your reading and reading habits and will be linked back to your blog/Goodreads profile if you have one.
If you would like to participate, please contact me via my contact form, Twitter or Facebook!
theaussiezombie.blogspot.com Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:34:00 +0000
Since I've been getting more into prepping I've been very selective about what I choose to add to our gear.
I'm very careful about keeping the balance between stuff vs. skills. Being in a very urban setting, we're prone to rolling blackouts during the summer and also during very extreme winter conditions. The type of stuff I like to add to our bugging-in arsenal are items that can be used in multiple situations and not just for emergencies.
The coffee percolator is an excellent example of this. I like to use this at least a few times a week since it brews stronger coffee than our regular coffee maker. It can also be used for camping/hiking trips. As long as you have a heat source to boil water, you're good to go. In case of a power outage, we can even use this with a sterno stove indoors (I would imagine the boil time is a lot longer but it should get the job done - I'll have to test this in the near future).
There's different types of percolators available out there at various price points but they all pretty much have the same components - you have the pot, the stem, a basket, basket cover, and a glass knob.
The only thing about the model I have is that it has a plastic handle (susceptible to melting). So far it hasn't been an issue, it's just a matter of adjusting the placement of the pot over the heat source.
Here's a quickie video I made about it:
If you want to pick one up, this looks like a good model.
anyheroes.wordpress.com Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:38:29 +0000
The Hunger Games A friend of mine introduced me to the post-apocalyptic trilogy by Suzanne Collins entitled (Book one
mysmorgasbord.wordpress.com Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:44:53 +0000
Post-apocalyptic film to open "Dystopia: 2013," a movie produced in the Ozarks about a mysterious cataclysm that befalls mankind on Dec. 31, 2012, will premiere at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Moxie Cinema, 431 S. Jefferson Ave. Centered around four characters, each with a back story of what his or her life was like before it all came crashing down, the film depicts life for these characters as they struggle for survival and strive ...
chaldaemon13.wordpress.com Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:04:29 +0000
Post-apocalyptic story survives by its wit Flip around the radio dial lately? You probably won’t find anything as entertaining as the programming put on by Soviet Free Radio Order. Especially its “At Home Field Guide,” a homespun combination of storytelling, hokey audience-participation games and country-and-western songs that makes Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion...
nypost.com Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:12:02 -0800
Survival instruction nursery rhyme Jamie made the following comment to my last post: I really like the idea of making up nursery rhymes that carry survival instructions. Those kinds of things will stick in a kids brain and they’ll know what to do in certain situations without knowing how they know. If the apocalypse hits, I’ll be sending any [...]
feedproxy.google.com Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:45:27 +0000
In Case of Survival In Case of Survival is dedicated to all the seemingly trivial aspects of post-apocalyptic living. From the best way to build a survival shelter to which shoes to wear, we have the information wrapped up with a healthy dose of dark humour.
postapoc.net Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:44:35 +0000
Carriers – a viral epidemic Carrier, a person or organism infected with an infectious disease agent, but displaying no symptoms (Wikipedia) Time to tackle the topic of a deadly virus today, at least one that doesn’t turn you into an undead flesh-craving zombie. The film Carriers follows four friends (two brothers and their girlfriends) on their journey through the desert to [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:37:59 +0000
Apocalypse Law 2 by John Grit is the second book in the series following the Ex-Army Ranger, Nate, as he struggles to keep his family safe in a post-apocalyptic world. This is a very fast paced and enjoyable read. Nate is a humble, reluctant hero that in many ways is the post-apocalyptic version of John Rambo. With Apocalypse Law, John Grit brings me back to the action movies of my younger years that I remember so fondly. Being vastly outnumbered and overpowered by an unrelenting, extremely violent group of ex-military raiders, Nate is forced to pull out all of the stops and resorts to using some “unconventional” weapons in defence of his farm. Nate and his female fighting companion, Deni, are truly stretched beyond their limits as they take on this gang of marauders. While you might be tempted to see this story line as cliché, Apocalypse Law 2 is full of surprises and will hold your interest until the end. If there is a post-apocalyptic action sub-genre (which there may very well be, excuse my ignorance), the Apocalypse Law series would certainly rate at the top of the list!
apocalypticfiction.com 2012-01-11T20:54:30Z
End It! Shortlist… We had 17 wonderful entries to the short story competition! Thank you all so much for the effort and imagination you put into this. It was a pleasure reading them all and we had a very hard time shortlisting the … Continue reading →
post-apocalypticbookclub.co.uk Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:55:19 +0000
Beyond the Aftermath From the "Fallout" games to food storage... from Emergency Preparedness to the Post-Apocalyptic genre... your source for all things "wasteland" from that intro/skit-guy from the "Through the Aftermath" podcast...
postapoc.net Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:37:28 +0000
The Savage AfterWorld The Savage AfterWorld presents adventures, creatures, artifacts, mutations, and discussion for Goblinoid Games' Mutant Future RPG as well as other Science Fantasy games in a post-apocalyptic future.
Yes indeed! As by request, I do believe it's time for some updates and to bring you all up to speed on the "Aftermath Radio" mod for Fallout: New Vegas.
Ah hold on...I saw that look on your face. You were bracing for some bad news, weren't you? You were concerned the lack of news lately meant something had happened or maybe the mod was on hold.
No, you won't hear any bad news at all, in fact, just the opposite. The mod is totally cranking full-speed right now. I kid you not when I say I've been working each and every day (sometimes until 3am, no joke) on getting it complete and locking everything in. Even on Christmas Day. Trust me...my 5-year-old had Hexbugs and Minecraft...he didn't mind! As most of you who ever have done modding know, it takes a sick amount of time to make one. In this case, it's kind of a "double-mod" because it's a fully features radio station AND a full-blown side-questline. It's crazy how much time it takes to make this all work. I mentioned last time we were close. We're even closer now. So here's the status:
- THE RADIO STATION: Ohhhhh nelly, was THIS a project.... I essentially revamped the entire radio flow. You ever notice how Radio New Vegas starts to repeat fairly early on and kind of loses its flow after a bit? I wanted to avoid this. Some of the repetition I'm sure can't be helped but I wanted to try to push the bar way higher. It was a pain in the arse, but I think I pulled it off. Even despite a few GECK kit bugs. Right now, almost all the dialog is recorded and locked. All of this was the majority of the time that this mod has taken. This is why I've been off the grid for 2 months. I had to take around 80 hours of recorded show and dialog, convert and re-edit them, and link them piece by piece into the GECK. That's a frightening amount of editing. I think you'll really dig what the extra effort went into, though. I wanted this radio station to be done right. I could have settled for having it just play non-stop podcast replays back-to-back, but I wanted this radio station to be something you want to listen to constantly. Not something you'll get bored of after hearing the same thing a few times. I wanted it to be dynamic enough to actually sound like Shawn and I are out there in wasteland broadcasting to you. There are commercials, podcast episodes (I've divided each episode into 4 parts to help break it up a bit), random clips, and also the news reports. And even some new intro skits. Oh, the news reports...speaking of other things that took alot of work. This radio station has almost 70 news stories that play based on your current quests. Not just like Radio New Vegas, but even more. Some of them will be similar, since they involve the major quest parts, but I've even added a bunch for smaller questlines such as the "Sunset Sarsaparilla Legend" quests and the "Tops Talent Quest". You'll get a kick out of them. You'd swear it was our podcast and we were reacting to what you were doing. Like I said, I think you'll appreciate all the extra effort.
-THE QUEST LINE: I tweaked the questline a bit...that's also been part of what took longer. This story quest has essentially been a real-time version of our podcast intro skits. It's insanely trickly to put an intro skit into an interactive form that keeps the action going without being annoying. Things on paper don't always play well in-game. Some of them you don't actually realize until you see it in the game and think "Frak, saying I'm not wearing pants sounded funny on paper but in-game I'm frightened." When I ran the questline through, I felt like it was missing some things (no, they weren't pants). So I went back and made some adjustments. I feel alot better about it now. I wanted it to have alot of the same humor as our intro skits, but also have an element of seriousness to the overall feel. You'll really like the quests, if for any other reason than they fit into the overall Fallout lore and make sense. I didn't want to just do a "kill the raiders" quest with jokes and all and be done...I wanted to add a bit of new content to the Fallout world. All of the locations are based on real-life locations and are new ones you haven't been to yet in Fallout. More on this soon. Recording the dialog is almost done on this as well. We had to record dialog for not only the overall script, but also the sounds Shawn and I do when we travel with you and fight. So you have a ton of sounds just to have us be companions with you, like the "hit the deck!" things companions yell when you throw a grenade. I also scripted alot of interaction to make things feel more realistic. We'll be recording dialog with our post-apocalyptic guru-friend Megaton in the next week. If you don't already know who he is -- and shame on you if not -- he oversees the almighty "postapocalypticforum.com" and "postapoc.net"...so repent now and check the sites out.
Oh, I didn't tell you Megaton is a main character did I? Well, there's some teaser info for you. Megaton is one of the main characters who helps start the questline and a big part of the story.
So now the big question you're probably thinking.... how long till you can play it? What's our release date? Tough to say, since it's insanely hard to predict a timeline on a mod you're building (especially when you're a one-man-team) so I'm not sure I can give a definitive answer to that. That said, I'll try. I'll tell you what my personal goal is:
I want to have this in beta-testing within the next month or so. And hopefully, in your hands, dear gamer, right after that. So let's say.... hmmm...why don't we try for "before Easter" as a release date. The majority of the mod is done, and it's just a matter of fine-tuning the rest, but you never know how long that can take.
Does that mean something could happen that stalls the release goal? It's possible. Do I anticipate it?I don't think so. I'm hopeful this is going to click together just fine in this last stretch. I've gone to some crazy lengths to make sure this mod plays nicely with a minimal fuss. I'm hoping it pays off in the end with a smooth testing phase. I suppose the main bugs that could likely pop up would be ones where I still continually have to work around actual bugs in the GECK kit and FO:NV engine itself. But I remain optimistic after all I've done so far. Heck, I've got 4 times more dialog than Wayne Newton did in the game and that's sounds cool when I say that to people who don't know what that means!
The whole project has taken a while but that's always the game-design world, isn't it? It's mainly because I want this mod to shine and I hope you all feel the same when you play it. I think you'll feel that way. If not, I'll throw up in my mouth a bit.
Watch for some more updates here in these last few weeks. I've got more things planned to show you. Also, if you have any requests for things you'd like to see, let me know.
Unique pure silver ring looks like a gas mask with rubber hose. [link]
postapocalyptia.tumblr.com Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:58:06 -0500
What you should be afraid of. Whole psychological theories have been based on what shows up in our horror films. I could go on and on about them, but as I only have an A level in Psychology, I’m sure I would be ill-informed. But one theory that I do agree with is that fear of monsters – of zombies, vampires, [...]
feedproxy.google.com Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:00:51 +0000
Bethesda wins rights to make Fallout mmo If you have been following the spat between Bethesda and Interplay over the Fallout mmo as I have then this is big news. Bethesda has won the rights to keep both the Fallout franchise and make the Fallout mmo which Interplay was unable to begin. If you want to read more in depth then read it below straight from the Bethesda blog.
FALLOUT® MMO RIGHTS RESTORED TO
BETHESDA SOFTWORKS® IN INTERPLAY LITIGATION
All Fallout® Intellectual Property Rights Belong Exclusively to Bethesda
January 9, 2012 (Rockville, MD) –ZeniMax® Media Inc. today announced that a settlement had been reached in the lawsuit filed by its subsidiary, Bethesda Softworks®, against Interplay Entertainment Corporation in 2009, Bethesda Softworks LLC v Interplay Entertainment Corp., seeking cancellation of the license granted to Interplay to develop a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) based on the Fallout brand. Bethesda maintained in its complaint that Interplay had failed to meet the conditions for the license and the license was therefore of no continuing validity.
Under the terms of the settlement, the license granted to Interplay to develop the Fallout MMO is null and void, and all rights granted to Interplay to develop a Fallout MMO revert back to Bethesda, effective immediately. Interplay has no ongoing right to use the Fallout brand or any Fallout intellectual property for any game development. ZeniMax will pay Interplay $2 million as consideration in the settlement, each party will bear its own costs of the litigation, and Bethesda will continue to own all Fallout intellectual property rights. Interplay will be permitted to continue to sell the original Fallout ®Tactics, Fallout® and Fallout® 2 PC games through December 2013, after which time all rights to market those games revert to and become the sole property of Bethesda. Under the original agreement pursuant to which Bethesda had acquired the Fallout property, Interplay was granted certain merchandising rights to sell those original Fallout games, but those merchandising rights will now expire on December 31, 2013.
The lawsuit against Interplay arose after Bethesda Softworks acquired all Fallout intellectual property rights from Interplay in April 2007, and conditionally licensed back to Interplay certain trademark rights to make a Fallout MMO, provided Interplay secured $30 million in financing for the MMO and commenced full scale development of the game by April 2009. Bethesda alleged in its complaint that Interplay failed to meet either condition of the license back agreement but refused to relinquish its license and insisted it would develop a Fallout MMO. Bethesda filed suit to declare the license void.
In a separate but related matter, Bethesda commenced a second action against a purported developer of the Fallout MMO, Masthead Studios, Bethesda Softworks LLC v Masthead Studios Ltd. In the course of the original lawsuit against Interplay, Interplay had claimed that it had engaged Masthead Studios to develop the Fallout MMO under its license, and contended that Masthead was engaged in full scale development of that game. Bethesda filed its separate lawsuit against Masthead to assert copyright infringement and other violations of Bethesda’s intellectual property rights. Under the MMO license granted to Interplay, Interplay was not permitted to sublicense any rights granted without the prior approval of Bethesda, approval which had never been requested or granted. In responding to Bethesda’s lawsuit, Masthead denied that it had been using any of Bethesda’s intellectual property in developing an MMO. Masthead and Bethesda settled that second lawsuit on December 29, 2011. In the settlement, Masthead acknowledges it has no legal right to use any Fallout intellectual property, and agrees it will not use any such intellectual property of Bethesda in the future. No payments were made by either party as part of this settlement. The two settlements resolve all pending litigation over the Fallout intellectual property owned by Bethesda.
Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax, expressed satisfaction on behalf of the Company with the resolution of the two lawsuits saying, “While we strongly believe in the merits of our suits, we are pleased to avoid the distraction and expense of litigation while completely resolving all claims to the Fallout IP. Fallout is an important property of ZeniMax and we are now able to develop future Fallout titles for our fans without third party involvement or the overhang of others’ legal claims.”
Following the purchase of the property, Bethesda Game Studios, the 2011 ‘Studio of the Year’ and the development team behind the 2011 ‘Game of the Year’, The Elder Scrolls® V: Skyrim™, developed Fallout® 3. ZeniMax Media’s publishing subsidiary, Bethesda Softworks, published Fallout®3,a highly acclaimed sequel which won ‘Game of the Year’ honors in 2008, for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows. Bethesda also published the popular title, Fallout: New Vegas®, in 2010 for the same platforms. Fallout: New Vegas® Ultimate Edition, which will include the original game and the award-winning downloadable content in one special package, is planned for release by Bethesda in early 2012.
The 'post-apocalyptic' condo that can withstand a nuclear attack The Week Magazine Survivalist bunkers "were never a bargain," says Alana Semuels in the Los Angeles Times, but where a backyard fallout shelter might have cost half a family's annual income in the early 1960s, the $2 million price tag puts "post-apocalyptic digs out of ...
Post-Apocalyptic Blog he post-apocalyptic blog brings you reviews and discussions about media such as games, books and movies dealing with the end of the world as we know it and the struggle for survival of the remaining people.
Goal is to create an archive of worthwile media which is both entertaining and preparing for a scenario where a world has been changed by a nuclear war, a deadly disease or a natural disaster.
Goal is to create an archive of worthwile media which is both entertaining and preparing for a scenario where a world has been changed by a nuclear war, a deadly disease or a natural disaster.
postapoc.net Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:39:24 +0000
Entertaining the kids Coming off the Christmas holidays, my older daughter’s school has a few random days off in January. My younger daughter gets to stay home those days, and I unfortunately get no work done. (Unless I want to work at midnight, which I usually have to do in order to meet my deadlines. Yay.) Those are [...]
feedproxy.google.com Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:23:36 +0000
The Old Man and the Wasteland – Book Review The short story The Old Man and the Wasteland is set in Arizona forty years after several nuclear bombs have fallen onto the United States, taking out a large number of major cities. The Old Man used to be great at what kept the survivors alive; salvaging! Now it seems like he is cursed, returning [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:28:08 +0000
Apocalyptic Fiction An exercise in what ifs...zombies, earth changes, war, plague, asteroids, EMP, raiders....what would you do if the lights went out and weren't coming back?
postapoc.net Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:27:28 +0000
Apokalyptisk Danish blog about apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction. Almost daily updated with news, reviews and rumors.
Big changes are overwhelming. Hell, sometimes they are terrifying beyond all reasonable comprehension. The Apocalypse, regardless of the form it takes, will be a big change.
An awfully big change.
Just thinking about how the world will change is a bucket of stress. Unfortunately, since it isn't the good kind of stress, it doesn't do anything other than wig you out. How in the name of Fluffy Bunnies can a girl combat that?
Easy: use small changes you can control and positive stress to prepare yourself for the End of Times. Well, at least to learn how to handle change well. Preparing for the End of Times will take a little more than what I've got in mind here. Read more »
feedproxy.google.com Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:07:00 +0000
I really wanted to like Contagion. A movie about a worldwide pandemic must be good, right? Apparently not. Somehow they took a great subject with decent actors and made a terribly boring movie. The characters lack depth. Even Kate Winslet is mundane in this movie. Contagion was like reading about the Spanish Flu of 1918 in a microbiology textbook. It merely presents information. The plot twists, if you could call them that, were lame. Since I have only watched this movie once, I might have missed something that made it more entertaining. If that is the case, I sincerely apologize.
kranburn.smackjeeves.com Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:58:03 GMT
Survive the Apocalypse Survivetheapocalypse.net - Practical, real world advice on survival, written in an informative, entertaining and witty way.
postapoc.net Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:43:23 +0000
A Boy and his Dog If you have never watched this movie then I invite you to now, it gave the inspiration for Dogmeat in Fallout. As well as maybe some of the wackiness. I hope everyone enjoys!!!!
I was cruising the used DVD/book store at the mall today, and I found what I thought was quite a score, Return to the Planet of the Apes, the complete animated series. I knew there was a Planet of the Apes tv series, but I had completely forgotten about the animated Saturday morning show that came after it.
Running for just 13 episodes in 1975, Return to the Planet of the Apes didn't follow the chronology of the films and live-action tv series, but rather was a sort of re-imagining of the mythology with many of the same characters. As with the previous stories, this one follows a handful of astronauts who are thrown into the future and find themselves in a world populated by intelligent apes. They try to figure out what happened while avoiding the apes and protecting the humans who live there.
I'm really looking forward to watching the shows, but it turns out that if I had known to look, I could have watched them anytime because all of the episodes are posted in their entirety on YouTube.
I only paid $7 for the DVD and I'd rather watch them on my tv anyway, but if you're interested in seeing them yourself, here's the first episode to whet your appetite.
kranburn.smackjeeves.com Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:48:20 GMT
The Walking Dead Many of you probably know that the zombie tv show The Walking Dead is based on comic books created by Robert Kirkman. Since my childhood I haven’t read a comic book, but I got to say The Walking Dead hooked me back up again. They are very well written and illustrated and the reader find’s [...]
postapocalypticblog.wordpress.com Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:55:39 +0000
No this isn't some ironic internet meme, but an honest to god promotional video for a television series that's in-development about a Panda in the apocalypse.
One could wonder if Nazis are destined to become the next big concept to cross over into the mainstream, like Zombies before them. The indie horror scene is certainly all over them these days with Full Moon's Puppet Master series the next to adopt them as well.
Apparently El Fin (The End) is about the impending end of the world, but you wouldn't know it from this non-subtitled trailer that's all sappy music over heartwarming scenes of friendship and pallin' around. Of course, in light of the glut of apocalypse films that predict humans would go all agro in light of the apocalypse, a more positive outlook on human nature might be in order too. 
