Christine (C.A.) Verstraete is the author of Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter.

Thanks Mary for letting me guest on your blog!

I wanted to share a little about the infamous accused axe murderess Lizzie Borden. You know that old rhyme—Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her father 40 whacks…
For those who don’t know the full story, Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old Sunday School teacher was arrested and went on trial for the brutal murders on August 4, 1892 of her businessman father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Durfee Borden. Lizzie was acquitted of the crimes in June, 1893.

It’s an odd thing to write about the murders, of course, since these were real people, but as it’s now the 125th anniversary of the event, it’s a historic event distant enough in the past. Besides, we all still wonder and ask, don’t we? Did she or didn’t she?

I’ll leave you to decide her innocence or guilt…

So, here’s a little bit more about me and my book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter:

About the Book:

Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?

(Note: The Kindle book is on sale through early January.)
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Q & A:

How did you decide to write about Lizzie Borden and…zombies?

CV: Given the vicious way the two victims were killed, and after viewing the autopsy photos online and reading the autopsy report, I felt I had a perfect solution to the crimes in a supernatural sense. Why else could Lizzie have done such a thing except her father and stepmother had become zombies?

What surprised you the most about writing this book?

CV: How much I’ve enjoyed writing about a real life crime. Growing up in Chicago, I’ve always had an interest in the city’s historic crimes and liked reading about Al Capone, Dillinger and other gangsters. So I’ve seen my share of bloody crime scene photos. I’m surprised I didn’t think of doing a book like this before, but once I watched The Walking Dead, like many others, I was hooked. Melding a real life crime and the supernatural seemed the perfect fit.

What is the hardest/easiest part in your book to write and why?

CV: Figuring out who Lizzie should be. I mostly depended on newspaper accounts to depict her, and of course, how I thought she could or might’ve acted and reacted in her situation. It’s not every day you go on trial for murder, are acquitted, and despite being a social outcast, continue to live in your hometown. I thought that was a pretty amazing thing to do. Oh, and you certainly don’t encounter zombies every day, do you? 

What are you working on now?

CV: I have been playing around with a sequel and got a good amount written on it. I admit I was stuck with a certain plot point so I let it sit for awhile. I was editing some other things and the idea of what to do suddenly came to me. I’m pretty happy with the idea, so it really makes the writing go better. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it?

What’s your favorite genre to write in and why?

CV: I really have enjoyed writing my own version of Lizzie Borden and hope to do that for a while. I also wrote a novella, The Haunting of Dr. Bowen, which offers another take on the murders and Lizzie’s hometown from the viewpoint of her neighbor and family physician. I wondered, how might he have been affected by such a brutal act?
As zombies will likely die out at some point (pun intended), who knows, maybe I’ll take Lizzie in another supernatural direction? You never know.

Thank you again for letting me visit with your readers! Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and the best of the new year to everyone!

My pleasure, Christine! I’ve always been a fan of the Lizzie Borden mystery and your book takes it to a whole new level! Come back, anytime!