The new novella from Maria Hammarblad, Conversion, is now available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers. It will also be a part of the upcoming anthology Futuristic in Nature to be released later this year.

Blurb:

Rhodesia runs through the forest, hunted by creatures wearing the faces of people she loves. They plead to her to wait in the voices of her family, and the sound sends chills down her back. What is worse? Succumbing, and becoming a mindless drone with the others, or perishing in the forest, alone?

Roy Planter is a man with a mission, and he has no intention of staying on a plague-ridden planet where more humans turn into mindless drones every day. Being stuck in a city, grouped with a sword-wielding stick insect of a man and a busty blonde with a too vivid sense of humor are only temporary setbacks. He's leaving, first chance he gets. At least that's what he thinks until Rhodesia arrives.

Excerpt:

Was that movement?

No. Imagination.

Or, maybe an animal.

She kept her eyes on the spot, just in case the leaves would separate and show a human face. This was the end of the world and her instincts might be reliable.

At first nothing moved, but then the greenery parted and a man looked out. He stared at her and held out a hand.

“Come with us. You will be safe.”

Right. Sure I will.

She got to her feet slowly. He might still be human, but odds were against it. Even if he were human, he might also be a crazy, cannibal rapist.

“You will be safe.”

The slow repeating of words and the lack of expression on his face convinced her.

Not human.

Where there was one, there might be more.

Had he come from the city?

She nodded, pretending to consider the offer, and glanced to the side. A group of five advanced in an eerie, synchronized manner.

The man said, “You will be safe” one more time, and the others repeated the words. An eerie choir of human voices void of emotion.

The only way clear led to the city.