Queenwannabee
@z.net@alexkicksZass Rumor says Ruby stayed in Andrew’s hotel room last night. Once a cheater…
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Wootyeahboys
@z.net Will Andrew ever come out? Ever? Just do it, bro. We’ve got your back.
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Zombieprincess
@z.net Gabe and Ruby are adorable. Can’t wait for pics!
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Hatchetlover
@z.net Will you be tweeting live? Have they shown up yet? Interview this year?
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Andrewspants
@z.net Andrew in chaps was amazing. Next, naked. Bring it.
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WyattluvsAlex
@z.net I think Ruby and Andrew are still together. They were seen holding hands the other night at that sushi place.
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Z.net
The panel starts in 10 minutes! Live tweeting here throughout — interview with the cast posted ASAP! #zocopalypse
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I peek through the curtain. “Holy crap! There are like,” I can’t even come up with a number, “a lot of people out there.”
Iris squeezes next to me and pushes back the fabric. “They said 5,000, the room looks full.”
“I’m not sure if I can do this.”
She drops the curtain. “Nah, you’re Ruby Miller, the real life embodiment of Alexandra, zombie hunter. You can handle that crowd.”
We smile at each other. Knowing what the other is thinking. “Can you believe it? A year ago we were out there, two little fangirls, waiting for the panel.”
“Ecstatic to sit in the press section!”
“Hoping for Gabe’s autograph.”
“Now you get to kiss him.”
“Mmmhmm, I do.”
“It’s been a crazy year.”
Iris runs her hand through her hair. Gone are the long braids and in their place is a short curly haircut that looks fantastic and makes her look three years older. “Insane. But you kept your promise. You’ve managed school and this acting thing, plus having a long-distance boyfriend.”
“A couple of times I thought I would fail. Big time. Juggling everything was hard.”
“Like me and Nick. That relationship went nowhere fast.”
“Iris, he’s almost 30.”
“I know and no hard feelings. He helped me get a legit summer internship on the show. No more following you around for free.”
The same bushy-haired moderator as last year walks by and says, “Five minutes, ladies.”
“Let me get in my seat — the fans are waiting on me!”
“See you after the panel,” I say, and my butterflies return the second she walks away. The feeling subsides when a pair of arms wraps around my stomach and a scratchy beard brushes across my neck. “Hi, finish your interview?”
“One down, seven million to go,” he laughs, turning me around. “But this time, I have you with me all day so I think I can make it.”
“I hope I don’t make an ass of myself.”
“You’ll be fine. The fans love you.”
“Not all of them.” Although ZWankHard no longer exists, its distant cousins ZombieWank and AlexWank have popped up in its place.
“Price of fame.” He gives me a kiss, which is nice, but I place my hands on his chest and push him away. “What?”
“What?” I roll my eyes. “First of all, cameras. Second, that beard? Although I like it, it rips up my face. I’m not walking out on that stage looking like you and I were just making out back here.”
“No?” He goes in for another kiss. I cave for a second before twisting out of his reach.
“No.” Andrew and Nick walk through the back door and wave. The moderator walks past us and on to the stage. The crowd cheers so loud I have to yell. “But just think! Two weeks and we’ll have the whole summer!”
“Ah, yes, a whole summer of working 16-hour days, fighting zombies and dodging paparazzi. Bliss.”
“I can’t wait.”
There’s a break in the clapping and Gabe’s name is called. This year, Andrew and I are headlining the panel. I give him a quick kiss and he ducks through the curtain.
“You look happy,” Andrew says, taking my hand. He’s a little thinner than last year. I overheard him say something about more cardio, less weights — I have no idea. Either way, he may actually look more fantastic than a year ago.
“You, too.”
“I never knew the zombie apocalypse would be the best thing that happened to me,” he says.
“Would it be weird if I said I wasn’t surprised?”
“For a geek like you?” he asks, touching the rims of my glasses. “No.”
Again, we can hear the crowd settle as the moderator prepares to introduce us. “Who’s going first?”
“What’s our rule?”
“Rule?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Wyatt and Alexandra have a deal. I think it applies here.[1]”
“Oh! Yes, of course.”
“Never.”
I hear my name called and a roar of applause. Andrew holds up my hand and I take a deep, final breath. “Ready?”
I exhale and push back the curtain and walk onto the stage.
g
[1] Never separate.
Acknowledgements
Although I am a fangirl, I did not write this book about myself. I do not want to run a website, be in a movie or date a comic book nerd. I may have already married a comic book nerd, so really, that ship has sailed, although I would pretend date Zac Efron if I could. Alas, this seems unlikely. What I do need to do is thank everyone who helped me get this book off the ground. Again, it took a village and I am equally thankful to everyone.
Each book has a process and it starts with those who help the story make sense. Tracie, Alicia, Rachel, Liz , Vanessa and Kristin get the messy work. They have to muck through the early, unedited versions that bear little resemblance to the end result and tell me where the plot breaks down.
I owe huge thanks to those who go in with the red pen and make it nice. Beth and Anne did the heavy work. Anne is the best because she has a tiny notebook she takes notes in while we eat hamburgers. She keeps everything straight in her little book that in my head looks like flowers and rainbows and dancing bears.
A special thank you to Beth and Denise for helping me with my photo illustration crisis. Beth helped us with the big idea and Denise stayed up all hours to get me the finished product. Not to mention the images in the first place. I owe her many things. Hugs will not be one of them though.
I forced CA into my world of bookselling by formatting and learning how to get this thing live. It only took some minor prodding to keep him on task. I appreciate all the hard work, dealing with me and existing in our home as I live life in another reality.
Finally, I owe so much thanks to Sam. Good grief, the list is endless.
For talking to me about all of this
For making my website and dealing with my techno fail
For making Ruby
For sharing the gift of Zwank
For surviving The Great Color War of 2012 (aka what happens when two artists have to decide on a color)
When I freaked out about illustrations
For all that other stuff I need and continue to need forever and ever
And finally, for sending the ZEfron Juice picture when I need it most.
Othe
r thanks go to all The Girlz who support me at all times (including the Bates girls who didn’t think I could work the word cheiloproclitic into a novel) all of my readers who made Wraith a great first release and for all of the fangirls who understand.
About The Author
Angel Lawson lives with her family in Atlanta and has a life long obsession with creating fiction from reality, either with paint or with words. On a typical day you can find her writing, getting the glitter out of her nails and plotting zombie escape plans. Her first book Wraith, a paranormal ghost story, can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes & Nobel
Angel can be found at www.angellawson.com, on Facebook and on twitter at @lawsonwrites.
Also By Angel . . .
Wraith
Freak. Weird. Crazy. These are the names tossed around seventeen-year old Jane Watts by her fellow classmates. But things aren’t always as they seem. Sometimes there’s a reason for talking to yourself in the hallway at school.
Adjusting to her new home and school after an abrupt move, Jane wants one thing in life—to be like everyone else at school, but that’s hard to do when you’re the new kid. Although she does manage to make one friend, Evan—he’s sixteen, charming, and protective. Everything a girl could want in a best friend…with one minor caveat.
He’s dead.
Caught somewhere between life and death, Evan is tied to Jane and the living world unable to complete the journey to the other side. She thinks he’s here to be her friend, to take care of her, and that’s why no one can see or hear him.
That is until a new boy shows up at school after a rumored stretch in Juvie. Connor can see Evan and he’s not convinced the ghost is being completely honest. From his own experience ghosts tend to need something from the humans they connect to and Evan, despite his arguments isn’t any different.
Jane is resentful of Connor’s intrusion but realizes soon enough he’s right. Evan has secrets about his past and not only did his life end tragically but members of his family are still in danger. Jane must face her fears and battle Evan’s human demons to free both of them.
Find more online at WraithBook.com.
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