The Afflicted World
It has been a year since the outbreak of a mysterious virus, known as the Affliction, ravaged the world. It has killed millions, and transformed many more into insane, rage fueled monsters known as the Afflicted. Caught off their guard and woefully unprepared, humanity has quickly been hunted to the edge of extinction, and little hope remains…Until now. After spending the year staying out of history’s way, Ben Colefield, Leah Hogan and their group of survivors are thrust into the spotlight, caught in a race against time against their will, and forced to follow the breadcrumbs left behind by the scientists who created the Affliction to try and find the means to create a cure and, perhaps, save what is left of humanity on their way.
Sounds pretty standard, right? Well, maybe, but I am of a firm belief that my focus on creating a narrative that is driven by the characters has really set the Afflicted series apart from anything else out there. Is there lots of action, sure, but what Afflicted is really about are the protagonists, and at the end of the day they’re just regular people struggling to deal with each other and the new world around them. The Afflicted Series combines a rich, character driven narrative set in an immersive, violent post-apocalyptic world. It is a story of complex, every day characters with conflicting outlooks, values, priorities, and approaches to life, and the lengths they go to prove themselves, maintain their humanity, protect each other, and survive against all odds.
Synopsis
In rural Pennsylvania, Ben Colefield and Leah Hogan are among a small group of survivors holed up in an out of the way farmstead, living day to day and trying their best to survive. However, it has been a long year, and with winter approaching the group’s enigmatic supply runner, Jay, is forced to go further afield, into the city of Philadelphia, to search for medical supplies. Seeing an opportunity to learn from Jay, and to prove himself, Ben volunteers to accompany him, and quickly realizes that he is in over his head. Facing the challenges of a dead city, and dodging violent ends at every turn, the pair cross paths with Alex, a mysterious stranger on a quest to answer the questions that no one dares to ask: can the Affliction be cured, and can the remains of humanity be saved?
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Leah Hogan grows more frustrated with each missed opportunity to prove herself. After Ben steals her opportunity for glory on the supply run, she sneaks away to take solace in solitude and gets bitten in a skirmish with a wandering pack of Afflicted. In the Afflicted world, a bite is akin to a death sentence - until now. Locked in the bathroom and slated for death, Leah is spared by the return of Jay, Ben and Alex, who determines that Leah is somehow resistant to the virus, but not immune. With a virus that has a seemingly 100% success rate, Leah is an anomaly, and suddenly, could be instrumental in finding a cure for the Affliction. The hands of fate force the group to abandon the security of the farm and begin a harrowing journey to continue Alex’s quest to learn more about the virus that has brought humanity to its knees. Their goals are simple: follow the clues left behind by the creators of the virus, save Leah before time runs out, and, just maybe, salvage the remains of humanity in the process.
Into the Future
The Afflicted series is currently planned to span at least 4 full length novels. While the outline for the series is complete, I am not limiting myself to a strict adherence to it, and will continue to explore the world myself as I progress through it.
For now, Afflicted Part One is unavailable for sale. I am in the process of querying Agents, with the hope of selling this project commercially. Depending on how that goes, I may or may not offer a special 1st Edition E-Book version of Afflicted Part One – if you are interested in this, please click on the Reddit link and post in the Author Q and A thread. I will update my progress of the process on my bi-monthly blog.
Work has begun on Afflicted Part Two, and I am in the early chapters of my first draft. Check back periodically on my homepage for progress updates!
Keep up to date by checking the progress bars on this page and the homepage, and by following me on social media.
Click here to view the Afflicted Part 1 Sample Chapter