The Dead and Empty World

“Queen of the Undead, Carrie Ryan, takes readers once again to the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth." -- School Library Journal on "Bougainvillea." From a life raft cast adrift in the middle of the ocean to the attic of a suburban garage; from the heart-pounding moments just after the dead begin to rise, to the ravaged world generations later, the five stories in The Dead and Empty World present a chilling portrait of what it takes to survive – or not – the zombie apocalypse. This 39,000 word collection contains five previously published stories and never before published bonus materials, including background information on each story, easter eggs, and an essay detailing the inspiration for the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Stories included in this collection: "Flotsam & Jetsam," originally published in The Living Dead 2, edited by John Joseph Adams and published by Night Shade Books; "Scenic Route," originally published in Enthralled, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong and published by HarperCollins; "Bougainvillea," originally published in Zombies vs. Unicorns, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier and published by Simon and Schuster; "A Game of Firsts," originally published in The First Time, edited by Jessica Verday and Rhonda Stapleton; "Hare Moon," originally published in Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, edited by Trisha Telep and published by Running Press Teens; later published in a slightly different form by Random House.