And the winner is...

Things went a little wonky this week, but here we are...Friday! And one of you lucky people just snagged about 40-50 hours of audio book goodness. Are you curious?  Well I have good news...I actually had such a positive response that I drew 2 names. So, Michele Heeder AND Leann Hazen need to shoot me an email so I can send you your codes for your very own free versions of the original Zomblog trilogy, and also, the newest and FIRST full length version of That Ghoul Ava and the Queen of The Zombies. If you want to see all of my current titles on Audible.com, just click HERE for everything but Dakota (which I wrote as Todd Brown because I thought it might be good to separate my horror from non-horror stuff. (FACEPALM!)

peek-a-boo!

So, going in to the weekend, how about an unedited peek at the upcoming (October 30th) Zomblog: Snoe's Journey? Okay. Enjoy...

Friday, June 3^rd

A delegate from the Confederated Union of Tribes arrived today. She refused to speak to anybody until I was brought to meet with her. I find it nothing sort of amazing that anybody can make a trip from someplace so far away by themselves. Not only that, but considering how fast she had to be moving…on foot!

General Carson has been busy. (I guess he gave himself a promotion.) This was exactly as I feared. I knew that all of our time talking and arguing was a huge waste of time. While we have been doing a whole lot of nothing, he has been recruiting and campaigning. The message he has been putting out there has been very simple: Join or Die.

I guess he sent an emissary to the tribes. They refused to join him. He was smart enough not to press the issue, but it would seem that the Council of Tribal Chiefs decided they needed to know what they might be dealing with and sent a scouting party out to get numbers.

They stopped after the third group never returned.

I guess I should amend that statement. A few returned, just not in the same state in which they left.

I met with Kai River in the council auditorium. (I had to ask how to spell it when she told me her name. It is pronounced KEY-eye.) It was just the two of us and I had no idea what she was expecting, but I know the look of disappointment when I see it.

“You are the daughter of Meredith? Fellow traveler of the man called Greyfeather?”

I gave her a nod. She sat silently for an uncomfortably long period with her eyes shut. Since she asked for me, I figured it would just be best if I kept my mouth shut and waited.

When she started to whisper something, I felt the hairs on my arms stand up. It was a chant of some sort, and I kept hearing one phrase repeated over and over:

Mitakuye Oyasin. (Again, I had to ask…it sounds like mi-TAK-eeyo-AH-sun.)

This is some sort of prayer. I know that much for sure. The thing is, I have no idea what it means and she wouldn’t tell me. Something about it not being her place to share, and that I was to join her and return to the Tribal Council.

I explained that I was already preparing for that trip and that the train would leave soon. She shook her head and told me that I was to send my people south to the former Kah-Nee-Tah reservation. They would be met by warriors from the Confederated Tribal Nation, but that I would be going to the Land of the Seventh Generation. (What I knew as Oklahoma.)

I asked about a dozen questions, but she would answer none of them. I told her that I did not think I could go with her if she would not tell me anything. She simply nodded and told me that it was my choice. I had to come of my own free will.

I will sleep on it tonight.

Monday, June 6^th

We have walked for two days in complete silence. So…yeah, I basically agreed to go. Betty and Paul both told me that they had these dreams about me. Neither one could remember a dang thing, but both said they woke up knowing that I was about to leave and that they needed to see me off.

That was strange since I had not made up my mind yet. When I explained that I was only thinking about it, they each said I had to go.

“I can’t explain it.” Betty kept frowning and shrugging; obviously she was at least as confused as me. “I just know that, if we are going to win, you have to do this. I can’t say anything more than that because I honestly have no idea why I feel that way.”

Paul was even more blunt. “If you stay…everybody dies.”

No pressure, Snoe.

I sleep with my journal now. I keep thinking that I will have some amazing dream or vision, or whatever the heck everybody else seems to be dialing in to these days. Nope.

Okay, not entirely true. I did have one dream. But it was something to do with balloons, bacon, a pony, and this birthday cake that Mama Janie made for me when I turned twelve. Pretty much no help at all.

A new release...oh...and Vinnie.

Dead: Confrontation-- Book 6 of the DEAD series.

So, the new DEAD book is out and I am already diving in to writing book 7, titled Dead: Reborn. No resting on my laurels...whatever those are. I have some concepts in line for this next arc of the book and am doing some things that have me anxious for reader response. Yep...already consumed by the seventh book and I haven't even been able to really sit back and enjoy the release of book six. Still think being a writer is easy? It is like any other job...only this just happens to be what I LOVE! If you are a skimmer when it comes to reading blogs, don't miss the note at the end on how you can win a free audio version of my latest release: Gruesomely Grimm Zombie Tales, Volume 1.

Also, the fantastic folks with Puretalon Productions are deep in the production stages of the first four Zomblog books for audio! I have to thank Erik Bryan, Emily Dane (as Meredith), and Laura Stahl (as Snoe). While it was actually Erik's Zomblog audition that reeled me in to these exceptional folks, I can not even begin to say how thrilled I am with the ladies and the way they have brought my story to life.

That was why it was so easy to continue with these amazing people for the DEAD books. Dead: The Ugly Beginning is already in production and the rest of the series will be out by summer's end. I am hoping it does well so that Erik will be motivated to stay on board with the entire series. And I am also very excited to be revealing some new cover art for many of the audio editions. More on that coming soon... But I have to step aside for a moment for "you know who".

Yo, Vinnie DeSporto here, so listen up. First off, I don't much care for being shoved down at the end of a bunch of crap dat Brown coulda said earlier in da week. "But, Vinnie", I can hear him sniveling, "I don't do blogs on Tuesday or Thursday." Boo-freakin'-who.

Anyways, today I have chosen the S & M librarian who goes by Suzi M.

Va-va-va-voom. Am I right guys? Somebody tell Barbra Eden we found the model for those cartoon eyes in the credits of I Dream of Jeannie. It is honor of dis babe dat I have officially started my "DeSporto Babes" club. How do you become a member...simple...for starters, you gotta look like dat. (Look up about an inch if you need a reminder...you know what an inch is, dontcha Armand?) So, Suzi...or whatever your name is, I mean seriously, I will probably forget anyway, so just get used to bein' called Dollface, as da charter member of da DeSporto Babes, you need a t-shirt and a pitcher of ice water...and a sponge. "But Vinnie," I hear you ask in what I can only assume is a nagging voice like most broads have, "what do I need a sponge for?"

Hey, my car ain't gonna wash itself.

Next week, I will be turning the heat up on ...am I readin' dis right? "The Summer of Zombie Blog Tour"? What da hell is dat?!

Oh well, Steppin' on toes in da Rose City, I'm Vinnie DeSporto, in yer face.

So, be here on Monday for a shot at a free audible copy of Gruesomely Grimm Zombie Tales Volume 1. Imagine if your grandma told you bedtime stories..but with zombies!