5-4-3-2-1…Happy Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy New Year!

There were no Zombies. There was no nuclear war. It wasn’t global warming, or a pandemic. But it was still a post-apocalyptic fantasy Christmas for us. As a family—and that’s how we operate—my characters and I have survived several pre- and post-apocalyptic holidays together. But this 2013 holiday season, with all of its shiny wrappings and tinseled trappings and despite its lack of undead zappings was among the most cataclysmic of happenings…So, be vigilant 2014, the apocalypse is always just one flap of a butterfly’s wings away from a portal to all-out chaos.

The Jaffe Family Retrospective –
Ring in the New Year, Series by Series

Of course, each of my characters will ring in the New Year in their own way, in their own world, and with varying degrees of optimism, resignation, vengeance and mixed emotions. Here are some of the evolutions and resolutions that you have to look forward to from the Jaffe clan as they celebrate the year’s end and look forward to the next.

The Malja Chronicles Crew

New Year’s Eve festivities rank pretty low on Malja’s list of priorities. Vengeance is her game. She doesn’t put too much stock in resolutions—no matter what time of the year. If she makes any resolution at all, it is simply to kill less people than she did the year before. As her time on Corlin comes to a close, I see her on the precipice of still another odyssey, strategizing her next move. A continued quest for “Gates” is in order so I see travel in Malja’s future – a lot of travel to some not-so-friendly destinations. Of course, she spends New Year’s Eve with Tommy and Fawbry who provide light and laughs, respectively. Tommy’s magic light show is a big hit, while Fawbry strikes out with each attempt to trap an unsuspecting female into a New Year’s kiss. Some things never change…no matter what the universe.

The Max Porter Paranormal Series

Max and his wife Sandra would like nothing more than to spend a romantic New Year’s Eve, just the two of them, perhaps toasting to their future together and sharing a kiss when the clock strikes midnight. They seem to get so little time to be really alone. For once, it would be nice to have no one come to visit—from family members to those of a paranormal nature. But, the Porters would have no such luck this year. Max’s mother, who had arrived well before Christmas, shows no signs of packing up her bags anytime soon. And their mischievous ghost, Drummond, gets a quite a kick out of turning their New Year’s Eve into a French farce…So, there’s no Bon Annee for Max and Sandra. Maybe next year?

The Gillian Boone Series

Ever since 16-year-old Gillian Boone discovered that a secret message was etched into her soul, her hopes of leading a ‘normal’ teenage life were dashed. So after a year of running for her life while fighting off Callers – bizarre monstrosities trying to kill her so they can read the message as her soul departs – all she wants is to spend a quiet and traditional New Year’s Eve with Pops.  Maybe stay up until midnight and watch the ball drop in Times Square. But Callers never want to let her be for long. At least she has the help of a rogue Caller, Jackhammer Jack, to fight alongside her. It doesn’t look like she’s going to get a reprieve from the magic, mystery and mayhem in the New Year either. For Gillian, the excitement is just getting started.

The Bluesman

The Bluesman Fuller loves nights like New Year’s Eve. Thrown into our world from a parallel universe, any reason for celebration trumps the post-apocalyptic nightmare he came from.  Especially since the same magic that brought him to our world also brought along numerous baddies from his.  He wants to save the Earth from being overrun by these horrid, mutated creatures, but that doesn’t stop him from having a good time along the way. Armed with magic, music, and his companion, Scotch, he faces down these monsters all year long hoping to create a peaceful world for all. He figures that he and his buddy should enjoy a well-deserved night on the town and stumble into the first cheesy dive bar they see. The lonely barflies don’t know what hit them. The Bluesman wails on his guitar giving them a night they’ll never forget…or, can’t remember. Either way, it’s a win-win.

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