We’re so pleased to have author Z. Allora joining us today to talk zombies, how hers were born, and there’s also a giveaway for the chance to win both books in the Club Zombies series–Zombies Ahead and Zombies Suck–so be sure to click on the Rafflecopter widget below to enter.
Good luck!
How did I birth zombies?
It was 2011, and I was clicking through the male romance sites China would let me see. Fiction with Friction featured a blog post by Ally Blue discussing her love for zombies. I adore her work but I didn’t know her at the time, so I just wrote an amusing (to me) post back about how my zombies wouldn’t be dead or seeking brains. They’d be young hot guys looking for come… Zombies suck… but mine swallow.
She watered the zombie seed in my brain. I didn’t want to write about zombies! How could I? I’d never ever wanted a real zombie movie!
But the zombie seed was a scene that stuck in my brain so I decided I’d write a short story (2,000 words) and I’d get zombies out of my system. (Silly Z.!)
I told my love about my great plan to rid myself of zombies. He nodded and told me how the Center for Disease Control published a zombie preparedness article… NO!
The world was against me and my short story. It couldn’t be written because I couldn’t figure out where the scene that haunted me went… I backtracked and backtracked to locate where in the story it appeared… and finally Zombies Ahead (Club Zombie #1) was born.
By the way, the zombie seed scene is the final scene in Zombies Suck. It kicks off of Club Zombie 3…
~Z. Allora
Zombies Suck Blurb: Forget undead corpses searching for brains. These zombies crave a different kind of head that keeps them young forever. Club Zombie offers safe haven, providing sexy ways to extract what they need from patrons, and the opportunity to find their destined mate.
Alex Waterman is ashamed of his “vile, unnatural desires” and lives a in a desolate world of loneliness and suffering until discovering… it’s not his life. Suddenly he’s swept away to a place where his desires aren’t evil, they’re a mark of the dominant he’s born to be, and appreciative stares and aggressive flirting replace fear and self-loathing. But one night stands aren’t on the menu: Alex seeks “the one” to complete the missing piece of his soul.
Boy-next-door Ulrich calls to Alex, as does the gorgeous but self-destructive Cutter, and an element of irresistible danger clings to bad boy Storm. How can Alex decide between three tempting possibilities?
Maybe he should keep them all…
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Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
Club Zombie’s flashing neon lights promised all those in attendance a night of debauchery. Storm pulled his Camry into an almost empty lot and parked right next to the entrance.
His best friend glanced over at him with an expression that screamed, “WTF!” but instead of voicing the obscenity, Cutter asked, “Is this club even open?”
Damn it! This was Storm’s fucked up luck. It was obvious the club wasn’t the place to be on Thursday nights. He shrugged. “They only just started having under twenty-one nights. Maybe it’s slow tonight.”
“Hmmm, okay.” Cutter unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned forward, and checked his liner in the lighted mirror on the sun visor.
“Besides, it’ll be easier to get you laid without all the trolls.” The words were bitter, but Storm needed to fill the silence.
Cut slapped the mirror lid closed, flipped the visor up with a snap, and glared at him. “I don’t need or want your assistance.”
Storm restrained a sigh. Of course Cutter didn’t want help, nor would he need any. Cutter was exquisite in an emo, brooding sort of way, though guys in their small Southern town didn’t appreciate Cut. Unfortunately, Storm was positive Cutter’s charms wouldn’t be ignored in Club Zombie.
“Do you want to die a virgin?” Cutter going off with someone might kill Storm. Fuck, he’d suck it up! There wasn’t a choice. Cutter needed to get over what Storm couldn’t offer, at least not until he got out from under his family’s thumb.
“Shut the hell up!” Cutter jumped out of the car and slammed the door.
Storm caught up with him at the big wooden doors of the club entrance. He fished for his driver’s license and handed the identification to a guy who was probably only a couple years older than him.
“McGrath?”
Shit! “Yes, that’s my name.” Would his name ease the way or glue the entrance shut? His father’s run for the mayor’s office, and now successful law office, was a mixed bag. Had dear old Dad screwed this guy over, or someone he knew, in his bid for public office?
“I don’t give a shit who your daddy is. You’ll follow the club rules or my boot will introduce itself to your ass,” the guy warned him as though Storm had broken the club’s rules regularly.
Probably not wise to point out the man had on loafers and not boots. Jesus, Storm was sick of paying for things he didn’t do. “I plan to.”
“You both eighteen?” the man asked with a healthy dose of skepticism as he looked them up and down.
“Yeah, we graduated last week.”
“High school?” After a nod from Cutter, the guy continued, “Midnight is the witching hour. We clear everyone out and only twenty-one and older will be allowed back into the club. Do us both a favor and don’t try to sneak past me, ’cause I don’t give a shit whose condom broke…”
Storm rolled his eyes. Fuck, most days he tried to forget who his father was. “Got it.”
Cutter nodded.
“I’m serious,” the bouncer claimed. “Enjoy your night.”
Goddamn it! Storm pulled open the club door. The wind must have caught it because the wood flew open and banged against the wall.
“That’s one way to make an entrance.” Cutter paused at the top of the stairs.
Storm appreciated the décor, a potent taste of sultan’s harem. Lush fabrics in jewel tones covered the chaise lounges, chairs, and love seats scattered around appealing to his hedonistic nature. Scarves dripped from the ceiling in the same rich purples, indigos, and mauves.
Bang!
Storm zoned in on two blonds who were at the table closest to the door. One had tipped over his chair when he stood. Both stared at Storm and Cut.
The kid embodying bubblegum and pop music bounced over to them, dragging an underwear model in his wake. “Hi. Welcome to Club Zombie.”
Storm hated to give his father credit for anything, but he’d forced him to learn how to present disinterest. It confuses the other party and gives you more power. He gave the welcome committee a casual, “Hey.”
Mr. Model didn’t even look at him. Storm had seen his type before: so pretty he probably jerked off to his own reflection. Ha. Storm figured the only time he’d picked up a book was to practice his runway walk. Did the guy think he was better than everyone else? Screw him!
The cute blue-eyed kid asked with an accent, “Um, first time here?”
Going for shock value, Storm answered, “Yeah. Heard a guy could get some pretty easily here.” He smirked and gave the gorgeous clothing hanger a once over.
Cutter growled, “Stop eye-fucking the guy.”
The model blushed and shot a glance toward the exit. Was he seeking an escape route? Weird. Storm was sure he’d have darted away, but the other kid gripped his wrist, keeping him in place.
Fuck! Storm was determined to get a reaction from Mr. Sexy. All in. “I bet you’d put out.”
Hurt crossed the model’s face before he narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze into an icy glare; one a haughty elven prince would be proud to wear. “Go in back if you want to get laid.” Gorgeous tugged his wrist out of the kid’s grip and stomped his way back to their drinks.
“Hey, what’s wrong with your girlfriend over there?” Storm failed to keep the interest out of his voice even when he attempted retaliation. Why the hell did he care if the walking anime character blew him off?
Cutter fluttered his eyelashes and asked the brown-haired kid, “So, um… what’s your name?”
The kid beamed as if he’d won the lottery. “Ulrich Bauer. What’s yours?”
Storm decided to stay in the conversation and answered for both of them, “I’m Storm and he’s Cutter.”
“Cutter.” Ulrich repeated the name with the reverence of an enchanted spell and blushed. “Um, you want to sit with us?”
Cutter shifted his gaze to Storm, and then he refocused on Ulrich and gave a jerky nod.
Ulrich led them to the table and introduced them to The Prince of Pretty. “This is Cutter and Storm. This is my roommate Alex Waterman.”
Alex didn’t spare Storm a glance but smiled at Cutter. “Is Cutter short for something?”
The beauty king did speak!
Cutter nodded and sat down. “Cutler Morgan. But I hate that name!” He grinned and then turned to Ulrich. “You have an accent. Where are you from?”
Storm didn’t fit in. “Well, since the Elfin King directed me to the back room…”
“Storm!” Cut growled.
Storm swaggered toward the shadows in the back of the club. He didn’t look back. If he did, he’d never do this.
Cutter had to find someone who could give him what he needed. Logic dictated Storm should play by his father’s rules until he got through college and was able to support himself. He couldn’t be what Cutter needed him to be… not yet, but Storm knew Cutter needed someone now.
Storm tripped past the wall placard naming a particular hallway “BJ Alley” and escaped into a private bathroom. Thank fuck the club saw fit to have single restrooms. Fancy! He locked the door, pulled out his phone. and sat in the plush corner chair.
His phone chimed as if on cue. His brother texted him, “Father’s on the warpath.”
Ha, when was Ethan McGrath, Sr. not? He texted back, “Thanx.”
His brother always followed the McGrath family rules as law handed down by God himself. Erick should’ve been the heir instead of the spare. Their father certainly made that fact known whenever Storm was within screaming distance.
Storm checked his social media pages. Just the usual bitches and whines from people he didn’t know.
Ten minutes. Hmmm, was that enough time for the average hookup? Better check his e-mail. He didn’t want to look like a minuteman. Might as well use the facilities while he was here too. He ran water through his hair. Yeah, that passed as sweat.
He plastered on an “I got lucky” face and strutted back to the table. Cutter was laughing. Storm grabbed a chair, twirled it around, and straddled it. He nabbed Cut’s drink and gulped the soda.
Cutter frowned and narrowed his eyes. “Uli said they have music tomorrow night.”
“So?” Storm failed to see how that increased Cut’s chance of getting laid. Fuck, he seemed too gleeful. Had the Ice King or Mr. Happy put out?
“We want you both to come back,” Ulrich invited him, but a slight hesitation made it clear to Storm the offer was made out of obligation.
Storm glanced at Alex. Not being able to resist teasing, he asked, “Would you miss me if I didn’t show up?”
Alex met and held his gaze. “Yes.”
Well, fuck!
About the Author: Everyone deserves a happy ending… (and Z. Allora makes sure they get one). She’s written hot rockers, sexy zombies, and Thailand club performers– stories about love, romance and are tied together with erotic sex. Utilizing her extensive foreign travels, she brings readers to places they’ve yet to visit, introducing them to cultures they’ve yet to explore. But with every word she writes she hope to convey that love is love. She welcomes contact and looks forward to hearing from her “pretties”!
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THE GIVEAWAY
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Zombies Ahead Blurb: Zombies suck, but they’re not after brains! Forget mindless rotting corpses shuffling along. These zombies are young, hot, and looking for action. One day Kai Bauer is tending vineyards in Germany, the next he’s on a plane heading for… well, he doesn’t really know. Wait a minute! He’s a what? And they have to drink what to live forever? The transition begins on his nineteenth birthday. He must find a mate in four years or he’ll have a long, un-fun life.
That’s Jasper’s problem too. After decades, the ex-priest has given up on finding a mate. He’s willing to be Kai’s mentor and friend. Gorgeous, distant, and off-limits, meet young, virile, and gay.
The Fine Print:
*Entrants must be 18 years or older to qualify
*The Novel Approach will not be held liable for prize delivery unless otherwise specified
*Void where prohibited by law
The Novel Approach Reviews 
I enjoyed the post and the excerpt it’s a really different approach to Zombies rather than the “Walking Dead” type Zombie.
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Thank you! I thought my zombies wouldn’t want brains… they’d want essence… and I don’t want to write about rotting dead but sexy guys searching for their mates. Hugs, Z.
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Thank you for sharing how the idea came to you. It sounds like a fun series.
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Thank you for your comment! I try to keep it light though my zombies have had some terrible issues they overcome them. Hugs, Z.
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