Hamelin

by Claire Simpson

Brought up in an underground concentration camp, Kaid's only knowledge of the world topside comes from the stories his father used to tell him. When a small group escape the camp they find the world above ravaged and infertile from a nuclear war, the people just as afraid of each other as they are of the zombies that wander the wastelands and forests between what's left of the towns and cities.

With his fathers half-forgotten warnings haunting him, Kaid starts to realise that perhaps the camps were more of a sanctuary then and sentence.

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2011

About the author

As the responsible eldest child I generally got the blame, even when I wasn't involved or, in one case, even in the same country, because I should have been a better influence.

I have since shown my responsible side by doing things like moving to the other side of the country on a whim, tattooing my entire back and arranging my entire wedding in six weeks. And that's just the stuff my parents know about.

I wrote my first, truly awful, book at 14, which is about the same time I met my now husband for the first time. Since then I have worked as a riding instructor, stud hand (like a cowgirl, but with more rain and no cows), teacher, lab technician, check-out girl and civil servant.

Having studied for a BSc in Equine Science and a post grad in Communications, I changed track in my mid 20's and took a BA in Literature. I am currently studying for an MA at University College Falmouth.

I live at the foot of the Mourne Mountains with my daughter, husband and an assortment of animals which includes, thanks to a bit of a mix up, five cockrels and one, barren, hen.