I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It

Algonquin Ali Rhodes, the high school newspapers music critic, meets an intriguing singer, Doug, while reviewing a gig. Hes a weird-looking guygoth, but he seems sincere about it, like maybe he was into it back before it was cool. She introduces herself after the set, asking if he lives in Cornersville, and he replies, in his slow, quiet murmur, Well, I dont really live there, exactly. . . .When Ali and Doug start dating, Ali is falling so hard she doesnt notice a few odd signs: he never changes clothes, his head is a funny shape, and he says practically nothing out loud. Finally Marie, the school papers fashion editor, points out the obvious: Doug isnt just a really sincere goth. Hes a zombie. Horrified that her feelings could have allowed her to overlook such a flaw, Ali breaks up with Doug, but learns that zombies are awfully hard to get rid ofat the same time she learns that vampires, a group as tightly-knit as the mafia, dont think much of music critics who make fun of vampires in reviews. . . .From the Trade Paperback edition.