After the PFH outbreak kills her parents and transforms others into murderous machines, Maya Archer flees to a show-home on a construction site with fellow survivors Cameron and Scarlett. For three years she subsists fighting Walkers, never actually killing due to a conscience that was moulded by her mother. The remainder of her time is passed playing on Cameron's feelings towards her, drinking alcohol and eating whatever can be stolen from abandoned supermarkets, grown and supplied by the drone on the monthly drop. When Cameron is attacked by the Walkers, he is rendered unable to collect supplies. Maya elects to leave the site alone, welcoming a death she can at least time, leading to a chase that forces her from her safe haven. After a day of running, she finds another home and meets attractive, unnaturally strong Blake Fraser, his sister Jo, Eli and Dom. Initially unable to return to Cameron and Scarlett, due to strangely exceptional danger and what she believes to be illness as a result of her fatigue and the harsh winter, Maya becomes infatuated with Blake and begins to consider his optimistic and unusual approach to life. Among uncovering lies, battling for survival, drinking whiskey and constructing the puzzle that demystifies Blake, Maya soon learns of the true nature of the outbreak. Whilst there is little humanity left in the world, Maya is forced to question what being 'human' really means, with the fate of the world down to her and a declining group of survivors. Racing to an eight week deadline, Maya considers questions around religion, love, death and her fear for what life holds for her if the PFH can be cured - as well as if it cannot. She is made to understand the difference between 'existing' and 'living' in a world where, doing either, could result in a horrendous death.
About the Author: By 14 years of age I was an acoustic, electric and bass guitarist. I mixed my own music and I would spend all of my spare time at home writing lyrics. This was when I realised I loved to write. I began typing a story named 'Rock 101: The Good, The Bad and The Music' at the age of 15 on an old Windows 98 computer, saving to floppy disks. 'Rock 101' was, sadly, side-tracked. I was accepted into the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth. I completed my GCSE's from Castleford Academy and was accepted at New College Pontefract. I studied A-level English, Law and Psychology, as well as AS-level Sociology. I was also trained as a Student Counsellor, receiving the Diana Certificate of Excellence. I began writing for the college magazine - music reviews, of course. I went on to study a Law LLB with the University of York. I was unsure whether to attend university to begin with as none of my family have ever gone and I saw problems with funding it. I come from a lower-working-class household. Never the less, I invited the challenge. In the second year of my Law LLB I took up work with the York Annual Fund, raising over £1,500 to help working-class students to get a university education. During the summer between second and third year, I had the time to re-connect with my love of language through a research project where I had to learn basic Polish. Used to typing, and fast at it thanks to university essays and my dissertation, I regretted having sidetracked my fiction writing. I realised, in my final year, that the higher educational route I had chosen, though a respectable one, had distracted me from my passion. You learn from your mistakes. I graduated with a 2:2 in Law. Despite this often being referred to as a 'drinkers degree' - which is upsetting as I do not drink - I am proud of this as I am from a town where few people get any degree, regardless of classification. My degree made me the hard worker that I am and it taught me to follow my heart - but put all my head behind it. When I got married I became obsessed with complex (as all are) relationships between characters of depth - 'real people'. I have always loved Young Adult fiction and the more strong, female leads we have - the better. Women should not aspire to be skinny, symmetrical or superficial. We should aspire to be confident, speak our minds and acquire knowledge and experience. Thus I present to you, The Noise The Camera Makes.