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Friday, January 23, 2009

Late to the party - Amanda Ashby

Of course when I called this post 'late to the party' I wasn't being literal since between genetics, oldest child syndrome and being born as an impatient Aries, being late isn't really my style (and by late I mean not being early). However, when it comes to trends and popular culture, that is another thing entirely and I'm afraid to say that I'm almost always late.

Take for example my current favorite CD. Nirvana. And no, I'm not listening to it because I'm feeling reflective or trying to relive my glory days, I'm listening to it for the first time and finally understand why they are considered such an amazing band (though I have to tell you that there is nothing quite so uncool as a 40 year old mother of 2 driving along pretending that she is a grunge loving 18 year old drop out).

Another thing I've only just got into is Battlestar Galactica which I see Donna has recently blogged about. How did I manage to miss it the first time around? Was I living under a rock? Especially since thanks to being a 40 year old mother, I do remember watching the series from the first time around and I was a fan back then. Anyway, the good news is that I've only watched the first season so I have a lot of viewing pleasure to go. Not to mention it will help me decide if Starbuck really could kick Jack Bauer's ass? I'm thinking yes, though perhaps it's too soon for me to call it?

But I digress, I'm talking about my habit of coming to things a bit late, and it seems there is one small exception to this habit of a lifetime. Zombies. Yeah, I know, if you're going to break a habit you might as well do it in a random style.

Anyway, when I decided to write a zombie book (spurred on by red wine, a love of Shaun of the Dead and the bad habit of laughing every time I heard the 'z' word) I had no idea that anyone else would even be thinking about zombies let alone writing about them. But through some weird fluke of having the right idea at the right time, it seems that for now zombies are most definitely the new black, or at least the new vampire and there are five of us who have zombie books coming out in the next two months. Weird huh?

My own young adult book, Zombie Queen of Newbury High is about what happens with a teenage girl accidentally turns her entire senior year into flesh eating zombies and has to find a cure before they eat her (and totally ruin prom) and is out in March.

Then there is Stacey Jay, whose young adult book You Are So Undead to Me came out yesterday and is about Megan Berry who tries to balance her life as a zombie settler and a school girl with comic results. Another young adult book is Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth about what happens after a zombie Apocalypse. Then there is SG Browne's amazing zombie lament called Breathers, which is a must read for everyone because it is so brilliant. And finally there is Mark Henry's second zombie book called Road Trip of the Living Dead, which is sort of like Sex in the City but with better clothing and more flesh eating.

Of course after zombies I'm pretty sure I'll go back to being about ten years behind the time, but in the meantime I'm going to pretend that I totally did it on purpose. Now, did I put my legwarmers and my Frankie Says Relax tee-shirt?

Amanda Ashby
You Had Me at Halo (out now) 4 1/2 stars Romantic Times
Zombie Queen of Newbury High (March 2009)

8 comments:

Donna Alward said...

LOL Go BSG!

Season one is perhaps my favourite season, with season four being right up there and lots of great episodes in between.

Sometimes I am late to the party with things especially books and movies. I don't go to the theatre hardly ever, so everyone has talked about it and I get it on dvd when it comes out! LOL

Alyson Noel said...

Hilarious post--as usual!!

As you know, I'm on my first go round of Buffy, proudly proclaiming my love of Spike to any and all who will listen. Which may have been cool 6 years ago, not so much now . . .

Go Zombies!!!

Amanda Ashby said...

Donna - yes, I would be lost without DVD boxed sets (of which I'm just about to get BSG season 2 - woot!!)

Alyson - seriously, it's always cool to love Spike (or Angel. Or both. Hmmm a Spike and Angel sandwich? Does that make me a bad person?).

And more good news - you still have five seasons of Angel to watch and Firefly as well! Lucky girl!!!

Estella said...

I am way behind. I have never watched BSG or Buffy.

Lori Ann said...

I can totally relate to being late to the party on things. There are quite a few popular television shows that I started watching a few years after they first started: Lost, 24, Desperate Housewives, etc. I haven't watched Battlestar Galactica yet, but my friends tell me I would love it. So that will probably be another one I end up loving but coming to late. I am a little better at staying up to date with books and movies, though.

You have definitely sparked my interest in zombies now. I think I will check out a few of the books you mentioned.

Amanda Ashby said...

Estella - oooh, well you've got some great shows to look foward to!!!

Raven99 - phew. Glad I'm not alone in being late to watch things!!And I hope you do check out some of the zombie books. They are all so diferent but all equally awesome!!!!!

Unknown said...

I have not seen Battlestar Galactica. I am not too much of a TV watcher. The only thing I am really addicted to it American Idol LOL

Amanda Ashby said...

mamakim - BSG is awesome though nothing is as great as American Idol. I'm so happy now that the new season has started!!!!