Hello everyone, it’s Glyn Gardner; your favorite (I hope) budding zombie author again. Today I’m going to continue talking about how to survive the zombie apocalypse. Last time I discussed whether to run, or to shelter in place. Today we are going to assume it’s time to run. For some reason the place you find yourself when you first realize the zombie apocalypse is happening will not support you or protect you for very long.
What next? Do you just run out into the streets willie-nillie? Maybe screaming and yelling for help? No! To steal a page, or the cover actually, from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: DON’T PANIC! If you’re going to survive the end of the world, you have to keep your wits about you.
OK, you’ve taken a deep breath or two, and counted to ten. Again we have to refer to Maslow. What do we need next?
Water! First and foremost, you need water. Depending on your environment, your water intake may need to exceed two gallons per day. There are a couple of ways you can acquire the water you’ll need. One, you can carry it with you. Do you have something like a Camel Back? If so, you can carry enough water on your back to last a good half day. If you don’t have a Camel Back, what do you have? Do you have bottled water? How about juice bottle or a thermos? How many can you stuff in your back pack?
The amount of water you carry is also going to depend on your fitness/ strength level. Water is heavy. A liter of water weighs about 2.2 pounds. This means that gallon of water you need will be about 9 pounds, and take up a pretty big chunk of space. This will affect your water strategy.
An alternative to carrying all of your water on your back would be to carry some way of purifying water. As I said last time, about 8 drops of household bleach will purify a gallon of clear water. This means that a quart of bleach that takes up very little space can purify several weeks’ worth of water. Your geography is also important here. If you live in the Southwest U.S., you might not come across much water in your travels. You need to carry more. I live in Louisiana. I can find all kinds of rivers, streams, creeks (called a bayou here). I can get away with a few bottles of water and my Camel Back.
So, you’ve loaded your backpack with all that you’ll need to stay hydrated. What now? Gun? Knife? Ninja stars? NO! Get some food. When we discussed food last time we talked canned food and dry food. If you’re going to be in one spot for a long time, those are the ways to go. They don’t spoil very fast. Well, they are also full of juice usually, and are heavy. In this case, I’d say ditch the canned food unless it’s meat. SPAM, deviled ham, and tuna are all excellent forms of protein. Unless you plan on wandering around hunting and fishing, protein is going to be a problem for most people. You can of course eat some of the 6 legged creatures you run across, but most people won’t, at least at first.
Now what else do you take? Dehydrated food (IK consider rice and pasta in this category, even though they aren’t technically dehydrated) is easy to transport, but you’ll have to use some of your precious water to rehydrate it. At this point you need to think weight v. calories. Look in your cupboards and find the things that are calorie dense. Peanut butter, crackers, fruits (Most will be ok out of the fridge for a couple of days.), any candy or granola bars will also be good sources of calories.
The mantra to keep in mind when it comes to food is: You have plenty of fat. You need plenty of water. NEVER EVER leave water for more food.
Now you’ve got a pack full of food and water. Everything a growing survivor needs right? Wrong. You’re just getting started. Do you plan on hiding in the Ritz Carrolton with a nice warm robe and blankets tonight? Nope, you’re most likely going to be on foot, and if you’re lucky you’ll be out of town and away from a bunch of people. That means shelter is going to be a problem. You might be able to find a nice warm bridge to sleep under, or maybe even a fairly clean trash bind to sleep in. You’ll probably be able to find a roof over your head one way or another. You may not however be able to find something warm to sleep under.
So, you’ll need to pack something to shelter you from the environment. If the ZA happens in January, and you live in Maine, you need a lot of cold weather gear, or at least a good coat, gloves, and hat. Always have a hat. It holds in heat when it’s cold, and can protect your head from the sun when it’s hot. I’d also suggest AT LEAST 1 pair of extra socks. As an old soldier, I can never have enough socks in my bug-out bag. I hate wet feet. I even have a pair of shoes in my bag, but again: I hate wet feet. Imagine walking all day, and then having to sleep up against a tree in the woods. What would you absolutely need to keep from freezing to death in your area? That’s what you need.
So, you now have water, food, and a bag full of clothes you’ll need to survive the elements. What now? Are you ready to go out into the big bad world of zombies? No, you aren’t. You need weapons and tools. Zombies are slow and stupid. What separates them from us? TOOLS! We can be slow, and can definitely be pretty stupid, but even the dumbest of us knows how to hit a nail with a hammer. So, arm yourself with the best tools you can find…NEXT TIME
Don't forget to check out APEX for more zombie!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Why I write about Zombies by Armand Rosamilia
Brian Keene is the reason. End of post.
Oh, you want more info?
I'd always been a huge fan of zombie movies, ever since being scared as a kid watching Night of the Living Dead. While everyone else was into vampires, I was the teen getting excited over zombie movies, which were hard to come by. Back in the days before the internet you had to actually go to a video store (no Blockbuster, no RedBox) down on the corner and hope that mom or pop that ran the place were fans of zombies. I remember the closest video store to me had a huge horror section, but mostly these obscure slasher flicks. I had to go a couple towns over because there was a video store that had an amazing collection of zombie movies, and I ended up renting them all.
But I'd never read any zombie books, even though I read a ton of horror. I was more into scary monster books without honing in on vampires, werewolves and zombies. Instead, demons and ghosts and serial killers were a huge part of my reading experience.
Until The Rising.
I remember being in the local Books A Million and searching for another paperback. The horror section had disappeared, leaving you to search through thousands of fiction books for that hidden gem deemed horror. Sure, King and Koontz had huge sections devoted to them, but everyone else was relegated to being lumped in with general fiction.
As if by fate, Brian Keene's book was facing out and the cover immediately caught my attention. I can still remember reading the back cover blurbs and being excited, because reading zombie fiction had never interested me before. The few short stories that I'd read were either about voodoo queens or cliché brain-eating zombies that had no real plot.
This was something quite different, and I read it in one day, amazed at the characters and how the zombies were not the whole story. In fact, I got so into the characters that, at times, you forgot it was even about zombies and just about survival.
I had never read anything from Keene, but went back to the store and bought every paperback he had available, including the other zombie books, City of The Dead and Dead Sea.
Within a few days I was heavily immersed in zombie fiction. I started surfing the internet for other zombie fiction, finding some great anthologies like The Dead That Walk and The New Dead.
I was also amazed at the amount of zombie authors putting out quality releases, and had to read them all.
Then I started writing my own zombie fiction, something I had never done before despite twenty years of writing stories. I thought there was nothing new, nothing fresh about it. I was wrong, and as I started thinking about my own ideas.
As a writer you never want to toss a few cliché ideas and worn plotlines together and get a story. But once I had an idea I thought was unique, I went with it. Suddenly there were more characters, more ideas than I had time to write. What started out as a simple flash fiction piece, "Anything But Luck" (released in Daily Bites of Flesh 2011 by Pill Hill Press), became a world of extreme zombie fiction from me. Another half dozen flash fiction zombie pieces took shape, followed by my Highway To Hell novella. Since then I've written and published a slew of zombie short stories, followed up Highway To Hell with Dying Days (now with 2 sequels and more to come).
And I owe it all to Brian Keene and that paperback book staring at me.
Armand Rosamilia
http://armandrosamilia.com
Oh, you want more info?
I'd always been a huge fan of zombie movies, ever since being scared as a kid watching Night of the Living Dead. While everyone else was into vampires, I was the teen getting excited over zombie movies, which were hard to come by. Back in the days before the internet you had to actually go to a video store (no Blockbuster, no RedBox) down on the corner and hope that mom or pop that ran the place were fans of zombies. I remember the closest video store to me had a huge horror section, but mostly these obscure slasher flicks. I had to go a couple towns over because there was a video store that had an amazing collection of zombie movies, and I ended up renting them all.
But I'd never read any zombie books, even though I read a ton of horror. I was more into scary monster books without honing in on vampires, werewolves and zombies. Instead, demons and ghosts and serial killers were a huge part of my reading experience.
Until The Rising.
I remember being in the local Books A Million and searching for another paperback. The horror section had disappeared, leaving you to search through thousands of fiction books for that hidden gem deemed horror. Sure, King and Koontz had huge sections devoted to them, but everyone else was relegated to being lumped in with general fiction.
As if by fate, Brian Keene's book was facing out and the cover immediately caught my attention. I can still remember reading the back cover blurbs and being excited, because reading zombie fiction had never interested me before. The few short stories that I'd read were either about voodoo queens or cliché brain-eating zombies that had no real plot.
This was something quite different, and I read it in one day, amazed at the characters and how the zombies were not the whole story. In fact, I got so into the characters that, at times, you forgot it was even about zombies and just about survival.
I had never read anything from Keene, but went back to the store and bought every paperback he had available, including the other zombie books, City of The Dead and Dead Sea.
Within a few days I was heavily immersed in zombie fiction. I started surfing the internet for other zombie fiction, finding some great anthologies like The Dead That Walk and The New Dead.
I was also amazed at the amount of zombie authors putting out quality releases, and had to read them all.
Then I started writing my own zombie fiction, something I had never done before despite twenty years of writing stories. I thought there was nothing new, nothing fresh about it. I was wrong, and as I started thinking about my own ideas.
As a writer you never want to toss a few cliché ideas and worn plotlines together and get a story. But once I had an idea I thought was unique, I went with it. Suddenly there were more characters, more ideas than I had time to write. What started out as a simple flash fiction piece, "Anything But Luck" (released in Daily Bites of Flesh 2011 by Pill Hill Press), became a world of extreme zombie fiction from me. Another half dozen flash fiction zombie pieces took shape, followed by my Highway To Hell novella. Since then I've written and published a slew of zombie short stories, followed up Highway To Hell with Dying Days (now with 2 sequels and more to come).
And I owe it all to Brian Keene and that paperback book staring at me.
Armand Rosamilia
http://armandrosamilia.com
Armand Rosamilia on http://armandrosamilia.com
Armand on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Armand-Rosamilia/e/B004S48J6G
Monday, August 5, 2013
Today I’d like to talk about the basics of surviving the zombie apocalypse By Glyn Gardner
My name is Glyn Gardner. I’ve recently published APEX, my first zombie/thriller. Today I’d like to talk about the basics of surviving the zombie apocalypse. Maslow tells us that physiological needs always take precedence over safety needs. So what, right?
What this means to us in the zombie apocalypse is this: It’s all well and good to discuss how to kill zombies and secure your house from the walking dead. But, if you can’t feed and hydrate yourself, or shelter yourself from the outside elements, then you will still die during the zombie apocalypse.
So, rule 1 of the zombie apocalypse: Have a source of food and water. You can either have it on hand, or know how to easily obtain these things quickly when the dead begin to walk the earth. One good strategy is to have a large amount of canned/ dried food in your home at all times. If the dead begin to rise, or any other disaster for that matter, move that food to the most secure location in the house.
The military estimates that a soldier in combat needs at least 2000 calories per day to stay fit to fight. If you’re hunkered down waiting on the undead to break down your door you won’t need as much. But, you do need some. Read the labels on cans. Green beans last a long time in a can, and most houses have a bunch. But, they have very few calories; great for losing weight, not so good for surviving. Crackers are always better than bread. Peanut butter has a long shelf life, and is calorie dense, as is SPAM.
Don’t forget about water. Bottled water is your best bet for long term storage. But, most people won’t have enough water for them and their families just sitting in the garage waiting for the apocalypse. So, how do you get enough water? Almost every house has a bath tub. Use it. As soon as the zombies show, or any other disaster for that matter, fill your bathtub with water. A family of four can survive for a good week on the water held in the average sized bathtub. Coolers, buckets, pots, pans all make good storage for water.
And for God’s sake don’t forget to grab the bleach from the laundry room. It takes about 8 drops of bleach to sanitize clear water. If and when you decide to run, or if you still have running water, you can ensure you have clean drinking water
Rule 2: Find Shelter. If you are in your home, you already have a roof over your head. This is the part that crosses from Maslow’s basics to the next level. While physiologically, we need to be protected from the elements, we also need to be safe. This is also your most important decision during the first few days of the zombie apocalypse. As the Clash said in their song: “Should I stay or should I go, now? If I stay there will be trouble. If I go it could be double…”
So, the moment you realize that the dead have started walking, you have to ask yourself: “Can I survive here? And, is it safe where I am, or do I need to move?” Those two questions will determine what you do next.
If you’re in, let’s say, a restaurant; then you know you have access to food and water. Yes, you can survive. But, there are huge windows in front of the restaurant and three doors into the place. The answer to your second question might be No. Time to move.
Or, you’re in your nice cozy midtown apartment on the third floor. You may only have access to enough food to last a week, and enough water for about two weeks. Well, you might have some time. I’d answer no to the first question. Unless the ZA is over in a week, then you’re faced with starvation or trying to evacuate through a city full of hungry zombies. Don’t even look at question number 2. Run! Grab the basics and run like hell. We’ll discuss the basics another time.
So, where do you draw the line? That is up to you. If I’m in the country and have enough supplies for two weeks, I may hunker down and see how things play out. If I’m in the middle of Dallas or New York, I’m on the first thing smokin’ out of the city.
Today we’ve covered the very basics of survival. Next time I will discuss weapons. That’s what everyone likes anyway. It’s not the zombies that are cool, but the opportunity to kill a few dozen of them that is so inviting.
For other ideas about surviving, check out APEX by Glyn Gardner. See how some made good decisions, and some made poor decisions in this action packed zombie horror/ thriller set in Louisiana.
You can find it on Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/APEX-Glyn-Gardner/dp/1481765760
You can also like it on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/ApexMikeandJen
What this means to us in the zombie apocalypse is this: It’s all well and good to discuss how to kill zombies and secure your house from the walking dead. But, if you can’t feed and hydrate yourself, or shelter yourself from the outside elements, then you will still die during the zombie apocalypse.
So, rule 1 of the zombie apocalypse: Have a source of food and water. You can either have it on hand, or know how to easily obtain these things quickly when the dead begin to walk the earth. One good strategy is to have a large amount of canned/ dried food in your home at all times. If the dead begin to rise, or any other disaster for that matter, move that food to the most secure location in the house.
The military estimates that a soldier in combat needs at least 2000 calories per day to stay fit to fight. If you’re hunkered down waiting on the undead to break down your door you won’t need as much. But, you do need some. Read the labels on cans. Green beans last a long time in a can, and most houses have a bunch. But, they have very few calories; great for losing weight, not so good for surviving. Crackers are always better than bread. Peanut butter has a long shelf life, and is calorie dense, as is SPAM.
Don’t forget about water. Bottled water is your best bet for long term storage. But, most people won’t have enough water for them and their families just sitting in the garage waiting for the apocalypse. So, how do you get enough water? Almost every house has a bath tub. Use it. As soon as the zombies show, or any other disaster for that matter, fill your bathtub with water. A family of four can survive for a good week on the water held in the average sized bathtub. Coolers, buckets, pots, pans all make good storage for water.
And for God’s sake don’t forget to grab the bleach from the laundry room. It takes about 8 drops of bleach to sanitize clear water. If and when you decide to run, or if you still have running water, you can ensure you have clean drinking water
Rule 2: Find Shelter. If you are in your home, you already have a roof over your head. This is the part that crosses from Maslow’s basics to the next level. While physiologically, we need to be protected from the elements, we also need to be safe. This is also your most important decision during the first few days of the zombie apocalypse. As the Clash said in their song: “Should I stay or should I go, now? If I stay there will be trouble. If I go it could be double…”
So, the moment you realize that the dead have started walking, you have to ask yourself: “Can I survive here? And, is it safe where I am, or do I need to move?” Those two questions will determine what you do next.
If you’re in, let’s say, a restaurant; then you know you have access to food and water. Yes, you can survive. But, there are huge windows in front of the restaurant and three doors into the place. The answer to your second question might be No. Time to move.
Or, you’re in your nice cozy midtown apartment on the third floor. You may only have access to enough food to last a week, and enough water for about two weeks. Well, you might have some time. I’d answer no to the first question. Unless the ZA is over in a week, then you’re faced with starvation or trying to evacuate through a city full of hungry zombies. Don’t even look at question number 2. Run! Grab the basics and run like hell. We’ll discuss the basics another time.
So, where do you draw the line? That is up to you. If I’m in the country and have enough supplies for two weeks, I may hunker down and see how things play out. If I’m in the middle of Dallas or New York, I’m on the first thing smokin’ out of the city.
Today we’ve covered the very basics of survival. Next time I will discuss weapons. That’s what everyone likes anyway. It’s not the zombies that are cool, but the opportunity to kill a few dozen of them that is so inviting.
For other ideas about surviving, check out APEX by Glyn Gardner. See how some made good decisions, and some made poor decisions in this action packed zombie horror/ thriller set in Louisiana.
You can find it on Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/APEX-Glyn-Gardner/dp/1481765760
You can also like it on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/ApexMikeandJen
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Interview with George L. Cook
Name: George L. Cook IIII
Book Title: The Dead War Trilogy
Author Questions
1. How long have you been writing for?
I started writing right after seeing Star Wars for the first time. So I have been writing since I was about 10 years old. I didn't publish an actual book until 2008. But i had a few poems and articles published in magazines and newspapers.
2. What do you think sets your work apart from others in the genre?
I think there are three things that set The Dead War Trilogy apart from other books in the zombie genre.
The first being a sense of hope. Many zombie books are all doom and gloom. I think that readers have to have a sense that the characters they have come to care about will not only survive but have the chance to actually live their lives in peace again.
The second is the level of action. I grew up on 80s action movies so I love lots of action sequences. This being a story of soldiers battling the dead ( and other things / person ) there is plenty of action to spare.
There is also a scifi element that many stories lack. There is also what I believe to be a possible and realistic explanation for the cause of the zombie apocalypse.
3. Do you have any tips for new writers?
WRITE! Don't keep checking on your sales figures or worrying about your reviews. The only way all of us get better as writers is to write.
Also write in a genre you like not one that's popular right now just to make a quick buck. To me that's not very satisfying and i feel my lack of enthusiasm for a genre would show up
4. What books do you read and do you have a recent recommendation?
I read everything. Science fiction, horror, fantasy, and biographies. I just recently finished by Ian Woodhead and would definitely recommend that book.
5. Where can readers find you?
They can find me here:
Website: http://www.thedeadwarseries.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedeadwar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadwarseries
Zombie Survival Questions
1. You see a hand gun, a bat and a knife. Which do you choose as your weapon for the apocalypse?
I'm from New Jersey ( US ) so I have to go for the baseball bat. Itdoesn't need reloading and I don't have to worry about it getting stuck in someone's skull and not being able to pull it out.
It's also relatively silent so it wont make a ton of noise to attract more of the dead.
2. Place of survival. Your own house, a shopping mall or The Winchester pub?
All zombie fans know that malls are a no no. That always ends badly and besides there are too many doors.
In theory the pub sounds like a good idea. Hey if you gotta go you might as well get pissy tail drunk and have a good time at it. But because many pubs have a lot of windows this is probably not the most defensible place.
That leaves me with home sweet home. I can better defend my house and block off the staircase and hold out for as long as possible. If I'm going out I would rather go out in comfortable surroundings with the people I know and love.
3. You see an underground parking centre. Do you go in?
Hell no. Again I'm from New Jersey and I wont use an underground parking garage pre zombie apocalypse.
Seriously though I think anything underground with entrances that big would only become an underground tomb.
4. You see your boss is now a zombie but is no immediate threat to you. Do you still use your last bullet on him/her?
What kind of person do you think I am? I would not do such a foolish thing. I would use a baseball bat and bash their **uking brains in.
5. What luxury item would you keep in the apocalypse?
The expensive car that I just sold from the recently down guy down the road.
6. You're bitten, do you
A) Shoot yourself before you turn?
B) Ask a friend to do?
C) Turn and enjoy the all you can eat human buffet?
It would have to be A. I would opt out rather than become a danger to my family and friends.
Book Title: The Dead War Trilogy
Author Questions
1. How long have you been writing for?
I started writing right after seeing Star Wars for the first time. So I have been writing since I was about 10 years old. I didn't publish an actual book until 2008. But i had a few poems and articles published in magazines and newspapers.
2. What do you think sets your work apart from others in the genre?
I think there are three things that set The Dead War Trilogy apart from other books in the zombie genre.
The first being a sense of hope. Many zombie books are all doom and gloom. I think that readers have to have a sense that the characters they have come to care about will not only survive but have the chance to actually live their lives in peace again.
The second is the level of action. I grew up on 80s action movies so I love lots of action sequences. This being a story of soldiers battling the dead ( and other things / person ) there is plenty of action to spare.
There is also a scifi element that many stories lack. There is also what I believe to be a possible and realistic explanation for the cause of the zombie apocalypse.
3. Do you have any tips for new writers?
WRITE! Don't keep checking on your sales figures or worrying about your reviews. The only way all of us get better as writers is to write.
Also write in a genre you like not one that's popular right now just to make a quick buck. To me that's not very satisfying and i feel my lack of enthusiasm for a genre would show up
4. What books do you read and do you have a recent recommendation?
I read everything. Science fiction, horror, fantasy, and biographies. I just recently finished by Ian Woodhead and would definitely recommend that book.
5. Where can readers find you?
They can find me here:
Website: http://www.thedeadwarseries.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedeadwar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadwarseries
Zombie Survival Questions
1. You see a hand gun, a bat and a knife. Which do you choose as your weapon for the apocalypse?
I'm from New Jersey ( US ) so I have to go for the baseball bat. Itdoesn't need reloading and I don't have to worry about it getting stuck in someone's skull and not being able to pull it out.
It's also relatively silent so it wont make a ton of noise to attract more of the dead.
2. Place of survival. Your own house, a shopping mall or The Winchester pub?
All zombie fans know that malls are a no no. That always ends badly and besides there are too many doors.
In theory the pub sounds like a good idea. Hey if you gotta go you might as well get pissy tail drunk and have a good time at it. But because many pubs have a lot of windows this is probably not the most defensible place.
That leaves me with home sweet home. I can better defend my house and block off the staircase and hold out for as long as possible. If I'm going out I would rather go out in comfortable surroundings with the people I know and love.
3. You see an underground parking centre. Do you go in?
Hell no. Again I'm from New Jersey and I wont use an underground parking garage pre zombie apocalypse.
Seriously though I think anything underground with entrances that big would only become an underground tomb.
4. You see your boss is now a zombie but is no immediate threat to you. Do you still use your last bullet on him/her?
What kind of person do you think I am? I would not do such a foolish thing. I would use a baseball bat and bash their **uking brains in.
5. What luxury item would you keep in the apocalypse?
The expensive car that I just sold from the recently down guy down the road.
6. You're bitten, do you
A) Shoot yourself before you turn?
B) Ask a friend to do?
C) Turn and enjoy the all you can eat human buffet?
It would have to be A. I would opt out rather than become a danger to my family and friends.
Feud - Red Dust (Short Story 2) Out Now
Feud - Amazon
Feud - Smashwords
If you missed The Lost Party it is currently free on smashwords with the coupon provided on the site.
The Lost Party - Smashwords
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Of kings, warriors, and Oreo Blues by By Carole McDonnell
Of kings, warriors, and Oreo Blues
By Carole McDonnell
The Constant Tower is a story about Psal, a
lame prince who is unable to go on a journey. It’s not the lameness that’s
keeping him from traveling. It’s the world he lives in. No one travels outside
at night on Odunao, a planet with three moons, one sun, and a night that tosses
people to disparate parts of the planet.
But being lame is not Psal’s only problem.
Or rather, his being lame is problematical in that he is not a warrior. On
Odunao, a sickly, over-sensitive, limping boy is a blight to the warriors of
his clan. It doesn’t help matter that Psal is a prince.
I don’t know why or when I developed a love
for kings, royalties, and warlords.
I can only chock it up to Shakespeare and
the Bible. Certainly, growing up Black in the US, I should perhaps have developed an attachment to
freedom-fighters, democracy, underdogs, and equal rights. Heck, as a woman, I
should have developed a love for female protagonists. Alas, no such luck. Of
course, many American female fantasy writers write about royalty. But my main
characters are often male. They often belong to a race that is different from
mine. They are often royalty, which I am not.
So why this identification? I hate to admit it but I’ve begun to think
that although I like to think of myself as enlightened, it appears that I am a
product of my childhood education. As a kid, I grew up in a Jewish-Italian neighborhood, and have always found myself
somewhat “out of my element.” I even wrote an essay once called “Oreo
Blues.” For better or worse, I seem to
always be interested in how the other half lives. And I always seem to want to
challenge the clans to which I belong.
At first, I tried to be aware and
self-aware enough to write about women. After all, women were supposed to write
about women. And I tried to write about Black folks because I am Black. But
childhood education sticks. Unlike many of my Black and/or female writer
friends, I didn’t feel like taking courses to shake the evil British canon out
of my mind. I liked English lit and I grew up with fantasy/quest stories of
boys going on journeys — and that’s what I write about. I grew up reading about
kings and hearing characters speak to Prince Hal and Prince Hamlet as “My
Lord.” So the whole class system is woven into my fantasies, whether I like the
class system or not. I grew up reading the Bible so I wasn’t going to get all
super-enlightened and throw away my faith in order to cast off Imperialism.
So the child is father of the man…or of the
woman.
Of course, there was a time I felt guilty
about all this. I thought I should write about strong women instead of weak
oppressed women. Little girls need to see strong women, right? I thought I
should populate the world with dark-haired, dark-skinned icons whom little
Black children could love and honor. But, why change myself? I write about what
I see, and not about what I feel the world might be or should be.
And it turns out that I have somehow
managed to merge my own issues with those literary icons I studied during my
childhood. So, while I write primarily about male heroes, I do approach those
guys with my own Black female sensibility. And although I write about
outsider-princes and wounded warriors, (I’ll thank Shakespeare’s Hamlet,
Othello, Edmund, Shylock, and Hal for that), I do write about racial oppression
and I do seem to write truly multiculturally. My books are populated with
people of all races, and the races of my heroes —and their love interests—
don’t generally matter. I’d like to think that my writing is ambassadorial,
touching people of all races and I hope The Constant Tower will find readers
from all over the world.
Writers are supposed to write what they
wish to read. As the saying goes, “Wells are dug by those who are thirsty.” I
suppose the easiest way to think of it.
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Sunday, June 16, 2013
Nicolas Wilson - What do you look for in a book?
Question: What do you look for in a book?
Honesty.
I read to get to know people. Depending on the book, this may be the author, this may be the characters... I look for a distinctive voice. Not just fun action sequences, new and exciting places, thrilling plot twists, striking fantasy worlds. Those are nice, but the work needs a strong underlying personality.
Especially with the emphasis on commercial viability, it's getting harder and harder to find good, honest writing. Maybe we've gotten more scared of confrontation in our personal lives, especially now that employers may view our facebook, and penalize us for our words or choices. Maybe we're just used to more and more scrutiny, and don't feel a sense of safety to develop our own view of the world. Or maybe we've lost our capacity to research and interpret, when even the news channels can't be assed to ensure the accuracy of their reporting, in the rush to present breaking news picoseconds before the competition.
My wife rants a lot about the "fantasy disconnect." She describes it as a writer getting carried away in their story and concept, and failing to look how that lifestyle or action would emerge. Kings are cruel to their people, enslaving and killing at will, long past the point when the people would have risen up, and their own counselors would have betrayed them. Clothing uses materials that would not, could not, should not exist with the lifestyles and technology available. I think this is most egregious in television and film, where you can easily see that the peasant girl is wearing a hair style that would take seven hours to create- leaving her no time to work the fields or gather food. My point, though, is that I look for books that consider their perspective, and choose one. Catharsis is great, but how will readers relate to it, and differentiate it from any of the other fictional worlds out there?
I think the age of twitter and Facebook has changed the nature of creation. Audiences connect very deeply with the authors they love, and though the reasons may vary, it all comes down to specific pieces of them that they shared in their work. Admittedly, I don't have a lot of time for reading. I'm shamefully underread for an author. But there's very few finish-a-novel-a-day readers out there. and I'd venture to say that most readers are similar to me, both in their time commitments, and their desire to see something human and relatable in their literature.
Hunter S. Thompson has long been a favorite of mine, because his writing was honest, right on down to the pieces of his own bias or social conscience that emerged. I've tried hard to emulate that in my own work, to let readers know me a little better, or at least let them know how I interpret the world around me. I don't want to see stories set in a vacuum. I don't want the author to whitewash their work to avoid pissing people off, or "unfairly" presenting things.
Poe, for all his personal demons, wrote with an unwavering optimism. This may sound like a strange reading of his work, but his symbolism is all very upbeat.The mystery was solved. Characters broke free of restrictive mortal elements or institutions. While his stories might not have a happy ending in the everybody-lived sense, while the world did its absolute damnedest to crush the man, he never relinquished that strand of hope- even if he was often forced to invent it for himself.
Garth Ennis, my foulmouthed hero, turned beautifully illustrated pages blue with the strange, obscene, and flawed. He's definitely a niche taste, if only for his fascination with the seediest elements of the world, but he infuses even the most ridiculous characters with a humanity it's impossible not to relate to. It's a unique combination of world-building and humanity that makes it feel like I know Garth, though I've never met the man.
Though those are my all-time favorites, I've stumbled onto a few Indie authors with similarly unique outlooks. Jonathan Moon is a favorite, right now. Read a few pages of his novel, Heinous, and you'll see what I mean.
I hope that the factors leading to more restrained writing are cyclical, and we soon find ourselves with an abundance of honest stories. As things get progressively more restrictive, I hope that our authors don't find their voices silenced or distorted in the search for immediate profits, a clean online record for employers, or our own limited attention to hear their stories.
About Nicolas Wilson
Nicolas Wilson is a published journalist, graphic novelist, and novelist. He lives in the rainy wastes of Portland, Oregon with his wife, two cats and a dog.
Nic has written eight novels. Whores: not intended to be a factual account of the gender war, and Dag are currently available for e-reader, and will soon be available in paperback. Nexus, The Necromancer's Gambit, Banksters, Homeless, The Singularity, and Lunacy are all due for publication in the next two years, as well as several short story collections.
Nic's work spans a variety of genres, from political thriller to science fiction and urban fantasy.
Follow Nicolas Wilson's Work:
http://nicolaswilson.com/ Nic's site, with links to purchase Nic's work from all available retailers.
https://www.facebook.com/NovelistNicolasWilson
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6553776.Nicolas_Wilson
https://twitter.com/NicolasWilson
Honesty.
I read to get to know people. Depending on the book, this may be the author, this may be the characters... I look for a distinctive voice. Not just fun action sequences, new and exciting places, thrilling plot twists, striking fantasy worlds. Those are nice, but the work needs a strong underlying personality.
Especially with the emphasis on commercial viability, it's getting harder and harder to find good, honest writing. Maybe we've gotten more scared of confrontation in our personal lives, especially now that employers may view our facebook, and penalize us for our words or choices. Maybe we're just used to more and more scrutiny, and don't feel a sense of safety to develop our own view of the world. Or maybe we've lost our capacity to research and interpret, when even the news channels can't be assed to ensure the accuracy of their reporting, in the rush to present breaking news picoseconds before the competition.
My wife rants a lot about the "fantasy disconnect." She describes it as a writer getting carried away in their story and concept, and failing to look how that lifestyle or action would emerge. Kings are cruel to their people, enslaving and killing at will, long past the point when the people would have risen up, and their own counselors would have betrayed them. Clothing uses materials that would not, could not, should not exist with the lifestyles and technology available. I think this is most egregious in television and film, where you can easily see that the peasant girl is wearing a hair style that would take seven hours to create- leaving her no time to work the fields or gather food. My point, though, is that I look for books that consider their perspective, and choose one. Catharsis is great, but how will readers relate to it, and differentiate it from any of the other fictional worlds out there?
I think the age of twitter and Facebook has changed the nature of creation. Audiences connect very deeply with the authors they love, and though the reasons may vary, it all comes down to specific pieces of them that they shared in their work. Admittedly, I don't have a lot of time for reading. I'm shamefully underread for an author. But there's very few finish-a-novel-a-day readers out there. and I'd venture to say that most readers are similar to me, both in their time commitments, and their desire to see something human and relatable in their literature.
Hunter S. Thompson has long been a favorite of mine, because his writing was honest, right on down to the pieces of his own bias or social conscience that emerged. I've tried hard to emulate that in my own work, to let readers know me a little better, or at least let them know how I interpret the world around me. I don't want to see stories set in a vacuum. I don't want the author to whitewash their work to avoid pissing people off, or "unfairly" presenting things.
Poe, for all his personal demons, wrote with an unwavering optimism. This may sound like a strange reading of his work, but his symbolism is all very upbeat.The mystery was solved. Characters broke free of restrictive mortal elements or institutions. While his stories might not have a happy ending in the everybody-lived sense, while the world did its absolute damnedest to crush the man, he never relinquished that strand of hope- even if he was often forced to invent it for himself.
Garth Ennis, my foulmouthed hero, turned beautifully illustrated pages blue with the strange, obscene, and flawed. He's definitely a niche taste, if only for his fascination with the seediest elements of the world, but he infuses even the most ridiculous characters with a humanity it's impossible not to relate to. It's a unique combination of world-building and humanity that makes it feel like I know Garth, though I've never met the man.
Though those are my all-time favorites, I've stumbled onto a few Indie authors with similarly unique outlooks. Jonathan Moon is a favorite, right now. Read a few pages of his novel, Heinous, and you'll see what I mean.
I hope that the factors leading to more restrained writing are cyclical, and we soon find ourselves with an abundance of honest stories. As things get progressively more restrictive, I hope that our authors don't find their voices silenced or distorted in the search for immediate profits, a clean online record for employers, or our own limited attention to hear their stories.
About Nicolas Wilson
Nicolas Wilson is a published journalist, graphic novelist, and novelist. He lives in the rainy wastes of Portland, Oregon with his wife, two cats and a dog.
Nic has written eight novels. Whores: not intended to be a factual account of the gender war, and Dag are currently available for e-reader, and will soon be available in paperback. Nexus, The Necromancer's Gambit, Banksters, Homeless, The Singularity, and Lunacy are all due for publication in the next two years, as well as several short story collections.
Nic's work spans a variety of genres, from political thriller to science fiction and urban fantasy.
Follow Nicolas Wilson's Work:
http://nicolaswilson.com/ Nic's site, with links to purchase Nic's work from all available retailers.
https://www.facebook.com/NovelistNicolasWilson
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6553776.Nicolas_Wilson
https://twitter.com/NicolasWilson
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