Jana Downs' Guide to De-stressing during the Apocalypse

Please welcome author Jana Downs to Wicked Thoughts this evening. :) She'll be giving away a copy of Relay for Life [Deadzone 2] when it releases on Saturday April 20th. Comment before that date  for a chance to win. Winners chosen at random. 

Huddled underneath my zebra-striped fleece blanket, the only light visible is from the streetlight, and Stephen King’s Rose Red is playing in the background. My characters are neck-deep in some hardcore loving but I am scared to death. I’m thinking about how silly it is to be scared considering I’m in a locked house and the only danger I am in is directly linked to the choking hazard eating pretzels might cause. My characters are not so lucky. I put them in danger constantly. So I had to ask myself, what are they really afraid of? The list is a bit surprising considering most of them are things that go bump in the night.

In the Deadzone world, it’s easy to see what most people’s fears are. Zombies are very real threats and the possibility of infection is something that people have to deal with on a day to day basis. Some people, like Ager from Working Stiffs, are terrified of the walking dead, the ambling masses and the sprinters that try and nibble on whatever body part that they can. They lock their doors, barricade their homes, and store up ammo in anticipation of zombies. But they also have regular fears as well like mortgages, kids, and job-hunts, as you’ll see in Relay for Life when it releases April 20^th.  Dealing with stresses of everyday are handled with a cold pint and maybe a trip to the movie theater. How do they deal with the harder stuff? There is the clencher.

SO, here is Jana Downs’ guide to dealing with the stresses of post-apocalypse New America.

1)      Stay Busy. After a meltdown, there are things to do, insurance agents to call, dead bodies to burn, etcetera, etcetera. A good way to keep from dissolving in a bout of hysterics is to make sure all the little ducks are neatly in a row.

2)      Keep a list somewhere in the house (a mobile copy on your vid device isn’t a bad idea either), of all the to-dos that follow. A plan is never a bad thing to have and it’s a great way to cut down on the pesky stresses like forgetting to file proper paperwork with the vehicular zombie damage division.

3)      When the commotion settles down: Treat Yourself. What’s your favorite indulgence? Now is the perfect time to do it. You fought the undead, you secured your residence, you survived. It’s the perfect time to sink to your nose in a bubble bath or get a back rub from your favorite massage therapist. Take a deep breath and find you center. But don’t take too long. This is the zombie apocalypse after all. It’s only a matter of time before another swarm of skin-munchers are in need of slaying.

4)      Surround yourself with people you care about. Nothing is so jarring as being around a bunch of dead people. Throw a barbeque, have a girls’ or boys’ night, or something equally as fun. Connecting with other people can be a reaffirming experience and you’ll need it after you have the hell scared out of you by walking corpses.

5)      Have really good sex. I don’t mean the mediocre I-got-there-but-I-wasn’t-really-thrilled sex. I mean passionate, tear all-your-clothes-off sex. Nothing makes you remember what it means to be human than a good ole fashion roll in the hay. ^-^ Enjoy!   

Come to think of it…these rules might be good for the non-zombie moments as well. :P I hope you’ve enjoyed my little how to de-stress your life in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Relay for Life [Deadzone 2] this Saturday. Thanks to Lexi for having me!

Andrew Ainsley is a Deadzone-sponsored runner participating in the most intense cross-country race of

his life. However, a double marathon through the wilds outside the safety zones will bring trouble he didn’t anticipate.

Marcel Carter has been in love with Andrew since he started running for Deadzone five years previously but never had the courage to ask him out. It isn’t until Andrew is lost that he realizes he’s been wasting time.

Matthew Gibson volunteers frequently for dangerous field missions, leaving little time for real relationships. He thinks he’s ready to put that life behind him until his cousin, Brooklyn, asks him to help rescue Andrew. When the three meet, sparks fly, and Matthew thinks he’s finally found what he’s been missing.

As they fight to survive zombies unlike any they’ve faced before and uncover dangerous government conspiracies, they’ll have to determine if their newfound love is real or if it only exists in the dead zone.

http://www.bookstrand.com/relay-for-life