Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us Keith!
Give our readers a little background on yourself!


I am a Mechanical Engineer by trade and write fiction in my spare time. I live in Florida with my lovely wife, Lisa.
My fiction bounces between Horror and Fantasy, but which ever genre I am dabbling in, you're sure to have a scare or two.



Has writing always been a passion of yours?

Telling stories has been a part of my life since I can remember, but a poor teacher in High School turned me
off from writing. I tried getting back into it off and on over the years, but with no success until my wife Lisa
encouraged me to pursue it. Ten years later, I can honestly say it is a passion now, and I have told some
wondrous tales.



Revolt of the Dead, the book which we'll be talking about today isn't your
only published work, what else have you got out there for us to check out?


My collection of werewolf tales, Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy is available
(also from Coscom Entertainment) and is getting favorable reviews across the board. And though the
focus is on werewolves, two stories have zombies in them. My fantasy novella A Storm To Remember is
available via the Kindle for .99 and have recently found out that my first fantasy novel (now out of print)
Children of the Dragon, is getting a second chance via ebooks soon from Coscom Entertainment.
I have a short story appearance in The Zombist as well, a zombie/western themed anthology now available
 from Library of the Living Dead with many more stories to come.



Revolt is listed as book one of a Trilogy! 
What will the other two books in the series be about?


The General and the Puppeteer is written and picks up the story from General Burke's point of view.
 In the second installment, the mystery surrounding the book is revealed and its origin is something
I am quite proud of, but can say no more on. And the third...well...you'll have to wait, saying anything
would spoil too much.



In Revolt, two best friends find an ancient book which leads them on
decidedly different paths, who are you following, Shawn or Barry?


We follow Barry as he tries to get out of Florida and the challenges he faces,
but end up discovering both their fates as the story progresses.



Once the dead begin to rise and eat the living, including his best friend
Shawn and his parents, Barry begins to transform from a scared kid into a
man, do you think most teenagers would be able to overcome such odds to
accomplish what Barry does?


Absolutely.
Children overcome tremendous obstacles every day. Their strength is hardly ever recognized.
Barry and Shawn are two smart teenagers, hopefully I conveyed that well enough.



When Barry finds out that Shawn isn't quite dead, chaos ensues, did the
thought of having Barry join Shawn ever cross your mind?


But of course, Shawn's ultimate goal is to recruit Barry. This is explored in the second novella and
 their friendship will be tested beyond death. Though the second installment isn't in Barry's POV,
he is still a huge driving force of the story.



Ever wish you could get your hands on a book much like the one in your story?


Wouldn't we all?
But over the years I have learned the truth in the old adage, be careful what you wish for,
for you just might get it.



Can we expect anything else Zombie related coming from you in the future?


Yes. As stated, I have a story in The Zombist titled DEAD TRACKS and two tales in Animal Behavior
have the walking dead: The Guardian and Voodoo Moon. I also have a story, DEAD SOULS, coming in
The Library of the Living Dead's Zombidays anthology. And my secret project I have yet to
 announce anywhere will soon see print from Coscom Entertainment, The Black Cat and The Ghoul.
Coscom Entertainment approached me about doing a zombie mash-up. I agreed, sort of, I always felt Poe's
short story The Black Cat was unfinished. It leaves much room and too many questions to ponder.
 I have taken Poe's classic tale and used it as a spring board and have continued the story into novella form.
I am sure it will please Poe fans and create new ones from a younger generation.



Token Question!  Have a favorite Zombie Movie, Book, or Game?


Favorite zombie movie: Return of the Living Dead, just pure 80s cheesy goodness.
Book: other than my own, has to be Axiom-man: The Dead Land by AP Fuchs.
A superhero battling the living dead, yes please.
And favorite game, hands down, Resident Evil 2



Anything else you'd like to share with us?


A lot of people ask me why each chapter of DEATH PUPPET is a novella rather than one whole book
and the answer is quite simple, each novella is written in one character's POV for a more intimate
tale and of course, Revolt of the Dead and The General and the Puppeteer end in cliffhangers,
you can't get that in one novel and some frown upon multiple POVs in the same book. So I thought I'd
 try something a little different. Hopefully, it worked out.


Thanks for your time Keith, make sure you keep us informed on the release dates!

Thanks for chatting with us Nick!

My Pleasure.  It’s always fun to shoot the brains (err…breeze) with fans of the undead.


That it is!
So, tell us a little about yourself!

I was abandoned during a family trip to Pittsburgh when I was 5 months old and nurtured by these blue-faced
things that lived in the woods.  Well, that’d be the easy way out. 
I’m basically a pizza-fed, native New Yorker who grew up on b-movies and obscure music.
 I also spent an insane amount of time reading (although not the books my teachers and parents wanted me to).
 Still do.



Sounds like fun!
Don of the Dead is your first Novel, have you done any other writing?

Fiction-wise, I’ve had several short stories published in a couple of anthologies and on a few websites. 
Non-fiction wise, I wrote a fanzine (anyone remember those things?) from 1981-1991 titled STINK,
which dealt with reviews of low budget horror and exploitation films.  I didn’t start to practice fiction
 writing until the mid 90s.  I re-started my love for fanzines in 2003 and published the first issue of
THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW, which ran for 17 issues before I caved in and made it an e-zine. 
It’s been monthly for over a year and the response has been great.



I'll be sure to check that out!
Are you a fan of the Zombie Genre in general or did you have to do some
research before you started writing Don?

I’ve been a fan of zombies since I was 7 years old when my dad let me stay up to watch
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on the 11:30 movie one Saturday night (could have been 5 or 6…hard to remember).
 I’ve been watching and reading zombie films/stories ever since and they’ve always been my favorite monster,
so I guess I came with a “built-in-research” as I started writing the novel.



A true fan, Thanks!
Don of the Dead is like a mixture of The Godfather and Day of the Dead.
How did you come up with the concept?

When the original DAWN OF THE DEAD came out in 1979, it occupied my mind 99.9%
of the day for the next several years.  Seeing all that gore at 11 years old was ALMOST as traumatic as seeing
THE GODFATHER on TV one night a year or two earlier.  Both films have a similar grimness,
 a similar feel that no one is safe and the world as you knew it never really existed.

At one point in high school I actually thought of the title, DON OF THE DEAD. 
A few friends had said if I ever made a film that would be the perfect title
(I had spent a few years making some very, very bad shot-on-video shorts). 
When my zeal (and patience) to become a filmmaker died, I began to focus my attention on writing,
and while I didn’t begin TO write fiction until the mid 90s, I started reading how-to books and
paying closer attention to the fiction I was reading sometime in the mid 80s.

I also knew that if and when I wrote a novel, it’d be DON OF THE DEAD
and/or have something to do with zombies.



You have two Mafia families fighting it out, and you throw in Zombies,
just for kicks.
How difficult was it to mix the undead with the underworld?

I didn’t find it difficult at all…but being a dark comedy, I guess it was easier than if I had gone
 for a straight-on horror novel.  PLUS don’t forget that zombies are the TRUE
leaders of the underworld (nyuk nyuk). 
Well, maybe vampires are, but I’m so sick of them I can hardly bring myself to type the V-word.



LoL, Amen to that!
I don't want to give away too much, but the Zombies in your book drink car
coolant to ease their pain. How did you come up with that one!?

Believe it or not, that was based on something that happened around 1988-9 when I was living in a house
with my old band (another former passion of mine).  Every night we’d practice a good 2-3 hours,
 then sit out on the front steps and have a beer or two.  Our neighbor’s dog used to sleep under my car
(at the time, a piece of crap 4-door Buick that leaked every fluid known to man) and had this large,
black patch on its back.  At times we figured someone must’ve shaved him for fleas or something,
but one day he walked over to us and he had green liquid dripping off (said) black spot. 
Sure enough it was antifreeze (or engine coolant, being this was summer time). 
I don’t know if it was the beer or the summer heat, but we nicknamed this pooch the antifreeze-guzzling dog,
and kind-of adopted it as our “mascot.”

Anyway, being a fan of bizarro fiction, I tried my best to come up with a strange (and humorous)
 explanation for the “sauce” that was used to destroy one of the families all those years ago.
 Most people thought it was funny.  Some thought it was stupid.  A few more are somewhere in the middle. 
Perhaps I’ll attempt to keep things this strange out of my next novel?



It definitely different!
It seems like New York is the epicenter of lots of stories, movies, etc.
including yours, why do you think that is?

Not to be biased (because I am), but New York is simply the greatest city in the world. 
Despite our potholes, despite the Guido’s (yes, we’re the only city, along with the state of New Jersey,
that’s still infested with these Saturday Night Fever throw-backs who haven’t read a book since SEE JANE RUN),
and despite the high price of living, New York has it all (especially if you’re into any form of art,
from film to splashing paint on live models!).  I work a day job in Brooklyn, and just about every week
there’s a film being shot in my area…same with most of the other boroughs.  Who knows? 
Perhaps directors (and writers) feel they’ll have the same luck as Scorcese or Allen did.

There are just so many possibilities when you set a story in New York than say,
Beaver Creek, Kansas (no offense to the 2 or so people who bought my novel from that lovely state).



Hey now, I hear there's good fishin down in Beaver Creek!With certain parties still alive (well sort of) at the end of your book,
what are the odds that we'll eventually get a sequel?

My publisher (Coscom Entertainment) had asked me about it, but to be honest I just don’t
 have it in me at this time.  I can easily go in a few directions with a sequel, and perhaps one day I’ll get the itch. 
But for now I’m going to let my undead Goombas get back to business and get the partially-destroyed
city back under control.  I’ve already written a second novel (a parody of The Exorcist)
that I’m currently shopping and am working on my third, tentatively titled CHEW TOYS
(it’s set in 1977 and I’ve been amazed how hard it is to have my characters communicate without cell phones).



Token question time!  Have a favorite Zombie movie or book?

While it’s easy to list one of George Romero’s original 3 DEAD films (which, of course,
have inspired EVERYONE), a personal favorite of mine is called DOCTOR BUTCHER, M.D.,
which was released to DVD a few years ago as ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST.  It’s not only one of the goriest zombie films
out there; it’s also one of the most fun.  Not only do you get “Third World Cannibals” running amuck on an island,
but you get some of the most hideous-looking man-made zombies you’ve ever seen. 
It’s a poorly acted Italian production, but it’s a film no one forgets (and not just because of the
outboard-motor-to-the-head sequence or the beautiful naked blonde tied to a table during the finale).

The one zombie novel that (IMO) still hasn’t found an equal is Philip Nutman’s WET WORK.
 It was released in 1994 (ten years before Keene’s THE RISING), and deals with intelligent zombies in a
 way that had not been seen before (as far as I could tell).  It deals with a zombie apocalypse
 riding on the tail of a comet that’s causing radiation to destroy the earth.  Most of the novel is seen
through the eyes of a reanimated soldier.  It’s a grim, haunting, and smart story that I’ve read 4 times over the years.
 I also have a soft spot for the late Hugh B. Cave’s LEGION OF THE DEAD, a 1979 novel that features
old-school “voodoo” zombies.  It’s not the greatest zombie book, but I read it in the 6th grade
 and it was released at a time when I didn’t even know zombie novels existed.
 I recently bought a used copy off Amazon and enjoyed it again.



The world as we know it is overrun by the Undead, you can pick 3 famous
people to attempt to survive with, who do you pick and why?

LOL.  I was lucky enough to see George Romero do an hour of Q&A this year after a screening of
 SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD here in NY.  He mentioned how he’s always joking with Max Brooks
(who puts on demos at conventions on how to use weapons and such during a zombie apocalypse)
and telling him, “Max!  You realize this is all FICTION, don’t you?”  Too funny!

I guess if I was stuck in an undead assault I’d just run down the street and grab a friend of mine who
teaches firearm use to the Boy Scouts and also does some adult classes.  I’d have him teach me REAL quick. 
On a fantasy level, I’d love to be in the middle of Ken Foree (Peter in DAWN OF THE DEAD)
and Bruce Campbell from EVIL DEAD.  You figure with Peter’s SWAT-caliber shot and Ash’s nihilistic
chainsaw techniques; you’d have decent shot of making it to the next abandoned mall un-nibbled.



Nice Choices!
Before we let you go, what's next on your agenda?  Anything for the Zombie
fans out there to get excited about?

While I’ve had a couple of my zombie short stories published (one in the neat little anthology titled
 BITS OF THE DEAD (Coscom Enterainment) and another in one titled SOUTHERN FRIED WEIRDNESS
 (SFW Press), I don’t think I’m doing too much to get zombie fans excited with my own fiction. 
My small press, Novello Publishers, however,  recently released a killer novella by Jerrod Balzer
titled ZOMBIE BASTARD (which is still available at horror-mall and other sites) and we also did the
 long sold-out DEADNECK HOOTENANNY by Mark Justice (see eBay…IF you’re lucky!). 
Our first anthology, DARK JESTERS, features 2 very funny zombie stories, and one pseudo-zombie tale
 (this title is also still available).

I’m hoping those who’ve enjoyed DON OF THE DEAD will check out SUBURBAN EXORCIST
…that is, if and when it finds a home.  I had a blast writing it and believe the humor level is higher than DON,
plus it’s a bit quicker of a read.



If its half as good as Don you'll find a home for it!
Have anything else you'd like to share?

Yes.  Zombies are NOT REAL! 
And, although I’m a life long zombie fan and am happy to see how big the genre has grown,
 I’m BEGGING those thinking of writing their own zombie novel or short story to PLEASE
at least TRY your hardest to come up with something that hasn’t been done before,
 or at least devise a clever variation on the genre.  I get many review copies of novels
(both from the small and large press, as well as self-published authors) that are clones of one another. 
Stuff like this kills the fun…and could eventually kill or cause people to lose interest in our undead subgenre.



I gotta agree with ya!  It's getting hard to find original ideas.

Thanks for taking time out to chat with us Nick!

Make sure you keep us up to date on all your happenings and good luck with Don!

Hey Nick, thanks for taking the time out to chat with us!

Rad, the pleasure is all mine.  I've been digging your site quite a bit, man.
 I think you've hit just about every conceivable zombie angle I can think of.


Thanks!
We'll start off nice and easy, care to tell us a little about yourself?

Well, I'm 40 years old, living in the Southwest desert with my beautiful wife and our four spoiled pugs. 
I've been writing pretty seriously since I was 27 years old, learning my craft, learning from my many mistakes,
 just like any self-respecting writer.  I finally started getting published a few years ago: BALEFUL EYE
with Stonegarden.net Publishing, THE BLACK BEAST OF ALGERNON WOOD with Dailey Swan Press
and ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND with Coscom Entertainment. 
I've been published here and there with short stories, garnering some great accolades from people in
the industry whom I respect and admire.  But I also write a lot of non-fiction;
everything from music, film, book and game reviews, to pieces for a prestigious Southern California
lifestyle magazine.  I estimate I've probably got around 300 non-fictions roaming around out there,
either in print or online.


You've been around the writing industry for quite some time, what were
some of your favorite projects?

Two highlight moments for me have been doing an interview with Paul Stanley of K.I.S.S. fame,
a band which I idolized as a kid (I was even part of the KISS ARMY).  The other would have to be
the interview I did with none other than Mr. Hellraiser himself, Clive Barker.  He was just awesome. 
He even went so far as to insist me and the wife come visit his home to check out his paintings. 
To top it off, we got to talking about writing, and he became intrigued enough about my first published book,
BALEFUL EYE, that he actually asked me to send him a copy.  What a nice guy.

Let's see other than that, I'd have to say my current work with THE BLACK GLOVE BLOG/MAGAZINE
 has got me pretty excited.  I love the idea of reminding (or in some cases, even teaching)
horror fans about the best the genre has to offer.  That's been my credo
from the beginning: reminding fans about the best in horror.


Wow, that pretty Awesome!  KISS Rocks!
Besides writing books, you're also an avid article writer, do you prefer one form of writing over the other?

Without a doubt I love writing fiction best.  I love to create people and then throw them into
 hellish scenarios to see how they get out of them.  It's always great fun for me as a writer to be
 surprised by their ingenuity.  It's very cathartic for me, as well, both emotionally and mentally. 
Unfortunately, of late, I've not had an easy time of it, with a rather severe Achilles tendon
 injury that occurred back in Feb 09.  It's been some really rough months filled with pain and uncertainty. 
It's made it rather difficult to maintain focus to actually complete anything. 
Thank God, I've had my wife to keep me grounded and sane. 
She's been my inspiration for so many years to be a professional writer. 
It's been nice to see it happening for the both of us.


And as if your plate wasn't full enough, you're also the Editor In Chief of  THE BLACK GLOVE MAGAZINE! 
Fill us in on what we can expect when we go check it out!

Well, first off, let me say this: IT'S FREE!! 
We don't do ads and we don't charge people to read the awesome monthly content. 
Quite simply, we're a site created and maintained by a bunch of HORRORHEADS.
To us, a HORRORHEAD is defined as a person who knows horror history and makes the genre a lifestyle. 
Now, I'm not talking like dressing Goth or anything like that; but more like a person who is so
 knowledgeable that he or she could teach a class about the genre.  You know what I mean? 
The staff is made up of a dozen brilliant reviewers and horror experts, who do their damndest
every month to educate about the genre and illuminate movies that might be forgotten by the more
casual horror fans.  We write anything that comes to mind to do with horror culture and entertainment.
 We've sort of become the go-to site for great book, film, comics, games and music reviews.  But we do a
lot more than just reviews.  We also do interviews with horror industry pros and such;
 columns and articles on anything horror that catches our collective fancy.
Some people think it's just another horror blog, but we treat it more like an actual magazine,
as opposed to a blog.  It comes out once a month, with between 25-30 articles, with regular monthly
columns written by the same people each time.  We try our best to keep it as interactive as possible,
linking videos and lots of full color jpegs and hotlinks.
I think it's something that may become the future of magazines as people become more
 comfortable with reading online and less willing to pay for paper magazines.
And just so everyone knows: we're always looking for more writers, more Horrorheads like us.


We came in contact to chat about your Zombie book, Alice in Zombieland,
but this isn't your first rodeo, what other books have you written? 
Have a favorite?

Well, Rad, I've published 3 novels, so far, with a couple more coming down the line very shortly,
but I've actually written 11 novels at this point.  I used to write one every 4 months;
take a couple of weeks to rest and write a couple of short stories; and then start editing the finished book. 
That would take a few weeks.  Then it was start all over again with a new book.  I followed that process
for about six years and then burned out, had to change up how I approached the process.
My favorite book, so far, is not a horror novel at all--even though it does contain some rather
 horrific scenes and subject matter.  It's called BACKROADS and it takes place in Florida 1950s,
and it's about a newly released racist con, who makes his way to a little redneck town where he's given a
 job as a bus driver for a traveling all black jazz band.  It was something that I enjoyed and hated with a passion. 
I had to delve into some nasty parts of myself and how I was brought up.  In some ways, it's been the most
 painful and liberating thing I've ever penned.

These days, I just can't seem to write anything that doesn't deal with confronting aspects of myself.
 I have to pull at the scabs and see what's underneath.  In some ways that's a great thing; in other ways,
 it's not the best idea.  Sometimes you find out things about yourself that aren't so pretty. 
At that point you have to decide how to deal with them.  That's part of the danger of being an honest writer.
And not to get off on a tangent or anything, but let me just say, in doing reviews for so many years,
I've seen so many new writers who aren't being honest.  Or worse, they're trying so hard to chase the markets
 that they end up writing the literary equivalent of a Big Mac with Special Sauce.  I can tell within a few pages
 if a writer is being honest--if he or she is writing from an honest place.  If they're not, a lot of times,
these days, I don't even bother to finish the damn book.  I figure life is too short to waste time on shit. 
Write honest work and you're guaranteed to be proud of what you see at the end of the line, no matter how
 much financial or critical success you might garner from it.
I'm not sure, but I bet even Stephen King himself, the most successful author of all time,
might even agree with that credo.

Okay...I'll step down from this soapbox now.  HA!


Sounds like your pretty passionate about the subject!
Alice in Zombieland takes readers on a whole new adventure through Wonderland, as if it wasn't strange enough before,
 it is now occupied with Zombies!  What was it like working with an amazing concept like Alice in Wonderland?

First off, I've been a huge Alice in Wonderland fan since I saw the 25th anniversary showing of it back in the 70s,
at my local drive-in, back in Fernandina Beach, Florida.  I remember that The Cheshire Cat was
particularly unnerving for a little kid.  But there's something about the way Carroll gleefully shoves
young Alice into his nightmare world of talking creatures and pissed off Red Queens that definitely
resonates with youngsters.  At that age, the whole world feels sort of like what Alice has to deal with during
 her adventures in Wonderland.  Adults seem so big and easy to anger when you're a little kid.
And there's all these freakin' rules: do this, don't do that.  You never know where you stand or what is
wrong or right when you're that young.
So I thought Carroll's insane story just lent itself to the adult nightmare of the undead. 
And then to add the element that Alice is herself becoming more and more zombified as the story goes on felt to me like something that added an extra level of horror to the whole thing.


Did you have any difficulties meshing your writing style with that of Lewis Carroll?

Funny you should ask that, because when A.P. Fuchs, the owner/publisher/editor of Coscom Entertainment,
got my first draft he went through and started striking out all the em-dashes.  Some of them were mine,
but the majority of them were actually Carroll's.  He, of course, wrote in the style which was the norm back then. 
So I tried to copy that style.  But all I did was confuse poor A.P..  HA!  Anyway, we got it worked out. 
I think the biggest challenge I had was deciding how much was too much to add to a classic. 
The first time through, I barely touched it, for fear that I was desecrating the story. 
It took me a couple more runs to feel okay with adding and (yikes!) subtracting whole paragraphs of content.


Can readers expect any cool new twists on the existing stories characters?

I tried to add the zombie element to as many of the chapters as possible.  Like I said, Alice herself is slowly
becoming a flesheater and spends a good deal of the later story trying to overcome her new ghastly
predilection for warm meat.  I made the Caterpillar a Conqueror Wurm, in homage to Poe's poem. 
There are various acts of zombie mayhem and bloody violence throughout the story,
zombie creatures attacking one another in fits of rage. 
I do NOT, however, have one running zombie in the whole book. HA!


Are you a fan of the Zombie genre in general, or was this something that
just kinda happened?

The family legend is that I was conceived at a drive-in during a 1968 showing of Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. 
I don't know if that's true or not, but it seems to me that I've always been a little darker than most people.
 I love all horror, but the first zombie film I remember seeing was when I was 9 years old. 
I saw an advertisement for Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD and I begged my parents to let me see it at the
 local drive-in.  Unfortunately they weren't going to be able to go that weekend.  Instead they were visiting
a friend of the family, who just happened to live less than three blocks from the drive-in.  So while they were
visiting the friend, me, my little brother and a cousin snuck out of the house and traipsed across this field
of dead summer grass, tall as a horse, and hid outside the fence that separated the field from the drive-in
 and we watched the whole damn movie.  We were a good hundred yards so that when the actors spoke it took a
 second or two for the sound to hit our ears, so it was all a little surreal.  We all snuck back in the house later,
feeling ill and disturbed by what we'd seen.  Back then, that movie was so unrelenting and in your face violent,
dark and disturbing.  I tell you, Rad, that movie made me a zombie fan for life. 
It wasn't long after that I saw Lucio Fulci's masterpiece, ZOMBIE, and, again, it hit the right nerves.
So it's safe to say I am a big old zombie geek from an early age.

I even wrote my own zombie trilogy called CITIES IN DUST (named after the Siouxsie and the Banshees song),
in which a handful of survivors, both good and bad, have to battle the undead, and each other,
for control of a new society.  Sort of like THE STAND meets DAWN OF THE DEAD.  It's huge!  Over 1,000 pages. 
I'm still looking for a publisher who wants to take it on.


Wow, I guess your a bit of a Zombie fan then!
Someone better pick up Cities In Dust, I must read it!
Undertaking a story that has influenced so many people over the years must have been a bit stressful! 
But now that you've been there, what other classics would you like to turn into Zombie madness?

It was my first mashup, and since I had such a great time digging into it, I've been itching to tackle another one.
 Maybe "Treasure Island of the Undead" by Robert Louis Stevenson and Nickolas Cook. I absolutely adore that book. 
I must have read it a hundred times since I was a kid.  There was a sequel planned for Alice In Zombieland,
but it looks like we may have to hold off on that for a while, because of some great, but unfortunately,
very secret, news about ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND.


That would be cool!  You better let us know your news as soon as its "unsecret"!
So I hear you're a huge music buff and have a pretty extensive collection.  Care to share?

I play music, been in various bands here and there for most of my younger life, so music is a huge part of who I am.
 I've always been one of those people who can name a song or give you the artist's entire back catalog
at the drop of a hat.  I started collecting jazz albums back in 1995 or so and it grew into an obsession within
a short time.  From there I branched out into blues and soul music, stuff like Chess Records, Stax,
Atalantic R and B, Bluenote, Verve, and so on.  I'd say I've probably got close to a few thousand items by now.
 I've filled over a terabyte's worth of harddrive with just music at this point.  I have a 160gig iPod which is
constantly in use.  I build soundtracks for my works in progress, for working out, for learning to play a
certain style of music, and so forth.  And when I'm not listening to music, I'm thinking about it.
 Sort of like how writing is always on my mind.  In fact, I get a lot of inspiration from music.
 I've used a lot of song titles as titles for my stories and novels.


Wow, pretty impressive!
You can bring one band back from the grave, as Zombies, who's undead concert will you be attending?

Oh, man, that's a great question.  Let me see...Miles Davis on trumpet, for sure.  John Coltrane on sax.
 Art Blakey on drums.  Charles Mingus on bass.  Now that would be a "hell" of a band.


Yes it would!
Before we let you go, what’s next on your agenda?  Anything for the Zombie fans out there to get excited about?

Well, if I can find someone to tackle that zombie trilogy, I'm pretty sure that would please all the diehard zombie fans.
 Like I said: it's a huge sprawling story, with lots of undead action.  But outside of the zombie novels,
 I do have a short story collection coming out in September of this year, from Damnation Books,
called 'ROUND MIDNIGHT AND OTHER TALES OF LOST SOULS, in which there are a good many zombie stories. 
On the non-zombie front, I also have a new novel coming out in early 2011 from Dailey Swan Press,
called PAINT IT BLACK, a sort of horror road trip novel, about a serial killer called the Night Angel, who is tracking an unsuspecting traveler and his female hitchhiking passenger across the Southwestern desert highways.


Sounds like your plates pretty full.
Thanks for taking some time out to talk with us Nick!

It's been my pleasure, man.  Thanks so much for the opportunity to ramble on about zombies. 
It's been more fun than a Romero-thon.


Rambling about Zombies is what we do!

You heard it here first folks!
ZombieHoard.com is more fun then a Romero-thon!

Make sure you check out Nick's books and let us know what you think!

A.P.  Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us! Care to tell our readers a little about yourself?

Sure.  I’ve been in this game in one form or another since around 2000, but didn’t officially begin publishing anything until 2003.  Coscom Entertainment, my publishing company, though officially birthed in 2001, didn’t hit the public market until 2004.

I’ve written over 20 books, my most recent being Zombie Fight Night: Battles of the Dead, Blood of the Dead, Axiom-man: Episode No. 1: The Dead Land, and am the editor of the zombie anthologies Dead Science and Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes: Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head.


You’re the face behind Coscom Entertainment, doing both writing and publishing; do you tend to favor one over the other?

No. They go hand-in-hand as far as I’m concerned and I enjoy both equally, though more time is spent on the business/publishing front than on the writing side of things.


Axiom-man is featured in quite a few of your books. Can you give us some background on him?

Sure. I created him nearly 18 years ago, but only brought him into print in 2006. His story is based on an epic tale I’ve had in my head for the past 17-plus years. I plan to keep writing about him for years to come and plan on completing his story. There is a beginning (which is available), middle and end planned. I have started the third feature-length book in his series, City of Ruin, but am quite a ways from completing it due to other projects and commitments. Hopefully I can finish it soon as fans have been asking me for it for over a year now.


You've written quite a few books, ranging from Axiom-man to Fantasies to Zombies, have a favorite genre you prefer to work in?

Overall, horror is my favorite. Speaking broadly, I bring a darker element into all of my stories, whether it’s blatantly a horror book or not. It was horror writing that got me started in this business. I’ve always had a passion for Good vs Evil. Ever since I was old enough to grasp the concept, like, three years old. Whether it’s classic Good vs Evil like superheroes or something in the realm of the supernatural, in the end all my stories carry that concept, and horror seems to embody that idea very, very well. It’s probably tied in first with superheroes for Good vs Evil being so in-your-face.


So exactly how many Zombie books are you responsible for?

Directly, as in my own stuff, five: Zombie Fight Night: Battles of the Dead, Blood of the Dead, Axiom-man: Episode No. 1: The Dead Land, Dead Science and Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes: Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head.



Impressive!
Your newest book Zombie Fight Night: Battles of the Dead is a sort of post apocalyptic fight club, how did you come up with the concept?

It really just boiled down to my love of certain archetypical villains, that is the zombie, werewolf, vampire, Minotaur, those sorts of things. I like the idea of taking traditional concepts and/or characters and trying to do something different with them. In this case, putting them all in a UFC-style setting and having them duke it out.

The trick was not just making it a book with fighting and fighting only. It needed a story to run through it so it’s not 180 pages of just flying fists. The main character’s—Mick’s—gambling addiction and subsequent financial trouble made for a simple yet effective tale to create an arena for zombies and other monsters to fight in.

And, to be blunt, I also wanted to write a zombie story that wasn’t just simply about survivors wandering around a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those tales and write them myself, but I hoped to bring something new to the genre with Zombie Fight Night and I think I succeeded.


Has writing Zombie stories come pretty naturally for you, or did a lot of research go into it?

I’d say my version of zombie stories come naturally. I tend to approach them rather simply: the walking dead that eat people. They die by a shot to the brain. They pass the infection on with their bites. I’m really not that interested to go beyond that. Seems like reinventing the wheel to me, which, depending how you read this, might seem like a contradiction to what I talked about in the previous question.

To me, there’s two types of zombies: the traditional slow and stupid ones; the fast and rage-filled ones.

So, no, no real research. Perhaps just some long thoughts on what a post-apocalyptic zombie-filled world might be like. For example, I’m really opposed to the idea of no clean water or absolutely zero electricity. You would think that out of all the survivors plodding around, at least a few them would know how to work such things and hold up in those plants for the benefit of others trying to survive in a world that’s falling apart.


Can we expect anymore Zombie stories to get published or written by you?

Plenty. At present, I have two on the go: one is my free weekly serial novel, Zomtropolis. The other is the sequel to Blood of the Dead called Possession of the Dead. I’m aiming for a September or October release for Possession of the Dead.


So as both a writer and a publisher what advice can you give out readers out there who may be looking to get into the writing business?

Get it done. Really, it’s that simple. I’m at a point in my career—both in terms of what I’ve produced and what I’ve witnessed over the past 10 years, and the countless discussions I’ve head online and off—that any time someone starts talking to me about wanting to write a book, I quickly interject and ask how much book do they have. Usually all I get is, “Well, I have an idea for one, but don’t have the time to write it.” Or “I started a couple years ago, but haven’t finished it yet.”

If publishing—especially independent publishing—is about anything, it’s about getting things done. Don’t talk about writing. Just write. Finish your book then we’ll talk publication. Don’t tell me you have a cool comic character but only have a sketch of him. Make your comic.

Publishing and writing is all about doing. If you’re not doing, then you’re not a writer. Writers write. Anything else is lazy aspiration at best.

That’s my advice off the hop.

The second is to establish what your goal is for yourself in this business. A hobby? A for-the-love thing? Part time writer? Full time? Each of those take different paths to coming to fruition. You can’t start your journey until you know where you’re going. Figure that out first then take the steps to get there.

Third: being a writer or publisher is nothing like the movies save a select few writers out there. We don’t have assistants. We don’t get treated to lunches every other day. We rarely get recognized on the street, if at all. We’re not sitting on mountains of money. Hollywood has ruined writing, in my opinion, in terms of what this lifestyle is all about. And what is it all about? See my first bit of advice.


Token question! Have a favorite Zombie movie? Game? Book?

I really dig the Dawn of the Dead remake. For a game, House of the Dead, you know, the one in theater lobbies where you plug in a few quarters and hold a gun to the screen. Book? I’m going to take the easy way out on that one and say anything Coscom Entertainment has published.


Have any good recommendations as to what we should be reading right now?

See above. I’m not saying that to toot my own horn either. I’m very, very proud of what Coscom Entertainment has accomplished in the zombie genre. All of our books take a unique spin on the undead: want a zombie mafia story? Check out Don of the Dead by Nick Cato. Like your undead in World War II? See World War of the Dead by Eric S. Brown. How about zombies taking over a high school? There’s The Lifeless by Lorne Dixon. There’s more, too.

We’ve also done a pile of mashups like The War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies by H.G. Wells and Eric S. Brown; Alice In Zombieland by Lewis Carroll and Nickolas Cook; The Undead World of Oz by L. Frank Baum and Ryan C. Thomas; Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers by Paul A. Freeman, plus a host of others.


Before we let you go, have anything else you'd like to share?

Please visit my blog www.canisterx.com daily as it’s updated 5-6 times a week.

And please support independent publishing and your favorite zombie authors by buying their books. They have families to feed just like everyone else and need your help.

Thanks for interviewing me, and thanks to those reading this who have supported me and Coscom Entertainment throughout the years. God bless you.

It was my pleasure!
Some great advice for aspiring writers!
Keep us informed on all your Zombie goodness A.P.!

Hiya Cal! Thanks for taking the time out to chat with us about Het Madden!

No problem! I love talking about zombies!


We'll start you off easy! Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a 9 to 5er and a lifelong Horror/Zombie/SciFi nut. Het Madden was my first book and now I love to write. I have a web comic at TedDead to keep me busy, too.


Give our readers a sales pitch! Tell them why they should be reading Het!

I think it’s a genuine unique read and if you are looking for something different in the horror/undead arena then this is the book to check out. It is written entirely from the perspective of a zombie named Hetfield Madden. Het for short. (Het Madden anagrams to The Damned) The story follows Het from his normal life, through his infection, and then to his subsequent transformation into a “Dead”. When Het realizes that he’s become something less than what he was, he struggles to come to grips with his new reality. The biggest challenge confronting this transition? Accepting the fact that he is now a zombie. Rather than merely the mindless, gruesome monsters so often depicted in movies, Het and his fellow zombies view themselves as infected outcasts burdened by a sickness from which they can’t seem to heal. Compounding their troubles is the fact that the government and society at-large (“Healthies”) have completely rejected them, preferring to herd them into internment camps than help them recover their humanity. In light of everything confronting him, Het is forced to undergo a lot of spiritual reflection if he ever hopes to regain everything he’s ever cared about. I tried to make it a fast-paced, compelling read. I present the age-old doomsday scenario of a post-apocalyptic world – only I tell it from the perspective of the diseased masses. I wanted to inspire empathy in readers, inviting them to consider just how it would feel to be afflicted by such a horrendous twist of fate. I also added spiritual, religious, and political undertones and even a demon or two. I wanted to bring readers face-to-face with society’s prejudices and hypocritical leanings that tend to effect even the slightest of our everyday decisions. But yeah, it is a zombie book.


Is Het Madden your first published work?

Yup! Fist novel I ever wrote.


Not too shabby for your first try! 
How long did you spend writing Het? Did alot of research go into the story?

I spent about a year from start to publishing. I wrote the story and did all the artwork, cover, etc. I did do geographic and scientific research to try and keep the climates and places on the map correct as well as all the science as accurate as possible.


So as you know I just finished reading Het, and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised! It reads really well and I enjoyed the Zombie perspective on things, what made you think outside the box and have a Zombie as your main character?

I’m glad you liked it. It is a different twist and some folks do not like it when you mess with the zombie formula. I think the genre needs to grow in order to avoid becoming a parody of itself. When Romero did Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, zombies were horrifying but they didn’t really have a zombie character the viewer could relate to. I always wondered what would be going on inside the head of someone who was dying and turning into the undead. What would that first kill be like? Only not humorous or sarcastic, but REAL. How would one react, how would one survive and would they want to, and how would it feel if society abandoned you and treated you like a monster?


Hetfield Madden, your main character, isn't your normal everyday Zombie, he's smart, he has feelings, emotions, and can even feel pain, love, and anger! What made you decide to go in this direction rather then the standard dumb flesh eater?

I thought that zombies, like people, would have different degrees of intelligence and not all be “shufflers”, especially early on. I also wanted to put a name on the face of zombies. The closest thing I ever found was “Bub” from Day of the Dead. But in order to have a main character that was interesting and compelling I felt he had to have emotions. Het Madden is a zombie book, but it is also a book about a man who becomes something less than he was... Who has lost everything and has to fight to get it back. I think that is a story everyone can relate to.


In parts of the book Het along with others experience what you call a "Frenzy", where the Zombies turn on each other if there is too many of them in one area, how did you come up with that concept?

I really just figured that if humans fight each other for stupid reasons then zombies would too. The undead in my book are angry and dying and I thought that too many of them around each other in a close space would just piss them off to the point that they would attack each other, especially if there was no one else to vent their anger on.


Your book takes on the Good versus Evil story arch and turns it all around in every direction! Good Vs Bad Zombies, Good vs Bad "Healthies", and so on, how difficult was it to keep Het on that winning team?

It was difficult. My main concern was to get readers on Het’s side and keep them there. He is, after all, a ghoulish flesh eater who dines on innocent (and not so innocent) people; Even families. I guess the concept of good and bad is relative depending on how you feel about each side and I tried to take advantage of that and use it to get folks on Het’s side.


So the cover of your book states that Het Madden, Wraith 2012, is book one, should we be expecting a book two?

I am working on Het Madden, Lord of this World right now. Hoping to get it out by year’s end.


Awesome!  Save a copy for me!
So whats next on your to-do list? Anything else Zombie fans can get excited about?

I am working with Alan Gandy, author of Voyeur Dead (Really cool book!), and Zilyon Publishing, my publisher, on an anthology of Horror/SciFi/Fantasy stories from new and independent authors called The Undead Nation. We have a contest going on and are accepting entries thru June 30th at The Undead Nation. All proceeds from this book will go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to help cure breast cancer. Should be cool! I am also working on a book on the work of filmmaker Coven Delacruz. He is the man who will be directing the Het Madden movie next year and we are writing a book on all the work he has done. Both books should be out in late August.


Sounds like fun & a great cause!
Token questions time! Favorite Zombie movie, book, game?

Favorite movie is original Dawn of the Dead, and the remake is also great. Favorite books include Alan Gandy’s Voyeur Dead, After Life by Jaron Knuth, Resurrection Planet by Lucas Cole, and The Zombie Survival Guide: How To Live Like A King After The Outbreak by Etienne DeForest.


Before we let you go is there anything else your dying to get off your chest?

Yeah, zombies eat more than just brains. They consume and use the whole body, which is very “green”.

Thanks for the interview Rad. Great questions and I am so glad you liked Het Madden!


Look at you trying to keep it "green", way to save the planet!
Anytime Cal, it was my pleasure! Het was an adventure, cant wait for more!
Make sure you stay in touch and update us on Lord Of The World!

Thanks for taking time out to talk to us Mike! Tell us a little about yourself!

Thank you for this opportunity! Since discovering the site I have become a daily reader. It is an honor to become a part of it. My story is that I am a Philadelphia based filmmaker and musician. For my "day job" I am a freelance writer for a number of sites including AOL, Associated Content and a regular music column for Examiner.com


Its our pleasure! 
Ok, so let me get this right, your a writer, a producer, a director, an editor, a composer, and your in a band....am I missing anything? LoL!

Actually I am an ordained minister, so if there is a couple out there planning their nuptials asking themselves, "How can I have traditional ceremony and still disappoint my parents?" I'm the guy you need to call.


Nice! How do you find time to oh I don't know...sleep?

I really feel that you need to wear many hats if you want to accomplish anything independently. I have worked with budgets ranging from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The more you can do yourself the more control you have over the direction of your art, whatever it may be. Not to mention the money you save can then be put into your project instead of the pockets of middlemen. Sleep is overrated.


I guess you can sleep when your dead, or not! 
Tell us a little about your band!

I formed PAGAN in 2006 as an outlet for songs I had been producing as background music for sites associated with bands I was working with at the time. A number of people contacted me about their availability which prompted an EP release. A few more EP's surfaced along with a trio of soundscape albums over the next couple of years. Last Fall we released our first proper album "On Black Wings". The single "Black Wings" appeared on a compilation distributed by Universal which led to a distribution deal for our follow up album "A Season In Hell" due later this year. This is a big album for us. Not just because the stakes are higher, but we have had the opportunity to work with some of our favorite artists and producers to blend elements of classical, rock and metal into the darkest sound I have ever heard.


Awesome! Good Luck with that!
Weed of the Living Dead isn't your first movie, what else have you worked on?

By the time WOTLD is here I will have been a part of a dozen released features. They range from the cult hit Evil Bong, which opened the flood gates for an entire sub genre of stoner horror, to the small campy documentary titled Smokers. A recent labor of love project I am excited about is The Horror Pages. It is the first volume in a hopefully long running series of DVD's featuring uncensored shorts by filmmakers of all walks. From first time directors to a vet who has been involved in more than a hundred films. This is a great opportunity for filmmakers to get exposure while enjoying artistic freedom, and for viewers to check out the latest work in the genre.


Your best know movie has to be "Evil Bong" starring Tommy Chong, what was it like working with such a big name in the Smokers community?

I caught part of a television documentary about the sitcom That 70's Show where they compared their casting of Tommy Chong to landing the Pope for Touched By An Angel. If that's the case then the impact of having him in the comparatively small Evil Bong would be like Jesus - the original zombie - playing himself in Passion of The Christ. If not that then at least Trey Parker and Matt Stone getting Muhammad to stand behind the black censor bar in South Park. Full Moon is established and boasts a sizable following, but Tommy Chong gave those outside the horror community an instant frame of reference. He appearance also served as a sort seal of approval for the Smoker community. For that I can't overstate his importance to the film.


Your newest movie, weed of the living dead involves more stoner hijinx, whats the plot and how did you come up with it?

It is about two brothers, Jason and Kevin, who live together in New Jersey in a house they inherited from their grandparents. Jason has recently lost his job and girlfriend, so Kevin tries to cheer him up with a night of smoking, drinking and classic zombie movies. What they don't know is they are being used by the government as human test subject for a powerful hallucinogen. They doze off and awake to find themselves in a grainy, black and white world like that of the movies they were watching. They are no longer in their home, but a rural farmhouse under siege by zombies. They need to stay alive long enough for the effects of the drug to wear off. Gory shenanigans ensue.

This movie came about as a result of a number of factors. As I mentioned Evil Bong paved the way for dozens of marijuana themed horror titles. I had always intended to return to my roots so to speak, but the timing had to be right. Finally a sequel to EB was made and everywhere I turned people were asking me questions or giving me feedback. Normally I love the opportunity to discuss a film, but I was not involved in that project. Without fail the next question after I explained the situation was, "When are YOU going to make a new stoner movie?" It took getting beat over the head with it a few dozen times, but I realized that people were not only ready but growing impatient.


When can we expect to see Weed ready for the masses?

The plan is to get it out around Halloween. Production is moving along smoothly, but there are always bumps in the road that can cause delays. That is especially true of a project like this. While we are going to use CGI to enhance some elements, the main effects are all being done practically with props from Robert Kurtzman's Creature Corps. For many of the films numerous green screen shots we will be using matte paintings instead of computer generated backdrops to achieve an authentic old school look. We are going to do our best to stay on schedule, but no corners are going to be cut. Even in a worst case scenario situation though it will still be out before the end of the year.


I'm coming over your house to trick or treat!
So what influenced you to do a Zombie film?

I've always wanted to do a zombie film, and I knew that positioning them as the antagonists would signal two things. First, that this isn't a rehash of Evil Bong. Second, that this will be heavier on the horror. Some blood was spilled in EB, but the focus was more on the comedic elements. Don't get me wrong, Weed is loaded with jokes from start to finish. The overall tone however is darker and violence as brutal as a traditional zombie film.


Everyone out there has one, what would be your dream project?

That's tough to answer as I have more than one. I would have to say being given a big enough budget, while still retaining this level of freedom, to adapt something from the classic fiction I grew up reading. Poe or something from Lovecraft mythos for example.


Both great names!
Whats next on your agenda? Anything else for us Zombie fans?

Right now my focus is on Weed and A Season In Hell, but there is something in the works that I'm hoping will come together in time to be the next project.

There will be more zombies! In fact there is an outline for a follow up to Weed of the Living Dead, but the fate of that film is up to your readers. If Weed is well received the sequel could go into production sometime next year. Those decisions are always in the hands of the fans, and without their support for this first film a second won't be possible. Either way there are a few characters introduced that will live on in other projects.


Whats next on your agenda? Anything else for us Zombie fans?

Right now my focus is on Weed and A Season In Hell, but there is something in the works that I'm hoping will come together in time to be the next project.

There will be more zombies! In fact there is an outline for a follow up to Weed of the Living Dead, but the fate of that film is up to your readers. If Weed is well received the sequel could go into production sometime next year. Those decisions are always in the hands of the fans, and without their support for this first film a second won't be possible. Either way there are a few characters introduced that will live on in other projects.


Token Questions! Have a favorite Zombie movie? Book? Game?

Favorite Zombie movie is a tie between Romero's Day of the Dead and a lesser know shot on video indie Shatter Dead. Night and Dawn are classics, but Day mixes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the original with a bleak outlook that hold its appeal with every viewing. Shatter Dead is rough around the edges but it offers a unique take on the living dead condition. It is packed with as much social commentary as the best of Romero and some of the imagery is truly shocking. That is no small feet considering how desensitized we have all become from having to deal with real world horrors.

I am actually reading an interesting book now called Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay. I don't agree with the author's opinion on a number of films, but it is impressively comprehensive.

Board game would be Last Night On Earth. I had spotted it in a comic shop and forgotten about it until my friend Darryn bought it. He and his wife had my girlfriend and I over to play and the completion got pretty intense.

Video game would be House of the Dead: Overkill. I love arcade style shooters. That mixed with the grindhouse look and foul mouthed humor held my attention longer that most games I have played in the past few years.


Looks like your well versed in the Zombie genre!
Before we let you go, anything else you'd like to share with our reader?

We will be giving away some cool merch as part of a contest in the coming months, as well as offing opportunities for you to get involved in the production of Weed of the Living Dead. Keep checking Zombie Hoard for details.


We do love us some contests! Keep us informed and we'll keep the news updates rolling!Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Mike!

-R

Harrison, tell our readers a little about yourself!

A little is all I have! Really, not much to tell. I’m married to a great and supportive wife, have two wonderfully funny and personable kids, love football season, hate politics, give in too much to my sweet tooth, and am far too gray-haired for the relatively young age of 44.
Ask me to do this again when I’m famous!


Sounds familiar!  So is writing a full time thing for you or are you multi-talented?

Some who have read me might say I’m not even uni-talented, ha ha. Seriously, I am a freelance writer in my “day job”. I write educational articles for several websites owned by a company in California.


What made you decide to write a young adult Zombie book?

I don’t know that I consciously did so. The YA label was tagged onto it later.

Truthfully, I wrote the book many years before I submitted it. But back in the Spring of ’08, Coscom Entertainment put out a call for monster novellas. The publisher wanted any of the old tropes: werewolves, vampires, mummies, zombies. So I blew the dust off this one, did some rewriting, and sent it off. Coscom held onto it for well over a year before taking a gamble on it, and A.P. Fuchs of Coscom suggested that it felt like a YA. I hadn’t thought of it that way before, but realized that it could certainly be marketed that way. I definitely think it was the right call. I just hope folks realize that adults can have a lot of fun with it, too.


Having just read your book, R.I.P., I have to admit I had a hard time
putting it down, is that something every author strives for?

Well, every author wants to keep his or her readers engaged. But I don’t think any author consciously says, “I’m writing a book that readers will have a hard time putting down” during the actual process of writing the book. They write the best story they can and hope it’ll find an audience, and they hope that audience responds or connects to it. I guess it’s less of something they “strive” for and more of something they “hope” for.


Is R.I.P. your first shot at writing or have you had other works published?

R.I.P. is the first work of that length published. I’ve had dozens of short stories appear in many print and online publications. I did have a book of dark verse, THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD: CRYING, published by eTreasures Publishing in print format in 2008. I’ve also done some editing: DARK NOTES FROM NJ from GSHW Press in 2005 and my dream project, DARKNESS ON THE EDGE: Tales Inspired by the Songs of Bruce Springsteen, released in March 2010 from PS Publishing. The latter was a real blast, and I had the pleasure of working with some of the best authors in the horror and suspense genres, not to mention the honor of working with Pete Crowther of PS.


Sounds like you've been pretty busy!
Billy Barton, the main character in your book, is a chubby little guy of
12 with an overprotective mom, a dad who took off on him, and no friends.  Is he
based on an actual character from your past or was he created in your
imagination?

Billy’s a hybrid of a few real-life characters, maybe even a little of me, with the strongest being my younger brother of the same name. He was overweight and picked on as a kid, and I’m ashamed to say that sometimes my older brother and I got on him for it, too. He was the biggest inspiration. The overprotective mom and absent father are not real-life, though my father was an alcoholic and so even though he wasn’t physically absent, there was no paternal guidance, no father/son bond. I guess you could say he was absent in other ways.


Billy sees a shooting star and makes a wish, which to his surprise comes
true, albeit not in the way he intended, if you could have Billies wish,
what would you wish for?

A cure for type 1 diabetes. My daughter was diagnosed in August 2008, just after she turned nine. It’s a tough disease to live with on a day-to-day basis and even though she handles it quite well it’s just so hard to imagine her having to live with this for the next 60 or 70 years.


Sorry to hear that Harrison, my grandma had diabetes for as long as I can remember, sounds like your daughters a trooper!

RIP, our resident Zombie, meets Billy and helps him dispatch all of his
bullies and tormentors, by eating them, how hard was it for you to keep
RIP from munching on plump Billy?

That was never an option, of course. If it was, it would have been a very short story instead of a novella, ha ha. But I knew readers might wonder why RIP wouldn’t eat Billy, that’s why I have Billy ask him that point-blank , and RIP says, “What, eat you? All that fat? Cholesterol’s not good.” I tried for a light, humorous way to explain away this possibility. But really, it comes down to: RIP doesn’t want to be alone, and he feels Billy can pretty much supply him with a somewhat steady stream of “food” (in other words, bullies) to keep him satiated AND give him companionship.
And what might have happened to Billy if that food supply stopped…well, we’ll never have to know. But let’s just say that RIP’s the kind of zombie who takes care of numero uno!


Romance is in the air as Billy falls in love with a pretty little new
girl, how hard was it to add a love story into the blood and guts of the
book?

Not hard at all. Jessica was in it from the first draft. Basically, the story of George and Lennie from OF MICE AND MEN was in my head when I wrote this. I sort of patterned the story after that, and knew I needed something big to come between RIP and Billy to disintegrate their relationship. A love story seemed the perfect balance against the blood and guts, as you say, of the rest of the book.


Did a lot of research go into this book, or we you already pretty well
versed in the Zombie genre?

No research to speak of. Of course I’ve watched plenty of zombie movies, from George Romero to those low-budget flicks that have titles like ENTRAILS EATERS. But I wanted to do something a little different than the typical zombies, lurching around and moaning, and hope I succeeded. I don’t know if there’s many other zombies out there as fast-talking and opinionated as RIP! I sort of envision him as a cross between a used car salesman and the class clown.


Have any advice for those aspiring authors out there?

Not as much as I’d like, because I still feel like I’m an aspiring author myself! I’m nowhere near where I’d like to be. Life has a way of interfering and it’s sometimes easy to take your eyes off the prize. I guess some advice I’d give is, try to keep your distractions to a minimum, if at all possible. Try to stay focused even in the worst of times. For a multitude of reasons, I haven’t done that in the past couple of years, and my writing has suffered because of it.


Whats next on your to do list? Are you expecting any more Zombie books in
your future?

I would love to take Deke, as you know left infected at the end of RIP, and tell his story. I’ve kicked a few ideas around, but nothing has stuck yet. I’ve also had another anthology idea accepted by PS. This one is called IT NEVER SLEEPS: Tales From the Darker History of New York City. Several of the fine authors from DARKNESS ON THE EDGE have shown interest in contributing, plus I’ve approached some others who seem to like the idea.


I'm sure NY has its fair share of Dark History!And last but not least, is there anything else you'd like to share with
our readers?

Just the links to where you can buy my books, of course!
R.I.P.
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE: Tales Inspired by the Songs of Bruce Springsteen
THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER’S BLOOD: CRYING


Thanks for your time Harrison!  Keep us updated on any future Zombie goodness you may be involved in!

-R

So Ron, fill us in on how you've become "The greatest low budget horror movie producer on the planet!"

That is just a crazy boast I made to be goofy on my Facebook page. However, I’ve reached the point I am at right now from hard work and having a lot of talented people around me.


Is making movies something you've always wanted to do or did you stumble across it?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I have had minimal success but none of my screenplays were produced so I decided to just make them myself.


Have any aspirations to become the next Romero? Or do you prefer sticking to the low budget end of the spectrum?

There is only one Romero. I would like to follow in his footsteps and add my spin on the zombie genre. Will continue to make movies whether they be low budget Indie’s or God willing a studio backed epic.


For Love Of Zombies (FLoZ) isn't your first film, what have you worked on in the past?


My first feature film is titled Sorrow Hill and it is available for pre-order on my web site Grindhouse-Pictures. It will be released May 31st. I have also done several shorts that can be viewed on my youtube channel.


Did you have to do alot of research for this project or did you have a firm grasp on the Zombie genre beforehand?


I have been watching zombie movies my entire life and have always been intrigued with the concept of a zombie apocalypse. So I just added my own spin to it and away we go.


Give us a little description of FLoZ

Two zombie loving geeks and their reluctant girlfriends stop at Evans City Cemetery to pay homage to there favorite movie Night of the Living Dead. While there they encounter a horde of ravenous zombies only this time it isn't a movie.


Filming for FLoZ will be at the world famous Evans City Cemetery, site of George A. Romeros original Night Of The Living Dead, how difficult was it to acquire filming time there, and how excited where you when you realized your essentially following in the footsteps of the Zombie Godfather?!?

One of our producers Matt DiBiase did all the leg work in securing Evans City as a location. We are excited and proud to be one of the few movies that have received permission to film there. And when Matt called me to give me the good news I was more excited than I have ever been in my entire life.


Zombies seem to have grow and evolved in recent years, what can we expect from the FLoZ Zombies? Classic slow or Rage fast?

My zombies will be classic slow. Zombies do not move fast by nature, the infected move fast. I believe that a zombie’s movement is incumbent on how long they have been a zombie. The fresher the zombie the better the mobility but never running.


Looks like you've teamed up with Wrestling giant TNA as a sponsor, can we expect and TNA Superstars to be part of the Film?

We are in discussions with TNA about having a couple of the wrestler on their roster appear as zombies. When we have announcement you will be the first to know.


Rumor has it that once FLoZ is all wrapped up you'll be entering it into some pretty prestigious film festivals, is that correct?

That is correct. I have high aspirations for this screenplay and if the finished product comes out the way I envision it then yes I am aiming for the stars on this one. Slamdance, Sundance, Toronto, and SXSW just to name a few I’d like to enter.


Sounds like you have all the bases covered! Before we let you go is there anything else you'd like to share with our reader?

Yes. Check out all that is going on with this movie and other Grindhouse Pictures productions. Keep up with us by visiting Grindhouse-Pictures and Forloveofzombies.com. And visit out For Love of Zombies Facebook page as well.


Thanks for your time Ron!  Make sure you keep us up to date on all the FLoZ happenings!

And if anyone of you is interested in being listed in the credits of FLoZ check out this LINK

Lorne, Your Bio tells us your from New Jersey, a fairly populated state, have a Zombie plan for such a dense area?

Honestly, New Jersey is probably the worst state to be during an outbreak.  It's a small peninsular state with a huge population. Cities like Camden and Newark would be overrun very quickly. Rural and suburban Jersey would fare worse than elsewhere, because we have some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation.


Note to self: Avoid Jersey during outbreak!
 Writing tends to occupy most of many authors free time, how do you divide the time between family and writing?

I write for a couple hours a day. It's just part of my work schedule.  There's time for everything. In a way I'm lucky because I have very little interest in television. I don't get sucked in by hour long biography shows about Hollywood starlets. Or sitcoms. Or cop dramas. So, the time most people spend in front of a TV, I spend writing.


The Lifeless isn't your only book, you've also written Hound and Snarl.   How do these differ from your Zombie book?

SNARL is told at a heightened pace, one event follows the next without any breathing room. It's designed to be read in a single sitting, maybe two.  The Lifeless is a siege story, as zombie novels usually are, and much more character based. There's plenty of action in both, but Lifeless is a downward spiral rather than a straight-line narrative.  There's real heroism in SNARL.  The closest we come in Lifeless is sacrifice. Hound is a literary mash-up, mixing lycanthropy into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles, composed at the request of my publisher, Coscom Entertainment.


The Lifeless plays out at High School where life as we all remember can be a pain on an average day, how much worst does school get for these kids?

Everything that happens in The Lifeless is an exaggeration of things kids deal with every day in high school.  It's a book about being an outsider in a large population, not fitting into the crowd.  The title doesn't refer to the zombies, it refers to the small group of kids barricaded in the school library.  The story is about them, not the dead students and faculty roaming the halls. I hope that everyone who ever dreaded going to school finds this book.  I know they'll relate.


With there being so many variations to the everyday Zombie (fast, slow, smart, etc.) is there a formula you followed or did you come up with a new addition?

The zombies in The Lifeless are the victim of terrorist attacks, or more precisely, the aftereffects of those attacks. After reanimation, their bodies smolder on a cellular level, slowly melting. I don't think that matches any existing zombie bylaw very well. Some of them also mumble, seemingly gibberish, but sometimes little phrases of their lives come through. I thought that was a scary idea. The dead can still use their arms and legs, why wouldn't they have access to the brain as well? Mind you, they have no higher thought process, no way to understand whatever memories are trapped in their melting brains.


Did alot of research go into this book, or we you already pretty well versed in the Zombie genre?


I'm a lifelong horror fan, a “monster kid” of the '70s and '80s.  I know the genre pretty well.


Writing is a tough business, what kind of advice can you give our readers out there who may have written something  but are having trouble getting it published?

Keep writing.  Everyday.  No excuses.  Build up those writing muscles.  In time, the rejection slips will slow down and you'll start to sell stories. Learn to write for existing markets, not just whatever thought comes to you in the shower . Set deadlines for yourself and stick to them.  And learn the business end of it, as well, so you can understand the process of submission, evaluation, and rejection/acceptance.  Treat everyone, especially editors, as a professional.


So whats next on your to do list?  Anything Zombie fans can get excited about?

I'm three-quarters of the way through my next novel, a World War 2 set mummy novel.  Zombie fans looking for a more ancient, more supernatural experience should enjoy it.  It's a pretty bleak book, like The Lifeless, but the scale is so very much larger that a sense of adventure comes through, too.  It's about as far from those Brendon Fraser movies as you could imagine.


And now the token question....Have a favorite Zombie Book, Game, Movie?

Well, it would be unfair to characterize my favorite film, The Bride of Frankenstein, as a zombie movie, even the main attraction is a reanimated monster. So, I'll go with Fulci's The Beyond for my favorite zombie film and Simon Clark's Blood Crazy for book. Okay, I've cheated again. There are no actual zombies in Blood Crazy, but I defy anyone to convince me it doesn't belong squarely in the genre. I don't really play video games.


LoL, we'll let you slide this time!
Before we set you free, is there anything else you'd like to share?

Absolutely. If you go back fifteen years, the horror genre was in a bad spot. Mass market publishers had largely abandoned the genre, entire years went by without theaters playing new horror films... things were BAD. It's important to show your support for the genre or we could face those times again. So, please, if you love zombies and want more of them, buy a book every few weeks. Go see that movie. Buy the Blu-Ray. The small press has been feeding your zombie cravings very liberally over the last few years- Coscom, Permuted, Library of the Living Dead- make sure these publishers don't just survive but thrive. The consumer determines what fills the shelves. Do your part to keep horror strong in our culture. Okay, off the soapbox.  Thanks for the opportunity, Rad.


Anytime Lorne!  Some sound advice there!
Don't expect the Zombies to keep coming if you don't do your share to support them!
Thanks again for the interview and keep those books coming!

You can check out a Video Trailer for The Lifeless HERE
And feel free to check out Lorne's Main SITE and go buy the book!

So Teddy, Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?


I grew up in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, PA, where my heroes were my Dad, who was a Philadelphia Police Officer for 26 years, my Mom, who raised me right, and my brother, Frank, who played 11years in the NFL and was a big part in the Music City Miracle. I survive just like everyone else. Oh yeah, did I mention the passion for Zombies, all things Star Wars, comic books and DVDs? I laugh everyday (even at myself) and just basically enjoy life. I became part of Ron DiPrimio’s Grindhouse Pictures when I called in to his radio show doing my “Gov. Ah-nuld” impression. Things fell into place to where I am now, starring as one of the leads in For Love of Zombies. I am living a dream.


Livin The Dream!  Oh and by the way, Frank Wycheck was  The Man!
I'm sure all of our female readers are dying to know, is there a leading lady in the Blockbuster that is your life?


No, I am single in my Blockbuster life, but I expect my Facebook page will fill up with the ladies after this interview.
In the Blockbuster film, For Love of Zombies, Ansley Dunbar (who plays Brianna Shortcake) is my girlfriend in the film. This is one of her first film projects. Sarah Albertson (who plays Valerie Nada) was part of Sorrow Hill and Movie Night. That is the thing with this cast that Ron and “Million Dollar” Matt DiBiase (FLoZ producer) put together for this film actually works. We all get along like we have known each other for ages.


You heard him ladies! 
For Love Of Zombies (FLoZ) Isn't your first film, what other Epic goodness have you stared in?


Ron asked me if I was available to be an extra in Sorrow Hill. I was Mental Patient #1 (not far from the truth) and I was the “window inmate”. I always watch the behind the scenes features on DVDs and I was thrilled to be part of Sorrow Hill. For three hours on set watching them do some scenes, sitting in a make-up chair, putting on my hospital gown and all this for about 10 minutes of actual shooting. It went by so fast and I had a blast! I told a lot of friends that I am lived a dream doing Sorrow Hill and now I am living it again as one of the leading roles in FLoZ and I love every minute of it! I was also a Toy Soldier in the Morrison Grade School production of The Nutcracker, back in the fourth grade.


You know that Nutcracker video will be all over TMZ when you hit it big!
Am I interviewing the next Brad Pitt here?


Far from it…..maybe Dom DeLuise.


In case some of our readers aren't familiar with FLoZ give us a brief description and tell us where your character fits into the mix.


The film is about two Zombie obsessed guys who con their girlfriends to go on a pilgrimage to Evans City Cemetery, where Night of the Living Dead was filmed. From there the dead start to walk and hilarity and Zombie ass kicking parts follow. Ryan Burnett (who plays my buddy, Jake Burger) and I stand up to the Zombie Hoard (pun intended), but do we succeed? You have to wait to find that out.
I play Pete Comma in the film. Ron wrote the perfect character for me. You see the geeky, funny, sarcastic, and angry sides of my character through out the film.


FLoZ is being described as a horror/comedy...Will you be channeling Simon Pegg for this one? Or are you more of the sidekick?


In FLoZ, all the cast have their moments of comedy/action. In the webisodes that we have filmed so far, in one I get the “pizza slap” which makes me look like the sidekick but in another we make Ryan look the sidekick by having something happen to him. We play it like Martin & Lewis, Abbott & Costello or Shaun & Ed, where one of us gets to be the patsy. That is the one thing about this where Ron gives us the script (especially in the webisodes) and we talk and give ideas of who brings the funny. Some say after the slap and eating the pizza and cuddling it is funny but I giggle on how Ryan gives me the death stare before the slap. So it works both ways.


Get to kill any Zombies?!?!?


Of course! The exact Zombie Kill Count in FLoZ is 7,589! Actually, it is a lot less than that but there are a couple of good Zombie kills…..


Just how hard is it to memorize all your lines? Judging by the teaser trailer it must be a breeze for you!


Doing that teaser trailer made me think of the hours of courses I took on how to “fake sleep” and it paid off! Plus, I got free pizza!
To answer your question, memorizing lines is easy….it is HOW you say them on camera with all the action going on around you, that is the hard part. When I did my first table read for FLoZ, I sat there really nervous just reading my lines with some emotion. This was a new experience for me. Ron and the cast were giving me tips on how to say them and how the director wants them said. It is a lot easier now than the first time that I read. I still am a little nervous when the camera rolls, though.


Since your a Pro in the acting biz, any advice for aspiring actors?


Basically you need to just put yourself out there. Due to technology there are so many filmmakers taking their shot at Hollywood and Independent glory. Scour Craig’s List for casting calls and go for it. I have an acquaintance who claims to be a stand up comic but yet he doesn’t try and book gigs are even participate in open mic nights. He doesn’t put himself out there…if you aren’t going to promote yourself and sell yourself then no one will.


So tell us, Favorite Zombie Movie, book, game?


My favorite Zombie movie is Dawn of the Dead (1978). I love all the Romero films and all Zombies should be in Romero style. For Love of Zombies, Shaun of the Dead, 28 Days/Weeks Later (I know, the are “infected”) and the Resident Evil series. I see a movie with a running corpse, a Zombie driving a car or speaking and I want to scream! Zombie books include Jonathan Maberry’s Patient Zero (great start to hopefully a long series with Joe Ledger), Day by Day Armageddon by JL Bourne and Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski (no Zombies, but very good). As for games, I play HeroClix with a Zombie theme with Duke and the gang at my local comic shop.


Ok, before we let you get back to acting, have anything else you'd like to share with our readers?


I just want to thank you, Rad and ZombieHoard for having me in this interview.

I guess now is plug time. You can check out all FLoZ updates on the For Love of Zombies (Official Page) and The Random Ass Podcast Facebook pages and also at forloveofzombies. We will have three more webisodes coming out soon before principle photography begins in June in Evans City. You can also listen to the Random Ass Podcast on grindhouse-radio.
We will be holding our Brains and Beer/Zombie Casting Call at The Rail Bar in Richland, NJ on May 8th . If you want YOUR NAME in the credits of FLoZ, check out indiegogo and type in For Love of Zombies. There are more options there (T-Shirts, Cast signed mini-posters) where you can help support independent film making. Thank you all in advance! You can also check ZombieHoard.com for updates in the forum section where I post as ZombieTK.


Your very welcome Ted!  Come Back Anytime and keep us updated!

We here at The Hoard love promoting the little guys, without whom the Zombie genre wouldn't be where it is today!

So we encourage you to do your part and help where you can!

T.L., Care to tell us a little about yourself?

Friends tell me I dress like a biker and talk like a philosopher. I love a good beer and cigar every now and then, especially while writing, and tend to be more solitary than overtly sociable, but I have found I can get along well with anyone. I have no problem displaying my darker side, my faith, or my sense of humor, twisted or otherwise, providing it does not go against good taste and judgment. And I am almost as passionate about metal as I am horror.


Your Site tells us that your from Texas, this makes you the first US
Author interviewed by us!  Are you super excited?  LoL

Absolutely. It's great to be the first -- makes it kinda feel like a landmark event. LOL. With that said, the love of horror is a culture in and of itself.


So is writing a full time thing for you or are you multi talented?

I write as often as I can, but I still have a full time job. It's a night job. I'm not a big fan of daylight. No wife and kids though. No relationships for a while. Everyday living and a passion for writing dark fiction and horror takes up the majority of my time, and occasionally I take a break from both to sleep. LOL.


Sleeps so overrated!  Writing horror takes a certain kind of person, did anything in your
childhood and upbringing influence your writing?

Without doubt. As a kid I was never anything near popular or well-liked. I looked different than everyone else. I didn't wear trendy brand name clothes and all that crap. And I loved to read and keep to myself. So naturally I was alienated, ridiculed, etc. While all the other kids were doing stuff or hanging out with each other, I was at home watching 70s and 80s horror movies and The Three Stooges, reading Michael Slade psycho thrillers, some of which I consider horror novels, and enjoying the imaginative creativity of my own little world, which was often as light as it was dark. I was writing stories by about age 12 or 13. It was a fantastic way to escape, to vent, to level out, to be entertained, and to do something worthwhile all at once. Entertaining imagination has always been an important love in my family. They love to read just as much as me and we share a great deal of various books. We had many awesome movie mights with pizza and constant deep discussions when I lived with them. And they were always faithfully supportive of my writing.


Lots of us can relate to that!  You list H.P. Lovecraft and Poe as a few of your heroes, do you think that
the older genre of horror had more to offer then the current trend of
remakes and bloodbaths?

I've seen some great remakes and I always love a good bloodbath. But I gotta give serious respect to the classic horror creators in movies and literature who managed to achieve such a high level of fear without taking the gore and death to the extreme limits. They show us it is very possible to have good horror without exceptionally high doses of graphic violence. They made the foundation we have built this world of horror on, and their works still endure and earn praise today. I'd say anyone seriously into horror should be familiar with the classics, especially if they are looking to become creators in the genre. While I can't really say the classics are better than the contemporaries, as I love both for different reasons, I can say for sure that we can always learn something from them. And in THE LIVING DREAD, I made it a goal to pay homage to every field of horror -- classic and contemporary, movies and literature.


Your current and first book The Living Dread is a compilation of 15
various horror stories, is there a theme to these or are they all stand
alone? And more importantly for the Undead, how many of them are Zombie
related?

For the most part, the stories are all stand alone. One of them has a sequel towards the end of the book, and two of them deal with the same thing and could be considered connected chronologically. I did, however, write each story in such a way that any one of them can be read and make perfect sense all by itself. I also tried to make the book title a unifying theme throughout all the stories in that the fear lives on past your experience with each tale. And three of them feature zombies -- two with flesh eating, one where they are enraged mutants, one where they are decayed corpses risen from the grave, and one where somebody comes back to life after they are murdered for some good old-fashioned revenge.


I'm officially getting the book, LoL!  Any zombie media out there that may have influenced these stories?

Yeah. I'd say I drew some inspiration from Night Of The Living Dead, Planet Terror, Lucio Fulci's Zombie and City Of The Living Dead, and a classic and rare Italian zombie movie from Umberto Lenzi called Nightmare City -- where the zombies actually use weapons like knives and machine guns. And I also absolutely love the industrial metal music of White Zombie, which is full of references to various great horror movies, both in samples used and in the lyrics themselves. It has been a source of entertainment and inspiration for several years and shall continue to be so for as long as I live. And by the way, for anyone who doesn't know this already, the band name White Zombie was chosen because it is the title of a classic black-and-white zombie movie featuring Bela Lugosi (Dracula). It predates Night Of The Living Dead by more than thirty years and revolves around the actual voodoo mythology of zombies.


First ever Zombie movie, good call!  With there being so many different takes on Zombies (fast, slow, smart,
etc.) is there a formula you followed or can we expect something new?

I just tried to tell it like it would make sense. If the zombies are corpses with a great deal of bodily decay, obviously they're gonna move a little slower. If they're prone to insane amounts of rage from a toxic reaction to something never before experienced, they're gonna move pretty fast.


Writing has to be a rough job, any advice for aspiring writers who want to
avoid getting lost in the shuffle?

Don't expect overnight success. Don't expect to "get rich quick." Don't write what the current fads or trends tell you will sell to millions of readers, write what you love and stay true to it. If writing is a love for you and not just a source of income, never give up, never stop. Just because it doesn't make a huge impact now doesn't mean it never will. H. P. Lovecraft was only published in pulp magazines throughout his entire lifetime and career. A collected book of his stories was never in print until after he died. His success was considered marginal and he never made a lot of money from it. And now, decades after he has passed on, he is regarded as one of the greatest masters of horror the literary world has ever seen, his stories have been published numerous times in a wide variety of volumes, and his creations are still a major source of inspiration for countless writers, artists, and film makers.


Another great name from the past! So whats next on your agenda?  Anymore love for us Zombie fans?

At the time of this interview I am a little more than halfway finished with my second book. While it is still stories, there are much less and they are longer -- one of them may even be a full novella. I'm going for the feel of Clive Barker's Books Of Blood. And yes, I do have more zombie stories planned.


That's what we like to hear! Now for the obvious question!  Have a favorite Zombie movie, book, game?

I have two favorite zombie movies, I can not choose one over the other: the original and all-time classic Night Of The Living Dead, and the very unique horror-comedy Return Of The Living Dead. They are each a perfect example of the best things a great zombie movie can offer -- symbolism to really make you think, gloomy and creepy atmosphere, including excellent music, just the right amount of gore, and when done correctly, just the right amount of twisted humor. As far as literature goes, it's a zombie short story that climbs to the top of my list -- Dark Delicacies Of The Dead by Rick Pickman, which can be found in the outstanding multi-author terror tales collection Dark Delicacies, a book I highly recommend. And the zombie game I love the most has got to be a tie between the first, and best, Resident Evil, and the endlessly fun Left 4 Dead 2.


Some good choices!  Before we go, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Check me out at my SITE. Thank you for your time and whatever support you choose to offer, even if it's just a smile and a wish for good luck. If you decide to buy THE LIVING DREAD, I hope you love it. Keep horror alive forever -- the dread must live on!

Well thank you for your time, Good Luck in your future endeavors and keep us informed on any future projects!

Shaun Jeffrey the Author behind Evilution, The Kult, and now Deadfall was kind enough to sit down with us and give us some dirt on the life he calls his own!


Mr. Jeffrey, care to tell us a little about yourself ?

Well, I guess I had an unusual upbringing, as I grew up living in a house in a cemetery where my grandparents were the caretakers. For my full time job I work on the railway as a signaling and telecommunications engineer, and in my spare time I like to write horror stories, which I guess considering my background isn’t that unexpected.

Your Site tells us that you’re from England, has the Zombie craze consumed our neighbors over the pond as well?

Zombies are popular the world over, aren’t they? The amount of films and books about the undead in recent years has made sure of that. I guess at some point peoples current love affair will wane, but for now it’s great to see that zombies refuse to die.

Hopefully they never die, unless of course their after us!

So what occupies your time besides writing?

Besides writing, I like to keep fit (I used to work as a fitness instructor) so I go the gym a couple of times a week, and I also do Taekwondo with my son. Between that, a family and a full time job, my life’s pretty full, but I love reading and watching films too. Oh, and hiking, camping and computer games. Not necessarily in that order though.

Tell us a little about your Zombie book Deadfall!

I wanted to write something that had plenty of action, and as a big fan of Alien, I wanted a strong female lead, which I hope is how my main character, Amber comes across. The back blurb is:

"Kill them or convert them – either way we win."
A team of mercenaries race to an abandoned mining village to rescue two children held hostage by rogue ex-soldiers. But the kidnappers are a ruse, the real threat more terrifying than any of them could imagine.

Aided by a couple of unsuspecting eco-warriors, mercenary team leader Amber Redgrave must fight to survive against foes that don’t sleep and don’t feel pain.

Now as the body count rises, so do the stakes, and when the dead won’t stay dead, there’s going to be hell to pay.

With there being so many variations to the everyday Zombie (fast, slow,smart, etc.) is there a formula you followed or did you come up with a new addition?

It’s always hard to come up with anything totally original, but I’ve included a couple of things that I hope people find surprising. Of course I don’t want to give anything away, but I hope people like the way I’ve tackled the subject.

Deadfall is not your first book, you've also written The Kult and Evilution, how do these differ from Deadfall?

Evilution was my first published novel. It had the tag line, ‘Humankind is about to change’ and the story was about a quaint village that harbors dark secrets. The Kult also had a tag line, ‘People are predictable. That’s what makes them easy to kill’ and it’s a dark serial killer story with a dash of mystery thrown into the mix. Although the subject matters are different to Deadfall, I like to write what I like to read, which is tightly written stories with cliff-hanger chapter endings that force people to read on.

Any other projects we may have missed?

I’ve had a number of short stories published, some of which were published in a collection entitled, Voyeurs of Death. I’ve now made this collection free to download for anyone interested. It contains various stories, ranging from zombies, ghosts and monsters to a deadly tooth fairy, and I think it gives an overall feel for my style of writing: Voyeurs Of Death

With so many books out there, have there been any authors who may haveinspired your writing?

I like the usual suspects, King, Koontz, Masterton, Laymon, but I write because I love it, and I feel compelled to string together groups of words in the hope that they will make some sort of sense. In fact, reading something brilliant from an author I admire can have an adverse effect, as I think, ‘I’ll never be that good.’

The writing industry is pretty rough, any advice for aspiring writers?

It’s hard work, and if you submit your work, you will probably gather a pile of rejections that you could paper a room with. But if you love writing with a passion, you just have to knuckle down and continue to write. If any editors are kind enough to offer advice, listen to it. Study books on the art of writing, and read anything and everything, whether it’s in a genre you like or not, as all forms of literature will contain something that you can learn from. Pick up your favorite novel or short story and read it, paying close attention to how the author has structured the story. Think about why you like it so much. Learn from it.

So what’s next on your agenda? Anymore love for us Zombie fans?

I am working on a sequel to The Kult, but I’m also working on a zombie screenplay with Danielle Kaheaku who has written the screenplay for The Kult (more details about that in reply to the next question). I would like to write a follow on to Deadfall too, but I guess I’ll have to see what the reception to Deadfall is like first.

Before we go, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

The biggest thing happening at the moment is that The Kult was optioned for film at the end of last year by Gharial Productions. Filming is planned for September of this year, so I’m keeping everything crossed that it goes ahead. If anyone wants to keep up to date on the project, or to find out anything else about me, they can check my website and sign up to my irregular newsletter, or they can touch base with me on Myspace or Facebook.

Well thank you for your time, Good Luck in your future endeavors and don't be a stranger!

Thank you for the questions.


There you have it folks, straight from Mr. Jeffrey's himself!
You can pick up Deadfall, Evilution, & The Kult by clicking on the links for locations!

So as most of our readers know we've been featuring James Cheetham this month, his books, his Zombie portraits, his life.  And as the saying goes "All good things must come to an end"!  And what an end it is, Mr Cheetham was nice enough to take some time off from his Zombie duties and grant us an interview!  We picked his brains and got some dirt!  And dont forget April 1st is the deadline to get your portrait Zombified by James courtesy of The Hoard and Mt Cheetham!  All you gotta do is send me an EMAIL and let me know why YOU deserve to be transformed!  We'll announce a winner on April 2nd!

Lets get started!

Your Site tells us that your from the Great White North, any common misconceptions about Canada you'd like to clear up?

There’s plenty of misconception regarding Canada, and more often than not, it’s from an American perspective. I hope the recent Vancouver Olympics has helped to change some of those views. For instance, I've never been on a dogsled, a snowmobile, a moose, or even skis, my entire life...

Actually, Canada is not much different than the States. I think we’re a more relaxed people in general mind you, though 9-11 certainly didn’t help. As an ex-Corrections Officer, I think what might surprise many Americans is the gang problem we have, especially here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is as wicked as any American city believe it or not, and there have been many ruthless murders due to gang warfare, some of them quite gruesome. That’s a side of Canada many Americans don’t anticipate. Friendly Manitoba (as it says on the license plates) my ass…

Wow, didnt see that coming!  LoL

So rumor has it that your Zombie book has been delayed, whats the story and who do we have to bug to get this thing in our hands?

The zombie series was delayed in 2007 after the original publisher and I went our separate ways. It was ready to ship in fact, and was even sold on a pre-order basis at a book signing I did during the Christmas holidays of that year. I just felt the publisher and I had different ideas and I needed to try something different. That said; I don’t discard the fact that they helped me become a published writer though I owe most of that sentiment to their editor. She discovered me, and I’m forever in debt to her.

Not long after that I spent a year with a Literary Agency in Toronto, and again, it just seemed like I was always running up the hill and everybody else was on this casual walk. I was that kid stopping at the top, out of breath, looking down screaming ‘hurry up!’, but there was never any rush. So, I developed the Cheetham’s Zombies concept and did everything ass-backwards. The book isn’t out yet, but you can still be part of the story by becoming a Cheetham’s Zombie...it's reverse franchising at its best...


Lets run with your writing for a sec, Your first novel, Fade To Pale, won some awards and has received some high praises, what was going through your mind after it was published?

I’d written Fade To Pale over a three year period while working on the psychiatric unit of a prison, which is appropriate because it is very much a book about losing one’s mind. It seemed to really affect people, more so than I’d expected, and that’s pretty cool. What was going through my mind once it was published was how to explain to a handful of readers that the story wasn't about them...it's just a coincidence ma'am, I didn't steal your diary, now please put down the crossbow and get out of my yard...


Any authors out there who may have inspired your writing?

I read a lot of different books, not just horror. Good writing comes in many forms, as does bad writing. Bad writers are just as much an influence. If it wasn’t for bad writers I wouldn’t have come to the conclusion that I could do better. It was a good way of fooling myself into attempting the impossible.


Any advice for aspiring writers?

Did I mention it's like attempting the impossible? I believe if you truly want to dedicate your life to writing you must be prepared to give up a few things. You have to be willing to shut out loved ones, even if it is only for a few hours a day. You must be willing to wear your heart on your sleeve when you write or the readers will see right through you. You must endure shots to the ego. There is nothing more hurtful than rejection, and you must train your ego not to take a letter from a publisher or agent saying ‘thanks but no thanks’ personally. Sometimes that’s hard after spending years working on something only to be told it isn’t good enough. I guess, to sum it up, you must be willing to believe in your heart that what you are doing is worth it, no matter what other people think. It’s a lonely world at times, be prepared to paddle your own boat when it’s sinking. I have a mental list of those I’ll be inviting to the house warming in Beverly Hills and those I won't be inviting, unless of course I’m too busy parking cars...


Aside from being an Author your time is also consumed by various other enterprises, care to share some of your other ventures with us? How did you manage to get into such a wide spectrum of business?

I developed Cheetham’s Zombies and I think, if I do say so myself, we offer a pretty original idea. We take a photograph of you, turn you into a zombie and offer your image on different things like T-shirts, posters, mugs, or even Halloween photo cookies. I’ve been in contact with a few other companies regarding possible collaborations as well. The coolest idea I think, has been the cookies. You can be ‘Officially Infected’ and then have your zombie persona placed on Halloween cookies, which we will ship to your home in time for your Halloween party. Myphotocookie.com and I will be doing this again in 2010. Everybody who buys or wins a Zombie Makeover this year will be automatically entered to become one of four of our 2010 designs. So, you can order one of our four generic zombies, or pay a little more and get them personalized. You can eat your own head…come on, that’s cool!


Have a favorite Zombie Movie or Book?

The original Dawn of The Dead has always been my favorite zombie movie, my favorite movie in general really. Romero knew what he was doing when it came to the undead, and I have a soft spot for the 1970s—the decade of my youth, so it is a marriage of all things I love. If there are dead people walking around in bell-bottom corduroy pants, I’m there baby…


So whats next on your Zombie Agenda?

Well, I’m talking to somebody about finally releasing the first book in the zombie series. Seasons of The Brittle Harvest Volume 1: Prairie Frost may very well see the light of day, and it’s about time. I suppose that means I will have to finish the second book in the series called Prairie Flood. I’m almost done Ballad of a Bought Farm too and hope to find a respectable publisher to release that as well…


Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

 Yes...close your eyes...

Thank You for your time Mr. Cheetham, it has been a pleasure! 

Keep checking back for an Interview of another Zombie author at the beginning of April!

And with that Im taking James' advice and going to take a nap!