Winter of Zombie 2015: John O'Brien

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! Its the only blog on the internet that hunts zombies with its bare hands! I am your coagulated blood handed host, Mr. Frank!

Today, author John O'Brien makes his triumphant return to the BLOGshit. He is a regular to the BLOGshit on both the Winter and Summer of Zombie blog tours and we always look forward to him like he's Santa Claus with a gun. John O'Brien is a preeminant force in the zombie fiction world and we always look forward to what he has to say in this, the Books, Beer and BLOGshit Winter of Zombie 2015 interview.

BANG!

The Blogshit: Let’s cut to the chase, what are you promoting for the Winter of Zombie?

John O'Brien:  I recently published another set of short stories set within the fictional world created with A New World.  The title is, A New World: Untold Stories 2.

The Blogshit: It’s rarely ever talked about, but how do you envision the outcome of the zombie world you have created? Is there hope? Will humanity succumb to the new world order? What is the outcome of all this horrible zombie business?

John O'Brien:  It could go either way and there’s always hope that humanity will survive in some capacity.  But it’s a huge uphill struggle.  The odds are pretty bad.  As the series began, the odds were 7 night runners for every single survivor.  That very quickly dropped off into staggering odds as humanity vanished under the wave of hunting night runners.  So, we’ll have to see what happens.

The Blogshit: As a writer of zombie fiction, do you feel you can sustain your career writing about zombies only or do you feel you will need to write outside the sub-genre to continue? What avenues will you branch out to if you do feel a need to expand?

John O'Brien:  I’m not sure about this, honestly.  I feel that I could sustain it with stories in the same genre, but eventually those would overlap.  There are only so many different things that can happen.  So, I will eventually write outside of the genre and have a few stories in mind to do just that.  I will most likely branch out into the military thriller and fantasy genres.

This is NOT the John O'Brien you're looking for.

The Blogshit: What is more important to the story: A sympathetic human survivor or a zombie with an interesting storyline?

John O'Brien:  The most important thing in my opinion is to have a character that people can relate to.  One that seems real in their thinking and actions.  Mistakes will be made and they can’t be perfect all of the time.  So, to me, it doesn’t matter whether that would be a zombie or survivor.  I just need for them to be three dimensional and seem real.

The Blogshit: For you, who are the most important writers in zombie fiction at this moment?

John O'Brien:  You mean besides me?  Haha…I’m so kidding there.  To be honest, there are a lot of great writers out there in the genre.  It’s difficult to give name to any one or two.

THIS is the John O'Brien you're looking for.

The Blogshit: Is there room for sex in the zombie apocalypse?

John O'Brien:  I think there’s room for it, if it’s done appropriately and not the focus.  After all, the characters are in a stress-filled environment.  Post-adrenaline, shared tense encounters, and the closeness each survivor will share will naturally lead to that.  I chose not to be descriptive or have that in the series, but it will be prevalent in any situation of that kind.

The Blogshit:  How much consideration do you give to the seasons in your zombie stories?

John O'Brien:  Well, I try to keep everything as realistic as possible.  I mean, it is fiction.  However, each season brings a different challenge to the mix so I keep that in mind when keeping track of the story line in my head.

The Blogshit: Our final question always revolves around zombie themed food. This Winter of Zombie, Books, Beer and BLOGshit wants you to consider setting up a food truck to cater to a zombie clientele. What would you name your Zombie Food Truck?

John O'Brien:  Brain Apetit

Whether you’ve been freshly raised or have been stumbling around the block for a while, you’ll appreciate our specialties. Tired of Mexican or Asian? We carry only the finest and specialize in celebrity cold cuts. Try our leg of Tufo sandwich. Cold outside? Of course it is — you’re undead. Order our famous Armand chili. Have your own kill? Bring them in and throw it on our open grill. Leave your legs behind, we cater.  Whatever you crave, don’t moan. We have what you need. 

John O'Brien
Author of the series, A New World

Author page: http://www.amazon.com/John-OBrien/e/B005IDEPP0/
Web site: http://anewworldseries.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/A_NewWorld
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJohnWOBrien
Merchandise store:
http://zazzle.com/anewworldsupplies

http://www.cafepress.com/anewworldseries

Winter of Zombie 2015: Nerys Wheatley

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! Its the only blog on the internet that has never dropped the spirit stick! I am your peppy cheerleader, Mr. Frank!

Today at Winter of Zombie camp, is the very suspicious camp counselor, one Nerys Wheatley. She keeps telling the kids all these graphic, creepy stories that are far too detailed to be something she made up off the top of her head. What I think is that she is the maniac murderer of Winter of Zombie camp.

Of course, being the first one to suspect that means my time in this movie is coming to an end soon. I only hope I can provide the first key clue as to Ms. Wheatley's true nature to the protagonist before my ultimate demise. So read the interview and get clued in so you can be the hero at the end of the day!

The Blogshit: Let’s cut to the chase, what are you promoting for the Winter of Zombie?

Nerys Wheatley:  I’m promoting “Mutation“, book 1 in my “Twenty-Five Percent” series, a zombie/action/thriller with scares, tension, and a few laughs.

After thirteen years, the world has learned to deal with the virus that turns people into mindless flesh-eaters. There’s even a cure, although those who come through the disease are physically changed and Survivors, like police detective Alex MacCallum, are often feared and hated. When a new, much worse strain of the virus causes a sudden, massive outbreak, Alex is forced to join with Micah, an anti-Survivor activist who hates him. Surrounded by hordes of eaters, the two enemies struggle to stay alive and find the cause of this new, and possibly not entirely natural, strain of the deadliest virus on earth.

The Blogshit: It’s rarely ever talked about, but how do you envision the outcome of the zombie world you have created? Is there hope? Will humanity succumb to the new world order? What is the outcome of all this horrible zombie business?

Nerys Wheatley:  There’s always hope!  My scenario is a little different in that the outbreak is localised and contained to one city. The virus has already been around for thirteen years so they know what it does. What they don’t know is that this is a new strain and not so easy to deal with and the authorities seriously underestimate the danger. As things stand now, the situation is grim, but my heroes will fight to stop the outbreak somehow. Whether or not they succeed has yet to be revealed (and I haven’t written it yet!).

The Blogshit: As a writer of zombie fiction, do you feel you can sustain your career writing about zombies only or do you feel you will need to write outside the sub-genre to continue? What avenues will you branch out to if you do feel a need to expand?

Nerys Wheatley:  I’m currently writing book three in the series and there will most probably be more in the future, but I won’t write another, separate, zombie series. It’s not a case of sustaining my career, it’s more that I enjoy all different genres and I want to write them too! I can’t stay in one place. Too many ideas! I have plans for future science fiction novels and I can see myself going into other genres too. I hope those that enjoy my zombie books will also enjoy them.  Being an author is kind of like being the Doctor, being able to travel anywhere, anytime, and into any story. It’s exciting!

The Blogshit: What is more important to the story: A sympathetic human survivor or a zombie with an interesting storyline?

Nerys Wheatley:  Well, in the best books you would get both! But if I have to chose, it would be the human survivor. An interesting, likeable lead character for the reader to root for is always what I want in the books I read.  Without that I tend to lose interest. I want someone I can take the journey with, experience things through their eyes and want them to succeed. Those are the kind of characters I try to write. Although in Mutation I kind of have both in that my ’zombies’ (called eaters) are not your typical walking dead (they’re not dead, for a start!) and my lead character was formally infected and cured. So I have a sympathetic human survivor AND zombie with an interesting storyline all in one person!

The Blogshit: For you, who are the most important writers in zombie fiction at this moment?

Nerys Wheatley:  This is difficult for me to answer as, to be honest, I don’t read that much zombie fiction! Should I admit that? I read more when I wasn’t writing it, but there’s something about writing the genre that makes me move away from it a little. Kind of like taking your work home with you! So as far as important goes, there are other people who can and I’m sure will answer that better than I can.

However, ask me what I think is important to zombie fiction as a whole and I would say more originality. I’ve had several reviews for Mutation that comment on how different it is from the other zombie stories out there and how refreshing it is to have something new. I’ve also heard many people say they are over the whole zombie genre because it seems to them like it is becoming all the same. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are always new stories to be told, and I know there are new zombies to create! Undead innovation, we can do it!

The Blogshit: Is there room for sex in the zombie apocalypse?

Nerys Wheatley:  Unless the human race is going to die out, there had better be! Are we talking human/human? Human/zombie? Zombie/zombie? Or, in a twist, zombie/werewolf? I’m not here to judge. Whatever floats your boat!

The Blogshit:  How much consideration do you give to the seasons in your zombie stories?

Nerys Wheatley:  My series so far only takes place over less than a (very action-packed) early autumn month so so far I haven’t had to!

The Blogshit: Our final question always revolves around zombie themed food. This Winter of Zombie, Books, Beer and BLOGshit wants you to consider setting up a food truck to cater to a zombie clientele. What would you name your Zombie Food Truck?

Nerys Wheatley:  My very upmarket zombie food truck  would be:

THE GOURMET STIFF

Tired of eating raw brains day in day out? Want something tasty and new to munch on, but can‘t quite shake a penchant for the grey matter? Try our new menu, for discerning zombies who like something a little bit different. From marinated medulla oblongata with a spinal fluid and parsley sauce, to fricasseed frontal lobe topped with spiced kidney wedges, we cater for all your undead culinary desires.

With covered seating area and full dessert menu.

Nerys Wheatley on the Web:  http://neryswheatley.com/

Nerys Wheatley on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Nerys-Wheatley/e/B00X6FP2KO/

Winter of Zombie 2015: Rob E Boley

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog on the internet that's a touch of French with a hint of Italian. I am you continental  cusine host, Mr. Frank!

Back in the day, in a little town called Freehold, New Jersey where Bruce Springsteen once got frustrated with suburban life and a grand mall once stood stood a little resturaunt in said mall's food court. It was called Roli Boli. It was delicious. 

Rob E Boley is also delicious, in a consumption of words kinda way. I doubt he has any real connection to Freehold, New Jersey or Bruce Springsteen. But that's okay because Roli Boli no longer exists in the mall anyway. Damnit, Rob E Boley, you made me hungry.

I'm going to go brood in the corner while you good fold enjoy the Books, Beer and BLOGshit Winter of Zombie interview with Rob E. Boley.

The Blogshit: Let’s cut to the chase, what are you promoting for the Winter of Zombie?

Rob E. Boley:  I’m promoting my Scary Tales dark fantasy series of novels, which begins with That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White & Zombies. The series is a mash-up of fairy tales and classic horror monsters. It starts where the classic Snow White fairy tale ends—with the Prince kissing Snow to wake her from her zombie curse. Except she wakes up as a deranged zombie and all hell breaks loose. Although Snow White’s zombies remain the primary threat throughout the series, I also introduce other mash-ups, such as Red Riding Hood and werewolves, Beauty & the Beast with Phantom of the Opera, and Goldilocks and The Mummy.

The Blogshit: It’s rarely ever talked about, but how do you envision the outcome of the zombie world you have created? Is there hope? Will humanity succumb to the new world order? What is the outcome of all this horrible zombie business?

Rob E. Boley:  I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I will say this: very few of my characters are likely to live happily ever after. I’m a huge fan of bittersweet endings. It’s far more satisfying—and true to life—when characters win a little but also lose a little. I mean, how many pure victories do we ever really achieve in life? Achieving anything—especially surviving a zombie apocalypse—always comes at a cost.

The Blogshit: As a writer of zombie fiction, do you feel you can sustain your career writing about zombies only or do you feel you will need to write outside the sub-genre to continue? What avenues will you branch out to if you do feel a need to expand?

Rob E. Boley:  I never really set out to be a zombie horror writer—or even necessarily a horror writer. I just write the stories that come to my mind, but so far those have mostly tended to be horror or dark fantasy. I grew up reading horror and I love the genre. I have a few more books coming in The Scary Tales series. I’m also working on another book that features zombie-like creatures, but I can’t imagine all of my future books will feature zombies. I have some ideas for non-zombie stories, and it’s just a matter of time before one of those sees print. At some point, I aim to write a werewolf novel. I’ve always loved the man-beast duality of werewolves.

The Blogshit: What is more important to the story: A sympathetic human survivor or a zombie with an interesting storyline?

Rob E. Boley:  It totally depends on the story. But as long as the survivor has some serious flaws and the antagonist has some depth, I think the story will do just fine. That’s the thing with writing zombie fiction—zombies aren’t—as characters—typically that interesting. They’re more like a force of nature, like a hurricane or flood, than most traditional monsters. So, in zombie fiction, it helps to have some regular people to serve as an alternate antagonist. Walking Dead is a great example of that. After the first few trades, the real threat quickly becomes other people—not the shambling ghouls.

The Blogshit: For you, who are the most important writers in zombie fiction at this moment?

Rob E. Boley:  Honestly, I don’t know if I’m qualified to say. I mean, there’s so much zombie fiction out there, I can’t imagine I’ve read but a small fraction of it. I will say that Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead graphic novel series is brilliant. I love Max Brooks’ work, too. I am a huge fan of David Wellington’s Monster Island trilogy, which was an original spin on the zombie mythos.

The Blogshit: Is there room for sex in the zombie apocalypse?

Rob E. Boley:  Sex is like Jell-o. There’s always room for it. I actually get frustrated that there isn’t more sex in zombie apocalypse tales. I mean, death is literally staring these people in the face. Hell, death is trying to eat their faces. Why aren’t they screwing like rabbits, you know? Seriously, though, if you want a great example of sexy zombie apocalyptic hijinks, check out The Resurrected by Megan Hart. She does an amazing job of infusing erotic tension into her zombie epic. Spoiler alert: she also writes a bad-ass zombie sex scene.

The Blogshit:  How much consideration do you give to the seasons in your zombie stories?

Rob E. Boley:  Seasons are especially important for zombies. If it’s below freezing, those corpses are going to freeze right the hell up. Likewise if it’s summer, those zombies are going to get ripe mighty quick. Autumn is my favorite season, so I tend to set a lot of my stories, including The Scary Tales, in those fall months. Though probably spring is the best weather for zombies. All the rain loosens up the soil so it’s easier to crawl out of the grave. Plus, there’s no dead leaves to crunch underfoot and ruin the element of surprise.

That's a Roli Boli. You know you want one too.

The Blogshit: Our final question always revolves around zombie themed food. This Winter of Zombie, Books, Beer and BLOGshit wants you to consider setting up a food truck to cater to a zombie clientele. What would you name your Zombie Food Truck?

Rob E. Boley:  I think it’d have to be called Whole Brain Foods. We’d only serve human brains and meat that were raised free-range style—with a minimum of two hours of outdoor time each day—without the use of genetic modification, antibiotics, or tranquilizers. Don’t you just hate biting into a good hunk of human flesh and tasting a mouthful of chemicals? I sure do! Of course, we wouldn’t use preservatives for our products, so that food truck is going to stink something fierce. Fortunately, our zombie clientele aren’t likely to care. Unfortunately, our zombie clientele doesn’t have a lot of cash on hand—and they always forget to bring their credit cards. But that’s life—er, afterlife—in the food truck business. 

Rob E. Boley Online: http://www.robboley.com/

Rob E. Boley on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rob-E.-Boley/e/B00FSM1AD6

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2015: J.E. Gurley

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! Its the only blog that knows that beer before liquor, never sicker. I am you shit faced host, Mr. Frank!

Today we feature the final option for the years blog posts that we've yet to unleash upon you. Author J.E. Gurley brings us the inaugural presentation of the zombie drinking game! He was supposed to base the drinking game around one of his zombie fiction series or just off the characteristics of his zombies. Instead he went right for the throat and hopes you will drink while taking out zombies in real life. So, uhhh, you may have to wait awhile before you can play along at home for this one.

Cheers!

Here is a drinking game I call Shot for Shot.


Rules: Shot for Shot


1. Two or more players each choose a zombie at a specified distance. On signal, they each fire.
Shooter whose dead zombie hits the ground first chooses liquor used for Shot for Shot game. Note: Zombie must be dead. A mere knockdown doesn't count.


2. In turn, players choose a target and fire. Ten second rule applies for targeting. Score is as follows:
Kill with a clean head shot - 3 points
Kill with an upper torso shot - 2 points

Head shot, no kill - 1 point
Body shot, no kill - 0 points
For a fast moving target, add 2 points to score.


3. 5 points earns shooter a shot of liquor.


4. When group total reaches 20 points, rules reverse. Next 5 points eliminates shooter from a drinking round, but all others must drink shots of liquor. Group total of 40 points reverses again.


5. First player to reach 60 points or highest score when liquor runs out wins.


6. Passing out is an immediate disqualification. Accidentally shooting another player or yourself is an immediate disqualification. In the vent of zombie attack and shooters must relocate, game is put on pause until a new location is secured.


Aim high - Shoot straight. Drink up.

Zombie Author J.E. Gurley

How'd you do? Are you still sober enough to read this? Perhaps you need to read on in the series and drinking something stronger than a Strawberry-Rita. Before you get totally inebriated, check out these links for J.E. Gurley


J.E. Gurley Web Site

J.E. Gurley on Amazon

J.E. Gurley on Goodreads

Here is a picture of a fuzzy ass bug for no particular reason

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2015: Mike Evans

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog that won't make you feel hungry a half hour later! I am your blog host, Mr. Frank!

Day two on the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour brings us a new author to spotlight, Mike Evans. It also brings us an opportunity to present another of our blog tour options to spotlight: The Essay. The essay assignment was this: Write a short essay on the current zombie phenomenon in popular culture. Either from the point of view that it is far from over or that it is over saturated and the time has come
for a new movement.

Avid listeners of our sister podcast, Books, Beer and Bullshit, know that as much as we enjoy zombie fiction and zombies in general, we are largely burned out on the subject. In it's popularity it has become readily available in abundance. We often wonder when or if the breaking point will come. It always amazes us how rabid and loyal the zombie fan base is. An essay on the matter from dedicated zombie authors could help shed some light on why the trend continues to grow in the face of its mega-popularity.

Here is what zombie writer, Mike Evan has to say on the matter:

I am a believer that even though zombies have taken modern pop culture by storm, that the

movement as only just begun. The walking dead ended its most recent season on such a high

that people will be looking forward to the next one. Mainstream movies such as World War Z

and Zombieland are actually getting sequels made which will not be sent straight to a dvd or

blueray. The idea behind zombies is ever changing and always evolving. Can you imagine the

zombies from Day of the Dead back in the original version of Night of the Living Dead? Hell no,

people wouldn’t have slept for a month. As people are further and further desensitized, the

zombies and action seem to get even more intense. I can only imagine what a Z movie is going

to be like in twenty to thirty years, and hope wholeheartedly that it is still as powerful and fast

moving in the genre as it is today.

Zombie Author Mike Evans

Mike Evans lives in Iowa with his wife and children. He writes for character depth because he wishes for you to love the character, regardless if they are the villain or the hero. He likes to write from a unique perspective, doing things with books that no one has done before. He keeps his characters realistic, there are no superhero like events that will happen. There are no perfect characters in his books, everyone has their flaws much like that of life.

Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Evans/e/B00IQ9Z75A/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Evans-Author/1438259789750360?ref=bookmarks

Twitter @mikee1123

Email m.evansauthor@gmail.com

We hope you enjoyed Mike Evans and take a moment to check out the zombie fiction he has to offer. Stay tuned Friday when we feature the incomparable, Jack Wallen the (self-proclaimed?) Zombie King!

Here is a picture of a woman with sausage wrapped around her neck for no apparent reason

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2015: Candy O'Donnell

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only insane enough to take on the Summer of Tour 2015 with one fist tied behind its back. I am your blog host, Mr. Frank!

In the past we've provided the authors with a one-size-fits-all interview. It was great fun seeing how each author put their stamp on their respective interviews. Though the questions were the same, each interview was unique and enjoyable in its own way.

But this is our third year on the tour (plus the Winter of Zombie tours which we've used the same format for) and we've had many of the 2015 participants on before, some multiple times. So its time to shake it up! For the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2015 we provided the participants with a choice of how they wanted to tackle their stop at Books, Beer and BLOGshit.

So we are going to kick off the tour with Candy O'Donnell and her choice, an interview with a zombie from her book. This choice was by far the most popular so we will do our best to spread out among the other choices.

The BLOGshit: How'd you become a zombie?

Greg The Zombie:  My name is Greg and I was bitten on the rooftop of the radio station. It
was a horrendous transformation!

The BLOGshit: Would you rather be alive again?

Greg The Zombie:  No, I would rather be dead because my girlfriend killed me in a later
book. She put me out of my misery. So instead of walking around as a zombie I was burned.

The BLOGshit: What do the brains taste like anyway?

Greg The Zombie:  Like a yummy dead carcass. Awesome!

The BLOGshit: Does everything stiffen up from Rigor Mortis?

Greg The Zombie:  No, I never did stiffen up. At least I never felt it.

The BLOGshit: If you could eat anyone, who would it be?

Greg The Zombie:  I would have loved to eat my girlfriend, Cherise. She would have tasted like chicken.

Zombie Author Candy O'Donnell

Wasn't that exciting folks? There are more interviews with zombies to come. And even more Summer of Zombie Blog Tour goodies in addition to that. Stay tuned Wednesday when we will feature Mike Evans and another of the blog choices. Are you jittery with excitement??? I know I am!!!

While you wait, please study up on Candy O'Donnell. We don't know if she is Irish by birth or by infection. There will be a test.

Candy O’Donnell lives in California with her best friend and husband, Jim, and their two enthused teenagers. This family also includes two happy dogs, a languid cat and an energetic cockatiel. At the age of twelve, she wrote her first mini book and has not looked back when her first title was published in 2007. Today, Candy writes whatever story crops up in her imagination. She composes numerous genres as a way of expressing herself fluently. Her early years were spent reading the works of Walter Farley, Stephen King, and other titles focused on history.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and culture in 2010 and she also has 6 grad units in criminal justice.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCandyODonnell
http://authorcandyodonnell.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Candyodonnell

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Candy-ODonnell/e/B009ZC4YI8/
TSU: https://www.tsu.co/CandyODonnell

Google+:https://plus.google.com/u/0/114165874766495952590/posts

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1866292.Candy_O_Donnell
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/candyleeod/

Here is a picture of a sexy man licking chocolate off his fingers for no apparent reason.

Winter of Zombie 2014: Armand Rosamilia

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog that's opened on Black Friday! We are your blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff!

This, the final stop of the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour, features the ring leader of this chilly carnival, Mr. Armand Rosamilia. Armand is no stranger to either this blog nor it's mother podcast counterpart, Books, Beer and Bullshit Podcast where he holds the honorarium of "Mayor".

So, as part of the multi-billion dollar marketing contract he signed with us, we are obligated to feature him here on the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour. It's a dirty horse, but someone has to ride it. Oh, and we are always tickled pink to promote Mayor Rosamilia whenever possible becuase he is, in point of fact, a damn fine writer.

The Blogshit:  Welcome to the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour stop at Books, Beer and Blogshit. Do you have new tales to tell in the dead of winter 2014?

Armand Rosamilia:  Why, yes… yes, I do. I met this guy and his wife with overlarge boobs in Orlando one Saturday and we went to the Ale House for six hours and… oh, not that tale? How about the one where I self-promote spammy-like and tell you about the latest release, Dying Days: Origins 2? It is a prequel tale about David Monsour, a character from Dying Days 2. Now, about her boobs…

The Blogshit:  Have your zombies had to face a freezing cold winter yet? If so, how do your particular breed of zombies react to cold, harsh winters?

Armand Rosamilia:  I have had a couple of stories set in the snow… Undead of Winter, Dying Days: Origins and a couple of others… they don’t really get hindered too much other than to fall down a lot and slide on the ice. A zombiesicle would be tasty, though.



The Blogshit:  Does or will, Winter figure into your zombie world or do you figure what you will tackle will be unaffected biologically or geographically?

Armand Rosamilia:  I’m sure as I write more and more and more and more Dying Days stories you’ll see winter rear its ugly head… sonofabitchbastardwinter…


The Blogshit:  Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?


Armand Rosamilia:  Not anymore, sucker! I moved out of New jersey to get away from the snow, the New Yawka’s and Donald Trump’s hair. But I miss the food.


The Blogshit:  In the summertime we talk about zombie sandwiches. We think in the winter it’s time to talk about zombie ice cream. What crazy zombie inspired ice cream flavor can you come up with?

Armand Rosamilia:  The grossest ice cream flavor of all tastes like zombie tears… vanilla.

That's it folks! Another great blog tour. Another fun set of interview with many interesting indie authors. And of course, gross food recipes. We hope you all enjoyed this round and we look forward to presenting another great batch of zombie fiction writers on the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2015. Until then, check out all things Armand Rosamilia, the organizer of the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour.

Armand Rosamilia HQ

Armand Rosamilia on Amazon.com

Dying Days Origins 2 -only 99 cents!

Armand Rosamilia on Goodreads

Winter of Zombie 2014: John O'Brien

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! It's the only blog that's a day late and a dollar short! We are your blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff!

This, the second to last interview on the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour 2014, features a seminal guest on the seasonal tours, writer John O'Brien. John has been to The Blogshit more times than we can shake a stick at... and we can shake a stick at a lot of blog appearances.

The best part? He somehow always has something new to say and always has new material to talk about. He is one of those machines of a writer. Even in the dead of winter, he keeps chugging along. Just watch:

The Blogshit:  Welcome to the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour stop at Books, Beer and Blogshit. Do you have new tales to tell in the dead of winter 2014?
John O'Brien:  I released the 10th book in the series last in late August, A New World: Storm. I’ll be working on another set of short stories which will hopefully be ready by mid-December.

The Blogshit:  Have your zombies had to face a freezing cold winter yet? If so, how do your particular breed of zombies react to cold, harsh winters?
John O'Brien:  The timeline of the series takes the story from the beginning of summer to late Fall. However, there is a part of the story that encompasses northern Canada and the night runners aren’t able to sustain themselves with the short nights and freezing temperatures.
The Blogshit:  Does or will, Winter figure into your zombie world or do you figure what you will tackle will be unaffected biologically or geographically?
John O'Brien:  The night runners are affected by the cold temperatures in the northern climates. Most of the story takes place during the warmer months and in the US, so the climate doesn’t figure into it
much.
The Blogshit:  Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?

John O'Brien:  In the western part of the northwest, the climate is pretty mild for most of the year. There are freezing temperatures at night and for about two weeks during the year, we have snowfall.
Some freezing at night, but that’s about it. book in the series last in late August, A New World: Storm. I’ll be working on

The Blogshit:   In the summertime we talk about zombie sandwiches. We think in the winter it’s time to talk about zombie ice cream. What crazy zombie inspired ice cream flavor can you come up with?


John O'Brien:  Well, the ice cream itself has to be especially made. You first have to capture a lactating night runner and add...wait, that’s just not right. I could come up with an ice cream sandwich joke, but I’ll spare you that one as well. And ice cream isn’t a joke. Very serious business.

John O'Brien
Author of the series, A New World

Author page: http://www.amazon.com/John-OBrien/e/B005IDEPP0/

Web site: http://anewworldseries.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/A_NewWorld

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJohnWOBrien

Merchandise store: http://zazzle.com/anewworldsupplies

http://www.cafepress.com/anewworldseries

Winter of Zombie 2014: Shawn Chesser

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only Blog that doesn't follow instructions. We are your blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff!

This round of the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour features a man who makes his own rules, Shawn Chesser. Mr. Chesser was gracious enough to join us from nearly the Great White North, Portland, Oregon! This is a guy who knows a thing or two about winter.

And in the true spirit of Portland and all the great writers who break the rules way out there, Mr. Chesser declined to answer the first question in the interview and got right to the meat of the matter. It's cool Shawn, we won't hold it against you for too long.

Have yourselves a lick of a cold cold Shawn Chesser Popsicle straight out of our ice cream truck, Books, Beer and Blogshit!

The Blogshit:  Have your zombies had to face a freezing cold winter yet? If so, how do your particular breed of zombies react to cold, harsh winters?
Shawn Chesser:  No, [The Guys From Books, Beer and BLOGshit], they haven't. So far I've written eight books in my 'Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse' series and the leaves are just beginning to turn in 'Ghosts' my latest installment.

The Blogshit:  Does or will, Winter figure into your zombie world or do you figure what you will tackle will be unaffected biologically or geographically?
Shawn Chesser:  Yes, winter will eventually be upon my survivors and the walking corpses that stalk them. And as a matter of fact,[The Guys From Books, Beer and BLOGshit], I'm really dreading having to decide how my George Romero style of zombies are going to fare in the part of the country-northwest Utah-that my protagonist, Cade Grayson, currently calls home. So the decision looms: Do I read a half dozen medical books and try to dazzle with brilliance? Or do I wing it and baffle with bullshit? Seeing as how, in my opinion, a whole shitload of belief has to be suspended to fully invest in the idea of the Zompoc, so, put on your hip waders, I'm really starting to lean towards the latter. Moreover, the less crackin of the books I have to do, the better.


The Blogshit:  Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?
Shawn Chesser:  I live in Portland, Oregon, where precipitation dogs us from Labor Day to damn near Independence Day. However, much to my chagrin, very little of it is of the frozen variety.




The Blogshit:  In the summertime we talk about zombie sandwiches. We think in the winter it’s time to talk about zombie ice cream. What crazy zombie inspired ice cream flavor can you come up with?
Shawn Chesser:  To signify moldering flesh I'd start out with a flavor of ice cream that's green, perhaps pistachio or mint. Embedded Gummy Worms are a must. And to play the part of maggots ... Rice Crispies? Nah, too crunchy to pass off as fly larva. So I'd boil up some orzo pasta to just south of al dente, chill it and mix it in.

And voilà, you've got a flavor resembling weeks-old carrion worthy of a slot In the cooler at your local Baskin - Robbins.

Thanks for letting me ramble on yer blog,[The Guys From Books, Beer and BLOGshit]!! I hope to be back for the summer tour.

You are welcome Shawn Chesser. We'd be happy to have you not answer our questions once again come summer. (We keeed, we keeeed!) Find out more about Shawn Chesser's brand of the undead at the links below.

Shawn Chesser Home Page

Warpath at Amazon.com

Shawn Chesser on Goodreads

Winter of Zombie: Eric Shelman

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog that's more confused than you are! We are your blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff (of the Books, Beer and Bullshit Podcast).

This, the third stop of the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour 2014, we have zombie heartthrob writer, Eric A. Shelman. His name often makes us wonder if Eric A. is really Erica, a female zombie writer writing under a nom de plume in a male dominated sub-genre. But we digress, we're sure Eric is all man one way or another.

Eric is also one of the most frustrated interviews we've ever conducted. Usually writers handle our antics with grace and poise. Eric Shelman calls out our whack questions without a trace of guilt. Bravo Mr. Shelman, you're right. We're nutz!

Please welcome Mr. Eric A. Shelman on his inaugural appearance on Books, Beer and Blogshit!

The Blogshit:  Welcome to the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour stop at Books, Beer and Blogshit. Do you have new tales to tell in the dead of winter 2014?Eric Shelman:  I’ll be writing and releasing Dead Hunger VIII: Peace, Love & Zombies in the Winter of 2014. If I begin writing it in October, it should be done by February at the latest, so that still qualifies – ON MY FREAKING CALENDAR! I saw it’s actually the Winter of 2014 / 2015, so don’t get all calendary on me. Yeah, that’s a words. Cal-En-Dar-Y. How do I know? I just added it to my MS Word speller, that’s how. I suggest you do the same before it catches on like wildfire like “efforting” did among the morons. Another option is for me to write the first of a new series I’ll be writing that is going to be so unique that when you read the very first line, your head is likely to topple off of your shoulders. Be afraid. And happy. Be “Afrappy”. Add that, too. Next?

The Blogshit:  Have your zombies had to face a freezing cold winter yet? If so, how do your particular breed of zombies react to cold, harsh winters?Eric Shelman:  What the hell? Are you testing me as an author? I’ve done my damnest to avoid weather situations, but yes, I believe that in Dead Hunger IV: Evolution, the zombies have to deal with Winter in Concord, New Hampshire. Do I have anything else to say on that? Not really. They seemed to do alright. Fuckers could be powderized inside by now (add that to your dictionary, too) because I’m not sure what keeps them moist. (Good word!) So anyway, my zombies move on an individual cellular level. Each cell in their bodies wants meat and protein, and mobilize the limbs to achieve that. Only a little, charcoal-sized lump of brain is necessary to incentivize them to come after your ass.

The Blogshit:  Does or will, Winter figure into your zombie world or do you figure what you will tackle will be unaffected biologically or geographically?Eric Shelman:  Jeez, didn’t I just answer that extensively above? I imagine that even during a zpocalypse, the global warming, climate change, four seasons, Frankie Valli, Mother Nature, God, or some other bastard is going to throw some cold weather at us. Guess I’ll just have to pay attention a bit more when that happens. I’d kinda like to believe they just might slow down a bit more.

The Blogshit:  Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?

Eric Shelman:  Dude. (Who are you, anyway? Who IS asking these question??) Anyway, I live in south Florida, so no. Maybe two days per year, but that’s it. Maybe I should avoid the entire problem by just setting all of my books in Key West! That way I can research, research, research! Get on a fishing boat and do it from the water while fighting a Dorado.

The Blogshit:   In the summertime we talk about zombie sandwiches. We think in the winter it’s time to talk about zombie ice cream. What crazy zombie inspired ice cream flavor can you come up with?Eric Shelman:  Salty Nut with Skin Flake Sprinkles. I wouldn’t eat that crap, but in a world where zombies rule the streets, we might just have to get used to it. Ice cream is ice cream!

Be sure to check out the world of Eric A. Shelman at the following links:

Eric A. Shelman's Web Site

Eric A. Shelman's Goodreads Profile

Eric A. Shelman's Amazon Author Page

I Left My Heart In San Francisco; Tony Baker Came Along And Ate It

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog that is getting too old for this shit. I am your blogging pal, Mr. Frank.

Zombies. I can't help it. I'm sick of them and yet I keep going back to the well. It's a sickness. This time the virus that's infected me is author Tony Baker. I got to know Tony through the intertubes early on in his freshman writing venture. He was nothing short of a real nice guy and he had a passion to write his first book, SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD. Though he was proudly displaying book covers and advertising book trailers for the book, he had still to complete writing at the time.

Ballsy to say the least. If he failed to get it done he would have looked the fool who invested in a passing dream. If he succeeded he would have pulled off one of the most innovative pre-marketing campaigns I've ever watched conducted on social media.

Well, the later was the case and Tony Baker produced as promised. I was so impressed I invited Tony Baker to be interviewed here on The Blogshit. He was only too happy to take part.  So here is Mr. Get-It-Done himself, Tony Baker:

The Blogshi:  Welcome to Books, Beer and BLOGshit, author Tony Baker. How does it feel to have the moniker of author?

Tony Baker:  Thanks, Frank. I’m still not use to the title, but I guess I have claimed it. Hard to get my head around the fact that I have finished, let alone published, my very first book, and certainly hard to believe how well it seems to have been received in the genre.

The Blogshit:  Your first book, the zombie thriller, SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD, follows retired San Francisco police officer Harold Lancaster as he struggles to find a foothold of a safe haven for himself and those he finds still struggling for life at the start of a zombie outbreak. What sets your story apart from other zombie apocalypse stories?

Tony Baker:  I consider my series to be another installment in a genre that has been written about many times. I do not think there is anything specific or dramatic that sets Survivors of the Dead apart from the rest of the amazing work that has already been published. My work is just a different take, or perspective, on that same story. Like a different episode of a TV series, featuring different characters, and a slightly different story line. The end of the world as we know it, humanity brought to its knees, and survival. Good versus evil. The same story told through the experiences of a different group of characters and circumstances.

The Blogshit:  As stated before, the main character is a retired police officer, did you write this character from experience?

Tony Baker:  The best, and most common, advice I received prior to starting on my writing journey was ‘write what you know’. The short answer to your question, is yes, I developed the character of Harry Lancaster from direct experience

The Blogshit:  Have you learned anything about your first writing experience based on reader’s reaction to the book do far?

Tony Baker:  As of this interview I have received eighty-two reviews on Amazon. Mostly high praise for a first attempt at writing, but many of the reviews have offered insights that I will take into account going forward. I will not change my style, my voice, but there have been suggestions and observations that make sense to me. My goal is to produce the most enjoyable experience for a reader as possible, and to that end I am thankful for the input from those who have read the book, and shared their thoughts.

The Blogshit:  Will you be focusing exclusively on this series going forward or do you have plans to expand the scope of your writing as you continue the story of Harold Lancaster?

Tony Baker:  Harry’s journey has only just begun, and with at least three more books in the series I am not certain where I will go afterward. I have some ideas, but it is too early in my career to spend a lot of time dwelling on that right now. THE ROAD UNKNOWN, book two in the series, is on track to publish this Fall so that is what I am currently concentrating on. I certainly plan to keep writing as long as readers are interested in reading my work.

The Blogshit:  What was the toughest moment from the first word you wrote to the publication of SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD?

Tony Baker:  That could be an entire interview by itself, but I think the toughest was the learning curve. Not only writing, but learning how to market myself, the book, and how not to step on too many toes in the process. I can honestly say, however, that the past year has been one of the most exciting experiences of my life.

The Blogshit:  You had a very unique marketing technique leading up to the release of this book. Basically you had the cover, several book trailers and tons of social media hype before the book was even remotely complete. Did that technique serve as a personal motivator for you in addition to creating a lot of buzz and did doing things that way bring a lot of naysayers?

Tony Baker:  Oh yes, there were certainly naysayers. Some quite vocal, while others simply stood back, I’m convinced, and watched. I really did not have a specific strategy in mind other than to allow folks to get to know me as a person, and share the experiences I had while writing. I truly enjoy connecting with people, and what happened over the past year allowed for that. I certainly talked about this project I was working on, but I also shared, supported and promoted other folks work along the way. I was privileged to meet some incredible people who have shown a huge amount of support since the book published. 

The Blogshit:  Do you plan on a similar campaign leading into the next book in the series?

Tony Baker: Yes, but I suspect it will be slightly different. I am thinking that folks will take me a bit more seriously? I am well into book two, and there is a video book trailer planned for release sometime this summer. I plan to continue to do what I always have; have fun writing, share other writers successes, and promote my friends work whenever possible.

The Blogshit:  I'm sure you've accomplished a great many of your goals upon completion of SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD, are there still some goals that have eluded you however?

Tony Baker:  From the Ashes is the first book in the Survivors of the Dead series, and with at least three more books planned this series remains my primary goal. The biggest accomplishment with this first book is very simple; I finished it.

The Blogshit:  In three sentences or less, tell us why we need to read SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD.

Tony Baker:  Harold Lancaster, a retired San Francisco police officer, as he witnesses the devastation of humanity after a worldwide viral terrorist attack that will change the course of history forever.

Harry learns that he and his family, as well as a portion of what remains of the population, is immune to the mutated virus that has been unleashed. During forced relocation, his young nephew is separated from his parents and left in a world now ruled by anarchy and filled with horrors beyond comprehension. Harry's unshakable resolve, his only reason to exist, is to reach his nephew and reunite with the rest of his family. Along with a small band of friends who refuse to leave his side, and after assisting in establishing a safe haven on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, Harry embarks on an arduous twenty-three hundred mile trek across a ravaged country.

Although Harry faces the infected and unspeakable horrors, he also discovers incredible acts of courage and resolve by those who remain among the Survivors of the Dead...

Well, that wasn't three sentences, but we've all learned by now that Tony Baker is a rule breaker. That is why he's here. 

SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD is available on Kindle for only $2.99 as well as paperback. Please take a moment to check out Tony Baker's web site and add him as a friend on Facebook. He is about the most modest, humble writer you could ever meet. Don't let that fool you though, his zombies are anything but friendly...

Website www.tonybakerauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tonyb415

FB Author Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tony-Baker-Author/394853683936399

Twitter https://twitter.com/Tony415SF

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tony-baker/84/a7/59b