Serendipity at the End of the World--Casting and Aesthetics

www.karissalaurel.com

 What started out as  Kindle Vella experiment is on its way to becoming a novel available through more traditional means (E-book and paperback). That's right, SERENDIPITY AT THE END OF THE WORLD is making its final rounds through the proofreading queues at Red Adept Publishing, and will hopefully be making its ways to bookshelves across the world (but probably mostly just the bookshelves in my own house) soon!

In case you need a memory refresher, or in case you've never heard of me and stumbled across this post by accident (highly likely), here's a little taste of what I'm talking about: 

STEAMPUNK, ZOMBIES, AND...ROMANCE?

Serendipity Blite inherited her father’s crackerjack shooting skills, while her sister got his knack for mechanical engineering. The siblings’ talents make them a formidable pair capable of surviving the apocalyptic aftermath of the Dead Disease. Their skills also attract the unwanted attention of Moll Grimes, a ruthless woman intent on building a new empire in a city infested with undead.
 
When her sister goes missing, Sera suspects Moll has something to do with it, but attempting a rescue mission on her own would be suicidal. Sera seeks help from a band of unlikely allies, including Erik LaRoux, an enigmatic young man with a curious scar, and a collection of alchemists obsessed with developing a cure for the Dead Disease.
 
Sera’s alliance with Erik challenges her old ways of coping-- her fierce independence won’t be enough to save her sister. But as she opens herself to new possibilities, an unfortunate accident sets Sera teetering on the edge of a deadly abyss. Surrendering to it would bring an end to Sera’s grief, pain, and fear, but surviving could mean finding family, love, and maybe even a cure.

This is by far the weirdest thing I've written, but it's no surprise to anyone that knows me that I'm a fan of all things Zombie (see my previous Across the Board homage to the undead here: May Zombies Never Die). In that post, written before the HBO release of The Last of Us was even on my radar (Hey, I'm no gamer, okay?), I postulated on the waxing and waning popularity of zombies and whether they are currently on their way in or out again. Now that I know people are still somewhat responsive to apocalyptic stories featuring reanimated corpses, I am a little less hesitant to talk openly about my upcoming release.

To be clear, I'm not ashamed of my zombie novel. It's more that I'm stepping a little outside of my comfort zone and walking a path that's rather new to me. After all these years of writing and publishing, I'm surprised to find there's any new ground left. That's not a bad thing! 

So, in preparation of its upcoming release (no release date or cover reveal to announce yet, but soon, I hope), I thought I'd share a little pictorial inspiration for some of my characters and story aesthetics.

Serendipity Blite (Equal parts tough, brave, impetuous, and vulnerable, she never met a gun she didn't like):

Erik LeRoux (Mysterious Rescuer with a curious scar and useful knowledge of the city's underground tunnels).

 

The Undead (general agents of mayhem and chaos):

The city (If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere): 

The Alchemy (wherein lies the hope that the Undead Disease can be cured):

For more images inspired by Serendipity at the End of the World, check out my Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/karissalaurel/serendipity-at-the-end-of-the-world/