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Welcome 2024! 12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas

Zombie Turkeys Laughter 2021 Reviews

Welcome 2024! 12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas. I’m author Andy Zach and I’ve got the latest reviews, free, and discounted books for you! Let’s start with the reviews!

You may be familiar with the 12 days of Christmas song. The actual 12 day festival ran from December 25th to January 6th, also known as Epiphany, when Christians celebrated the appearance of the wise men or magi from the east.

Here’s the song:

12 Days of Christmas

Welcome 2023 – A Partridge in a Pear Tree

What is my writing is like a Partridge in a Pear Tree? How about a turkey in a tree? This excerpt from Zombie Turkeys.

First Draft Complete
Welcome 2024
Zombie Turkeys fly to escape to Zombie Turkey hunters

“Come back for more?  Eat fire and die!”  She sprayed napalm ferociously. It didn’t ignite. The spark ignition failed. Without thinking, she leapt toward the nearest tree, shedding the useless tank with a shrug of her shoulders. In case she needed any additional motivation, the turkeys pecked her butt all the way up.

The turkeys did not give up trying to get her in the tree. They kept flying up and attacking her. She wielded her Bowie knife. That was Rulon’s gift to her. He had it inscribed “To Lashon, from Rulon.” After about ten minutes of fighting them off, her arm was getting tired. She switched to her left arm. She wasn’t particularly dexterous with her left, but she didn’t have to be. Twenty pound turkeys who flew straight at you didn’t require much precision to strike. The most disheartening thing was, she’d stab one through the heart, have it drop fifteen to the ground with a satisfying “Thud!”, and then have it stagger to its feet five minutes later and fly back up fifteen minutes later.

Welcome 2024 – Two Turtledoves

Did you enjoy our free excerpt? Great!

But where can I find two turtledoves in my writing? I don’t have any. But I have two chipmunks from my villain in My Undead Mother-in-law

SciFi Story Fuel My Undead Mother-in-law
Welcome 2024
My Undead Mother-in-law cover.

Hundreds of miles away, Vik Staskas smiled to himself. Nothing like bringing his objects of interest directly into his reach. Vik was not a sentimental man, but he had a fondness for his cyborg chipmunks since they were his first cyborg animals he had created for his Ph.D. A computer chip listened, saw, and transmitted via 4G cell phone network to his cell or the nearest computer screen in his network. While one chipmunk listened above their office, another had chewed a hole in the ceiling and watched them and Lisa’s large computer screen. Vik whimsically named them Alvin and Theodore.

But this free excerpt is not your only gift: Have a free copy of My Undead Mother-in-law! Just click here.

All I ask is that you review the book after you’re done.

And here’s a review for you:
Brad Secrest
 61 reviews

November 21, 2023

Great story! This is a hilarious Superhero Zombie bit of fun. All of the characters are fantastic. You’ll fall in love with at least 10 of them. 🙂 Highly recommended for the humorous sci-fi zombie lover.

Welcome 2024 – Three French Hens

Zombie Detective cover
Zombie Detective cover.

I don’t have three French hens for you either. But I have three detectives in my Zombie Detective novel. And they’re in New York City, so that’s like the ‘French Connection’.

Sorry, that’s the best I can do!

Check out the excerpt:

“I’ll have you meet the detectives on the case.” He pressed his comm. “Tammy? Send in Boxer and Poodles.”

“Your detectives are named Boxer and Poodles?”

“Boxer is his real name. Ted Boxer. ‘Poodles’ is a nickname for Penelope Palmer.”

“I’d think she’d go by ‘Penny.’”

“She hates Penny. Don’t ask her why. Wait till you see her.”

The pair entered. Ted Boxer was a smiling, handsome man in his forties with short blond hair combed back from his forehead. Penelope, or Poodles, was half a head taller than Ted, with long legs and arms and curly hair englobing her head in a sphere of ringlets.

“Boxer, Poodles, this is Sam Melvin. I told you he’d be helping.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sam.” Ted pumped his hand vigorously.

“Likewise.”

Sam looked to Poodles. She had an attractive brown face with a serious, almost stern look.

“I don’t do glad-handing. I don’t like people in general.”

“Uh, OK. So I should call you Poodles?”

“That’s my name.” She looked reproachfully at Sam, like he should know better.

Your other two gifts? Get two discounted books for .99 Zombie Turkeys and Secret Supers

Welcome 2024 – Four Calling Birds

I’ve got four calling birds for you–and a lot more.

In Paranormal Privateers, my zombie turkeys have been weaponized by the undead mother-in-law and used–well, you’ll see in the following excerpt.

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers
The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

Looking at Lulu and Sharon, I said, “I’ll take half the animals and go to the left around the main base. You go the other way. Try not to kill anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary. You know how pro-life we are.”

The zombie animals all obeyed human zombies, but not much else. They could follow simple commands: “This way,” “Stop,” “Left,” “Right.” The corgis were the most obedient, the turkeys the least. They knew not to eat people without permission—barely. The bulls followed heel and leg direction like horses—eventually.

The corgis and bulls raced around the compound with us. The zombie turkeys milled outside the walls, eating anyone who sought to flee. As we caught people, I directed them to lay down on the ground and I tied them up with the zip ties I had picked up in the garage. I encountered steady gunfire, but after it proved completely ineffective against us zombies, people just started running. I pursued.

What else do I have for you? How about free audiobooks. Click to get any or all of Zombie Detective, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers. The offer is good until I run out of free codes for you.

Welcome 2024 – Five Gold Rings!

Do I have five gold rings for you? No, but I have several billion dollars stolen by my criminals in Secret Supers in Space.

Read a little about it in this excerpt:

Welcome 2023

We arrived at the top. “Time to ship out the Supers.” Papa Smith hauled out Aubrey and Jeremy. I unloaded Kayla and Dan. We lined them up on the floor.

“It’d be so easy to eliminate them here.”

“Yes, Loretta, but the consequences will follow us. And there’s no money in it. Think of each of them as a billion dollars.”

“Nice idea, Papa.”

There’s four more gifts with this one!

You can get your free review copy by clicking here.

Get your discounted signed copy by clicking here. Free shipping from the author.

How about a free audiobook or two? Get your Secret Supers in Space by clicking here!! You might as well pick up your free Villain’s Vacation while you’re at it.

Welcome 2024 – Six Geese a-laying!

You might guess that I don’t have geese a-laying, any number. But I do have zombie turkeys laying eggs. In fact, I have a whole sub-plot devoted to it–int two different books.

Let’s give you the Zombie Turkeys excerpt:

“Approximately one hundred fifty thousand domestic turkeys have gone zombie, and approximately one hundred thousand wild turkeys. The National Turkey Institute has bred zombie turkeys and discovered their growth cycle is vastly accelerated. The eggs hatch faster, the poults grow faster and are dangerous within three weeks. There are an estimated one hundred thousand new zombie turkeys added to the flocks ravaging Illinois since the plague began at the beginning of November.

“Furthermore, not only are the zombie turkeys resistant to damage, and not only do they regenerate quickly, but once regenerated, they are two to three times stronger than normal turkeys.

“Citizens are advised to stay within their homes.  Those with bunkers or air raid shelters should stay in them until further notice. Those on the road to Illinois are advised to stop and return home. The Federal government has stopped all road, sea, and air traffic to Illinois. The US Army, Marines and Air Force are currently conducting operations against the zombie turkeys and expect to eliminate them within a week.

Four more gifts Below

Aside from the free excerpt, you can listen to Zombie Turkeys, Zombie Detective, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers, and Oops! on Audible for free. Be sure to check out my great voice actors, Phil Blechman and others. There’s a link to Audible by each book cover.

Then we have:

My Undead Mother-in-law


Welcome 2023
More Good Things

Next is Paranormal Privateers Click to listen

After that, you’ve got Oops! Tales of the Zombie Turkey Apocalypse

Six More Days of Gifts to Come

I’ll make another post for the last twelve days of Christmas by Sunday, January 7th, 2024. I have a lot more gifts and discounts for you!

If you have any questions or comments for me, leaven them here.

Buy any of my books directly from me at my store. Click here.

Or buy them from my Square site. Click here.

Finally, you can go to Amazon and get them.

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Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – of 158

Best 5 Books

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – of 158. Yup, I read 158 books this year. Go to my Goodreads page to see them. Click here.

I won’t put them in any order, other than chronological. My absolute favorite book I’ll save for last.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The First

Let’s start with a fabulous fantasy novel. I have included my review for you.

Best 5 Books

January 11, 2023

Patricia McKillip practices her craft of writing fantasy at the highest level in this atmospheric depiction of a city, Ombria, rocked by the death of its regent, Royce. The mysterious and manipulative Black Dominia immediately orders his mistress, Lydea, out on the streets, presumably to die. Lydia, a beautiful former tavern wench, makes her way across the dangerous city at night to her father’s tavern. A mysterious girl, Mag, helps her.

Mag was raised by a sorceress, Faye. Faye stays in the shadows of Ombria, content to sell her spells to the highest bidders–including the Black Dominia.

Ms. McKillip introduces more colorful characters, without explaining the magic they exercise at all. The complex political and magical mystery continues until the end when the mystery pops like a bubble.

This is a must-read for any fan of fantasy with vivid characters.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Second

We move from fabulous fantasy to funny fantasy. Or maybe, a fabulously funny fantasy that’s famous?

Best 5 Books


Andy Zach

Author 10 books93 followers

February 20, 2023

I re-read this book for the fourth time, the second time since I became an author, and I love it even more!

This is the first book in Terry Pratchett’s Disk World series, so he sets up his magical system (magic is a color of light), his fantasy world (a flat world on the back of four elephants, standing on the back of a space turtle) and his characters (Rincewind, a magician with only one spell he can’t use. Cowardly and good at running away) (Twoflower, a classic tourist, with limitless chest of gold, no fear, and endless curiosity), (The Luggage, a suitcase with legs, mage of sapient pearwood, invulnerable and clever). And those three are merely the protagonists.

I won’t spoil any of the insane plot, but suffice it to say, that Pratchett satirizes nearly every fantasy trope and many conventions of our current culture.

This fourth time around, I was writing my own fantasy novel/series and I looked at how Pratchett started out his series. It was a ripping good start, with unending action and interesting characters from the beginning. Who doesn’t like Death as an animated skeleton and a lugubrious voice?

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Third

We come to my first favorite SciFi novel and it’s a goody.

Best 5 Books
Review of On Basilisk Station

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

93 followers

July 20, 2023

It’s been six years since I last read this book. This is the third time I’ve read it and I enjoyed it just as much as ever.

Honor Harrington just got her first command of the light cruiser Fearless. She’s 5 years younger than her executive officer Allistair McKeon and he hates her for it. But he’s just the start of her problems.

The admiral in charge of new weapons has halved her missiles in exchange for a grav lance. It’s a deadly weapon, but it only works at close range. Too bad the lightly armored cruiser is unlikely to survive any close-range encounters. Basically, the light cruiser is crippled, with only half of its offensive power.

Honor manages to use the grav lance once to destroy a superdreadnought in fleet practice maneuvers, but everyone then is out to destroy her. So the ship gets destroyed endlessly in fleet practice, depressing the crew.

Then the ship is assigned to the backwater of Basilisk Station. There the commanding officer, Pavel Young, was beaten up by Honor while they were in the Space Academy together because he tried to rape her. He had to apologize for sexual innuendo, but no one knew the full reason for his beating. He hates her guts.

Then he leaves her in charge of the entire station while he takes his ship to be repaired. It’s too much for one light cruiser to fulfill all the responsibilities, so she’s sure to fail and get a black mark on her record.

Only no one tells Honor that. This is where the story gets good.

Don’t miss this book or the series.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Fourth

Now onto another genre: detective mystery!

Best 5 Books

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

93 followers

September 24, 2023

Truly a 5-star mystery book! First, you have Lord Peter Wimsy, well-dressed, polite, knowledgable, with a wide streak of mischief and irreverance.

But he goes incognito, as Death Bredon, an aspiring copywriter for Pym’s Advertising. Why? A man died falling down their iron spiral staircase. It’s steep, with narrow, slippery stairs, so why is it a murder?

Death investigates not just the murder, but the whole office of gossipy ad writers, typists, and helpers. There are dozens of delicious characters for the reader to explore.

This mystery is still selling after 90 years should tell you it’s really, really good. It’s also a time capsule looking at England in between the wars.


Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Fifth

My fifth book is in yet another genre. And I’m cheating: it’s not really a single book, but a collection of sixty-six books I’ve read all my life: The Bible.

Now, you may dislike or may be apathetic about the Bible, but I predict you may be entertained by my reviews. I treat each book in the Bible as a separate book and review them as I would a novel. Let me give you a few:

Book Cover

January 19, 2023

‘Genesis’ is Greek for beginning. It’s translated from the first word of the Bible, bereshit in Hebrew, which means ‘in the beginning’.

Genesis covers the beginning of time and the universe, of mankind, of marriage, and of good and evil. And that’s just the first three chapters.

After Adam and Eve sinned, their story continues as mankind grows more and more evil, until the flood comes and God starts again with Noah’s family, the ark, and the flood.

After the fresh start, guess what? Man sins again. This time God confuses their language at Babel, creating the multiplicity of languages we have today.

Is there any hope in all this evil? Yes, God promises to bless all mankind through Abraham and his family. Through him will come the Messiah Who will solve the problem of sin and evil and crush the devil’s head.

But that’s the rest of the Bible.

Another Favorite Book Within My Favorite

Psalms is one of my favorite books in the Bible. Read how I rave about it in my review:

Andy Zach

December 31, 2023

Amazing. The Bible’s books of psalms encompasses one hundred and fifty of the finest Hebrew poetry from 3,400 years ago to about 2,400 years. What’s so great about Hebrew poetry? Imagery.

When I look unto the heavens, which thine Own fingers framed,
Unto the moon and to the stars, which were by thee ordained,
Then say I, “What is man that Thou, should be mindful of him?
Or what the Son of Man that Thou, so kind to Him should be?”
Psalm 8, from a hymn.

The book of Psalms is full of images and phrases that are part of the fabric of our society.
Consider the world-famous 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.

My Favorite Continued

But beautiful imagery is not all. The Psalms are full of fulfilled prophecies, like Psalm 22 where you find six fulfilled prophecies in 18 verses:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Jesus’ words while on the cross)
Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;
in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But you are holy,
you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in you.
They trusted, and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you, and were delivered.
They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man;
a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

More Fulfilled Prophecy Below


7 All those who see me mock me. (Verses 7-8 were fulfilled by those mocking Jesus on the cross)
They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8 “He trusts in Yahweh;
let him deliver him.
Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
9 But you brought me out of the womb. (Jesus being conceived and born of a virgin by a miracle)
You made me trust at my mother’s breasts.
10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.
You are my God since my mother bore me.
11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.
For there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded me.
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13 They open their mouths wide against me,
lions tearing prey and roaring.
14 I am poured out like water.
All my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax;
it is melted within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. (Jesus’ words on the cross ‘I thirst’ prophesied)
You have brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded me.
A company of evildoers have enclosed me.
They have pierced my hands and feet. (A prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion, before it was invented)
17 I can count all of my bones.
They look and stare at me.
18 They divide my garments among them. (A prophecy of Roman soldiers gambling over Jesus’ clothing)
They cast lots for my clothing.

But you have to find out for yourself. Read the book of Psalms looking for imagery and prophecy, fulfilled and to be fulfilled. It’ll transform your experience.

What Can Top The Best 5 Books?

Free gifts! I gave away literary gifts from December 1 to December 25 to celebrate Advent 2023. These include free books and free excerpts. Enjoy them below. Don’t forget to get free audiobooks from me by clicking here.

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Advent Day 12 – Your New View of Zombie Turkeys!

Advent Day 12- Your New View of Zombie Turkeys!

But let’s begin with your gift: you can get your Free Copy of Zombie Turkeys–and some giggles. I show you how in this blog post.

Zombie Turkeys was the first book I wrote and published. I wanted to write something light and funny. I fried a turkey, brought it into the house, and said, “What if this turkey came back to life?” Someone said, “It’d be a zombie turkey.”

“That’s my book title!” So I wrote the book around the title.

Zombie Turkeys Reviews
Advent Day 12
Chapter 2 Icon

So let’s quickly get you your copy: click here to get Zombie Turkeys. Here’s how it works:

You will subscribe to my newsletter. On EVERY newsletter I offer to give away a free ebook copy for you. So subscribe, get a newsletter, and grab it.

But that’s not all you’ll get in this blog post.

Advent Day 12 – The New View

Advent Day 12
Chapter 3 icon

Firstly, where’s this review coming from?

Tess is a reviewer from Reedsy.

REVIEW: Zombie Turkeys, by Andy Zach

I really liked this book. What initially caught my attention was the title, of course — Zombie Turkeys. Who wouldn’t be intrigued? I figured turkeys are big enough to cause a problem, but not so big as to seem invincible. And, really, how dangerous can a turkey be? At least that’s what I thought until I started reading the book. And Andy Zach has provided us with a lot of zombie turkeys — really hungry, really aggressive, really strong, bloodthirsty zombie turkeys.

Through a bacterial infection turkeys zombify, attack, and then eat their prey. Side note: apparently, people are delicious. Who knew? And the flock … gaggle … rafter (what do you call thousands of rampaging zombie turkeys?) keeps growing, adding hundreds of domesticated turkeys every time they attack a farm. By the time they hit the big city, there are hundreds of thousands of zombie turkeys murdering their way across the Chicago. But, boy, do the people do fight back!

Advent Day 12 – More Unique Reviewing – 2

Chapter 4 icon
Advent Day 12
Chapter 4 icon

The two main characters are Sam Melvin, a reporter for the obscure Midley Beacon, and Lisa Kambacher, editor, and Sam’s boss. They track the turkey frenzy from day one — a gruesome one-off death of two hunters by wild turkeys, or so everyone thinks. Then, as the flock gets larger and larger, the carnage explodes to encompass the entire state of Illinois as more and more domestic turkeys are infected and zombified. Sam and Lisa follow and report on the carnage, bringing together the knowledge needed to hopefully end the bloodshed. But, can they find the cure?  

The story is satirical, with spoofs on the role of social media in today’s society: fame, fortune, and the ability to change the lives of those in its spotlight. It skews the “merch” culture, and how people will buy anything if it’s offered (yeah, I mean anything). There’s commentary on GMO companies, and society’s willingness to genetically alter crops without really knowing the long-term impact; on how instant wealth changes people; and on the role of militia groups and gun control in times of emergency. Zombie Turkeys is also prophetic, considering it was written before the pandemic. 

Advent Day 12 – More Unique Reviewing – 3

Advent Day 12

We see the little guy saving the world, while those in the public eye, spin the situation to suit their political needs. There’s even a cameo by former President Obama and his family.

This is a fast-paced book. There’s always action during a turkey apocalypse — brutal attacks, new weaponry, an NFL football game. It’s also very funny. And ironic. And there’s even a really awkward romance. Anyone who likes satirical, funny, ironic books will like Zombie Turkeys. And anyone who likes any one of those genres will enjoy it as well. I must say, I really enjoyed this book. I came for the turkeys and stayed for the satire. 

Icon for Chapter 5

Tell Me What you Think!

Get your free copy of Zombie Turkeys here!

Let me know what you think by clicking here or emailing me at [email protected]. As always, everyone who responds with a comment or email will get a free book from me.

You can get an autographed copy of Zombie Turkeys directly from me by clicking here. Free shipping and I pay the sales tax.

Or you can get Zombie Turkeys on Amazon for .99 or 12.95. ($2.99 if you don’t get it right away.)

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here. You also get my audiobooks for free!

Psst! Audible lets you listen free to my books. Click here to find out how.