Margaret Atwood joins the zombie craze! Just in time for Halloween, one of Canada's most famous authors teams up with U.K. writer Naomi Alderman for an online comic-horror project.
In her 72 years, Margaret Atwood has had a long and enviable writing career ? she is one of the most honoured fiction authors in recent history. Many of us are familiar with some of her titles such as The Handmaid?s Tale and Alias Grace. However, it?s her most recent project ? a foray into the comic-horror genre ? that has everyone talking this week.
Atwood recently announced she is releasing an online zombie novel co-written with her protege, 37 year old British author Naomi Alderman. While ?zombies? and ?Margaret Atwood? aren?t words you?d expect to see in the same sentence, many fans aren?t shocked. After all, Atwood is known for her interest in embracing new?technologies.
How did this remarkable project come about? Atwood met Alderman through the Rolex Mentor & Protege Arts Initiative, which pairs rising artists in the fields of film, theatre, dance, music, literature and visual arts with masters for a year of collaboration. Atwood selected Alderman from a finalists the program brought to her.
The Happy Zombie Sunrise Home is set in Toronto, where a zombie infestation has left the undead roaming the city in search of humans to consume. Thus far, the story focuses on Clio ? a retired gardener and resident of the upscale Rosedale?neighbourhood. Clio is unfazed by the zombies and is fearlessly ready to take them out.?
?I for one am not about to allow my arm be chewed off just because another person ? another former person ? is feeling like a snack,? the character says in the opening lines of the novel.
While some may feel Atwood?s diving into the cultural?obsession?with zombies is odd, her first novel, The Edible Woman, shows an interest in?cannibalism?that began early on in her career.
Of course, it isn?t just the genre that is turning heads. The authors are publishing their book in serial format ? in installments instead of as a whole ? a return to early modes of publishing. The technology is new, however. Atwood and Alderman choose an online book publishing platform, Wattpad, to share their latest work.
Wattpad CEO Allen Lau announced the release of the new novel:
?We are so proud that Margaret and Naomi chose Wattpad as a way to quickly and easily share this work with a global audience of millions.?They both understand the new patterns of engagement that are happening around serially published stories. The majority of people on Wattpad are reading on their mobile phones, so we believe there is a great fit between serialization and today?s mobile-first, social networked culture. The chapter-by-chapter model is something that is helping many writers connect with readers to find success.?
In a statement about the their work together, Atwood and Alderman talked about the fun of setting each other up by ending their chapter in a way that leaves the other challenged to write herself out of an emotionally heavy scene, or leaves frightening problems to be solved.
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