I’m delighted to welcome back fellow Wild Rose Press author Renee Charles!
My Decaying Guilty Pleasure
I love zombies. Fast zombies. Slow zombies. Stumbling zombies. Shopping mall Zombies, all zombies. I always have. My first zombie movie was ‘Night of the Comet,’ 1984 by Thom Eberhardt. It had all the elements of great fiction, evil government agents, decaying brain eaters, and a hero and heroine destined for love. Okay maybe not GREAT fiction, but it got the heart pumping and fluttering all at once. And I fell hard for the genre.
This was just the first of many. My great love affair with the undead began early and has lasted a lifetime. So it is only natural I write paranormal romance. Hummm…what does that say about us who lust after things that go bump in the night? We love the element of the unknown. The element of danger. The element of darkness. Or just a damn good story colored with horror, humor and romance.
Here is a list of my favorites:
Shaun of the Dead
Zombieland
Army of Darkness
Doom
I Am Legend
Pet Sematary
Now you might ask what has this got to do with romance? Well every one of those movies has a subplot of romance or damsel in distress. In ‘I Am Legend’ the romance is hinted at when the good Doctor snags a zombie and her mate seeks revenge. The cognitive thinking implied by that act is thought provoking and frightening for both the Doc and the audience. So, the next sensible evolution of that plot is the Zombie Romance. It’s coming. The teen-flick ‘Warm Bodies’ proves that. Don’t shy away from it. Is there anything hotter than a hero and heroine fighting for their lives side by side, capturing moments between battles to surrender to their love? My next novel, Only Love Survives, soon to be released by The Wild Rose Press, explores exactly that. In the meantime here is a taste of what is to come, and enjoy some of the films on my list.
So…Do you share my guilty pleasure? What is your favorite Zombie Movie or Monster Movie where there are elements of romance??
Only Love Survives (Coming soon from The Wild Rose Press)
Blurb: Amidst an epidemic ravaging the world, all Megan Fletcher’s hopes for the future lie in getting to Las Vegas where newscasts reported scientists were gathering to search for a cure for the modern plague. After rescuing her from a rooftop surrounded by Zombies, Sam Woods appoints himself her escort. While he knows she is determined to get to Vegas no matter the cost, he doesn’t know her secret. And with his hatred of all things Zombie, she doesn’t dare tell him the truth. The more he kisses her, the harder it is for Megan to hide her growing feelings. ..and the bite-shaped scar. But Vegas is not the haven it was promised to be, and when Megan’s immunity to the disease is discovered, she realizes her future and her heart belong to Sam, if he will trust her.
An idealistic school teacher and ex-corporate mogul manage to find love despite a looming worldwide catastrophe. Can their love survive while everything around them is dying? Will they learn that when facing the end of the world, Only Love Survives.
Excerpt:
A storm that spelled danger flashed across Sam’s face. He advanced on Megan so fast, she backed up against the side of the Suburban. Planting a hand firmly on each side of her, he pinned her with his arms as well as his gaze.
“What I want? Are you so hard headed you can’t tell what I want?” He covered her mouth with his lips and crushed her clever comeback with an assault on her senses. Megan pushed him, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he continued to kiss her until her heart raced and cheeks flushed with need. All resistance melted and she succumbed to the warmth of his embrace. Her arms wound around his neck of their own accord pulling him closer while her tongue sought his in a passionate dance, completely ignoring what her heart wanted.
When he finally broke away leaving Megan breathless and wanting so much more, Sam put his forehead to hers and watched her mouth like a drunk watches amber liquid poured into a glass.
“You,” he rasped. “I’ve wanted you since I found you hanging from that damn roof, and all our little encounter in the river did was add fuel to the fire.”
And now for a little bite of werewolf romance:
Changes in Autumn:
Ex-animal control officer, Autumn Reynolds always had a soft spot for injured animals. So when one shows up on her porch with a gunshot wound, she has no choice but to help it. But she gets caught in the maelstrom when the injured wolf turns out to be a hot werewolf and the shooter comes back to finish the job. Now she’s going to become a wolf, or die trying. Fortunately, she has her own Alpha-male who owes her one. However, Autumn fears if she does survive, she might lose her heart in the process.
Conner Grayson owes the beautiful woman his life and feels obligated to help her through her first change. Though he recognizes her as his mate, as her Alpha, he won’t deny Autumn the right to choose once she becomes a wolf. That is, if he can resist the overwhelming need to claim her as his own.
Excerpt:
“I will not do this to you. The change has begun and you…you have to choose your mate.” His words came between short ragged breaths. “If we make love, you will no longer have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.” Even as the words left her mouth, her body denied it. She hummed with an awareness of him that could not be ignored.
He shook his head. “Stay in the water until your skin doesn’t itch anymore. I’m going to put a couple of steaks on for us.” The click of the door closing behind him when he left her alone echoed through her aching body.
Autumn refused to believe that what she felt wasn’t real. She was so aware of him that she could feel him leave the next room after he got dressed. Her awareness of him was like a rubber band that stretched tighter and thinner the further he moved away from her. If what he said was true, she feared it was too late. She’d already chosen.
Changes in Autumn can be found at:
Amazon.com Kindle
The Wild Rose Press eBook
Bio: Renee Charles believes all love is legendary. Being the only female in a house full of giants (husband and two teenage boys) she tends to lean toward the macabre, but inevitably the softer side shines through.
Whether life leads her to a snow covered mountain top, sun dappled forest, or the bottom of a ravine (yes, ditches happen) she always has a pen and note pad ready so wherever the next adventure takes her, she can take notes.
Her own romance began in an insane asylum. Luckily, both she and her husband only worked there. But it makes sense her romance novels have strange beginnings that lead to passionate endings. Romance with a twist.
In the face of zombies, werewolves, and big foot she always seems to find a happily ever after to leave you with a sigh at the end.
You can find Renee at:
Website: http://www.reneecharles.net/
Blog: http://www.reneecharles.net/romance-and-other-hot-topics-blog.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ReneeCharlesAuthor
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/author/reneecharles
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RCharlesWriter
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