Category: Author Appearance

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2 New Science Fiction Books from Andy Zach

“2 New Science Fiction Books? I thought you just had one book coming out this month, Andy.”

On pre-sale on Kindle. You can get the paperback now.

Nope. I’m also in this new anthology about disabled heroes.

A charity anthology

“A charity anthology? What’s the charity?”

Special Olympics gets all the profit.

“So what’s Challenge Accepted all about?”

Here’s the book description from the back:


A blind spaceship pilot. 
Cops and maintenance personnel in wheelchairs.
Taking on bad guys with only one leg or no arms.
It’s not what you are that makes you something special. It’s who you choose to be.
Seventeen stories about people who rise above anything that tries to stop them, even their own limitations.

With stories by Stephanie Barr, Micha Burnett, J. A. Busick, Adam David Collings, Steve Curry, Scott G. Gibson, Joyce Hertzoff, Jane Jago, Clarence Jennelle, Jeanette O’Hagan, Layla Pinkett, Jen Ponce, Connor Sassmannshausen, Lynne Stringer, E. M. Swift-Hook, Margret Treiber, Andy Zach. 

Coordinated by Stephanie Barr with all proceeds to go to the Special Olympics

From Amazon

“Sounds really good. So what do you have in there, Andy?”

I have a story from Secret Supers where the four 7th-graders use their superpowers for the first time to fight crime.

“And these guys are disabled?”

Yup. One has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. One is blind. Another can’t talk and can barely walk. And the last one lost her legs in a car accident.

“I’ve gotta read that just to find out how they make that work.”

There are seventeen other stories too.

“Do you have the origin story for your Secret Supers?”

Only in my book.

2 New Science Fiction Books
Front and back covers of Secret Supers

What’s Next After “2 New Science Fiction Books”?

First, there’s the Secret Supers book launch party March 29th from 9 am to 5 pm. I’m giving away free books and I’ll have other great authors to entertain you and give stuff away. Join up here.

I’ve got some author appearances coming up next month in April. If you’re near Peoria, please stop by. I’d love to meet you and sign your books. I also give live puppet shows as I read from Zombie Turkeys.

2 New Science Fiction Books
Andy Zach reading from Zombie Turkeys

The first one is April 5-7 at Northwoods Mall.

Then, on April 20th, I have the Peoria Quad Con.

Here are the details:


Join us for a Pop Culture Celebration! Peoria-Con is about coming together and enjoying different aspects of pop culture. Video games, comic books, pop vinyls, cosplay, board games, sci fi, toys, and much more. If you are interested in selling your items, or have other questions, email [email protected]

If you’ve gotten this far in my post, thanks! I’ll send you an excerpt of any book, any character you’d like. Just let me know and click here.  Or you can comment to this post.

Enjoy this next fun video to finish up.

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PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's First ComicCon
PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon

PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon: “C’mon, Andy,” you say. “You’ve been a comic paranormal animal author for three years! You’ve gone to four book conventions. Wouldn’t you go to a ComicCon first?”

PeoriaCon Andy Zach'd
Andy Zach reading from Zombie Turkeys with his zombie turkey hand puppet at PeoriaCon

Well, yes. You’re right. It only took me three years to realize it. You must consider the usual author learning curve. I was a project leader and Six Sigma Blackbelt for twenty years, not an author or a stinking marketeer!

Thanks to the Peoria Journal Star for the fine picture. I bought it, and you can too at the link from the above photo.

You can also read their report on the PeoriaCon here.

Now let me tell you my convention experience and why I waited three years to go to a comic con.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon – Why Now?

First, I didn’t know about comic cons. I figured I was a Fantasy/SF author, so I went to Chambanacon in November 2016. It was close and less expensive. The World ComicCon was five times more per table, plus hotel and travel. And it was crazy, like me.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's First ComicCon
Andy Zach and Brenda Sutton at Chambanacon 2016

Then at Chambanacon, I met author Rey who loves comic cons and recommended I go to one. I didn’t want to spend the money. According to my computations I’d need to sell a hundred books to break even, so I actually was reasonable by not going.

I liked Chambancon enough to return in 2017 and 2018. Then, at the urging of my Secret Supers editor Leslie McKie, I also attended Penned Con 2018.

PennedCon 2018

PennedCon was perhaps twice as big as Chambanacon and I got twice the traffic and twice the sales. But it cost four times as much and also included hotel expenses, so I lost money again. But I had fun with my assistant Tori.

Tori and Andy. Tori’s the good looking one.


PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon – What happened?

Then the PeoriaCon opportunity came. It was only a mile from my house! I had a blast, paid less than Chambanacon, and doubled my sales!

Speaking of sales, did you know Zombie Turkeys is on sale for only .99?

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's
Zombie Turkeys on sale for .99 Click here.

Since you’re a faithful blog reader, I’ll tell you how to get Zombie Turkeys for free. Subscribe to my newsletter through Book Cave.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's
Get free Science Fiction & fantasy books for free and win $25.

If you’re already subscribed, just contact me and promise to review one of my books, and I’ll send you a copy for a review.

If you’ve never subscribed, then sign up here and get a short story, ‘A Phoenix Tale’.

Finally, join me and artist Ian Bristow tomorrow on Facebook as we reveal the ‘Secret Supers’ cover. Here’s a portion of the cover.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's First ComicCon
One of four superheroes from Secret Supers. Preorder the book here.
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Happy Undead Mother-in-law’s Day–Or Valentine’s Day

“What’s ‘Happy Undead Mother-in-law Day? I know all about Valentine’s Day. That’s today. What’s up with Happy Undead Mother-in-law?”

Happy Undead Mother-in-law
My Undead Mother-in-law. Get it for your mother-in-law! Click here.

I’m glad you asked! It so happens My Undead Mother-in-law begins on Valentine’s Day. As the book opens, the family has dinner together, the undead zombies and the normal family members. Naturally, we celebrate it every year.

Here’s 2018’s celebration. 

All of 2017 was dedicated to My Undead Mother-in-law.

What’s that you say? You’d actually like to hear that scene? It so happens I’ve recorded myself reading it right here:

Andy Zach reads from ‘My Undead Mother-in-law’.

But maybe you want to read it yourself. No problem! I’ve got a free excerpt of chapter 1 right here for my faithful blog readers. Just drop me a note and I’ll send it to you.


Happy Undead Mother-in-law’s Day – You Can’t Afford a copy?

This is a common problem. You can’t afford the $17.95 for the audiobook version, the $12.95 for the print version, or even $2.99 for the ebook version.

Good news! I’m giving away a free paperback or ebook and an audiobook at the end of this month. Enroll right now the in the drawing.

You can also read the book for free on Kindle or Audible.

Finally, if you’re desperate, you can always do what I do when I want to read a book and not pay for it. Go to Amazon and click on the ‘Look Inside’ button and read random sections until you’ve read it all.

One more thing: here’s a Happy Undead Mother-in-law Review

Why is this my favorite review? It’s from a professional author who doesn’t like zombie books, yet loved My Undead Mother-in-law..


Stephanie Barr

4.0 out of 5 stars

Not your standard zombie tale

December 28, 2018Format:

Kindle Edition

Verified Purchase

When I started to read this book, I was leery. As far as I know, I’m less interested in zombies than anyone on the planet. How could I give a reasonable review? Turns out, it wasn’t hard at all. I’ve said before and it turned out to be true here that, if you have a ridiculous premise that’s hard to swallow, run with it, normalize it, and readers /viewers will eventually accept. And it worked. The original premise of cognizant, virtually indestructible zombies was lobbed and backed until I was a believer, actively rooting for zombies. Plenty of (bloodier than average) action, some smiling, if not guffaw humor, a nice fulfilling story arc in an easy readable length made for a fun book (if bloody action doesn’t bother you) with charm that didn’t take itself to seriously but still capable of many a tender and touching moments.

I’m glad my prejudice didn’t keep me from enjoying this out-of-the-common-way story.

Happy Undead Mother-in-law’s Day – Now What’s Next?

Later this month I’ll have my cover reveal for my next novel, Secret Supers. Watch this blog or my Facebook page  for the exact date. I’m waiting to get all the pieces of the book together: interior text (being edited), chapter titles, and back copy blurb.

Once it’s all together, I assemble it and schedule my publication and launch dates.

Here’s a cover tease:

Happy Undead Mother-in-law
Aubrey, from the cover of Secret Supers.

But that’s not all! I’ve scheduled my first author appearance this year. See this next Facebook post from my page.

My goal is at least twelve author appearances this year. I’ll let you know as I schedule them.