eARC REVIEW + AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Run (NOLA Zombie #1) by Gillian Zane

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review  and all opinions within this review are my own. *

Title: Run
Author: Gillian Zane
Publisher: Parajunkee Publishing
Release Date : May 26, 2015

Synopsis:

Zombies are on the loose in New Orleans and of all the End of the World scenarios, Alexis Winter wasn’t prepared for this one. But, an apocalypse is an apocalypse and she should have this covered. She has been “prepping” for the last three years. The problem is location and timing. She’s stuck downtown and she has to get to her house on the outskirts of the city so she can get her supplies and bug-in (for the “non-preppers” this means hole up and stay safe).

Agreeing to work on a Saturday is now coming back to bite her on the ass big time. Hopefully, it won’t be a literal bite by the walking dead.

Luck favors the prepared, and as luck would have it, it comes in the form of the ridiculously hot Blake Miller. Former military man, current mercenary, Blake Miller, the man with the plan, his goal: steal a boat and trek up the Mississippi until they find safety. Alexis thinks this is a great plan and she decides to team up with Blake. The two team up in unexpected ways as they find they can’t keep their hands off of each other even when the world is falling down around them.

Can Alexis and Blake survive the end of the world, and if they do make it through the night, find a place that is safe and secure? Can their newfound attraction lead them down the road to love or heartbreak?

Zombies, sex, romance and carnage…you can’t get any better than this.

Review:

The zombie action starts immediately with Alexis running for her life from Rick, a coworker at her office building who has been infected. While trying to find a way back to her house, through the hoards of idiots and the infected, she runs into Blake. Blake is very to the point and so they both set off for Alexis' house to get her supplies and her dog. Over the next few days they are taken on a wild ride of lust and running for their lives. 

I'll be honest and say that I normally don't read these types of books, but when I saw Gillian's post about looking for bloggers to review her latest book I had a good feeling about it and felt that this was a book that I needed to read. I was not disappointed either. 

Alexis is a strong and independent woman, who, ever since she was old enough to be on her own, had has the desire to be prepared and has "prepped" for multiple kinds of disasters. She prides herself on her ability to survive for weeks with the amount of supplies she has managed to come up with and the forethought to have a well trained guard dog. Little did she know that she would ever need her preps for a zombie apocalypse. 

Blake is an ex-military man who is helping Alexis survive in this new nightmare type world that has now become their reality. He knows how to handle himself and take control in dire situations and also in the bedroom. Blake is Alexis' perfect survival partner. 

Gillian is very descriptive and paints a clear picture of the type of person that Alexis is. I honestly don't know how I would have fared in this type of situation. I'd like to think that I could handle myself as well as Alexis did, but I honestly don't know. 

One thing that I really liked about Gillian Zane's writing style with "Run" was the fact that the story never felt rushed or to slow. She set a great pace and everything seemed to fall right into place. Another was the fact that she seemed to have studied up on a lot of the lingo and behaviors of preppers. 

Gillian Zane has spun a brilliant story with gore and guts, wild unadulterated lust and passion, hope, adventure and of course zombies. "Run" will knock your socks off and have you  dying to know what happens in Zane's next installment in the NOLA Zombie series. I highly suggest giving this book a try but I should warn you that it is not intended for younger audiences under the age of 18. 

Author Interview

Welcome to Mountain Rhinestones Gillian and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. 

Hi, Andrea. Thank you for having me.

How did you come up with the idea behind Run and the NOLA Zombies?

I get obsessed with an idea and ever since I bought a house on the Mississippi River, I’ve been obsessing over contingency plans, escape routes, where to go if something happens. It is the trait that I actually share with my main character Alexis, since it started after Hurricane Katrina too. I wasn’t prepared for that disaster, so now, I make sure that I have something, at least in my head, as far as a plan. When I began reading zombie fiction and watching The Walking Dead, I started incorporating zombies into my plan. Not that I believe zombies will descend on the Crescent City any time soon, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. My crazy zombie apocalypse plan led me to writing about it, which then led to inserting fun characters within it - and then my deep down wish that more zombie fiction had romance in it - led me to dreaming up Blake Miller and Zach James. Because who wouldn’t want those boys on your side in a zombie apocalypse? 

Alexis is a very strong and independent woman, did you fashion her character after anyone?

No, she’s no one I know. Alexis is part the girl I would have loved to be at her age and part the best things I see in the strong women around me. Not that she is perfect, I also got to pick and choose a few crazy traits too. 

What was your favorite part of Run to write?

The first chapter. I had so much fun finally writing that first chapter. It flew by in just a few minutes. After I had it written and then went back and read it, I couldn’t stop until I had the whole thing written. 

How has your journey as an author been so far?

So far it has been rather mellow. I’m just excited that I have finally followed through. I’ve had a story in my head for as long as I can remember, this one finally got out. I could do a dance. I’m dancing right now.

How would you describe a normal writing day?

I have a “regular” job, so there isn’t a lot of writing during the day. Then life in the in-between hours, so I’m basically relegated to the after 8 pm hours. My husband is a musician, so he practices, serenades me with his latest song…and I write until I get too tired to function. Then I pass out and start all over again. 

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Quirk? Who is quirky? Not me. I just write, until I pass out on the keyboard. Nothing crazy. 

What books are in your To-Be-Read pile?

I try not to pile them up too high, but I have Suzanne Johnson’s Pirate’s Alley on there and Zoey Derrick’s 69 Bottles were just downloaded…and then I was just recommend the Southern Arcana series by Moira Rogers, so I grabbed the first book, Crux. 

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

I don’t think I can offer much advice yet, I’ve just stuck my toe in the puddle. But, just do it and don’t be afraid to ask for help, or hire someone that can get it done for you. Not the writing, the other things that aren’t as fun as the writing. Because writing is just the first step. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review  and all opinions within this review are my own. *



(c) 2015 Andrea Hatfield All Rights Reserved