tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77173656489220097192024-03-14T02:29:04.813-06:00Haunted Thoughtsby paranormal and apocalyptic author MICHELLE DEPAEPEMichelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-42441090500675809872014-10-03T19:21:00.000-06:002014-10-03T19:21:01.633-06:00Taking a Break from my Ebola Paranoia to Remember this Awesome Review (warning: contains spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPDA7C1prfed5-b8xiLXgpAoDOy4h0A-zxaq9D5kFBzPOqKrIv2DyviFvGwXQ6_WjlGmYo7Biu06Lhi_lpHA_GEi5-rQZKNkxYfZkW9WrvPA1yA_1bqgf8iaSnutjqaVR1FqaQh7zA2jj/s1600/Eaters+front+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPDA7C1prfed5-b8xiLXgpAoDOy4h0A-zxaq9D5kFBzPOqKrIv2DyviFvGwXQ6_WjlGmYo7Biu06Lhi_lpHA_GEi5-rQZKNkxYfZkW9WrvPA1yA_1bqgf8iaSnutjqaVR1FqaQh7zA2jj/s1600/Eaters+front+cover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Book Review:<br />
Eaters<br />
Michelle DePaepe<br />
<a href="http://permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a>, 2012<br />
By Andrew C Schlett<br />
Editor, <a href="http://www.rivetheadmagazine.com/">Rivethead Magazine</a><br />
<br />
<em>“…Less than a week ago, she had been working in an insurance office, daydreaming<br />about her Caribbean honeymoon plans with Mark. Now, she was effectively widowed,<br />holed up in a cabin with three strangers, wearing an oversized combat uniform and a<br />butch hairdo, holding a powerful rifle and mentally prepared to blow the fucking head off<br />of anything that tried to harm her. Life had truly changed on a dime.”</em><br />
<br />
Welcome to the world of Cheryl Malone … survivor of nothing less than the<br />
apocalyptic destruction of civilization as we know it by flesh-eating zombies. In this<br />
just-released novel by author Michelle DePaepe, a new life is breathed into the zombie<br />
genre through vivid imagery and DePaepe’s stunningly graphic depictions of the horrors<br />
that Malone comes to face as her regular life is destroyed, replaced instead with an<br />
unimaginably perilous new one. The author takes us along on Cheryl’s ride as the plague<br />
spreads all around her, the days turn into weeks, and the world turns ever nastier as more<br />
and more infected await in her path. At no time does DePaepe relent in the telling of this<br />
tale or ease up at all on the throttle.<br />
Set in Colorado and, as the story progresses, Arizona, we witness the devastation<br />
that the zombies have wrought through Malone’s weary, bloodshot eyes. The author, a<br />
longtime resident of Denver, uses her topographical and geographical familiarity of that<br />
area to great advantage. She describes street corners in places like Golden, Idaho<br />
Springs, or Silverthorne with precise accuracy but paints them as deserted, destroyed,<br />
only the Eaters wandering about through the bodies and body parts that litter<br />
pavement. Her attention to detail and her ability to draw pictures with words are<br />
DePaepe’s most powerful tools in this far-reaching end-of-the-world scenario, and she<br />
spares no gore along the way. The horror of zombie doomsday is made real on these<br />
pages through flowing passages of well-composed literature so the entire effort comes<br />
across as a smashingly blood-drenched success for this author and for everybody who<br />
reads this book.<br />
Besides writing a fascinating zombie novel, DePaepe has accomplished here an<br />
almost unnoticed re-definition of the entire genre, if you will. Zombies have typically<br />
been portrayed in a very George Romero Night of the Living Dead style, being slow and<br />
cumbersome, not very agile or fast, and reasonably easy to elude. DePaepe’s zombies,<br />
though, are quick. They are affected, yes, the skin hangs in gray flaps from their bodies,<br />
their flesh is rotting away from their bones, they reek of total death, and they do walk or<br />
run with a lurch, perhaps with their head hanging limply to one side. But they are fast<br />
enough to chase living humans and reflexive enough to put up physical battle or traverse<br />
distances in pursuit of prey. At times these zombies almost come across as somewhat<br />
athletic. It should also be remarked upon that DePaepe has coined an entirely new name<br />
for these creatures. They are always called zombies, or the Walking Dead, but in my<br />
entire life of being a horror fan I have never heard them called ‘Eaters’ before. She even<br />
goes so far as to offer a very believable 21st century explanation to the origins of this<br />
widespread epidemic which turns regular people into flesh-gnawing fiends within days or<br />
sometimes even hours or minutes. It’s a by-product of biological manipulation. She<br />
explains that in Afghanistan, from where Malone’s fiancé Mark had just returned, they<br />
had done genetic engineering on dogs to make them sniff out cancer in patients – makes<br />
sense, because cancer is rotten tissue anyway and the first sign of infection is to crave<br />
rotten foods – and then somehow the virus jumped species and magnified its effect,<br />
essentially killing people and then reanimating them into the living dead with an<br />
insatiable hunger for human flesh.<br />
Some of the more traditional well-known zombie lore is upheld in this work. The<br />
best way to kill them is still a direct gunshot to the head, and they are like all other<br />
zombies in that they are mindless dead things, stripped of any free will or intelligent<br />
thought, simply the eating machines they’ve always been, but DePaepe’s twist on the old<br />
familiar done-to-death format is a welcome and refreshing change.<br />
DePaepe keeps everything real in this novel. Saying such a thing about zombie<br />
fiction is in itself unreal, but once the reader accepts the premise that these creatures<br />
exist, DePaepe makes it easy to keep rolling along with the narrative. Only at one point<br />
in the story does she stretch believability, that when Aiden, a helpful stranger whom<br />
Cheryl has befriended along the way, is pushing his out-of-gas Harley Davidson through<br />
the burning midday Arizona desert for miles, but that’s only hard to believe because I<br />
know how heavy motorcycles are and I know how hot the desert really is in Arizona.<br />
Other than that, there is no time at which readers are likely to roll their eyes in disbelief.<br />
Like any good horror novelist, DePaepe leaves open the possibility of sequel,<br />
where her heroine goes from here, since the fates of both the world itself and Cheryl<br />
Malone personally remain unresolved at the end of this story. She also never does<br />
specifically pinpoint the actual origins of the zombie virus or how it spreads, but these<br />
details stand secondary to the non-stop action portrayed in this book and could easily be<br />
explained in the next installment, should DePaepe choose to write one.<br />
reviewer’s real hope that she does, because in a market flooded with vampires, ghosts,<br />
and other supernatural beings, not enough people are writing zombie novels.<br />
Eaters is not Michelle DePaepe’s first effort. She is the author of 2010’s much acclaimed<br />
The Gardener, available from Amazon.com, which is the best damned ghost<br />
story I’ve read since I read Ghost Story. She also penned the recently-released Vampire<br />
Music and is no doubt hard at work upon some other literary project at this time. You can<br />
visit the Permuted Press website at <a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/">www.permutedpress.com</a> to score your own copy of<br />
this soon-to-be classic piece of horror fiction.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-81957061491566014082014-09-16T21:30:00.002-06:002014-09-16T21:32:01.762-06:00Crazy Summer of 2014Long time no write. What's been happening in my life since my last post?<br />
LOTS!!!<br />
This year, I've had a jam-packed schedule.<br />
*I finished the manuscript for Eaters: Resurrection (Book 3 in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a> series) and sent it to <a href="http://permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a> at the end of June. (Look for Eaters: The Resistance (Book 2 in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a> series) to come out in early 2015!)<br />
*My parents and younger niece visited in July along with the wild and terrifying Freddie, my mom's self-assured poodle. So we had a crazy, fun, full house for most of the month.<br />
*I took a wonderful cruise to the Bahamas with my husband and daughter, spent a couple of sweltering days at Disney World, got to see an old friend in Cape Coral, Florida, and braved a lightning storm on Sanibel Island to scoop up some pretty shells (I was Determined (with a capital 'D') to complete my quest to get on that beach despite the pouring rain.)<br />
*I've been working out more, partially to stave off Father Time but also because being fitter just feels good and the exercise keeps me partially sane.<br />
*I have to say reading has really taken a backseat this year. I've just been too exhausted at night flip the pages and concentrate on a story before zzzzzzzzzzzzz.... I did manage to read a few books this summer: Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crighton, The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner, and The Volsung King by Alexander Renault (a richly detailed, self-published Viking fairy tale written by a colleague that hasn't been released yet). I hope to read more <a href="http://permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a> books in the next year.<br />
*Now, I am super busy at work. There's never any <em>down time</em> in the seed business. You always gotta be planning ahead for the next season.<br />
<br />
I don't have any more fiction writing planned right now. I always need a breather between books, and since I've been in a more introspective, spiritual mode lately (if you're following current events in the world these days, it's hard not to look towards Heaven and get a little pensive), I'm not even sure my next book will be fiction. My new website needs to be populated with information, so that's the next task at hand.<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-27386092358480531182014-02-10T16:52:00.000-07:002014-02-10T16:52:43.761-07:00Thank You Kiefer Sutherland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9_Jh0VnUUhg0AuYi2dTWXrcXhO-Nq95bh9mu3LpQZdnc0s6w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9_Jh0VnUUhg0AuYi2dTWXrcXhO-Nq95bh9mu3LpQZdnc0s6w" /></a></div>
<br />
Sometimes when you're working on a plot, there's a sticky place--a tar pit that you get mired in so you have to sit and stew about your plight for a bit before you can figure a way out. Occasionally the solution comes in a dream. A couple nights ago, Kiefer Sutherland appeared in my post-apocalyptic dream and gave me an insight on what happens next in Eaters: Resurrection (tentative title for the third book in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a> series). The dream had a similar setting to my story, but went off on a tangent.<br />
<br />
I was a reluctant leader of several thousand refugees in the southern U.S. after a zombie apocalypse. Things were going from bad to worse, and someone suggested that we should consider going south of the border, because things weren't as dire in Mexico. I either volunteered to check out the situation down there or was voted to go. (Maybe I'd slipped that I knew a little Spanish?)<br />
<br />
There was a long line at the border checkpoint. Many people ahead of me were wearing hoodies over their heads and dark sunglasses, an obvious attempt to thwart the facial recognition cameras at the front of the line. I threw my hoodie over my head and checked to make sure my document was in order. <em>What were they so worried about? </em>I'd heard it was easier to get over the border, but not so easy to get back into the U.S. once you crossed. When I finally reached the front of the line, I didn't even have to show my document--the border agent was so busy in a discussion with some other people that I simply walked on past them...into Mexico.<br />
<br />
On the other side, I stepped into the midst of a sunny resort. There was a white sand beach, a swimming pool, lounge chairs, and people walking and laughing as they carried their drinks past me. Hmmm...no one seemed worried over here. They were all partying and having a good time. Now...where to find the man? I spotted the building that I was looking for and made a bee line for it. <br />
<br />
There was a window overlooking the resort in Kiefer Sutherland's office, but it was obvious that he rarely had a chance to enjoy the view, because was a very busy man. Stacks of papers covered his desk, and his phone rang nonstop. I waited patiently in the seat across from him thinking all the time: <em>Dude, I just can't stop thinking of you as the vampire in The Lost Boys</em>, and knowing that I would blow all credibility if those words slipped out of my mouth. When I finally had his attention, I told him that I had a large group that was interested in crossing over and joining his camp of survivors. "How many?" he asked. I wasn't really sure of an exact number. I suspected there were upwards of 20,000 in my group now, but I just told him, "A few thousand." His phone rang again. He ignored it and began shuffling papers on his desk. There were a few more questions between us and some awkward moments of silence. What he didn't say told me what I needed to know...<br />
<br />
Now, this is not what is going to happen in Eaters III, but it did give me some inspiration. So, thanks Kiefer! I appreciate you stopping by my dream and helping out with a plot issue. Best of luck for continued success with <a href="http://www.fox.com/24-live-another-day/">24: Live Another Day</a>.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-8603013514362416372013-12-24T14:50:00.000-07:002013-12-24T14:50:25.043-07:00Merry Christmas Ya'll...........................................................................(You can take the girl out of Texas but...)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thetruthwins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Angel-On-Stage-450x234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://thetruthwins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Angel-On-Stage-450x234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Need a little Christmas cheer? How about an angel photo? (See more about this image at <a href="http://thetruthwins.com/archives/is-this-a-photo-of-a-real-angel-at-a-christian-event-in-cedar-falls-iowa">The Truth</a>.) I've spent so many years obsessing over the potential existence of ghosts, demons...<em>and zombies</em> that I've neglected the celestial realm. Now, I think angels are way more interesting than things that go bump in the night. I hope you and your loved ones have a blessed 2014.<br />
<br />
Look for <strong>Eaters: The Resistance</strong> (the sequel to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a>) to come out in late 2014.<br />
Meanwhile...check out some new releases from <a href="http://permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a>.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-78048115565528453592013-10-11T13:16:00.000-06:002013-10-11T13:16:45.366-06:00Zombies are Still "Alive and Kicking"!<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wegots.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/zombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://wegots.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/zombies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
After the movie of World War Z was released, I wondered if that was the peak of the zombie obsession. <em>Au contraire</em>...according to what I'm seeing in the media. Now, I know it's October, month of all things monster and ghoulish, but it seems that zombies still have enough fans to keep them "fresh" in the minds of popular culture above all the other dark beasties of the world. A co-worker recently told me about a local event of some curiosity<a href="http://calendar.dailycamera.com/boulder_co/events/show/345486503-bicycling-and-the-zombie-apocalypse">--"Bicycling and the Zombie Apocalypse".</a> It's a workshop at that teaches you which bikes are the best for escaping the grabby hands of the undead as well as tips for survival in a zombie-ridden world. In the Denver area, there are all sorts of zombie-related events this month, including the eighth annual Zombie Crawl, zombie theater at the Adams Mystery Playhouse, "Night of the Living Dead" at the Bug Theater, a zombie fashion show at the Shoppe, and of course lots of Walking Dead parties this weekend as the Walking Dead series on AMC is about to begin its fourth season. For more about these events, check out <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/television/ci_24276290/amcs-walking-dead-returns-does-denver-zombie-entertainment">Joanne Ostrow's article in the Denver Post</a>. <br />
<br />
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-5002516955169953712013-10-08T20:48:00.000-06:002013-10-08T20:48:39.310-06:00Review of Demons by John Shirley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320490044l/111195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320490044l/111195.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
In Demons by John Shirley, sheer terror develops as varied sorts of demons invade the world and begin to devour humanity like a hungry teenage boy attacking a bag of potato chips. The fact that they cannot be killed seems to lull much of the populace into a catatonic numbness as they continue their daily routines with death lurking around every corner. The Gnashers were almost comically interesting—talking their victims' ears off like a Chatty Cathy with a long, rambling monologue, before consuming them. The story continues as Shirley leads the reader down a slow, winding path towards the explanation for the appearance of the demons and the beginning of the next invasion. That section (Book Two: Undercurrent) felt a little like wading through molasses in comparison to the horrific invasion in the earlier part of the story, but I was more satisfied by the time I got to the ending. Shirley's theme of mass sacrifice as a vector to bring more evil into the world by a power-hungry few is food for thought in our post 9/11 world that doesn't seem to be able to halt the advance of chemical and GMO suicide.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-30984817569202375392013-07-30T19:47:00.000-06:002013-07-30T19:47:18.394-06:00Fall 2012 Issue of From the Depths Now Available in Print<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage2.magcloud.com/image/54b4522fa335b54e94b636eda2a2e91e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/storage2.magcloud.com/image/54b4522fa335b54e94b636eda2a2e91e.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<em></em> </div>
<em>Some stories are big. Some stories are small. Some stories haunt you in no time at all.</em> <br />
Last year, I took on the challenge of writing a 13 word flash fiction story. My little diddy appears on page 33 of the <a href="http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/597025">Fall 2012 issue of From the Depths</a>, published by <a href="http://www.hauntedwaterspress.com/Home.html">Haunted Waters Press</a>. This quarterly literary journal has an artistic, graphic format and contains plenty of haunting tales to send shivers down your spine.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-71095264191484177942013-07-19T19:36:00.000-06:002013-07-19T19:36:50.901-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b300/spacemonkey_fg/Blog%20Pictures%20II/MemorableZombies5-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b300/spacemonkey_fg/Blog%20Pictures%20II/MemorableZombies5-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Resident Evil</span></div>
<br />
Sleep has been elusive lately for many nights. After I eventually succumbed last night around 2 a.m., it was not into a restful la-la land. As if I'd been thrown into a scene from my novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a>, I found myself on a deserted street. For some reason, it was necessary to open the door to a shop that I knew was filled with the undead. <em>It will be okay...they're slow...you'll have plenty of time to dart down the street and hide before the first few stumble out and trip over each other</em>. <br />
It didn't happen that way. <br />
They burst out the door and somehow acquired unthinkable speed. As I ran, I was half a block ahead of them, but they were closing fast...and I knew there was nowhere I could hide and not be found. Of course, I woke up at that futile point in this little snippet of a nightmare. Isn't it nice that you always wake up in dreams before you die in them? You do, don't you?<br />
<br />
<u>Eaters: The Resistance</u> publication status = pending.<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-79164174304073282722013-06-28T22:26:00.000-06:002013-06-28T22:26:21.458-06:00Seen World War Z? You Should Still Read the Book.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.moviepilot.com/assets/tarantulaV2/article_images/1364206348_WorldWarZ_Poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img.moviepilot.com/assets/tarantulaV2/article_images/1364206348_WorldWarZ_Poster.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
Okay...I get it. I really get it now. All the hoopla over World War Z leading up to the release of the movie seemed like a lot of over-the-top hype. That is...until I read the book. After the first few interviews (scenes), I had to flip through the rest just to see if that was really what the whole book was going to be. My initial disappointment was quickly turned around as the flashbacks from individual characters all over the world became more and more interesting. By the time the story got to the family in Troy, Montana, I was hooked. Colonel Christina Eliopolis's story was heart-thumping, and Kondo and Tomonaga in Japan were sympathetic characters that an entire book could have been written around. Then...there's a submarine scene that'll absolutely make your skin crawl. The amount of technical detail and research Brooks put into this epic story is mind-boggling. Techno-geeks and artillery-happy readers will be well-fed. <br />
<br />
So now...I confess. I haven't seen the movie yet. (Still waiting for some discounted tickets to arrive in the mail.) I've heard it doesn't contain the battle of Yonkers. (Was that scene too expensive for Hollywood? Or, did they not want to dis a potential military audience?) I'm kind of afraid to see it and be disappointed after reading the book, because from what I've heard, it's only loosely based on the book, portraying a main character during the epidemic instead of the book's flashbacks from the viewpoints of many characters. (Is this forgiveable only because that main character happens to be Brad Pitt? Maybe it ranks a bonus star for eye candy, but I'll need more than that to give it two brains up.)<br />
<br />
Have you seen the movie? If so, will you still read the book? I once made a mistake of reading a book AFTER I saw the movie--The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I slogged through that book, because there was nothing in it that wasn't in the movie. But, if you decide to read World War Z after seeing the flick, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It will just make you think about all the "what ifs"...and make you want more.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-37644470138339602102013-05-01T20:22:00.000-06:002013-05-01T20:22:12.436-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76UHwzoGkw1Njqa8kDIOehbR3kdKz9l8CnNuxW0Xp9w6ciM4Kq5q9bXvZi9o7YsCW552F0j4BILpw9H532W-SLTd2KT-_BUC7ef3YuAqRjnK7uJI6pL6aM5OV9qw7ZFy68MddhKQ3rspl/s1600/NE_Party_Big14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76UHwzoGkw1Njqa8kDIOehbR3kdKz9l8CnNuxW0Xp9w6ciM4Kq5q9bXvZi9o7YsCW552F0j4BILpw9H532W-SLTd2KT-_BUC7ef3YuAqRjnK7uJI6pL6aM5OV9qw7ZFy68MddhKQ3rspl/s320/NE_Party_Big14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Finished writing Eaters: The Resistance today. Whoop! Moving into editing phase now. Man...it's nice to come up for air after being brain deep in a story for months. It's a wonder I don't have nightmares about zombies chasing me through the desert! (Of course, it was a nightmare that started this whole story.) The really, really ironic thing is that in the book, the story ends on May 1st (today). Now, I planned to be done with this book a while back, so I didn't see that coming at all. Life is quirky, no?<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-70870633691697091482013-01-23T20:07:00.000-07:002013-01-23T20:07:17.043-07:00Eaters Sequel in the WorksIf you've read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a> and are curious to know what happens to Cheryl after that novel ends, you'll be glad to know that the sequel is in the works. I am working diligently on Eaters: The Resistance and should have it done by early spring. No word on a publication date yet, but I'll be sure to post updates here. Please subscribe to this blog to be sure to get any news.<br />
<br />
If you need another apocalypse fix in the meantime, be sure to check out one of the fine books from <a href="http://permutedpress.com/">Permuted Press</a>!<br />
<br />
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-73361729886570942832013-01-01T13:51:00.000-07:002013-01-01T13:51:00.675-07:00Goodbye 2012 - Hello 2013!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://faithlifewomen.com/files/2012/10/Christian-Woman-Praying-630x320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://faithlifewomen.com/files/2012/10/Christian-Woman-Praying-630x320.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<br />
What a wonderful evening we had last night! Instead of driving to a boisterous party as we have done the last couple of years, we invited another family over and celebrated the new year with a glass of wine, a fun game, and lighting a shimmering white candle at midnight.<br />
<br />
I will remember 2012 for my successes with being a fiction author, my life transitions, and the soul-shaking incidents of horrible violence in the world (including in my home town). Above all, I will remember this year for the joy that I've received from opening up my heart to God.<br />
<br />
This quickening brings a completely new perspective to all areas of my life. I still believe in ridding the world of zombies, whether they be the stinky, undead kind or the living, walking dead among us who uselessly search for happiness in will-o-the-wisps that only bring fleeting satisfaction and the ego-boosting subjugation of others. I firmly believe that it's the lack of reverence, the lack of any sense of the divine that causes such strife and misery in our world. It doesn't have to be that way! We can all be warriors for what is right and good.<br />
<br />
2013 resolutions:<br />
To strengthen my faith and work on my walk with God, finish the Eaters story which is ultimately going to culminate in an epic battle between good and evil, and (<em>for some yet unknown reason</em>) learn to speak Spanish. Of course their are health and fitness goals too, as I plan to hit the barbells, Zumba, and Yoga classes a little more often. I also want to spend more quality time with my family (instead of being a such a keyboard hermit). <br />
<br />
I wish you and everyone you know and love an OUTRAGEOUSLY FANTASTIC 2013!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-47748209740033046552012-12-11T19:02:00.002-07:002012-12-11T19:09:07.467-07:00Zombies Infect Houston Music Scene!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://rivetheadmagazine.com/images/33ab9cf04704e91885c4a640ee45a3b6_s8e4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="http://rivetheadmagazine.com/images/33ab9cf04704e91885c4a640ee45a3b6_s8e4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's been many years since I ventured into a Houston club to watch a metal band with Andrew "C" Schlett. (He was always very kind to protect me from getting too close to the mosh pit!) Now, having recently returned to the old stomping grounds in the Lone Star State, he is the new Editor of <u><a href="http://rivetheadmagazine.com/Home_Page.php">Rivethead Magazine</a></u>, a mag that he wrote for years ago. It started out covering the local music scene but over time has involved into much more. In this month's issue, along with a review of the movie, Heavy in Houston: A Look at Today's Houston Metal Scene, and the new CD by the band, A Bitter Season, he has posted a detailed <a href="http://rivetheadmagazine.com/Reviews.html">review of Eaters</a>. (Hey...zombies and heavy metal go together like peanut butter and brain jelly, right?) Thanks, Andy! I appreciate the fine words.<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-18452760172820245472012-12-05T10:35:00.000-07:002012-12-05T10:35:37.848-07:00The Next Big Thing Author Interview
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">By Michelle DePaepe: This is
THE NEXT BIG THING, an interview meme that's being passed around the world
among authors. The deal is, each author who participates answers the questions
below, then spurs five of his or her fellow authors to do the same on the following
Wednesday. (At this busy time of year, I did not come up with five more
authors, but I've tagged two.)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">1.
What is the working title of your next book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Eaters: The Resistance
(sequel to Eaters)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Where did the idea come from for the
book?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">The original Eaters story
came from a nightmare that I had. In the frightening dream, I was holed up in a
building with some other people because there were infected people with bizarre
and violent behavior roaming around outside and digging through garbage cans.
At that point, they hadn't started attacking anyone, so we were staying indoors
just as a precaution. My companion told me, "Don't worry. Get some sleep.
We’ll be safe in here." I thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no…no…we're
not safe at all. This is just the beginning…<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Because there is still an
incredible amount to tell about this story, including explaining the origins of
the virus and revealing the perpetrators of the apocalypse, it continues in
Eaters: The Resistance.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. What genre does your book fall under?
</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Horror/Action/Suspense<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. What actors would you choose to play
the part of your characters in a movie rendition?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">For the first book, I didn't
have actors in mind, but for this one, I found it necessary to put an actual
face to the number of characters in it. I've got a notebook of little cutouts
of people that I've randomly cherry picked from the Internet. Most of them
aren't famous, but George Clooney fits the image of the Black Hawk helicopter
pilot, Jake Murtz. I would have a lot of fun casting some of the others,
including a macho camacho and a prim philosopher with a fake British accent.
Who could be the perfect Cheryl, beautiful but tough? In her younger days,
Ellen Barkin would have fit the bill. (She is one kickass chick!) Cherlize
Theron is definitely in the running now.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of
your book?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">When Cheryl Malone discovers
that the epidemic that turns people into flesh-eating EATERS was caused by an
organized group bent on world domination, she teams up with a group to
infiltrate them.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6. Will your book be self-published or
represented by an agency?<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">TBD. Permuted Press has the
first right of refusal, but it's not under contract yet.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7. How long did it take you to write the
first draft of the manuscript?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Still in the works. ETA for
final draft is March 31st.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8. What other books would you compare
this story to within your genre?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">If you're a fan of The
Walking Dead or action stories with a strong female protagonist, and aren't
squeamish about blood and violence, you will like Eaters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9. Who or what inspired you to write
this book?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
I've always been a horror fan with a leaning towards the supernatural. I've
done ghosts. I've done vampires…but my zombie nightmare steered me down a
different undead road. I was encouraged to continue the story and turn it into
a series of novels after the success of its initial release as a self-published
novella.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">10.
What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?<br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
I try to make the characters in my story as real as possible. In a
post-apocalyptic situation, you're going to have some people freaking out and
others who can remain calm and in control. The emotions and personalities run
the gamut, and it's important to distinguish between them to give each one a
voice. When I hear from readers that they felt so sad about so-and-so dying or
disappearing, I know that I've made the characters real for them, and got them
emotionally involved in the story. If you read Eaters, I hope that the
characters will stick with you long after you've put it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">I'm tagging <a href="http://lauralynnelliott.com/">Lauralynn Elliott</a>, paranormal romance
and horror author and <a href="http://rachelefisher.com/">Rachel Fisher</a>, young adult fiction author and 2012
winner of NaNoWriMo. I thank <a href="http://www.ryancthomas.com/index.html">Ryan C. Thomas</a>, horror author, for the tag!</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-1927988661494959542012-11-16T11:28:00.000-07:002012-11-16T11:28:33.144-07:00Book Chick City Article<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/zombie41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://www.bookchickcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/zombie41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/">Book Chick City</a> is a top notch blog in the UK, run by Carolyn and Laura, and assisted by a staff of reviewers. They review horror, urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and also post author interviews, recommendations, giveaways and film reviews. For the month of November, they have a theme called, <a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/11/30-shades-of-zombie-welcome-post-monster-giveaway-enter-to-win-14-zombie-titles-ends-301112.html">30 Shades of Zombie</a> featuring women authors who write zombie fiction. For this series, I wrote a guest post for them called, <a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/11/30-shades-of-zombie-michelle-depaepe-coveted-occupations-during-a-zombie-apocalypse-enter-to-win-eaters.html">Coveted Occupations During a Zombie Apocalypse</a>. Check out the site where you can read the article and enter to win a free copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a>!Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-11555120168194580522012-10-30T09:29:00.001-06:002012-10-30T09:29:18.441-06:00Free Books for Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BYSLTY/permutedpress-20"><img alt="Eaters" height="200" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B008BYSLTY.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006AFAKQS/permutedpress-20"><img alt="The Last Mailman" height="200" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B006AFAKQS.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TU2IV2/permutedpress-20"><img alt="Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter" height="200" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B003TU2IV2.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QOBA9G/permutedpress-20"><img alt="Winds of Change" height="200" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B004QOBA9G.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="133" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Today through November 1st, you can read my book, Eaters, and the other above books from <a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/index.php?id=158">Permuted Press</a> on your Kindle or Nook for free! Visit the<a href="http://www.permutedpress.com/index.php?id=158"> Permuted Press</a> website to order.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-23384474183835913392012-10-26T11:54:00.001-06:002012-10-26T12:06:08.047-06:00Book Review - An American Haunting by Brent Monahan<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316136303l/123502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316136303l/123502.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I'd heard of the Bell Witch before reading
this novel but didn't know anything about the story. <span style="color: white;">This fictional tale based
on historical events is written from the perspective of the local teacher,
Richard Powell, who taught the Bell children, including Betsy, who receives the
brunt of the torments. The witch has commonly been linked to a curse from the
Bell's neighbor, Kate Batts, (I kept picturing Kathy Bates as this character
while reading, but Gaye Brown is the actress who plays her in the 2005 movie
version.) who was in a land dispute with the patriarch of the Bell family.
Although John Bell was excommunicated from the local Red River Baptist Church
after being charged with usury, he and his family seem to have been randomly
and undeservedly picked for ethereal torment. The spirit's dialogue and antics
are humorous at times, but the true horror in this tale is revealed near the
end. You will be both saddened and "mesmerized" by the revelation.
(In the movie version of this story, there is a modern day opening and ending
scene that relates to the 19th century story. It reinforces the fact that evil
is often both familiar and right underneath our noses, a fact that should never
be ignored.)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">(I like to read spooky books in October. My next review will be on Possessed: The True Story of an Exorcism by Thomas B. Allen. This is the story that The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty was based on. I'm reading it at night...with the lights on.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><o:p></o:p> </div>
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-21469423148364276542012-10-26T11:47:00.000-06:002012-10-26T12:01:39.537-06:00Book Review - Seeds of War by Rachel Fisher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1342304224l/14740738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1342304224l/14740738.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white;">I can honestly say that I loved this story, and I think you will too. In this sequel to Eden's Root, the story takes an exciting turn for the unknown when the quartet (known as "The Seeders") ventures "topside" to begin distributing seeds and communication equipment to help rebirth civilization. This story will really make you wonder what you'd be capable of in a post-apocalyptic world when life is thrown back to the hazards of the Wild West. If you were attacked, would you be able to kill to save your own life and the lives of others? This important subject is not treated lightly in the book, nor is the evolving feelings that characters have as they face new challenges. Since I'm all about action in my own apocalyptic writing, I tend to gloss over passages that dwell on the feelings and doubts of characters shown in their inner dialogues. On the other hand, I think these scenes are necessary, especially for young adult readers, to understand the implications of moral choices and the depth of emotions that can happen in relationships. This might be a redundant statement, but if you are a fan of the Hunger Games, you will like this story, because Fi will remind you of Katniss. Fi is a true teen warrior, because of her bravery and ability to hang in there when awful things happen that are out of her control. I anxiously await the release of the third book in this series where the members of Eden will be in an all out war with the Truthers and Lobos. There is another anticipated event in that story, but I don't want to dish out a serious spoiler like that here! I would rate this series of books as PG-13 for language and adult situations. (Although there is enough backstory woven in to the sequel for a stand-alone read, I highly recommend reading Back to Eden first to learn more about how the apocalypse happened and see the development of Fi and her relationship with Asher and Sean.) P.S.---I find it interesting that Dr. Andrew Weil has come out with a recipe book called, "True Food". That is a moniker I first encountered in Eden's Root!<o:p></o:p></span></span><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tRy126dWL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-64,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-53600989964582200422012-09-28T12:05:00.001-06:002012-09-28T12:05:40.970-06:00Harvest Moon on Sunday - September 30th<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.deviantart.com/download/41203520/Harvest_Moon_by_boodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://www.deviantart.com/download/41203520/Harvest_Moon_by_boodie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The full moon this coming sunday is called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_moon">'Harvest Moon'</a> because it is the full moon that comes on a date that is the closest to the autumnal equinox. Heralding our descent into the darker months of the year, this low-hanging moon often looks bigger and more reddish than fulls moons look during other times of the year. If you live in the northern hemisphere and are out driving early on Sunday evening, you may want to pull over to ogle it from the safety of the roadside!<br />
While an enormous harvest moon may seem like an ominous sight, it has traditionally been beneficial to farmers and hunters who used the additional light after sunset to bring in their crops and stalk the fields in order to bring in as much bounty as possible to store up before winter's onslaught.<br />
You can read more about the harvest moon on <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49213096/ns/technology_and_science-space/#__utma=14933801.1698133917.1348851912.1348851912.1348851912.1&__utmb=14933801.3.10.1348851912&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1348851912.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=msnbc&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=174618018">NBC News</a>.<br />
<br />
If the idea of full moons, falling leaves, and whispering handsome spirits make you swoon, you may enjoy reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Gardener-ebook/dp/B004ASOTAA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346874312&sr=8-1&keywords=depaepe">The Gardener</a>. In this novel, the suave Italian spirit, Alphonso--who once tended Victorian gardens in his former, mischievious life--cleans up Georgia's grandmother's garden by the light of the moon. Here is an excerpt:<br />
<br />
He saw her and stopped, leaning
against the rim of the lower tier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Signora. You startled me! I was just pondering my next task. Have you
seen the vegetable garden? I was about to start on the roses…”<o:p></o:p><br />
“I...I just wondered if you could
use something to drink.”<o:p></o:p><br />
“Lovely. A glass of
Chianti...Absinthe...or another libation?”<o:p></o:p><br />
She laughed. “I was thinking more
along the line of a glass of water or a cup of tea.”<o:p></o:p><br />
He walked towards her then stood
just a foot away. She smelled earth and sweat on him mixed with the scent of
the decaying roses on the arbor above. The sweat on his pale skin glistened in
contrast against the cavernous blackness of the circular garden behind him. His
eyes were a brilliant verdant green even in the dim light. They mesmerized her.
<o:p></o:p><br />
A moth fluttered in front of her
face. As she shooed it away and broke away from his gaze, she suddenly became
aware of his closeness. They were alone in the garden in the dark. The lights
next door at Annie’s and Fred’s were out, and she felt...well...not really
uncomfortable...but a little strange as she realized how little she knew about
this man. An exhilarating sensation of danger mixed with lust rippled through
her.<o:p></o:p><br />
“Really, Ms. McKenna. I am fine.
You are much too early. I would prefer that you wait and see my finished work
tomorrow morning.”<o:p></o:p><br />
“That Ms. or Ma’am business just
makes me feel so old.”<o:p></o:p><br />
“Old?” he chuckled. “Do you see
that rose bush just beyond the arbor?” <o:p></o:p><br />
He made a grand gesture toward a
sprawling tangle of thorns six feet tall to her left. In the daylight, she
would have been able to see its leaves, reddened by frost and the few remaining
drooping blossoms that were somewhere between the color of freshly churned
butter and day old champagne.<o:p></o:p><br />
“It is called Honeydew. It was
bred over a century ago and won many awards in its day. If you could see it in
the sunshine next to yourself, one would say that you are much younger and no
less beautiful than it.”<o:p></o:p><br />
Georgia felt a flush of heat come
to her cheeks.<o:p></o:p><br />
“You are a bambina compared to the
cottonwood trees down by the river. Some of them have been here, I’m sure, for
two hundred years or more.” <o:p></o:p><br />
“How long have you been a
gardener, Daniel?”<o:p></o:p><br />
He smiled, a flash of white teeth
a mile wide. “A very long time...since before I was born, I think.”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-59901681476158825382012-09-24T22:15:00.000-06:002012-09-24T22:15:48.087-06:00Book Release-Birthday Bash<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDji4lkjDXVpmSblNTBaONEUZjx1Uf_VacFHv3k2Lx6xFvpse4cAImaLgK9FN2Esp-5_KRza9nPTGOvUmZxNUIK0PILHKD341QRKG4MQukIIGvdd_YYX1whIp8Xy9bSlIOGtsOx0pBjGD/s1600/DSC08971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDji4lkjDXVpmSblNTBaONEUZjx1Uf_VacFHv3k2Lx6xFvpse4cAImaLgK9FN2Esp-5_KRza9nPTGOvUmZxNUIK0PILHKD341QRKG4MQukIIGvdd_YYX1whIp8Xy9bSlIOGtsOx0pBjGD/s320/DSC08971.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Weekend before last, we hosted a really fun book release and birthday bash. It was a great excuse to decorate early for Halloween and the only party I ever want black balloons at! There was a gravestone outside with hands sticking up from the soil, a zombie on the door with "Warning - Zombie Crossing" tape draped over it, lots of pretty lights, rats, spider webs, mini pumpkins from the garden, and black roses. I was elbow deep in the seven-layer dip and still in frenzied prep mode when the doorbell rang. "What? It's not six o'clock yet!!!" My jaw dropped when my parents (who said they weren't coming) walked in the door. They secretly made the 1,000 mile trip to surprise me. I guess I come from good stock, because it is probably their love of books that turned me into a reader/writer. There were over 30 attendees, including some kids and a couple of <em>mini zombies</em>. The highlight of the evening was the surprise birthday cakes from my husband. Both were made by <a href="http://www.cakesandlimousines.com/">Cakes by Karen</a>. The white cake with blood (raspberry) filling had the cover of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a> on top and was pretty cool, but the chocolate cake with blood (strawberry) filling was TRIPPY! It was modeled after <a href="http://www.amctv.com/the-walking-dead/videos/inside-the-walking-dead-bicycle-girl">The Walking Dead 'Bicycle Girl'</a>, and I must say that a few of us had a little too much fun putting this cake out of its misery with a very large knife. (In case you are wondering---it tasted a LOT better than it looked. It was quite yummy! The 'brain' was made out of Rice Krispy treat mix.) Every guest who was brave enough left the party with a signed copy of<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_"> Eaters</a>, and I made no promises that it would help them sleep if they read it at bedtime. Thanks to everyone who came to help me celebrate the book and my birthday!Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-49924865020962763762012-09-09T21:45:00.000-06:002012-09-09T21:45:32.030-06:002012 RMFW Convention a Howling Success!The <a href="http://www.rmfw.org/">Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Association</a> Colorado Gold Convention ended today, and it was a blast! I haven't been since 2007 when my novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Gardener-ebook/dp/B004ASOTAA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347247813&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Gardener+DePaepe">The Gardener</a>, was a finalist in their writing contest. I'll be sure not to let another 5 years lapse before my next attendance! I went to lots of worskhops on writing and marketing with some of my favorite local paranormal authors including <a href="http://www.lyndahilburn.com/">Lynda Hilburn</a>, <a href="http://jeannestein.com/">Jeanne Stein</a>, and <a href="http://www.marioacevedo.com/">Mario Acevedo</a>. One of my favorite speakers was <a href="http://aaronmritchey.com/">Aaron Michael Ritchey</a>. This charasmatic author was quite witty and shared many of his trials and tribulations with us about his writing journey. However, the author who really had me rolling in the aisles was <a href="http://www.jodithomas.com/">Jodi Thomas</a>. She is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author and was incredibly entertaining as the keynote speaker. I'm still repeating some of her quips from last night to friends and family (practicing my long-forgotten Texas drawl as I do.) I am also very thankful to <a href="http://www.bonnieramthun.com/Site/Home.html">Bonnie Ramthun</a> for taking me under her wing as a new member of the group's Published Authors Liason. She was a great help in making me feel welcome. I met a lot of interesting writers, including Kathleen and James-Dean who both love to write and read and boast a collection of 40,000 plus books in their home as well as others who travelled from as far as California or Texas to attend this event. I did seem to be the only horror/zombie apocalypse type writer around. (The cover of my book alone probably scared a few of the little old lady writers in attendance. LOL.) It was also funny to hear more than one person tell me that I don't look like what they'd expect a zombie author to look like. (No spiked hair or facial piercings. Apparently, a couple of tattoos just isn't enough to make you look like a crazed zombie author!) And speaking of zombies, I attended my first official book signing for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347247914&sr=1-1&keywords=Eaters">EATERS</a> at the convention's author signing and book sale, sitting next to author, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Lowell%20F.%20Volk&ie=UTF8&search-alias=books&sort=relevancerank">Lowell F. Volk</a> who writes historical fiction set during the Civil War. (Zombies vs. Civil War. Hmmm...there could be a plot there. Maybe Abraham Lincoln: Zombie Killer ???)<br />
<br />
Will I attend the RMFW convention in 2013. Well...after hearing the speaker lineup includes horror writer <a href="http://ronmalfi.com/">Ronald Malfi</a> ... odds are looking pretty good. Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-49946234055663341102012-09-03T12:11:00.000-06:002012-09-03T12:11:19.315-06:00Midnight in Paris--A Trip Back in Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9f/Midnight_in_Paris_Poster.jpg/215px-Midnight_in_Paris_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9f/Midnight_in_Paris_Poster.jpg/215px-Midnight_in_Paris_Poster.jpg" /></a><a href="http://asburyandasbury.typepad.com/.a/6a010535893544970c014e8a5efee9970d-800wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://asburyandasbury.typepad.com/.a/6a010535893544970c014e8a5efee9970d-800wi" width="247" /></a></div>One of my good friends, <a href="http://www.eccentricartistsgardens.com/painters/crawford.htm">Carolyn Crawford</a> (an AMAZING botanical illustrator) recently gave me a copy of the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Stein">Midnight in Paris</a>. She'd been raving about it for months and begging me to watch it. My husband and I finally saw it last night, and now I understand her insistence! Because we honeymooned in Paris, and I am a writer, we both enjoyed this movie a lot. So much, in fact, we watched it 2 times last night just to catch things that we might have missed first time around. It's possible that they even showed a view of the hotel in Ste. Germain that we stayed in back in 2001. I'm not a big fan of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Wilson">Owen Wilson</a>, but I liked his character in this movie and thought he played it well. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrien_Brody">Adrien Brody</a> was hilarious as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dal%C3%AD">Salvador Dali</a>! (Every time I hear the word 'rhinoceros' now, I'll think of him.) My interest is also peaked in learning more about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway">Ernest Hemmingway</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald">F. Scott Fitzgerald</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Stein">Gertrude Stein</a>, and other figures from that era. An interesting aside: It was said that my late paternal grandfather looked a lot like Hemmingway in his later years.<br />
<br />
So, this movie made me think. If I could go back in time, what eras would I choose to visit?! I don't have any interest in the 1890's or the 1920's (that were featured in the movie). I'd rather spend some time as a lady in the court at Versailles (Marie Antoinette threw some kick ass parties!) before the revolution then literally switch hats and be a spectator at some of the revolutionary meetings. I'd also like to take a trip back to Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco during the "Summer of Love" in 1967 and maybe hang out in that era for a few years, so I could attend some concerts of todays classic rock bands like The Doors, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and early AC/DC. (A litte hedonistic, aren't I?) What era would you go back to visit if you had the chance?Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-26981912744885357782012-09-01T21:13:00.000-06:002012-09-01T21:13:26.777-06:00New Cover for The Gardener and RMFW Conference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEE3ft09nKwiwNvORbUIK7c-DlrgQ7cg0Mq-nsDYAD1_kgLMS0l7H1wg8aRPcblTF6Iey5W14IKqJPfdonpiGi6TIKdChzxphyphenhyphenlSG1tgc_CYb186N9PEJ42Nahp4Xgx1kr7C385y1nekE/s1600/The+Gardener+8-26-12+front+cover+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEE3ft09nKwiwNvORbUIK7c-DlrgQ7cg0Mq-nsDYAD1_kgLMS0l7H1wg8aRPcblTF6Iey5W14IKqJPfdonpiGi6TIKdChzxphyphenhyphenlSG1tgc_CYb186N9PEJ42Nahp4Xgx1kr7C385y1nekE/s320/The+Gardener+8-26-12+front+cover+(1).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Thank you, <a href="http://anyakelleye.com/">Anya Kelleye</a>, for this new cover for The Gardener! If you are a writer and ever need help with a book cover, she's your go-to gal! Even though I really liked my original cover, I think the additional visual of the devious, undead character, Alphonso, is an improvement. One of my top goals this week is to make this e-book also availabe in paperback. I do have some nice cards printed up with the new cover image, and I'm ready to rock at the <a href="http://www.rmfw.org/">RMFW</a> conference next weekend. I'm not sure if I'm more excited about all the awesome writer's workshops or the market where I get to sell and autograph paperback copies <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eaters-Michelle-Depaepe/dp/1618680323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341719148&sr=8-1&keywords=Eaters+Michelle+DePaepe#_">Eaters</a>. The idea of both gives me goosebumps. If I have learned one thing about writing, it's that you never stop learning how to write better. My only peeve about the conference is that I can't decide between multiple worksops that I want to attend that are going on at the same time. There are way too many good ones, and I hate missing out on knowledge!<br />
Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-24523885694636532512012-08-21T22:09:00.001-06:002012-08-21T22:09:52.715-06:00Permuted Press .99 Cent Sale!!!Even if you're still reading Eaters, be sure to stop by <a href="http://permutedpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147&Itemid=79">Permuted Press</a> for the last day of their $0.99 eBook summer sale. 12 books for just $0.99 each through the end of August 22. It's a swingin' apocalyptic deal!Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7717365648922009719.post-43696446960518193522012-08-12T22:16:00.000-06:002012-08-12T22:16:46.472-06:00Only Monsters Get Out of Chores<img alt="Scary Gary" height="188" src="http://images.ucomics.com/comics/crsca/2012/crsca120811.gif" style="border: 0px currentColor;" width="600" /><br />
Scary Gary by Mark Buford<br />
<br />
"As a writer with a yen for gruesome violence, I'm off on another nefarious quest to destroy human lives in print." Somehow, I don't think this line would get me out of emptying the dishwasher at my house. Some day, I will write a story about dishes that multiply exponentially then attack and eat the house inhabitants. <em>Revenge of the Dishes</em>. They're tired of being used and abused...and they're out for blood! It would be justification to write a climatic scene where the heroine creates a device that vaporizes dishes once and for all, freeing all humans from ever having to wash them again.Michelle Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14170005122226026954noreply@blogger.com1