UPDATING OCCASIONALLY (FOR NOW)

9 thoughts on “558 – Cotton Clad Calamity”

  1. Yup, he’s a bastard XD

  2. Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)

    Are those pajamas available in XXXL in the gift shop?

  3. It’s been a while, so let me ask: Did we get a reason for him to WANT Susie dead? Not to backseat, but if we didn’t, I’m worried were about to move into “Stupid Evil” territory. Now, stupid happens, don’t get me wrong. It’s not bad storytelling for that to be the case here.

    You’ve just done a good job NOT having that be a driving factor, so the “Kill off the stars of my successful reality TV show.” seems shortsighted, otherwise. Oh, I guess I could be mistaken about the in-story reality TV show’s success. Like, if the company behind them is losing money, or they think a change in management at the ranch would make the whole thing more popular/profitable, then I can see the above scenario happening as well.

    I REALLY think I’m just forgetting something important, but that I don’t have time to deep dive to remind me of, hence the comment. >_<

    1. It certainly has been stretched out over quite a while, but there have definitely been hints from quite near the beginning that whoever is running the reality TV show definitely wants her dead.

      But I certainly don’t recall any reason why.

      1. Yeah it’s fair to not remember since it’s been a hot minute (many, many minutes) but if you feel like a refresher the most relevant bits would be the beginning of Episode 8 and the end of Episode 15. We haven’t explicitly spelled out exactly what The Exec means by his “side hustle” or who was on the other end of that phone call, though.

        I’m hoping that when the whole thing is eventually available it will make sense, or at least enough sense to have hung this narrative on.

        1. Thanks for the replies, Deoxy and Clint. Yeah, I’d totally forgotten about those things. Good to know!

  4. Seems about time for the two people who aren’t there to make a surprise entrance as the ace Susie didn’t even know she had.

  5. There’s still 3-5 people on her side that might be planning something. This guy is a megalomaniac with a god complex, so letting him think he’s the sharpest tool in the shed sets him up for a fall. Everything depends on those cameras, and I suspect their little stop over by the charging coffins had something to do with her actual plan, not the one the a-hole thinks it is.

  6. Really enjoyed the opening of Zombie Ranch. I like the combination of the western setting with the zombie concept, it gives the story a really distinctive atmosphere. I’m a freelance illustrator and animator, and I’d be interested in seeing how some of these scenes could translate into motion, especially as a short animated teaser or character scene.

    If you’re ever interested in something like that, you can reach me here:

    IG: eve_verse_
    Email: [contact.lilaclines@gmail.com](mailto:contact.lilaclines@gmail.com)
    Discord: Lyralilac_

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558 – Cotton Clad Calamity

What would you call this? Armchair assassination? Merk-from-home?

Well, Suzie ain't dead (or undead) quite yet, so we'll just have to see if his gloating is justifiable.

Celebrating an Arrival

It’s always flattering when someone solicits for commentary on their work, but especially so if it’s another writer whose work you happen to respect and enjoy. If that writer also happens to be a good buddy? That’s pretty much a trifecta.

Anyhow, for a few years now I’ve been helping my friend Justin Robinson with feedback on various novels he’s been putting together for attempted publication. Justin has been a very patient man, first with drafting and redrafting his fiction, and then (after suffering the slings and arrows of myself and others picking apart his blood, sweat, and tears), finding a company to help bring his work to the masses, where a professional editor once again would call for rewrites before greenlighting the book. To say the least, it’s not the greatest vector for instant gratification.

Thus, when one of his books finally does make it through all these hoops, it’s a justifiable occasion for joy. I’m particularly happy with this latest, and it’s not necessarily for the reason you might think. Yes, it’s an imaginative take on the zombie genre. Yes, Solstice Publishing saw fit to use my testimonial (even if they call me “Creator” of Zombie Ranch, when I try to always present myself as a co-creator). But what I love best about Undead on Arrival  being officially available in PDF, Kindle, and soon, print, is that it puts to rest the Curse of the Wolf.

Let me explain. I am not a superstitious person. I do not believe in things like spilling salt or the number 13 being inherently unlucky, and yet it seemed like so far, every one of Justin’s drafts I’d been lukewarm about sold, while the ones that were my favorites languished in unloved, unpublished limbo. It got to the point that when he sent me his newest tale a few months back, I jokingly responded with something akin to, “I like it. It’s doomed.”

But after several years of watching their non-Wolfened brethren find homes, this is the year both UoA and Mr. Blank, another of my personal faves, get to have their turns in the spotlight. If everything works out Justin will have some print copies of UoA in hand by the time San Diego Comic Con opens its doors, and you better believe I’ll snag one. The Curse is banished. Now we just have to see how many other people in this wide world are as discerning in their tastes as me!