by Angela Scott
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I say why the heck not!
My Zombie West Series started as a joke. Really, that’s the truth of it. It was supposed to be a joke and nothing more.
My critique buddies decided to dare one another to write in a genre outside of their comfort zone. One suspense writer was told to write a fantasy, and the fantasy writer was dared to write a romance—each a genre they’d never tried.
My comfort zone was contemporary young adult. I’d written 3 novels in that genre, so to write anything else seemed impossible, but I’m not one to back down from a dare. When they suggested writing the opening for a zombie western, I had no other choice but to meet that dare head on. Oh, yeah!
So I did, and a week later I read it to my group. They laughed, which was my intention. While the other wrote amazing beginnings to possible stories, they both set theirs aside to go back to writing the genres they loved.
But didn’t.
When NaNoWriMo came around a few months later, I didn’t have any fresh ideas rolling around in my head, but I wanted to participate (I love the idea of writing with abandon). So I chose to continue with the zombie western deciding to try my hand at writing from a guy’s point of view (something I’d never tried) and also to write in 3rd person (again, something I’d never done).
I decided to have fun with it and test myself to see if I could actually do it.
It was never meant to be a story. That was never my intention, but as I kept sending chapters to my best writing buddy, she kept encouraging me to write more. At one point she actually said it should be a series and that I should really think about turning it into one.
I fought against the idea. I didn’t want to be a zombie writer—I was a young adult contemporary writer, and I was pretty adamant about it!
But she kept pushing, insisting my zombie western book was to be more than a simple writing exercise.
And boy am I grateful that she did.
I think I far exceeded my goals in writing this cross genre novel. Not only did I have a blast doing it, but I found out that I should never put limits on myself. Sometimes great things can happen when you’re open to new experiences. That’s a pretty good life lesson, I think.
Maybe I will always be known as a zombie writer, and you know what? That’s okay by me.
by Angela Scott
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READ about Angela's zombies...
Dead or Undead
(The Zombie West Series, #1)
by Angela Scott
Trace Monroe doesn’t believe in luck. He never has. But when a fiery-headed cowgirl saunters through the saloon doors, wielding shotguns and a know-how for killing the living dead, he believes he just may be the luckiest man alive.
Trace wants to join "Red’s" posse, but she prefers to work alone—less messy that way. In order to become her travelling companion, Trace has to agree to her terms: no names, no questions, and if he gets bit, he can’t beg for mercy when she severs his brain stem. He agrees, knowing only that Red is the sharpest shooter he’s ever encountered. The fact she’s stunning hasn’t escaped his attention either.
What he doesn’t know, is that Red has a very good reason to be on top of her game. She not only has the answer for how they can all outlive the plague taking over the wild, wild west, she is the answer.
WIN a copy of this ebook!
Open to all.
Offer ends: April 30, 2012
TO DO: (2-parts)
1. ONE of these:
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or
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Giveaway: Wanted: Dead or Undead by Angela Scott
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* giveaway continued from previous
participants already noted:
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books4me
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midnight cowgirl
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teressa
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Contest has ended - winner is here
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* part of Wanted: Dead Or Undead tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies
