Book news: Halloween edition

This week, I got this welcome news related to Charlie Higson's seriously eerie new novel, The Dead.

Charlie Higson launches zombie short for teens for Halloween

London, UK. -- October 26, 2010 -- Puffin Books announces the release of The Scared Kid, a chilling short film for Halloween created by best-selling children’s author, actor and comedian, Charlie Higson.

The film is aimed at 12+ and is available to view at www.the-enemy.co.uk/scaredkid. It is also available on YouTube for older teens and zombie fans of all ages. It offers a cliff-hanging taster from The Dead, the second book in Charlie’s action adventure zombie series, The Enemy.

Puffin MD, Francesca Dow comments: 'Teenagers are natural and hungry multi-media consumers and this film is absolutely designed with them in mind'

Charlie Higson comments: ‘The creation of this short was a joy for me as it brought together my twin passions, film-making and writing’

The video footage was produced by Charlie Higson and the makers of Colin, a zombie film that was shown at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and hit the headlines for its £45 budget.

The Enemy is an action adventure zombie series for teenagers and horror fans. Set in and around London, a mystery disease has broken out attacking everyone over the age of 14. Some survive but those that do face a more terrifying fate – they turn into hideous zombies with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. Children form gangs and attempt to survive in an unrecognisable world where there are dangers around every corner.

The film features a one-and-a-half minute clip of a boy who posts a webcam video to YouTube when the disease first breaks out, and which becomes the most viewed video in YouTube history.

I'm loving this! If you check out the movie, just look out for the shot of the 'mothers and fathers' outside in the street. The 'Scared Kid' is one of the most chilling aspects of The Dead, and watching that video makes me feel a little like I'm right inside the book. Which is a scary place to be.