Zombified Interview with Armand Rosamilia

Armand Rosamilia is the bloody awesome indie author of the Dying Days series. He has also contributed to many terrorific zombie anthologies. Let's dig around in that juicy brain of his...

 

Ang: When were you first bitten by the zombie affliction? Can you take us back to how the infection began? What’s the most difficult part about sharing this ghoulish love as an indie?

Armand: I've always been a big fan of horror and zombie movies, since I was a kid. Same with horror fiction, but for me zombie fiction began with The Rising by Brian Keene. It blew me away, because I didn't think zombie fiction was going to be good. It seemed like it would be cliché one dimensional stories with survivors trapped in a house. Boring. This book showed me the possibilities.

Ang: If you had to dumb down the plot of your series so a zombie could understand, how would you explain it?

Armand: Dying Days - Zombies on the beach. How's that?

Ang: Describe the lucky survivors who engage with the festering horde of the dead.

Armand: Darlene Bobich is the main character in the Dying Days series, and she isn't a super human. She's a normal late twenties chick, a little overweight, who worked at the makeup counter in the mall until the world decided to end. She's joined by a cast of characters, including John Murphy, a cop for Florida who looks after his dad, Murph, while also hoping his wife is still alive out there somewhere.

Ang: What was the most important aspect when writing your non-zombie characters? Realism (losers, assholes, and cowards) or fantasy (Rambo or the guy/gal who has a Rambo hiding inside them)?

Armand: Definitely realism. I wanted to see the best and the worst of the survivors. What would normal everyday people do when confronted with hordes of zombies? Food shortages? No power, no supplies, nowhere to hide… I wanted to present a realism to the stories.

Ang: Does your book begin just as the zombies start building their paradise or have zombies already gotten things rocking and rotting?

Armand: In the prequel Darlene Bobich: Zombie Killer, it begins with Darlene and a Desert Eagle in her hand facing down her turned father. Things hit the fan pretty quick from there. Dying Days begins with her in Florida and the zombie apocalypse is in full swing for several months at this point.

Ang: Zombies are people too. They come in all shapes, sizes, speeds, and smarts. What types of the walking dead inhabit your series?

Armand: I have the traditional mindless shambling undead, who aren't that bad one on one, but there are so many of them. They tend to horde up. I also toss in a few surprises as the series progresses, but I won't spoil it. I'm in the midst of writing Dying Days 3 and loving the twists and turns so far.

Ang: Will your infection spread to more books and series? How many blood and guts offerings do you predict in your future? How soon can our zombie and human readers expect to see your next festering contribution?
 

Armand: I have no stop in mind with the Dying Days series. I'm currently working on Dying Days 3 and also a second collaboration with author Tim Baker, a sequel to our Dying Days: The Siege of European Village book. Plus, a few other ideas.

Ang: What is your favorite way to kill a zombie? Shoot ‘em, hack ‘em, poke ‘em, burn ‘em, or something even more fiendish? ***Zombie readers please turn away to avoid your putrefied feelings eviscerated.

Armand: With uncompromising love. Or a Desert Eagle shot to the head.

Ang: Do you have a favorite cinematic zombie? Example: My co-blogger Zombie Earl is quite fond of Zombie Roger from the original Dawn of the Dead.

Armand: I especially enjoy the zombies used for target practice in the Dawn of The Dead remake: Burt Reynolds, Jay Leno, and Rosie O'Donnell. Great scene.

Ang: Who is your favorite character from The Walking Dead (comics or TV show)?

Armand: Daryl… or am I supposed to say that, since I'm a dude? I find Andrea totally hot physically, but she is annoying. But I wouldn't kick her out of bed.

Ang: Finally, how prepared are you for the zombie apocalypse that we all know is just around the corner?

Armand: Completely unprepared. I want to die first. I don’t want to live in a world without a steady flow of M&M's and banana bread beer. Bite me first.

 

Find Armand's decomposing donations to the zombie world at Amazon. Follow Armand's journey through the dead at his website.

Zombified Interview with Melanie Karsak

Melanie Karsak is a special kind of indie ghoul lover. This zombiephile is a she! In a genre swarming with dudes, Melanie is breaking down entrailed doors with her book The Harvesting. Let's dig into that delicious brain of hers...

 

Ang: When were you first bitten by the zombie affliction? Can you take us back to how the infection began? What’s the most difficult part about sharing this ghoulish love as an indie?

Melanie: I always grew up watching science fiction and horror movies. My dad, bless him, never really took the PG rating to heart. Zombies are one of the few monsters that actually scared me enough to give me nightmares. As a tween, I loved Night of the Comet. I watched that movie over and over again. The idea of being alone, of having the world to yourself, is really cool! I had been writing “serious” novels for years without much luck publishing. When The Walking Dead first came out, before it was hugely popular, I decided to write a zombie novel. I wanted to write it just for fun. I wanted to write a great book people would enjoy. I wanted to write it to kill that little voice in my head telling me I had to write “Literature.” I declared an apocalypse on my preconceived notions about being a writer. I also realized, however, that I was“late” to the zombie publishing party, so I decided to Indie publish. Getting the word out about your book seems to be the most ghoulish part of being an Indie.

Ang: If you had to dumb down the plot of your series so a zombie could understand, how would you explain it?

Melanie: Braiiiins. Seriously . . . Undead vs. Humans vs. a Different Kind of Undead vs. Earth Spirits = How do we get all along?

Ang: Describe the lucky survivors who engage with the festering horde of the dead.

Melanie: The survivors in The Harvesting are led by Layla Petrovich, granddaughter of the town medium. Layla is living in DC and working at the Smithsonian before z-day. Her grandma calls her and demands she come home. Layla reluctantly agrees. A few days after returning to Hamletville, a pandemic strikes and the world begins to die. Layla soon finds herself leading the survivors of her small hometown against hordes of the undead. She is aided by her former high school sweetheart, Ian, his brother, Jaime, and a number of other townsfolk.

At the end of my novel is also a short parallel storyline (in other words, a story that happens parallel to Layla’s story). In that storyline we see the z-day event from the perspective of Cricket. Cricket, a carnie girl, also survives z-day and is soon on the run from the undead. She and Vella, the resident Tarot reader, find themselves led to a mysterious location at the end of this parallel story.

Ang: What was the most important aspect when writing your non-zombie characters? Realism (losers, assholes, and cowards) or fantasy (Rambo or the guy/gal who has a Rambo hiding inside them)?

Melanie: I try to depict my characters as real people. They find themselves in unreal circumstances—and that is not just limited to zombies since there are other supernatural creatures in my stories—and they are just trying to understand everything that is happening to them. I want my characters to respond realistically with a wide range of emotion. Not everyone can step up. Not everyone will break down and cry. Not everyone will survive. I try to show the qualities that real people might need to survive. Layla and the others have to dig deep inside themelves to find the skills they need to make it—or not. Layla is not overly emotional, and some reviewers have criticized her for that, but I don’t think every heroine has to break down in tears over doing what she has to do to survive.

Ang: Does your book begin just as the zombies start building their paradise or have zombies already gotten things rocking and rotting?

Melanie: My novel begins with the zombie apocalypse event, but as the story unfolds, the reader will come to understand that zombies are not the only problem. There are a lot of other creatures existing on the fringes of our world—some who like us and some who don’t—and they see mankind’s death as a chance for themselves. The humans soon find themselves in the midst of a much larger struggle, a struggle that is alluded to in the first novel of the series and will be built upon as the trilogy unfolds.

Ang: Zombies are people too. They come in all shapes, sizes, speeds, and smarts. What types of the walking dead inhabit your series?

Melanie: Now, that is part of my mystery. My zombies initially appear like slow moving rotted corpses. Their eyes are moon white and flecked with blood. They drool frothy, blood tinged saliva. They initially seem like reanimated corpses, but by the end of the first novel, the reader might have a different impression of what, exactly, they are seeing.

Ang: Will your infection spread to more books and series? How many blood and guts offerings do you predict in your future? How soon can our zombie and human readers expect to see your next festering contribution?

Melanie: I planned The Harvesting as a series. The second novel of the series titled The Shadow Aspect will be released spring/summer 2013.

Ang: What is your favorite way to kill a zombie? Shoot ‘em, hack ‘em, poke ‘em, burn ‘em, or something even more fiendish? ***Zombie readers please turn away to avoid having your decayed feelings eviserated.

Melanie: Layla is a medieval weapons expert who carries around a Russian shashka, a sabre. Layla loves to use her sword, and I can’t say I blame her! It’s noiseless. It doesn’t require ammo. It’s the perfect weapon.

Ang: Do you have a favorite cinematic zombie? Example: My co-blogger Zombie Earl is quite fond of Zombie Roger from the original Dawn of the Dead.

Melanie: Bill Murray pretending to be Zombie Bill Murray in Zombieland.

Ang: Who is your favorite character from The Walking Dead (comics or TV show)?

Melanie: It is really hard to answer this question! We all love Daryl, but I was also really fond of Shane. Granted, I never understood what Shane saw in Lori, but I think Shane was right about how things really were in the new zombie world. Before Lori pushed Shane over the edge, Shane was the one person in the group who anticipated what the world would become, and I think they needed someone like him. I am also really partial to Andrea, but season three has tarnished my view of her. I think The Walking Dead fails to do justice to its female characters, Maggie being the one exception. I hope the fans come back to Andrea’s side. TWD world needs more strong women.

Ang: Finally, how prepared are you for the zombie apocalypse that we all know is just around the corner?

Melanie: I am woefully ill-prepared. I have two children under age four, no weapons, and never have the pantry full for more than two days at a time. If the apocalypse comes, I hope my mother bear instincts will take over and that my country girl upbringing will help me keep my family alive. I’m handy with a rifle, can pick any lock, and know herbal medicinal lore. Heck, I might be a good side-kick after all!

Find The Harvesting at Amazon and Smashwords. Follow Melanie at her blog, on Twitter, and Facebook. Contact Melanie here. Check out this zombilicious interview with Melanie.

Zombified Interview with Jack Wallen

Jack Wallen has been dubbed the "Zombie King" by readers and fans. The author is behind the ultra cool, scary popular, and deliciously bloody I Zombie series. Let's dig into that yummy brain of his.

Ang: When were you first bitten by your zombie affliction? Can you take us back to how the infection began? What’s the most difficult part about sharing this ghoulish love as an indie?

Jack: I've always been a huge horror fan – since I was a kid. I'd love to say it was Romero that infected me with the love for all things rigor, but the truth is... it was Return of the Living Dead (the 1985 Dan O'Brian film) that turned me onto the genre. At the time I was heavy into punk and that film had a sort of punk glaze that really called to me.

The single most difficult part about sharing this graveyard love as an indie is getting seen. Thanks to The Walking Dead there are thousands upon thousands of zombie-like titles out there. People love to ride on coattails and the indie scene isn't immune to that. So even those of us who truly love the genre can get buried under those that just want a quick fix of sales. So getting my books seen through the viscera and entrails is the most challenging part. But honestly, for me, the true joy is the journey. I LOVE the process of writing – to dive into the apocalypse and experience everything that goes along with it for the first time.

Ang: If you had to dumb down the plot of your series so a zombie could understand, how would you explain it?

Jack: Okay, undead, listen up. Here's what happens in the I Zombie series:

• Zero Day Collective makes you
• You make Jacob Plummer
• You piss off Bethany Nitshimi
• Bethany takes you down
• Zero Day Collective steals Bethany's baby (the new world Messiah)
• Bethany fights to get her baby back
• Bethany avenges Jacob's death
• The world is shattered
• You don't die
• Ever
• Damn

Ang: Describe the lucky survivors who engage with the festering horde of the dead.

Jack: The primary survivor is Bethany Nitshimi. She is brilliant and uses her delicious brain to try to solve the riddle that is the Mengele Virus. She is beautiful, strong, an elite hacker, and nothing like the typical female in the horror genre. Bethany kicks ass and encrypts names.

During the series, she surrounds herself with a crew perfectly suited to help her survive the attacks that rain down from the Zero Day Collective. The crew changes through the series, but by the time Lie Zombie Lie is over, it has finally settled into the perfect collection of anti-heroes –minus one (but he'll be found in Fry Zombie Fry).

Ang: What was the most important aspect when writing your non-zombie characters? Realism (losers, assholes, and cowards) or fantasy (Rambo or the guy/gal who has a Rambo hiding inside them)?

Jack: I want there to be an immediate connection between the characters and the reader. These characters aren't super-heroes – they have flaws instead of super powers. Yes, Bethany is brilliant, but her Achilles is quite obvious. I also want to make sure I bring to the genre a female heroine women can seriously sink their teeth into. The genre if flooded with testosterone-driven men. I wanted to offer up something different – and do so on multiple levels. In my series, it's the intelligent that rise to the occasion. Brains trump brawn in the world of the I Zombie series.

Ang: Does your book begin just as the zombies build their paradise or have zombies already gotten things rocking and rotting?

Jack: The series begins with a bang. Literally. Think 28 Days later meets Shaun of the Dead (yes, I do use humor to help ease the transitions from the gore and violence. But as the series goes along, the zombie evolve –and get seriously scary.

Ang: Zombies are people too. They come in all shapes, sizes, speeds, and smarts. What types of the walking dead inhabit your series?

Jack: As I mentioned, the zombies evolve. So far in the series (I'm about to publish the sixth book – which is actually a prequel), there are:

• Moaners: The typical shambling undead. They moan, they don't see well, they bite.
• Screamers: Filled with pain and angst. These babies roar like the now extinct dinosaur, run faster than Usain Bolt, and have an uncanny gift for tearing things apart.
• Boners: That's right, Boners – but put your dirty minds away, these are basically screamers that have evolved with a bony exoskeleton that prevents your bullets from making their way into the soupy mess of their brains.
• Subject 001: I'll leave this one as a surprise, because it's going to play heavily in the next book and is just very wrong.

Ang: Will your infection spread to more books and series? How many blood and guts offerings do you predict in your future? How soon can our zombie and human readers expect to see your next festering contribution?

Jack: Yes. In fact, my plan is, once I complete the tenth book in the I Zombie series, to bridge into a new series I have planned, based on the first series. The second series takes place some 30 years after the first ends and stars one of the characters from the first series. The second series is called The Book of Jacob. That series will also be ten novels.

 

Ang: What is your favorite way to kill a zombie? Shoot ‘em, hack ‘em, poke ‘em, burn‘em, or something even more fiendish? ***Zombie readers please turn away to avoid having your rotted feelings eviscerated.

Jack: My favorite method was developed by Jacob Plummer and Bethany Nitshimi. It's called “The Obliterator” and causes zombies to, effectively, commit suicide. It's nasty.

Ang: Do you have a favorite cinematic zombie? Example: My co-blogger Zombie Earl is quite fond of Zombie Roger from the original Dawn of the Dead.

Jack: Without a doubt, my favorite cinematic zombie is Julie Walker from Return of the Living Dead 3. She's the first to ever make a zombie sexy. How can you NOT like that?

Ang: Who is your favorite character from The Walking Dead (comics or TV show)?

Jack: Oddly enough it's Herschel Greene. As much as I hate to admit it, the majority of the characters on the show are kind of annoying –especially the women. I hate that they have created an entire world where the women are unlikable. Herschel is, for the most part, the voice of reason in the show. And even with but one leg (and a beard to make Yukon Corneleus proud), he always embodies strength and logic. Plus – how can you not like someone who could pass for Santa Claus?

Ang: Finally, how prepared are you for the zombie apocalypse we all know is just around the corner?

Jack: I'm fairly confident I could survive. I don't do guns, but I could wield a sword and, thanks to my series, know that a weapon can be crafted from anything. I honestly can say that the last three years of writing the I Zombie series has well prepared me for the impending doom that will be the apocalypse. Those around me know that, if they stick with me, they'll be okay.

Besides, I'm in good with the Zombie Response Team (they play a huge roll in Lie Zombie Lie and will remain in the series).

 

If you're hungry for more Jack Wallen, check out Get Jack'd, Facebook , or follow him on Twitter.

Rotting Randy's Review of Voyage of the Dead

Voyage of the Dead
David P. Forsyth
*****
Loved the book. I almost read it in one sitting, except that it was 4am and I had to go to bed. Now I've got to wait for the second book...

I'm generally not a fan of books where stories go back and forth between different characters and story lines, but I thought it worked very well in this book. Maybe because there were only two main characters, instead of the 6 or 7 some writers try to juggle in a book.

It was refreshing to have a zombie story about survivors in a position to have a rational and thought-out response to the zombie uprising, rather than one that has mostly irrational panic reactions and petty squabbling among the survivors.

I also enjoyed the humorous dialogue injected here and there. Just the right mix.

Find Voyage of the Dead here.






Guest Reviewer
Rotting Randy

Rotting Randy's Review for "Just One Day"

Just One Day
Jacob Prytherch
*****

What's not to love about this one -- a fun little mix of spaceships and zombies, with a Groundhog Day twist. For me, it started out as just another free zombie book I downloaded, but I read it right away because it was a short one. And loved it.

Find Just One Day here.




Guest reviewer:
Rotting Randy

Rotting Randy's Review for "Out of Darkness"

Out of Darkness (Starborn Saga, #1)

Jason D. Morrow

*****
An excellent combination of two genres -- zombies and paranormal. With a sprinkling of romance here and there. I did enjoy the first half of the book more, because of the action and self-discovery going on, and the introduction to the world itself. The last half of the book had a lot of double-dealing and politics, which I'm not quite so fond of. But, overall, a good mix all round.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Find Out of Darkness here.





Guest Reviewer:
Rotting Randy

Even Zombies Love Twitter

Buck up, Zombie Mary! Where Zombies Come to Read is now on Twitter! Follow us for the tastiest interviews, reviews, showcases, and promotions that every zombie lover craves.

Zombies Crave Indie Authors

Good news, Zombie Eva! Zombies and indies…two of my favorite things...are joining forces! As a lover of all hungry dead things and the living people who feed them, I’ve created a new blog for indie authors of zombie books. Interviews, reviews, and book showcases on the many gory creations from the yummiest of indie authors’ brains.

If you have a favorite zombie book by a shambling indie, let me know and I’ll showcase it. If you’re a moaning maker of zombierrific books, contact me and I’ll really dig into your tasty brain with a spine ripping interview.

Zombies…they’re not just for nerds anymore.

***No offense to nerds. You do us a great service with your tech support and by singlehandedly propping up the pocket protector industry. America, nay the world, salutes you.

Self promotion tastes like yummy brains

Let's start this new blog with my book. Coming soon though, I'll have reviews, interviews, and plenty chunks of info on the best zombie-licious books by indie authors.

I wrote The Bite in the summer of 2012. I wasn't sure I would write a sequel or what POV I would use. The feedback was positive enough to warrant a second book. The consensus was MORE BELLAMY! So Walking with the Horde from Bellamy's POV is in the works and hopefully will be finished this summer.

Below is the info for The Bite, now .99 at Amazon.
 

Samantha Adkins has spent the last year struggling to survive in a world overrun with zombies. With her father and a small band of survivors, she has kept one step ahead of danger.

Until the day Sami is bitten.

Soon the group moves on, leaving Sami's father Evan to watch his child die of the infection. Yet Sami miraculously recovers, only to realize she is no longer human and must learn to control the new hunger inside her.

Back on the road, Sami and Evan are pushed off course and into an area of the country dubbed the badlands. In a world infested with zombies, Sami and her father quickly discover the walking dead aren't the only monsters rising.