New Work Published: A Drizzle of Zombies by Joshua Price

Available now at Amazon's Kindle store, "A Drizzle of Zombies" by Joshua Price features a cover created by your truly.  This book is the latest in Price's "Annals of Absurdity" series, for which I'll also be providing the next two covers. 
From the book's description:

"Four unlikely heroes. One absurd undertaking.

Like any good supervillain, Dr. Malevolent robs banks, but when the incompetent Captain Rescue intercepts her latest heist, they accidentally trigger a most undeadly threat: zombies! The two sworn enemies must band forces to save the world, dragging along the perfect allies: a shotgun-toting cop, and... a bunny?

The group ventures to the heart of the undead sea to discover who wants to annihilate humanity. Because zombies are only the beginning. Dun dun dun.

The flood starts in... A Drizzle of Zombies."

The basic design for the cover came from Joshua himself, but in my creative contribution, I tried to keep the tone of the piece light to complement the work inside.  In rendering the elements for the cover, I deliberately tried to recall the style of some of the popular humour novels on the market now (see Amy Sedaris's books , for example), while using darker tones and linework to communicate the more genre-based elements of the book.  Joshua's work is an entertaining blend of humour, action and sci-fi/superhero fiction, so the trick was to find the right balance between light and dark.  I think the end result works rather well.  Comments?

A book like this would make for some excellent summer reading, especially for those fond of work by authors like Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams or Christopher Moore.  Just the thing for an afternoon at the beach or a few idle hours spent hanging around the coffee shop.

Apex Sale - Time for a Change?

The Apex Books Halloween sale rolls on...

"Apex Halloween One Day Sale-THE CHANGED-40% off today only!

It’s not the end of the world—it’s just zombies. Chris is an ordinary guy with a boring job, a perfect fiancée, and plans for a happy, if predictable, future. But when the dead stop dying and become, instead, simply “changed,” ordinary isn’t so comforting anymore. Wandering stray animals suddenly develop a taste for flesh and brains, and while most of the human zombies might be harmless, can anyone really be sure?

For a novel that is both horrifying and satirical, THE CHANGED by BJ Burrow will make your day. Especially at today's one day sale (Oct 27) of 40% off. Drop by the Apex Publications Store and get yours now.

Don't forget, any customer who buys any book between Oct 15th and Oct 30th will have their name put in for a raffle of awesome prizes: A critique Apex Magazine Fiction Editor, Cat Valente, or $25 gift card for Amazon.com, or an Apex Minion pack, or a $10 gift certificate to the Apex Store."

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/the-changed

This one is actually next up on my reading list.  I love a good zombie novel but, like vampires, I suspect that the vein (heh) is quickly getting played out through overuse.  Still, if I can count on anybody to offer me some good zombie fiction, it has to be Apex, whose publications could be called anything but cliche.  I've never read anything by Burrow, but a sample of this book convinced me that it would be worth the read.  Why not give it a try?

Can't Sleep...Clowns Will Eat Me

For reasons not quite clear, but probably having something to do with lack of sleep and poor dietary habits, I felt that I needed to draw a zombie clown today. Thank heavens for the internet, where I can pass my crazy on to you, dear reader.

 

I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that I can't get Alice Cooper's "Look at You Over There, Ripping the Sawdust From My Teddy Bear" out of my head?

Bedelia, I Want My Cake!

Father's Day's coming up, for anyone who cares about that sort of thing...the time of year when your family ignores your request not to spend money and buys you things that you neither want nor need, nor could ever possibly use, all in the name responding to overwhelming advertising. Nevertheless, if nothing else, it's a good opportunity to lie in to the point of being ridiculous and then grab a nap in the middle of the afternoon without needing an excuse.
So, in the spirit of the sleep deprived everywhere, Happy Father's Day!