It's Zombies vs. the KKK in Allied Zombies for Peace. This novel discloses the explosive 42-minutes that transpired during the 1968 Veteran's Day Parade in Columbus, OH. Sparks fly when the Allied Zombies for Peace, a civic organization with sights on undead enfranchisement come to blows with the KKK, their long-time rival. Meanwhile with amped up tension between marching Vietnam War Veterans and members of an anti-war movement known as the New Revolutionaries for Peace and Love, also demonstrating in the parade, the streets of Columbus turn into an all-out war zone. Allied Zombies for Peace presents an interesting alternate history perspective in true thriller, pulp fashion. The zombie rules are broken and urban combat breaks out into undead chaos. As far as civil rights historical fiction, Allied Zombies for Peace might feature monsters, but the kernels of the civil rights movement rest at the core of this fast-paced scary book. Author's Note The late 60's is one of the most turbulent time periods in American history. In the year 1968 many shaping events, most of them to the detriment of the nation, occurred. Among those events: Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated, the battle of Khe Sanh in Vietnam occurs where American soldiers unnecessarily kill hundreds of innocent people, the Tet Offensive occurs, police clash with anti-war protestors at the Chicago Democratic Conference. I chose the American mid-west, 1968 as the setting for my civil rights historical fiction novel, Allied Zombies for Peace. It's easy to argue that this pulp thriller has nothing to do with civil rights and the making of America due to the fact that the story features tons of zombie chaos. I argue otherwise. In the thrall of undead urban combat that lights up the bulk of this story, one can see the true sentiments of the civil rights movement. The zombie fallout with the KKK could just as easily be pinned on another true-to-life faction of the era. The entire novel takes place within a 42-minute time period. One can't even read the book in real time. The story bounces between the perspectives of zombies, Klansmen, Nam vets, policemen, and anti-war demonstrators. This became difficult as an author. I had to balance a whole pallet of stories while limiting my characters to a reasonable number. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did writing it.
