February 15, 2021
Broken Stories Post One
Week 7, Day 1 – Broken Stories
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Zombie
Release Date: July 4, 2015
Cover Design: Kate L. Mary Press
Formats: ebook, audiobook, and paperback – grab the ebook for just $0.99!
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Broken Stories is a compilation of short stories and novelettes that accompanies the Broken World series. From California to Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Colorado, listeners will get a glimpse at what other people went through before, during, and after the zombie virus outbreak.
Some of the characters featured in these stories have close ties to the main characters in the Broken World series, while others are brand-new. It’s an emotional, intense, and exciting look at how the zombie apocalypse has changed the world.
Since this is a collection of stories, things are going to be a little different this week, but still just as great!
When Karma Bites You in the Ass
The first story I’m going to tell you about is the one that features Roger, VIVIAN’S DAD. That’s right. When I decided to write some short stories, I knew I just had to explore Vivian’s dad and what happened to him after the virus. He’s an asshole. We all know that from the Broken World Series. He was a drunk and abusive to Darla, Vivian’s mom, which was why she left, and then to Vivian. He definitely deserved a little karma.
I figured that since the immunity to the virus seems to be slightly hereditary, it would make sense that he survived the initial outbreak, and I really wanted him to go out in a bad, bad way.
So, here’s the rundown of the decisions I made and the inspiration for some of the locations. As you should know by now, I was living in Fairfield, CA when I wrote this, which was where Vivian was headed, and where Roger still lives. Other than the short story I wrote for Pre for Doom, this is the first thing I wrote in third person, and I did it because I just didn’t think I could successfully get in Roger’s head. He’s a jerk, and I just didn’t think I could find the right voice in first person. I teamed him up with a young woman – someone Vivian’s age – because I thought it would emphasize the ghosts that have been haunting him for year, but also because I wanted to be able to show how disgusting of a person he is. I think it worked really well, because his internal struggles as he remembers Vivian and Darla get pretty intense the farther into the story – and the more he drinks.
I loved being able to have a moment in this story when Roger almost bumps into his daughter. In case you didn’t catch it while reading, it’s when he and Cassie go to Walmart to stock up on supplies. They pull into the parking lot, but stay far away because they spot a big, dark blue SUV parked next to the door. Three men, a woman, and a little girl show up after a short time and Roger considers going over, but decides against it because he thinks the man with short hair – Angus – looks like a hot head. Ironic, right?
After they stock up, Roger and Cassie head to a gated community. I wrote this in because I remembered a gated community being not too far from the Walmart when I used to live in Fairfield – our squadron even had a Christmas party at their clubhouse there one year. The grocery store he and Cassie go to at the end of the story is real as well, and is actually very close to where I used to live. It was a Raley’s and the prices were insane! I remember only going there for quick runs when I didn’t have time to go to the commissary on base or wanted to avoid Walmart.
Honestly, as I’m reading this story again, I think the writing is a bit rough and needs some polishing – I can tell I was new to writing third person – but I still love the way it plays out. I love Roger’s inner conflict and the way he slowly starts to come unraveled, the fact that he can’t let go of Vivian and Darla even though have the time he thinks he hates them, and I love his eventual slow and painful demise. It’s the perfect end to an asshole.
