Romance authors gear up for Sunday's 'Walking Dead' return
The second half of season five of The Walking Dead kicks off Sunday, and authors and readers alike are so excited! We're all experiencing some #WalkerWithdrawals, so we asked some of our favorite authors to share their takes on the show. MaryJanice Davidson (Undead and Unwary), Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die), Avery Flynn (Hollywood on Tap) and Tessa Bailey (Exposed by Fate) weigh in on the should-be, could-be, would-be romances this season.
Who is your favorite should-be couple on The Walking Dead?
MaryJanice: Daryl and Carol, natch. And not just because I like saying "Daryl and Carol." OK, it's mostly because I like saying that. I'm a simple creature and I have simple needs (I'm like a zombie that way). Plus, you know what? Those two deserve some happiness. And it's ironic that Daryl's early beginnings (awful childhood, abusive father, racist brother, terrible fashion sense, etc.) have made him a formidable member of the group … probably *the* most formidable. And Carol, too, has overcome a lot. In a terrible way, the apocalypse and utter breakdown of civilization really helped her come out of her shell!
Danielle: Daryl and Carol, because of all the reasons. They have that unrequited, wait-for-it feel which is completely opposed to the carpe diem spirit that most people/characters approach the apocalypse. Instead, when I watch them I am reminded of the constant, beautifully frustrating romantic tension of Remains of the Day or Age of Innocence. Or even The X-Files' Mulder and Scully …
Ultimately, though, we have seen Carol grow so much from the abused meek wife we met first season. I mean, last season she literally takes on a camp of cannibals on her own. I'd like her to be able to be just as bold in her personal life. Would it be that hard making the first move after all that we've seen her do? I think not!
Honorable mention: Michonne and Rick, because they've been through so much and would be ridiculously hot together.
Avery: I think the obvious answer is Daryl and Carol, but I'm going to go with Michonne and Andrea. SPOILER! Yes, I know Andrea is dead — not to mention eye-rollingly annoying at the end — but I think that Michonne was the only character who could have taken Andrea from "character I'd like to throttle" to kickass urban-fantasy-type heroine.
Tessa: I have been telling my husband for two seasons that Rick Grimes and Michonne should be together. To me, they've already formed a family unit that includes Rick's son, Carl. Michonne came to us already hardened — and rightly so, since she'd been walking around with her zombie brothers on a chain for God knows how long. That tends to put a damper on one's spirit! But as Rick has hardened as a character, Michonne has softened, and they've become a perfect balance for each other. I'm really pulling for them to couple up.
Which of your couples (from any of your books) would last in the zombie apocalypse?
MaryJanice: Betsy and Sinclair, king and queen of the vampires, definitely. Betsy, as my readers know, can control zombies. (Or will, in the future. Probably. Stupid time travel paradox.) Sinclair spent decades surviving insane undead despots, and the last five years wooing, then marrying, Betsy, a relatively sane despot. Zombies? Piece of cake. And if things on earth got too sticky, they could just adjourn to Hell for, I dunno, a second honeymoon or something while the whole zombie thing sorted itself out up top.
Danielle: Nox and Amy make an excellent team fighting an evil Dorothy together, but they have some trust issues. Amy's literally not sure if Nox and the rest of The Revolutionary Order of The Wicked are really completely reformed. There is a lot of gray in Dorothy Must Die books. But in The Walking Dead, there is no question about taking out the zombies. It's the humans that are more complicated. So Nox and Amy with their magic and fighting skills could make quick work of the slow-moving zombies.
Despite the ending of book one, and the fact that Dorothy does not quite return Tin Woodman's affections, I think together they could wipe out all the zombies. Between her magic and his weapons they would be pretty unstoppable. The Tin Woodman loves her more than life itself, he would do anything to protect her. Also, there is a chance that Dorothy would use her magic to make the zombies do whatever she wants. It would not be the first time she's experimented with "meat puppetry."
Avery: I have to go with Ryder and Devin from This Year's Black. Ryder is an all-around kickass type of woman with brains and fighting skills. Devin may be a fashion guru now, but he's a retired MMA fighter and has kept up with his workouts — not to mention he's got the know-how to make it in any situation.
Tessa: My first instinct is to say, "All of them," because I can't stand the thought of any of them dying. BUT if I had to pick just one couple, I'm going Brent and Hayden from Asking for Trouble. Brent is resourceful, and as a mechanic, he has a valuable skill for fixing all those broken-down cars. Hayden would have a hard time adjusting because her life has been somewhat pampered, but she has inner strength that would serve her well.
What advantages (or disadvantages) would falling in love in a zombie apocalypse pose?
MaryJanice: I hate to be a traitor to my favorite genre (paranormal romance), but I can think of few advantages to being in love under those circumstances. It's not like you can snuggle over candlelight after a grueling day chopping up the undead. Well, you could, but since it's a zombie apocalypse, all the great restaurants would be closed. You couldn't fly anywhere for a romantic getaway. It's just the drudgery of day-to-day survival, and dinner out of cans. Blech! Sure, you wouldn't be alone … until the zombies got one of you. Then you'd be alone, *and* mourning your lost love. Sorry: A zombie apocalypse would be the perfect time to be a swinging single. Love 'em and leave 'em. When not choppin' 'em.
Danielle: Pros: No more Tinder. Cons: Infrequent showers, smaller pool of potential mates
I think the apocalypse would completely change the way we love ... Or at least the way we find love. No more swiping left or right on Tinder! The dating pool would be smaller and the list of what one would want in a mate would change dramatically — looks, sense of humor and social status might take a backseat to basic survival skills. On second thought, swipe right for crossbow skills. Daryl would still win post zombie apocalyptic Tinder!
Avery: Gotta be honest, if I couldn't shower, I couldn't shave my legs. That would drive me nuts when it came to falling in love smexy times. Does that make me a bad person? Should I have gone with constant threat of death? Dang. Oh, well.
Tessa: A lack of opportunity for sexy times, definitely. Even if you managed to find a safe place to get each other's pants off, odds are you would both smell because showering died right along with the majority of humans. Not to mention, you're pretty much looking over your shoulder for zombies without cease, so there wouldn't be time for foreplay. That's bad news for the ladies.
Which character would you like to star as your next hero and what type of heroine/hero would you give him?
MaryJanice: I'm sorry to be so unoriginal, but this isn't even a topic for debate to me: It's Daryl, naturally. (It's always Daryl.) He's the perfect hero: badass yet flawed, tough yet capable of tenderness, wiry strength but not too much bulk. Mmmm. I would give him a heroine who is tall and clumsy and vain, who likes to shoot and knows how to hunt and cook wild game. She'd be in her 40s, would mourn the loss of fast food (Cinnabon, Orange Julius), and would have a vague idea that she should be writing all this down. (I might be talking about myself.)
Danielle: Baby Judith all grown up. A teenager raised in the zombie apocalypse dropped into the middle of Oz! Accustomed to slicing and dicing zombie baddies, what would she make of Oz and its villain extraordinaire Dorothy? Judith would be a shoo-in for the Revolutionary Order of The Wicked. And a natural friend and ally for fellow tough-girl Amy Gumm. And a throw-down between a zombie huntress and my Dorothy would be delicious fun!
I personally could not survive the zombie apocalypse without a little magic. Would love to see what a Walking Dead survivor would do with some!!
Avery: You know I have to say Daryl, right? I mean. come on! He is totally romantic hero-worthy. As for the heroine? She'd be smart and sassy and possibly named Avery Flynn. LOL.
Tessa: I'm going to take some liberties here and bring Shane back from the dead. I might be in the minority here, but I had it bad for Shane right up until he met his demise. Yes, even when he was trying to kill off Rick. He was an awesome anti-hero and most of the time, he was right on the money with his survival instincts and what he felt best for the group, harsh though his opinions were. It was wrong of him to pursue Laurie once Rick showed back up in season one, but his feelings for her ran deep. It's hard to totally hate a man who loves a woman enough to kill for her.
Finally … Will Daryl and Carol ever get together?
MaryJanice: Get together? They're going to have their own spinoff! No, I don't write/produce the show. It's just something I know will happen. I'm afraid I really have to insist. You hear me, writers of The Walking Dead? Get to work.
Danielle: I think they're holding it for the very last episode. Or the movie after the very last episode. But it is Walking Dead, and I hope the show runners surprise us by giving them and us a little romance before the very end. Daryl and Carol forever!
Avery: Nope. I think if they did, it would hurt the show. The audience (me included) loves to 'ship those two, but if they got together I'm afraid it would bleed out too much of the will they/won't they tension. What can I say? I'm a romance writer with a dark heart. :)
Tessa: UGH. I don't know! Sometimes I think it's inevitable, other times I wonder if their relationship transcends the romantic. They are definitely kindred spirits and appear to be circling each other, but I understand why they don't go in for the kill. If I was writing Daryl and Carol, the losses of loved ones they've suffered would be foremost in their minds all day long. Do they want to get close to another person? It would be a massive liability for them both. But, man, at this point, I really just want to see both of them get some loving. They've earned it.
Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine and works in the submissions departments at Dreamspinner Press and Entangled YA. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).