So What The Heck Is…

…Goodhalo?

I know this is the big, burning question of the day.
(Even if it isn’t, pretend it is. It’ll make me feel that much more better and…you know, important)

Goodhalo is my first attempt at writing YA/Fantasy/Horror. That is to say, it’s the new book I’m writing for the Young Adult crowd. I sort of think I’ve got a pretty swell idea and I’m going to give you a quick little blurb.

GOODHALO – Is the story of a young fellow of 15 named Pious Goodhalo (Pi for short) who is in training with 3 other students to become clerics. They are to learn the fine arts of blessing, healing, meditation and all things holy. Their last lesson for the season is on the art of turning, which is a way to repel the undead. Since the undead haven’t walked the earth since the Dark Times, it’s more of a history lesson, but one that requires a demonstration…

That’s where the terror begins. As their instructor resurrects a recently deceased farmer, he is unaware that evil ears listen nearby, remembering the incantation to release the living dead upon the countryside.

As the zombies, skeletons and other dead things rise from their non-eternal slumber, Pi and his classmates are forced to flee the village of Roddingham to warn the neighboring towns. It’s Pi’s one and only chance to prove to the high holy man, Father Goodhalo (who happens to be his dad), that he’s not just the clumsy son he thought he was.

It’s not a completely refined pitch, but it sort of sets the stage for the book(s). I think there are three books worth of stuff for this series and I’m not aware of any other stories like this. I mean, we’ve all heard/seen every zombie idea known to man (zombies that can run! zombies that can think!) but I’m not aware of anything that takes place back in time that not only center on the survival of the human race, but also deal with YA topics (love, angst against overbearing parents, finding yourself, religion) that teens from today can hopefully latch on to.

Plus, I think it’ll be fun. I’m not a big fan of ‘fantasy’ books and I’m definitely not a fan of the built-in language most of those books follow. They get so caught up in the details and the bard-speak of the time that they leave out the story. While Goodhalo definitely takes place in ‘another time’ I’ve been striving to cut out the excess prose and just focus on what’s important:

– Character development
– Plot
– Action
– Suspense
– Zombies

Really, once you have all 5 of those taken care of, what else do you need?