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: Mark Tufo

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog unofficially endorsed by the Funky Bunch! We are you white hip-hoppin' bloggers, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff!

We are unloading the big guns on the Blogshit for this stop on the Winter of Zombie 2014 Blog Tour. Mark Tufo, author of the breakout Zombie Fallout series, joins us on The Blogshit fresh off his triumphant appearance on Book s, Beer and Bullshit Podcast (Episode 31 featuring Mark Tufo). 

It's a little known fact that Mark "Marky Mark" Tufo was the original Marky Mark. He came up with the signature tighty whitey look and the baseball cap and he even wrote that "Good Vibrations" song. He was poised to become a superstar until he stumbled on this poor fellow Bostonian kid, Mark Wahlberg was was crying in the gutter. He told Marky Mark Tufo that he was depressed because his brother had become a famous performer in a boy band. Marky Mark Tufo felt awful for the kid so he handed over his white underpants, slapped the baseball cap on his head and gave him the lyrics to a song called "Good Vibrations". He told the kid to work out a lot and got hot six packs or as he called them "The Tufo Washboard"

Marky Mark Tufo did this because he knew in his heart that no matter what he did he would rise to the top. So he gave up his career as a world wide pop phenomenon so he didn't have to watch a little boy cry. He started his career as a writer soon after and well.... the rest is history.

Or maybe we were too drunk and got that story all wrong. Either way it's time to talk to Marky Mark Tufo once again!

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?

Mark Tufo:  Thank you for the invite, hey I heard there was going to be sandwiches. Well for this Winter I have Zombie Fallout 8, which technically came out this fall. Lycan Fallout 2 will be out the Winter and I’m currently working on Indian Hill 5 and most likely Tim 3 after that, if I can get over my coulrophobia!

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?
Mark Tufo:  My zombies are generally pretty hardy because technically they have not died and been reanimated so much as they have been taken over by a virus and now crave human flesh. Elements don’t seem to bother them nearly as much as the people they hunt.

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?
Mark Tufo:  I already answered this question. Is this one of those government tests where they ask you the same question repeatedly looking for discrepancies? I've heard about these things, great...now I have to sweep my office for listening devices.

The Blogshit:  Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?
Mark Tufo:  Luckily I live in Maine so we’re relatively unaffected by Winter. :)

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?
Mark Tufo:  I think when we talk about a zombie inspired frozen treat we need to start with a gelato base, just because that sounds so much squishier. So I guess I’ll go with Blood Fruit Gelato with raisins. Fuck that sounds horrible. Thanks again for having me.

Mark Tufo Central Command

Zombie Fallout 8 on Amazon.com

Mark Tufo on Goodreads

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 2014: Jaime Johnesee

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! It's the only blog that wishes they made zombie underoos. We are your blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff (of the Books, Beer and Bullshit Podcast.)

Jaime Johnesee is no stranger to the Bogshit. She's a veteran interviewee here and we are frozen in terror to have her back once more for the Winter of Zombie Blog Tour 2014. We fed her our shiver inducing questions and she answered with a chill on Ms. Johnesee is capable of producing.

Bundle up Blogshitters! It's time to talk once again with zombie author, Jaime Johnesee!

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?
Jaime Johnesee:  First off, thanks for having me. I love what you've done with the place. That skull lamp is so... uh, realistic and charming. As far as if I have new tales to tell, I absolutely do. In November my Bob the Zombie series collection will be available and I am hoping to have my novelization of my story Shifters complete.

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?
Jaime Johnesee:  Actually, so far they haven't had to deal with anything cold. My books are set in Birmingham, Alabama. I imagine they'd react to a cold harsh winter the way I would, with a lot of warm clothing and some delicious hot cocoa. Well, those that can drink cocoa without spewing.


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?
Jaime Johnesee:  Winter really makes no difference in my world. My zombies are regular joes brought back from the dead with magic.


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

Jaime Johnesee:  I do, unfortunately. I live in Michigan, *points to a spot on her right palm* right about here.

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?

Jaime Johnesee:  If I had the chance to make up a special ice cream I'd probably call it gravedigger. It would be a chocolate base with crushed Oreos (for grave dirt), walnuts (because they look like brains), a swirl of caramel (for putrefaction) and some marshmallow fluff (just because).

Jaimie Johnesee's zombie character Bob the Zombie is deffinitly something different. We urge you to look into Bob and his amazing adventures for a zombie of a different ilk.

www.JaimeJohnesee.com

The Misadventures of Bob the Zombie

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

Winter of Zombie 2014: Jay Wilburn

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! It's the only blog that won't smack you twice and call you Sally. We are you're blog hosts, Mr. Frank and Mr. Jeff!

You've just walked in to the dead of Winter. The dead of The Winter of Zombie blog tour that is. Our second chilling zombie author interview is with the one and only Jay Wilburn. We are told he is awesome.

Results may vary. Judge for yourself. 

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?
Jay Wilburn:  I have a story featured in Zombies: More Recent Dead with Prime Books. I’m currently working on a novelized prequel to that story. Also my zombie novella collection Zombies Believe in You is out.

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?
Jay Wilburn:  I’ve done some icy zombie stories. I like to use human body heat against the characters. The poor survivors in my story had to some frigid extremes to hide themselves and go one surviving.


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?
Jay Wilburn:  It should. I’ve seen a lot of stories that try to make it an advantage for people. I think the better story is finding the way a story setting produces new challenges and problems for the living. Winter has historically been a rough time for humans and survival. That is a biological reality for our species.


The Blogshit:   Do you yourself live in a part of the world that is affected by the cold of winter?
Jay Wilburn:  I live the South where our reaction to Winter weather makes us the laughing stock of the world. I think this video I took of a day we had school canceled for oncoming Winter weather will really help you appreciate how difficult our survival really was:

I’m just thankful to still be alive, you know?


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?
Jay Wilburn:  Brainy Splatter Swirl … Lime green, raspberry, and pineapple with chunks … This is basically just rainbow sherbet, I know, but I think it tracks.

There he is. Jay Wilburn is awesome we are told. And we have no reason not to believe. You can go believe for yourselves. Please check out Jay Wilburn in all his glory at:

Jay Wilburn's Home Page

Jay Wilburn on Amazon

Winter of Zombie 2014: Jack Wallen

There is a chill in the air. The Winter of Zombie blog tour is blowing through Books, Beer and Blogshit! 

Zombies and winter often don't mix. Decaying ligaments and freezing temperatures typically slow an animate corpse down. But the authors of the Winter of Zombie blog tour are heating up. Join us here on the Blogshit as we feature the hottest names in zombie fiction in the dead cold of winter.

First up, Jack Wallen. Jack is no stranger to The Blogshit. He's appeared here on the Summer of Zombie blog tour and we are happy to have him back to face a whole new barrage of ridiculous questioning. Slap on you Uggs because here. We. Go!

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?

Jack Wallen:  I do. Always. The winter makes me die inside, so what better time to tell tall tales of gloom and doom. My most recent apocalyptic novel is Cry Zombie Cry. It’s the eighth entry in my I Zombie series.
With the Guignol Gang fully armed and prepared to defend the castle, Bethany and company are off to see the Wizard of Odd. The long-awaited entry to the I Zombie series has arrived. And it’s ready to rock.
Bethany Nitshimi is back and ready to crush the Zero Day Collective with a wall of sound. Together with the metal band Unsun, Bethany will have the undead horde banging their heads until brain runs thick in the streets.
If it’s too loud, you’re too old…or dead.

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?

Jack Wallen:  Not yet. But the next novel, Fry Zombie Fry, will. I plan on forcing Bethany Nitshimi and company into the thick of a cold and nasty winter – apocalypse style!
I have, typically, evolved the zombies in my story. In the upcoming iteration, there could be a minor evolution that would allow them to tolerate a heavy blanket of winter. There is also another possibility I am considering … one born from an icy grave.

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

Jack Wallen:  I try, as hard as possible, to write everything with a nod to reality. With that said, the elements will play a part. So when the icy fingers of winter touch the living and the dead, you can be damn sure they will each be affected.

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

Jack Wallen:  Yes. Though it’s not nearly as bad as others, Louisville, Kentucky can have some nasty winters. Last year it was very long and very cold (thank you Polar Vortex). And if it’s not lung burning cold, it’s weak infrastructure that leads to week-long power outtages.

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?

Jack Wallen:  Undead Neapolitan. The brown tastes like rotten flesh, the yellow tastes like sweaty, soiled tee shirt and the red tastes like fetid blood.

Nicely done Jack! 

Be sure to check out Jack Wallen. He has numberous titles to choose from. If zombies are your thing, there is sure to be one that will send a chill through your bones!

Jack Wallen on Goodreads

Jack Wallen's Kindle Store

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014: Sarah Lyons Fleming

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! Its the only blog that enjoys telling little white lies. I am your blog host that wishes he were a real boy, Mr. Frank!

We've made it! This is the final day of the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014 interviews. So to end the whole shebang we've chosen Sarah Lyons Fleming so we can go out like a lion. See what I did there?

Sarah Lyons Fleming is a Mexican luchadora masquerading as La Cobra Toxico in the Juarez leagues. She currently has twenty seven wins and very questionable loss. When she is not busy wrestling, she enjoys kite fighting, box knitting and synchronized bicycle riding with her pit bull, Philomena.

Actually, none of that is true (to the best of my knowledge.)  Sarah Lyons Fleming writes about zombies. The rest of the facts she will fill in, in the final installment of the Books, Beer and Blogshit Summer of Zombie 2014 interview!

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  Well, I’ve got extra food, ammo and some survival skills, so I’d like to say survivor. But I’ve also got two kids, so there’s a good chance I’m dying for them.

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  My Until the End of the World series:

Until the End of the World: Book 1

So, Long Lollipops: A novella about one of the characters that takes place “off camera.”

And After: Book 2

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I’d say classic in that the zombies are slow and lumbering. Progressive(ish) in that it’s chick-lit and focuses more on romance and relationships (platonic and not) between the characters. There’s a lot of homesteading and prepping as well.

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I think they’re pretty similar in that they drive the story along, but there’s not a ton of gore in my books.

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  They’re real and full of emotion. They laugh and cry and act the way we all do—Which is to say sometimes they’re amazing people and sometimes they’re jerks.

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?

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I think the only important thing is to have a good story and characters. If you do, it doesn’t matter because people will enjoy it.

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?

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I wrote the first book as a standalone, but it grew from there. I think there is definitely room for a standalone story. However, I like when a story continues and think most readers do, too. I love my world and will be sad to leave it when book 3 is finished.

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

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  No, I love zombies and everything post-apocalyptic, so I wouldn’t be upset to be pigeon-holed in the genre. I wouldn’t feel pigeon-holed. 

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?

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I think different. A different group of characters and different types of relationships is more what I’m thinking.

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?

Sarah Lyons Fleming:  I make and home-can a mean bread and butter pickle. I expect to be eating them on my post-apocalyptic zombie sandwich. Or the people who’ve killed us for our supplies will be enjoying them on their sandwiches. You never know.

*   *   *   *   *

On The Web:  http://www.sarahlyonsfleming.com/

On Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Lyons-Fleming/e/B00DXFM03O/

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014: Stephen Kozeniewski

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! Its the only blog... period, end of story. I am your terminal blog host, Mr. Frank!

We are down to the final two interviews. Not only of double header week but the entire Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014. What a long, interesting journey its been. But before we reflect, let's get the show on the road, there is a little more work to be done.

Author Stephen Kozeniewski faces the hangmans noose today.  Kozeniewski is a rarity in the zombie fiction realms, he wrote a stand along zombie novel. A beast more rare than bigfoot! Fret not, his latest work appears poised to continue on in serial format.

I've bothered you enough with my endless prattling. Ladies and Gentlemen... Stephen Kozeniewski.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  Well, statistically I’m all but certain to be dead, right?  According to “Day of the Dead” the ratio of dead to living is 400,000:1.  I don’t like those odds.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  I know my roots.  The Holy Trilogy above all.  ROTLD, Dead Alive, Cemetery Man, Keene, Brooks, all that good stuff.  I try to make sure all my work acknowledges the classics, but breaks free on its own.  I know “both” is a cheap answer, but that’s how I feel.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  In THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, except for the unusual green hue of their eyes, they are classic Romero zombies, and purposefully so.  I do feature a different kind of undead in my debut novel, BRAINEATER JONES.  Jones and his ilk are thinking zombies who must consume alcohol to prevent themselves from degenerating into the classic flesh-munching stereotype.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO takes place on the high seas of the South Pacific, which afforded me the opportunity to feature some character types not normally seen in zombie fiction: pirates, smugglers, sailors, and the like.  In this piece I’m particularly proud of my three main antagonists: a missionary, a warlord, and a robber baron who form a triumvirate of over-the-top, scene-chewing villainy which is hard to top.

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?

Stephen Kozeniewski:  Oh, God, reinvent the wheel.  I’ve read so many Chicken Little stories lately about how the zombie genre is played out.  The truth is just that a certain specific variety of urban survival apocalypse stories are overdone.  There are a million kinds of stories that can be spiced up with the walking dead.

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 standalone stories?

Stephen Kozeniewski:  Well, my debut, BRAINEATER JONES, is a standalone.  I think it’s important in any genre to write self-contained stories but leave yourself room for a sequel.  You shouldn’t force a sequel, but you shouldn’t close the door on one, either.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  Oh, no worries there.  I’ve already sold a political satire, a space opera, and a vampire story to Permuted Press.

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

Stephen Kozeniewski:  I think both are important.  I pride myself on my transgressiveness and judging by the reader reviews for THE GHOUL ARCHIPELAGO, I’ve succeeded in making the average reader lose his or her lunch.  Still, Romero set a big benchmark all the way back at the dawn of the genre in 1968 that we must always use our undead not just for cheap gore and laughs, but to shed light on social ills.  I take that responsibility very seriously, and try to make all my work at least somewhat thought-provoking.

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?

Stephen Kozeniewski:  Ether?

*   *   *   *   *

On Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Kozeniewski/e/B00FFLC5Y8/

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014: Jack Wallen

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! It's the only blog with writers who have a face for blogging. I am your cute-as-a-button blogger, Mr. Frank.

We aren't done yet. It's time for the p.m. edition of the Summer of Zombie Blog Tour double header week. And when you talk about two heads, you talk about Jack Wallen. Jack Wallen is a guy who writes things about zombies. When he's not busy writing things about zombies he does other things mostly unrelated to zombies, like pooping for instance. 

We on The Blogshit are sure his mother will be proud.  So mama Wallen, sit back and relax as your boy tackles the Books, Beer and Blogshit Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014 interview spectacular.

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

Jack Wallen:  Oh I am a survivor. In fact, I finally left corporate America and am now  on my own...oh wait, you didn't mean that kind of Undead. You mean zombie-undead. Still, I'm a survivor – like Eye of the Tiger survivor.

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

Jack Wallen:  The Last Casket was my latest release. It's a fun little romp through the apocalypse that stars the pyshchobilly band Kitty in a Casket. The band was awesome to work with. The gist of the book is:

When flesh-melting rock faces off against the undead horde, who will be left standing?

All hell breaks loose, when rock and the apocalypse collide. In this first spinoff of the popular I Zombie series, psychobilly band Kitty in a Casket kick the undead horde's ass with their special flavor of rock.

Follow Kitty and her band to a dive bar in the middle of the apocalyptic landscape and raise your fist as they prove themselves worthy destroyers of zombies, cannibalism, and the Mengele Virus.

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

Jack Wallen:  Progressive – mostly because I drop a LOT of pop culture references and use humor in my books. Plus, I have (at the moment) about five different types of zombies – each of which has their own special flavor of horror to bring to the table.

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

Jack Wallen:  Their impeccable sense of fashion. No, that's not it. There are two things that make my zombies different: First, as the story progresses, the zombies evolve. Second, the Zero Day Collective (the politico-corporate “big bad” in the series) use the zombie horde in an attempt to cleanse the world (to start afresh, as it were).

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

Jack Wallen:  I work at a standing desk...that's a good place to start. I also work at home, as a full-time writer. I'm very lucky. I'm also one of those hermits capable of socializing...so I can go out in public (when I choose to) and be friendly.

I also bathe.

And brush my teeth.

And use product in my hair.

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?

Jack Wallen:  I refuse to run with any pack. If I cannot create a world and a mythos of my own, what's the point?

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

Jack Wallen:  I think it's part and parcel to the genre. I tried to write a one-off. That's what I Zombie I (the first book in the I Zombie series) was going to be. As soon as I completed the book, I realized I had way too much story left to tell and had created a world I certainly wanted to explore and expand.

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

Jack Wallen:  I write way too much to worry about that. But I will say that my zombie fiction outsells my other fiction, lights out.

But...even if I were pigeonholed, I'm not concerned. I have a LOT of story to tell in this genre (plus another series yet to come out).

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?

Jack Wallen:  Both. I always attempt to one-up myself. With each novel I make sure both the main characters and the monsters evolve. It's a sort of race to the top (or the bottom – depending upon how you look at it).

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?

Jack Wallen:  Man, that's a tough on. For me, it'd be important to hide the taste of rot. I'd probably go with a chipotle mayo.

*   *   *   *   *

On The Web: http://monkeypantz.net/ (This is a particularly sexy web site)

On Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Wallen/e/B004MZWR3W/

Summer of Zombie Blog Tour 2014: Thomas M. Malafarina

You're reading Books, Beer and Blogshit! It's the only blog that has its druthers about a great many things. I am your opinionated host, Mr. Frank.

Thomas M. Malafrina on The Blogshit today. He writes about these monsters called zombies. They are reanimated corpses that walk around trying to eat living corpses. Heard of 'em? 

You wanna know more? He has a metric ton of 'a's in his last name. Still hungry for more? Read the interview damnit!

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  I’d be a survivor; at least for a while. I suspect something as mundane like a common cold or bronchitis would take me long before a zombie even got a chance. (I don’t have the strongest constitution when it comes to colds.) Then I suspect I’d be a lurching runny-nose coughing zombie spewing gunk all over the street.

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  It is the first book in my Dead Kill series, appropriately called “Dead Kill Book 1: The Ridge Of Death.” It’s published by Sunbury Press (www.SunburyPress.com) and is available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  I suspect progressive since I strive to create new scenarios others may not have thought of previously. (I bore easily.)

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  In “Dead Kill Book 1” the zombies act like most zombies (slow, clumsy and hungry) but their numbers have been reduced to the point where they are no longer a major threat to man; just an deadly annoyance.

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  They are just regular people thrust into an unimaginable set of circumstances. They are reluctant heroes. In my book, the world is on the way back from the brink of extinction but there are still plenty of dangers from both the undead and man as well. There are a lot of new ideas in this book which I don’t believed have been touched on before. Hence, the reason I decided to make it a series rather than a single novel.

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?

Thomas M. Malafarina:  That’s not really an issue for me. I’ve never run with the pack and never will. If you aren’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.

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?

Thomas M. Malafarina:  As long as there are creative minds, there will always be room for good stand-alone stories. This is my first zombie novel. I’ve written about 5 or 6 zombie short stories; all cool and all different. At one point, I had no intention of ever writing a zombie story and most certainly not a zombie novel. But I decided if I could find a way to do something different then I would. So I did.

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

Thomas M. Malafarina:  Not at all. Zombies are just one aspect of horror for me. I write about whatever horror happens to be on my mind at the time; it could be ghosts, demons, vampires, werewolves, humans or whatever I feel like. If somebody wants to pigeon hole me that’s fine with me. I’ll still write whatever I choose.

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?

Thomas M. Malafarina:  A little of both. Sicker is great for color (and I sure do love sicker) but you always need a good story so smarter is essential.

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?

Thomas M. Malafarina:  God I hate pickles! In fact, I pretty much hate all vegetables. I’m a major meat-a-terian and I love everything grilled and burned. So I suppose I would have to eat my zombie sandwich, well done, burnt to a crisp with no traces of leaking puss or limp flesh. I’d probably want to scrape off the fried maggots and blowflies as well.

*   *   *   *   *

Publisher: www.SunburyPress.com

On The Web:  http://www.thomasmmalafarina.com/

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ridge-Death-Dead-Kill-Book-ebook/dp/B00K7GBWCM/