Books, Beer and Blogshit: Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014: Julianne Snow

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Final week of the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour folks! We have more interviews than days left in the week so to spice things up, you are going to see some double-headers this week! We are going to be throwing zombies at you fast and furious to close this mayhem out!

So for interview number one of two today, I am proud to present Julianne Snow. Anyone who follows the writers in zombie circles will find her name quite recognizable I am sure. She is a rising female voice not only in zombie fiction but horror in general. Her and I will actually be sharing the pages later this summer in not one but two STATE OF HORROR anthologies.

So read the Julianne Snow interview before the flesh rots from your face and you walk the Earth a souless monster.

Books, Beer and Blogshit: Are you a survivor or one of the undead?

Julianne Snow: Survivor most definitely!

The Blogshit: What is your latest piece of zombie fiction we should be concerning ourselves with?

Julianne Snow: Glimpses of the Undead – a short story collection that combines a few sub genres of the undead fiction realms (plus there’s a funny vampire story thrown in for good measure!)

The Blogshit: Do you feel you are a classic or progressive type of zombie fiction writer?

Julianne Snow: I’d classify myself as both. I’ve written more classic type zombies and delved into some of the newer sub-genres as well. I think every writer needs to mix it up a bit.

The Blogshit: What makes your zombies different from all others?

Julianne Snow: The easy answer is that I’ve written them. Every author has a style and their zombies are going to reflect that. I try to keep aspects believable in terms of the scientific realm because that’s where my background is—of course people could argue that nothing about zombies is scientific, but I do beg to differ. Tissue is going to behave in a certain way when exposed to different phenomena. If you expose your zombies to fire and they don’t burn, it’s going to be fairly unbelievable. Certain things just can’t be messed with… But I digress!

The Blogshit: What makes your living different from all the others?

Julianne Snow: That’s a very good question! I write flawed characters because the simple truth of the matter is that we’re all flawed. Sure there are heroes that emerge, but chances are those individuals had absolutely no idea they had that capability within them.

The Blogshit: Do you think it's important, in this climate, to run with the pack or really try to reinvent the wheel in zombie fiction?

Julianne Snow: I think the story needs to go where the story needs to go. So many readers lament the fact that zombie fiction is the ‘same old, same old’. If we never change it up, we’re definitely going to lose the interest of those readers. Now I’m not advocating breaking the mold—but if you want to breathe a little new life into the genre, I think it will be refreshing and welcome.

The Blogshit: Zombie fiction seems heavily dependent upon working within the construct of a series. Do you feel that is the way that makes it work best for you or do you think there is still room for stand alone stories?

Julianne Snow: I think there’s room for both. I’ve got a great idea for a standalone book that I plan to start before the end of the year. It’s a little different, but I think it will definitely work.

The Blogshit: Are you ever afraid of being pigeon-holed in this zombie fiction genre?

Julianne Snow: Not at all. I love what I write and I love that people love it. If that pigeon-holes me in the opinion of some, it still doesn’t define who I am as a writer or what I write.

The Blogshit: For your next zombie story, stand alone or series, do you think you will need to go sicker or smarter to keep it going?

Julianne Snow: That’s a hard question to answer. I don’t see myself going overly gory, but I do have that within me. We’ll just have to see where the story takes me!

The Blogshit: On last year's tour, we asked about what to put on your zombie sandwich. This year, we want to know: What special ingredients would you use to pickle the pickles on your zombie sandwich?

Julianne Snow: Here’s the recipe I use—it’s a little sweet and a little sour, just the way I like it!

25 medium pickling cucumbers, washed and sliced 1/4-inch thick with a crinkle vegetable cutter, if desired

6 medium onions, cut into thin rings

2 washed and diced green peppers; if desired you can use a hot pepper for flavour

3 minced cloves garlic

1/2 cup pickling salt or kosher salt (5% saline solution works just as well though you need to be sure you don’t exceed your liquid ingredients)

3 cups cider or white vinegar

5 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon turmeric