Book excerpt: Night of the Zombie Chickens is supposed to be Kate Walden's breakout film. But her supporting actresses???her mother's prize organic hens???are high maintenance, to say the least. Thank goodness Kate's best friend Alyssa is the star. She's great at screaming and even better at killing zombies in creative ways. But when Alyssa turns into a real-life soulless zombie and ditches Kate for the most popular girl in seventh grade, Kate suddenly finds herself both friendless and starless. Now, thanks to Alyssa's new crowd, Kate is the butt of every joke at school and consigned to the loser table at lunch. If movies have taught Kate anything, it's that the good guy can always win???with the right script. And her fellow social outcasts may be the key to her own happy ending. Kate hatches the perfect revenge plot against her former best friend, but even though her screenplay is foolproof, Kate soon realizes that nothing???in filmmaking or in life???ever goes exactly as planned. Especially when there are diabolical hens out to get you.