Barnaby Taylor Author, Fiction, Nipper, Writing

Nipper – NIGHTMARE, MONSTER, HORROR, SURVIVAL SERIES – Book One

Once a week the monsters come.

They hunt all night.

In the morning they’re gone.

That gives me six days to get ready.

Then they come back again.

Hi Everyone

Here’s the opening chapter of the first book in my latest series.

Nipper tells the story of a girl and her dad who have to defend their house from a weekly invasion of monsters. When her dad is badly injured, Nipper has to try and get him to safety before it’s too late.

If you like what you read then why not download Nipper from Amazon?

The links are here and here.

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Scream

The first thing you hear is the scream. One of them starts and the rest join in. They get louder and louder. It sounds like the night is crying angry tears of pain.

It. Is. Deafening.

I hate the sound. My tummy feels sick when I hear it. I know what it means for me and Dad. I always put my hands over my ears but that never works.

The monsters scream like they are dying. Like they are in the most pain that anyone could ever feel. It must be because they are monsters. It must be agony.

But I don’t feel sorry for them.

How could I? They are monsters.

We are the only people left in our town. Everyone else is dead. They were killed by the monsters when they attacked for the first time.

Me and Dad hid in the attic. The monsters were in our house. They looked everywhere. We kept very still. I heard them sniffing. We were lucky. They didn’t find us.

In the morning they were gone.

Dad went to look. They were definitely gone. But we stayed indoors for rest of the week. We didn’t know what else to do.

We barricaded the doors and windows. We used all the wood we could find. We put chairs and tables against the front door. We blocked a window with the sofa.

It was all we could do.

I was so tense. I thought the monsters would come back at any minute.

The nights were when we got really scared. We slept in the attic. The ladder was pulled up. I tried to sleep. Dad stayed awake. He was listening for them. We did this every night for six days.

And then the monsters came back.

We heard them outside. They were hunting for us. I hid in my sleeping bag. Dad was holding a kitchen knife. He was ready to stab the monsters. But they didn’t find us.

In the morning they were gone again.

Barnaby Taylor Author, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Writing

VIRO – Infecting Imaginations One Zombie at a Time

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Hi Everyone

It has been 13 months since Book One in the VIRO was published.

I thought it would be useful to compile a list of notable things that have happened since.

 

1. NUMBER ONE

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With very occasional variations, Book One has been Number One in the Teen & Young Adult Monster Fiction eBooks chart since April 2018. This is very exciting and I have to say a big thank you to everyone who has read the book.

You can get your copy of Book One here.

2. BOOK TWO

The apocalyptic adventures of Jake and his friends continued in May 2018 when Book Two was published. This time the friends find themselves caught between the rampaging viros and the Tall Man, a local militia leader recruiting the able-bodied to help defend his stockade.

You can get your copy of Book Two here.

3. BOOK THREE

Book Three in the series was released in October 2018 and this time Jake and his friends find themselves in a refugee camp where they uncover a sinister child kidnapping ring before having to make their escape back into the apocalyptic wilderness when the camp is overrun.

You can get your copy of Book Three here.

4. BOOK FOUR

Book Four is currently in progress and the adventures continue as Jake and his friends struggle to stay alive in a world infected by a deadly virus.

5. REVIEWS

The VIRO series has been very well received by readers and reviewers and it is so exciting to know that people are enjoying the series. Here is a selection of reviews for the series:

I absolutely loved this book. Powerful and poignant, ‘Viro’ packs a punch. Sad and haunting, ‘Viro’ is a new take on the zombie genre.The characters are dynamic and interesting, finding strength despite their horrifying circumstances. Jake is a character that will stick with you long after the final page. The action sequences are thrilling. I was on the edge of my seat!

 

What a really good book it’s got companionship, action & it seemed to keep me wanting to find out what was gonna happen next.The chapters are short which i find better for reading a good zombie book it seemed to keep me interested all the time. I’m off to read the next book.Give this author a go you will not be disappointed.

 

Amazing trilogy. Bought the kindle editions for my 10-year old daughter who loved them. As a Christmas treat she’s getting the print copies as a surprise. Very highly recommended!

 

“Viro: Book Two” is incredible. Picking up where the first one left off, this book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s fast paced and superbly thrilling! The narrative is poignant and heartbreaking as Jake’s unique voice draws you in. Highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys zombie stories. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Jake and the gang!

 

I must say that I got book one for free on my Kindle. I found myself sucked right into the characters and never-ending action and gore page after page. I very rarely buy books, but immediately purchased number two which I found equally as engrossing. Yesterday I bought book three in the Viro series and instead of a good nights sleep I’ve got red eyes and a need for Red Bull! Fantastic series for all my zombie lovers out there!

 

6. THE FUTURE – VIRO – Infecting Imaginations One Zombie at a Time

As you can see, it has been an incredible thirteen months and I cannot wait to keep you all up to date with what happens next.

I would love to hear your feedback on the series and all things zombie-related so why not get in touch or leave a comment.

All the best

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Barnaby Taylor Analogue, Digital, Writing

Diary of a Free Ebook – Day 378 – What’s in a Word?

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E-Book? Ebook?

Hyphen? No hyphen?

What’s in a word?

There is something very old-fashioned about the sound of the word(s) used to describe an electronic book.

Much like the way in which we still use the word ‘video’ today to describe moving images.

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As a word, ‘video’ reminds me of watching dodgy copies of banned horror films on VHS in the 1980s.

Despite the fact that we use the word to mean something very different in 2019 ‘video’ just seems so old-fashioned.

For me, it is the associations.

The clunk of the door as you inserted the tape into the recorder/player.

The sound as the machine steadied itself.

The roll of the lines up the screen.

The occasional distortion as the sound synced.

The hang of the pause.

The song of the tape as it rewound in a different key to the one that played as you fast-forwarded past the adverts.

Do you remember these sounds?

Perhaps you have never heard them?

It is highly likely that you will never truly hear them again.

And we haven’t even started to think about another link in this word association game we are playing today.

Betamax.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnaby Taylor Author, Fiction, Horror, Writing

New Horror Survival Adventure Book Ready for Download Now

Nipper FINAL VERSION

Once a week the monsters come.

They hunt all night.

In the morning they’re gone.

That gives me six days to get ready.

Then they come back again.

When the world is destroyed by a weekly attack of mysterious monsters, a young girl and her father are forced to fight for survival. Once her father has been seriously injured defending their house, the young girl must find a way to get them both to safety before the monsters return.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD FROM AMAZON HERE 

Barnaby Taylor Author, Fiction, VIRO, Writing, zombies

VIRO Book Four – Work in Progress

Hi Everyone

I thought I would give you all an update on the VIRO series. What started as a few scratchy notes while I was on holiday two years in Portugal has now become a fascinating experiment in independent publishing.

Book One was launched in March 2018 and has been at Number One in the Amazon chart since May. It is currently free for download for Kindle and this has been an enormous help in getting the book some attention. Book One has currently been downloaded from Amazon 766 times. This is very encouraging. Book One is also currently available for download at Smashwords as well and 84 copies have been dowloaded to date.

Book Two was launched in May 2018 and has been very well received. The following review was left on my Goodreads page:

Having Read Falcon Boy and VIRO, it was with eager anticipation that I started to read VIRO II. Barnaby Taylor has a daring and rich imagination that transports you to new adventures in a re-imagined world, that are vividly written with a fresh and vibrant use of language. The heroes of Barnaby’s books are children on the cusp of their teenage years. I would like to think that this isn’t a coincidence. There appears to be a deliberate opting out in relation to the current generation with Barnaby instead looking to a new, untainted generation to right the world’s wrongs in the guise of the courageous and idealistic young children that inhabit VIRO I and II. Barnaby literally and metaphorically backs the right horse. The purity of the children in VIRO II is evident throughout the book. Jake says ‘I hated violence. I hated violent people.’

In VIRO II, we pick up with the viros (zombies) who are overrunning the world and the small band of children who are trying to survive in this world. The children’s separation from their parents also serves (as it did in VIRO I) as a powerful dramatic device, providing the next generation with the stage and platform to figure out a way forward. Barnaby really understands the mind set of young children and evocatively and beautifully captures their innocence but also their determination and guts to persevere against the odds and you as the reader wants to be with them every step of the way, willing them forward. Barnaby also excels at capturing the petty jealousies and competitiveness that can pervade the group dynamic of young children but equally the intensity and tenderness of their relationships.

To say that this book is a page turner is an understatement. Barnaby can really write an action packed scene with fear inspiring characters such as the Tall Man. Baxter the dog who accompanies the children gives the story the delightful twist of feeling like an apocalyptic Famous Five. Genius. The story is essentially an allegory set in a far more perilous and shaky world and is therefore not only for children but also for adults. Potent messages are present throughout the book. Jake incisively says ‘The world was wrong now. It was bad and broken. I didn’t understand.’ That a new value system is required to fix today’s broken world is also indicated with even the Reverend stating that ‘in order to believe in the Bible, you have to stop asking so many questions and just accept what you are told. And I have always found that hard to do. The world created in seven days? Immaculate conception?’ By the end of the book it’s apparent that the new value systems lies with the children and their unselfish spirit of caring and cooperation, the perfect building blocks of a new world order which the author may reveal in further detail in future iterations of the book as possibly hinted at by the cliff hanger of the book’s ending.

The book is a must read. Barnaby is an exciting and passionate writer. There’s real depth of meaning behind his books. You emotionally engage with and care about the book’s characters. Barnaby’s books also have a strong visual sensibility. His stories particularly VIRO I and II would translate superbly to television and cinema. I am a huge fan of all things zombie orientated and to see the zombie genre reinterpreted from the perspective of children is thrilling. I look forward to more books from Barnaby. He’s one to watch out for. Children, adults and I suspect the film and TV industry people will love this book. I highly recommend it.

Book Two is currently available for 99 cents and the challenge is to convert the free downloads of Book One into purchases of the rest of the series. This is taking some time but I am encouraged with progress to date.

Book Three was released in October 2018 and is slowly climbing up the Amazon charts. I have found that sales of Books Two and Three tend to go together with people buying a copy of each at the same time. Again, the challenge is to convert free downloads of Book One into paid purchases of the other books in the series but there is forward movement here and I am confident that this will keep moving as the franchise continues to spread.

SPOILER ALERT: Book Three also marks the first major character death. I knew that one of the main characters needed to die in order for the series to develop and Book Three is where this tragedy occurs.

Work on Book Four began this week and I am confident that this will be ready for publishing by early 2019. There is still a very long way to go for Jake and the rest of the characters in the series. Also, with each book in the series, the world of VIRO is becoming richer and richer. The writing style is deliberately sparse for this series and it was always the intention for effect to develop over time. Our understanding of the characters deepens in the same way.

ACTIONS GOING FORWARD

  1. Finish VIRO Book Four.
  2. Develop a professional relationship that will lead to representation and/or marketing support.
  3. Explore the possibilities of turning VIRO into a screenplay.

 

Barnaby Taylor Author, Fiction, VIRO, Writing

Would YOU like a FREE Ebook? Special Offer – ONE Week Only – Don’t Miss this Once in a Lifetime Opportunity to get your hands on a FREE copy of VIRO

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WOULD YOU LIKE A FREE EBOOK?

Hi Everyone,

As a special thank you to all of you for simply being wonderful people, I am delighted to announce that for ONE week only you can get a free electronic copy of VIRO from Smashwords. All you have to do is click the book cover above and follow the instructions.

I hope you avail of this opportunity and download VIRO. I’m very excited about the project and early feedback on Amazon tells me that VIRO is a hit with its readers. Of course, as is always the case, none of this down to me. Once a book is published it is then down to the Universe to decide. That’s fair enough and is how it should be.

If you read VIRO and like it I would be thrilled if you were able to share your thoughts by leaving a review. Reviews are the lifeblood of literature and whilst I can’t make people like my writing I can ask anybody who does to kindly tell other people how much they like it.

Hope you enjoy VIRO.

Barnaby