Interview with Author Christine Verstraete by Jacqueline Seewald

Christine (C.A.) Verstraete is the author I am interviewing today. Find out about her and the unique novels she writes here.

 Question: What is the title and genre of your novel?  Why did you select them?

Answer:  Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter is a mash-up of alternate history, mystery, horror and real life crime, based on the actual Borden murders and trial. It actually started out as Zombie Killer, but the publisher suggested the change as it seemed to work better. I got hooked on zombies and the stories by watching The Walking Dead.

Question:   What inspired this novel? How did it come about?

Answer: I always found historical crimes like Jack the Ripper and the Borden murders interesting because of the mystery behind them. Looking at the actual autopsy records and reports for the Borden murders, I realized another plausible reason could be made as to why Lizzie Borden could have committed such an awful crime. Since the victims had been hit in the head, it made perfect sense that she’d committed the murders because they’d turned into zombies.

Question:  Could you tell us a little bit about the heroine and/or hero of your novel?

Answer:  To me, Lizzie Borden’s character reflects the things she faces – strength in facing and doing the unthinkable, fear that her life may end if she’s found guilty of her father and stepmother’s murders, a bit of recklessness and flaunting of conventions (after all she’s facing the gallows), and a vow to protect her sister and fight for her town, even as she’s mostly rejected by society. Takes a strong person to do that, I’d say.

Question:   Can you tell us about some of your other published novels or work?

Answer:  I also wrote a young adult novel, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, which tells the story of what happens when 16-year-old Becca is accidentally scratched and turns into a part-zombie. I’ve also written a kid’s mystery and books on dollhouse miniatures since I’m a collector.

Question:   What are you working on now?

Answer: I’ve been working on a ghost-haunted story novella also set in Lizzie’s hometown and centered on her doctor and neighbor, Dr. Seabury Bowen.  I also started Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2, which continues the story. It’s been fun writing about Lizzie again!

Question:   What made you start writing?

Answer:  I wanted to write since I can remember, and it seems I was destined judging from one of my baby pictures showing me with a newspaper and a pencil behind my ear. I still write for newspapers as well.

Question:   What advice would you offer to those who are currently writing novels?

Answer:  It can be a long haul from writing to seeing a book in print, but it’s worth the effort to see your vision come to life. It is an exhilarating, frustrating, fun, horrible journey at times. But that’s the writing cycle. It has its ups and downs.

Question:  Where and when will readers be able to obtain your novel?

Answer:  

Blog: http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com

Website: http://cverstraete.com

Amazon (Print, Kindle and Kindle Unlimited): http://getbook.at/LizzieBordenZombieHunter

Barnes & Noble (Print): http://tinyurl.com/hz6c8cz

About Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter:

Every family has its secrets...

   One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become… zombies?

   Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.

Questions and comments for Christine are welcome here!