Winter of Zombie 2015: John O'Brien

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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