Author JEREMY WAGNER’s Latest Novel, “Rabid Heart”, Named Finalist in Two Next Generation Indie Books Awards Categories


RABID HEART cover design by CLAUDIO BERGAMIN

Rabid Heart maintains a sharp, persistently moving narrative of the protagonist’s personal quandary and eventual flight. It’s immensely fun, and Rhonda Driscoll dishes out one-liners with panache…an endlessly entertaining zombie tale that checks off genre conventions with style.”– Kirkus ReviewsRabid Heart evokes a mix of Misfits lyrics and grainy VHS horror classics.The plot draws parallels to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road…”– Publishers Weekly  Author Jeremy Wagner’s latest novel, Rabid Heart, is an official finalist in two categories of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (NGIBA). Rabid Heart earned a finalist medal for the best “Horror” category and a finalist medal for “Best Overall Book Design”. Jeremy Wagner says: Rabid Heart continues to have an amazing ride. This is so cool. I’m really honored to come in as a finalist in both the Horror novel category and Best Overall Book Design. I want to say, credit for Rabid Heart‘s book design really goes to artist Claudio Bergamin who designed my much-revered book cover along with my publisher, Riverdale Avenue Books/Afraid Books who did the whole layout. Being recognized for writing a horror novel really makes my day because I fly the ‘horror fiction flag’ as high as possible at all times and I’m extremely proud of Rabid Heart. Hail horror fiction and horror writers!” The 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards gala will take place in Washington, DC at the Mayflower Hotel on June 21. Rabid Heart, a post-apocalyptic zombie novel about the depth of undying love in a world of horror, was released internationally in hardcover, trade paperback, digital, and audio formats last fall via the AFRAID Horror Imprint of Riverdale Avenue Books. Rabid Heart is now available via the links below. Order Rabid Heart editions here:PAPERBACK: – Amazon | Barnes and NobleHARDCOVER: – Amazon | Barnes and NobleDIGITAL: – Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Google Play | Smashwords | Riverdale Avenue BooksAUDIOBOOK:Amazon | AudibleAbout the Next Generation Indie Book Awards:The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest international book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its thirteenth year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in over 70 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.IBPPG.com) in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency. 

About Author JEREMY WAGNER:Author Jeremy Wagner has written lyrics to hundreds of songs spanning several albums with his international death-metal band, Broken Hope.  Aside from his music career, Wagner writes dark fiction novels and other books and stories full time. Wagner’s published various works of short fiction with major and independent publishers including: Perseus Books, St. Martin’s Press, Bantam Books, Ravenous Books, Riverdale Avenue Books, Hellbound Books Publishing, and others.   Wagner’s novel, The Armageddon Chord, peaked at #4 in Barnes & Noble’s TOP 10″paperback” Bestseller List and peaked at #9 on B&N’s TOP 100 overall Bestseller List in the first week of release. TAC also earned a Hiram Award, a first-round ballot Stoker Award Nomination, and received critical acclaim in Publisher’s Weekly and Rolling Stone magazine among many other worldwide publishing magazines, television, and popular culture entities.   Wagner’s new novel, Rabid Heart was published in October 2018 via the AFRAID imprint of Riverdale Avenue Books and has since received massive praise and press in Publishers Weekly, Rue Morgue, Bloody Disgusting, Kirkus Reviews, the Horror Fiction Review, and more. AFRAID will also re-release a revised edition of The Armageddon Chord in Summer 2019 with new cover artwork and more. 

Jeremy Wagner (Photo by Gene Ambo)

More praise for Jeremy Wagner and Rabid Heart:“Jeremy is a pretty impressive dude.”– Peter Straub, New York Times Bestselling Author, A Dark Matter, Ghost Story Rabid Heart, feels like a crowning achievement, anchored by an inspiring, salt-of-the-earth female protagonist as it brings the heart and horror in equal measure.”  – Rue Morgue Magazine“Zombies and the end of days don’t stand a chance against true love. Jeremy Wagner‘s Rabid Heart is good, clean apocalyptic fun.” – Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger “Just when you think you’ve heard every love story, along comes Rabid Heart. My man Jeremy Wagner proves once again he’s as much of a wild man with words as he is with his guitar. This book is sick and sweet, and I say that with respect!” – Peter Blauner, NY Times bestselling author of The Intruder and Sunrise Highway Rabid Heart is Wagner’s finest work to date. Exciting and near-addictive. A page-turner that avid horror aficionados will be drawn to with glee.” – Dead Rhetoric, 9/10 ReviewRabid Heart is a next level opus that raises the stakes considerably – both in terms of emotional resonance and viscera-flinging brutality. And good goddamn, is it a white-knuckle thrill ride.” – Decibel Magazine

“Wagner just has this innate ability to write about these real-life topics and put them into a blender with horror, action, and suspense.” – Metal Temple“I like books best when I get a sense that the author really cares for their characters. Rabid Heart is one of those books. If you’d enjoy a classic tale of boy meets girl, boy turns zombie, girl tries desperately to save boy, then Rabid Heart is a book for you.” – L.T. Vargus, author of Beyond Good & Evil and Dead End Girl “Another in a long line of zombie road trip tales, Wagner adds a romantic angle to keep things fresh among the putrefied undead.” – Nick Cato, author of Death Witch and Uptown Death Squad “It’s f*cking brilliant… f*cking loving it. So f*cking good.” – Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Rising and Return to Lost Level Jeremy Wagner online:Official Website: http://www.jeremy-wagner.com/Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/b005i4pl2a Publisher’s Marketplace: http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jeremywagner/ Facebook Official: http://www.facebook.com/jeremywagnerofficial Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jeremyxwagner Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jeremyxwagner