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4 Writing Hooks – Which Is Best? Tell Me and Win

4 Writing Hooks – where do I get them? From my books. What are they?

The first hook, for Zombie Turkeys, from the first page:

Chapter 1
Bartonville
 
He felt different. More energetic, more alive. He bred with female after female in his flock without tiring. He stayed awake through the night. He feared no predator.
Then a turkey hunter shot him.

Zombie Turkeys, by Andy Zach
4 Writing Hooks
Zombie Turkeys Front and Back Covers Click to get

Why 4 Writing Hooks?

Why not? I don’t think I’ve shared my 4 Writing Hooks for my 4 books. And also, I read this article.

Did you read that? The best answer gets a free book from me. Respond to my Facebook post, or this blog post, or email me.

The Second Hook



Chapter 1 – Gary



“You know I love your mother. But your mother’s a zombie. Who wants to see one zombie, let alone four of them?”
“Now that’s not fair. Mom and Dad have adjusted to their zombiism very well. Mom still volunteers at church and bakes cookies and pies for the bake sales. Dad still works as an accountant at GM. There’s nothing to worry about!”

From My Undead Mother-in-law by Andy Zach
4 Best Hooks
My Undead Mother-in-law, chapter 1 icon. Click to get.

So, which hook did you like best? Or do you have another one from another author? If you do, I’ll post it/them here in my next blog.

The Third Hook of 4 Writing Hooks


Chapter 1 – Somalia
Dirac sighed with relief when the US flag came down and the surrender flag went up on the mast of the titanic luxury yacht. He didn’t mind firing rounds from his AK-47 over their heads, but he hated killing people. He knew they were only infidels, but they were still people.

From Paranormal Privateers, by Andy Zach
4 Best Hooks
Chapter 1 icon. Click to read or listen for free.

Okay, this hook is quite different. Do you still want to read what happens next? If you do, that’s a good hook.

The Last of 4 Writing Hooks


“Dear diary,” Jeremy Gentle dictated into his app on his tablet in his bedroom. “Today, I became a superhero.” Jeremy stopped, uncertain. Was that the best way to start his journal? Might as well just tell the story. He needed to sleep. He had a big algebra test tomorrow at Maryville Middle School.

From Secret Supers, by Andy Zach
Cover of Secret Supers Click to get.

And there you have it. My four book hooks. You can follow the links and get the one you like, or I’ll give you a free book in exchange for a review. Just let me know here.


Some Reviews

Short or long, I love them all. Good or bad, I want more to be had.


Zombie Turkeys

4.0 out of 5 stars

The handprint turkey on the cover is your first clue.
August 26, 2017


Let me start by saying that “Andy Zach” has an unusual sense of humor (or possibly has escaped from a lunatic asylum and is living under an assumed name). I invite you to check out his Amazon author page and read the bio. He’s gone all in on this zombie expert thing (since his parents were zombies) and states that he reanimated dead animals as a child for a science fair. He also currently raises phoenixes as a hobby. One more thing before starting on the story. What is that ‘thing’ on his head in his author picture?

From Amazon, by author Les Lynam

My Undead Mother-in-law




4.0 out of 5 stars

Not your standard zombie tale
December 28, 2018
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.

From Amazon, by author Stephanie Barr

Paranormal Privateers



4.0 out of 5 stars

Different tilt on a zombie series
December 6, 2018
I have read the whole series and enjoyed it. I did not find myself staying g up all night to finish or rushing home to read. That was probably a good thing as then If I had I’d of been cranky and over sleep for work. Never a pretty sight as I am not a morning person anyway. I liked the book for the unusual perspectives and storyline. If I spot about her book from this author O would definitely give it a try.

From Amazon by Rudolph Wittmer

No reviews for Secret Supers yet! You can be the first.

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My Best 3 Science Fiction News Stories and 3 Fun Links

3 Science Fiction New Stories and 3 Fun Links is the kind of blog post I love to write. I don’t have to follow any rules. I just pick the most interesting stories and funniest and most delightful links of the week.

I’ll add some commentary. You can too! I’ll send you a free copy of Zombie Turkeys to anyone who comments.

Or, you can just click the next book cover to get one:

My Best 3 Science Fiction News Stories
Get a free copy! Click the pic!

My Best 3 Science Fiction Stories – The First

Practical nuclear fusion! It’s been a dream since I was in Junior High School. I have this snippet from Paranormal Privateers about alien technology:

Paranormal Privateers Snippet

Talana turned her briefcase sideways. Legs descended and the briefcase unfolded, revealing a cube and two glass vials, one golden, one scummy green. Disturbingly, the cube and vials were larger than the briefcase.


“Our first gift”—Talana picked up the cube, the size of a breadbox—”is a universal power source. Simply pour in water and out comes electricity. The unit produces electricity in the voltage and frequency you wish, controlled by these dials.”

“Hey, Talana!” shouted Lashon Miller from the press box. The camera panned to her.

“Yes?”

“What’s the catch? This is like those infinite energy scams you read on the internet.”

“There’s no scam! The unit works by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen and fusing the hydrogen. Out comes oxygen and helium, which you may capture and use.” She gestured to two tubes exiting the box. “Let me show you. My cell phone needs charging.” She plugged the charger into an ordinary socket, and it began to charge.

“How long does it work on water? How much water? And how much power comes out?” Lashon asked.

“A cup is good for a year of phone charging. But you’re not limited to that. See this power transmitter on this socket?” She plugged a black box into what appeared to be a two-hundred-and-twenty-volt socket. “This introduces our second gift.” She called into the air, “Come here, Super Car!”

Zooming down the street came a sleek, bubble-roofed car. It stopped in front of the saucer and hovered.

“It’s voice activated and powered wirelessly from this transmitter.


Read more of Paranormal Privateers here. Or listen on Audible:

My Best 3 Science Fiction Stories
Listen to a free sample–click on the book above

Your First Fun Link

Who wouldn’t want to win a Grand Admiral Thrawn Imperial Assault Bundle? I certainly entered this contest! Click here.

My Second Science Fiction Story

Yup, it’s another black hole story! I love reading the black hole news stories, because science fiction writers have a real challenge keeping their fictional black hole stories up to date with the latest discoveries.

Do you like black hole stories? Or nuclear fusion stories? Or neither? Let me know and I’ll send you a book!

Your Next Fun Link –
Try Not to Laugh Challenge.

Weird Al Yankovic Conducts an Orchestra.

My Best Science Fiction Story – The Last One

Robots have come a long way since I was a kid. Which robot did you like best? Let me know. Yet robots don’t have sentience–yet. But my robot in Paranormal Privateers does. Check out this excerpt:


“We’re in trouble,” General Figeroa said to the assembled team—paranormal patriots, John Smith’s capuchin ambassador, and the alien AI, Wilhelmina “Minnie” Wallace.


She’d whipped up a portable droid, a golden metallic humanoid, obviously female. She made her robot an exact copy of Marilyn Monroe. She slouched in a chair at the table in a white dress. Her glowing blue diamond eyes captured everything for three hundred and sixty degrees around her. Her third eye, located where the occipital bone was, peered through shiny blond hair.

On the off chance you may not know Marilyn Monroe, here she is in her favorite movie, Some Like It Hot.

Your Last Fun Link

Who knew being dead could be so much fun?

A meme from the 60s
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What’s it like to be a vendor at a ComicCon?

What’s it like to be a vendor at a ComicCon? Perhaps you never wondered. I’ll tell you my experience with QuadCon in Peoria.

ComicCon
Here’s the start of the ComicCon experience

It all begins when I hear about a ComicCon, especially in my area of central Illinois, Peoria.

I go to the QuadCon website and find out how to get a table, how much it costs, and what the schedule is.

After buying the table and putting it on my agenda. I advertise it to my fans–like you.

By the way, if you want me to come to your area, contact me with the opportunity.

If it works out and I can come, I’ll give you a pick of my books!

The Life After Life Chronicles

Or you can pick my newest book, Secret Supers.

Secret Supers cover

The Day Before the ComicCon

I pack my books to sell–all of them. That’s four different books, about a hundred and fifty copies. Normally I keep them in the Amazon boxes they come in, but I pack about a hundred in my rolling suitcase, until I can barely lift it.

I pack up my posters and most importantly, my zombie turkey puppet.

Andy Zach acting out

You see, I read the first page of Zombie Turkeys and act it out with my puppet.

What’s the first page like?

The First Page of Zombie Turkeys

ComicCon
Chapter 1 icon

Chapter 1


Bartonville

He felt different. More energetic, more alive. He bred with
female after female in his flock without tiring. He stayed
awake through the night. He feared no predator.

Then a turkey hunter shot him.

The setting sun overlooked a crisp, clear evening in early
November. South of Bartonville, Illinois, a farmer had leased
his wood lot to two turkey hunters. Big and burly in their
bulky camouflaged outfits, they had just bagged one.

“Good shot, Pete!”

“He’s a big ‘un!”

Pete and Bob walked up to the tom turkey, bleeding on
the cold ground. The rest of the flock had scattered into the
woods. He had exceptionally good plumage and weighed
perhaps twenty pounds. Pete reached down and picked him
up by the neck.

“He weighs at least twenty-five pounds!”

Then the turkey’s eyes opened—and gleamed red. He
kicked with his spurs and pecked savagely at Pete’s arms and
eyes. Dozens of his hens attacked the men from behind.

“Gobble! Gobble!”

He felt different. More energetic, more alive. He had no
memory of being shot, but a certain turkey satisfaction at
killing his killers. He also enjoyed pecking at their dead meat.
He had always liked frogs, but this meat tasted better. He led
his flock down the road, in search of more predators to eat.

I’ll do this ten to twenty times in an eight hour day.

Andy Reading Page 1 – and more

Andy Zach reading page 1 – and more

Here’s our table at QuadCon:

ComicCon
Andy Zach and Tori at QuadCon

Finally, the End of the ComicCon

The convention ran out of gas by 4 pm and we all closed down. I packed up my books, took down my posters and went home.

Let me know if you have any questions about conventions. I have a goal of going to one a month this year. I’ve done three so far.

ComicCon
First person to identify the character this cosplayer is portraying, gets a free ebook! Email me