The question always comes up for Valentine’s Day. What’s a romantic gesture? Diamond jewelry? Fancy dinner? Bed strewn with rose petals? This year I’ve simplified this holiday with a one stop shopping solution: The apocalypse.
What better venue to show your loved one how much you really care? There’s no doubt your passion is true when you’re willing to put your life on the line to ensure your partner’s survival. That’s what was so intriguing for me when I created the Burning Earth’s first novella THE LAST NIGHT. The apocalypse is the perfect place for characters to show what they’re made of. It is the ultimate stage for incredible acts of bravery, intelligence, and strength.
I think that’s why you’ll see a lot of romance set after the end of the world this year (look for Ella Drake’s DESERT BLADE coming from Carina in April). In other sub-genres, there’s often a metaphoric end of the world, a broken heart or cutting betrayal, but in post-apocalyptic romance, society as we know it is actually over and rebuilding the world will test the mettle of the characters.
In THE LAST NIGHT, chained earthquakes tear the world apart, releasing ancient viruses. Many of the humans who survived the quakes are turned into stone-skinned mutants called ashers. They’re burning the world down and eating the ashes of the past. And if they get a hold of us, they feast. So for my main characters Erica and Jake, the stakes are already very high. Survive or die. And to fall in love in the midst of all that will prove just how strong their bond really is.
This isn’t to say that for Valentine’s Day I’m going to set off the actual apocalypse for my wife, Zoë Archer. We live out heroic and romantic deeds all the time as we write, so plans for that night are a bit quieter than destroying the world. That means you don’t need to stockpile too much canned beef.
But being prepared is always a good idea. That’s why I’m giving away a custom survival kit and a PDF copy of THE LAST NIGHT to one commenter. My question to you is: What is the most romantic gift someone could give you in the post-apocalyptic world?
I’ll select a random winner (sorry but because of customs, this is open to US addresses only) and will send the survival kit (hopefully) some time before the end of the world.
You can purchase THE LAST NIGHT from:
Carina Press
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Nook
You can find me here:
http://www.nicorosso.com
And you can follow me on:
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Tags: Nico Rosso, Paranormal romance, Post-apocalyptic romance, The Last Night, Valentine's Day
How about a bandolier? Bullets and jewelry all in one.
A long hot shower. I don’t know where you’d find one post-apocalypse, but a long hot shower would be awesome in a gritty, grotty burned out world.
I was going to be silly and/or morbid and suggest poetry penned in blood, but in all seriousness, a massage of some kind would probably be most romantic. In crisis situations, we forego comfort to stay alive. Receiving a massage would be a great way to show the giver cared about me and my well-being.
I’m thinking either an axe or a chainsaw. Probably an axe. With a chainsaw, I would go all Bruce Campbell as much as turn myself into Campbell soup.
Romantic? I am a practical person so in that kind of world, I would say providing a safe, warm, and secluded hideaway would be the most romantic thing to receive. Also, a crossbow with a nice inscription… also, even during the apocalypse, chocolates would not go amiss
Sounds awesome! Am very intrigued by the ashers
Congrats on the release!
Most romantic gift…? Hm… Probably a Hallmark card that says exactly the right thing. (Kind of like my husband did for me tonight. Oh, and maybe some lotion so I’ll have soft skin as I kick some asher butt. )
Seriously, huge congrats!
Thanks for all these great answers!
-Nicole, I like how a bandolier counts as jewelry as well. I’ll have to remember that for my next anniversary.
-P.Kirby, it’s interesting you’d mention a hot shower. A much needed bath is an important (and hot) scene between the hero and heroine in The Last Night.
-Elisa, the massage is a good idea because it relies on resources that are at hand (pun). Also, the physical contact can increase moral.
-Jackie, yeah, a chainsaw could get ugly for everyone involved. And it needs gas. An axe would work, in fact my heroine, Erica, uses one in this story.
-Danielle, I think we could all use a safe place, even if it isn’t the apocalypse. A crossbow would be cool, too.
-Dee, thanks for the congrats! Lotion would be important, wouldn’t want anyone to mistake you for a stone-skinned asher.
I guess I’d have to go with a bubble bath. Romantic and practical LOL
Congrats on the release, Nico.
Thanks, Gillian. The bath scene in the story definitely covers both those bases.
Most romantic gift in a post apocalypse world? An all amenities bunker. Isn’t there some luxury house out there?
That. I want that.
Confession: my first thought (before I finished reading the post/question!) was a flame thrower. And didn’t we have a conversation about that once? Anyway, if during the world ending… I’d want a) to be with someone who could ensure I’d survive … and b) a flame thrower. Seems like it could come in handy for various reasons.
Contest closes tomorrow (February 22nd) at 9am Pacific, so any last minute comments need to be in by then.
And the winner is…
Limecello!
Drop me an e-mail at nico (at) nicorosso (dot) com with your mailing information.
Thanks for coming by and leaving your comments everyone.