New Blog Tour: THIS DARK EARTH by John Hornor Jacobs

THIS DARK EARTH by John Hornor Jacobs, a Bam Stoker award nominee

(Gallery Books; on-sale July 10th; Trade Paperback Original; $15.00)

The blog tour for this book is July 12th.

If you're interested in reviewing this title, please email me at Stephanie.DeLuca@simonandschuster.com with your blog info and mailing address.

“This smart addition to the zombie genre is heroic and strangely hopeful, championing the unyielding human drive for justice and civilization.” --Publishers Weekly

“Readers will become immersed in the dark, unforgiving world Jacobs has created, and the morally ambiguous choices his characters make will give them plenty to ponder.” --Booklist

In his post-apocalyptic horror novel, THIS DARK EARTH, John Hornor Jacobs writes of a bleak, zombie-ridden future, that focuses on a dystopian society fighting for survival, led by a teenager.

Spanning the time frame of five years, THIS DARK EARTH begins as humanity goes into crisis mode, with a mysterious illness infecting and killing its victims, only to have the dead rise again and attack the living. Ten year old prodigy Gus, his physician mother, Lucy, and the gentle giant Knock-Out, along with others, come to develop Bridge City in what was once Arkansas: part medieval fortress, part Western outpost, and the last chance for civilization.

The years go by, and Gus turns into a battle-hardened young man. As he’s groomed to be the next leader of men by his mother, Gus must deal with the issues facing his society’s survival: clean water; hunting and gathering; personal conflicts between members of the group. Not to mention, zombies still roam the earth, trying to feed on the living. But, he designed Bridge City to protect the living few from the shamblers eternally at the gates.

Yet, it seems that humanity may be able to destroy themselves without the help of zombies. Via escaped prisoners, Gus receives word that an army of torturers are on their way to wage war against Bridge City, steal their resources, and take control of the society. Seeing no other choice, Gus prepares the people of Bridge City for war, and possibly, the end of all mankind.

About the author: John Hornor Jacobs was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for his debut novel, Southern Gods, which The Onion AC Club called “sumptuous” and proclaimed “beautifully probes the eerie, horror-infested underbelly of the South.” Having worked in advertising for the past fifteen years, John is also an artist, a musician, and the co-founder of Needle: A Magazine of Noir. He lives in Little Rock, Arkansas. Follow him on Twitter at @johnhornor, and read his lively ramblings—and check out an interactive camp of Bridge City—at www.JohnHornorJacobs.com