Every year I have people over and we watch the Oscars. We make good food, others bring dishes potluck style, and we bet on the outcome of awards. It’s become my SuperBowl. I keep up with movies; not so much with football…
This year, with so many of us living all over the place, and with my network ever expanding online, I’m hosting a separate betting pool on my website. And this is not just for my close friends (I’ll still do that at home)! So come one, come all.
Annnnnnd… since I don’t really know the legality of hosting a betting pool online, it’s more of a contest. Free to play, winner gets a $10 giftcard to Amazon.com. PLUS, as a bonus standing offer, if you can beat me personally, I’ll gift you an ecopy of INFECTED (if you don’t have one already).
All you have to do is fill out the form below before showtime on Feb 24th (I’ll post mine online then too) to qualify.
This is an essay I originally wrote for zombie-guide.com and their “Zombies in Fiction” section. I also want to share it on my page because almost every time I do an interview this question comes up.
Tell us, zombie scribe. Why do the masses love the undead masses?”
So, make sure you go check out their site afterwards (lots of awesome zombie content), but here’s the article in full:
Why are zombies so popular? Well, for many, it’s a call to action. We’re Luke Skywalker, caught in the dregs of daily life, and the zombie apocalypse serves as the storm troopers coming to burn down our uncle’s homestead. Ready or not, time for adventure. Or (in case you’re not as big a Star Wars nerd as I am), let me put it this way: We’re not all the type to go out and join the military or the police force, but we’d like to believe that if danger came knocking on our door, we could rally to that call. The zombie apocalypse is when push comes to shove.
It’s pure escapism. Once the zombie apocalypse happens, all the things that are important to us will fall to the wayside. Unemployment, politics, failed relationships–anything that might have you “down”–all become a moot point when the dead try to eat the living. It’s a second lease on life. You get to start afresh. This is where the true You comes out, the side that’s underestimated by coworkers, family, and friends; the side that, deep down, you know is there. The unlikeliest of heroes can now come out and save the day. Were you a pimple-faced pizza delivery guy back in the day? Well, now you’re a zombie-slaying badass and everyone’s clamoring for your protection. What about the overworked and underpaid nurse stuck on the night shift with little chance of promotion on the horizon? Well, now those skills mean you’re the most valued member of your survival team.
With zombie fiction, we can experience this release all from the safety of our own home. We can escape, if only for a few precious hours. That’s part of why with INFECTED, I made YOU the main character. You get to test that measure of your true self, if only for a bit of fun. Make your choices, then see the outcome.
Are zombies at the height of their popularity? Probably… but they’ll never fully go away, even if interest starts to wane. Like everything else in our world, fads come and go, but zombies are forever.
If you follow me on twitter, goodreads, facebook, or have checked out my “events” tab in the last month, you probably know I went to Ft Hood, TX for a book signing (Or, to be more accurate, I went to Texas for my sister’s wedding and scheduled a book signing around the same time. Congrats Melissa and Craig!). Well, for a self-published author, this was a big week.
Knowing it would be a 3-day signing event, but not knowing what to expect, I ordered 3 boxes of books (24 each) and brought the 10 I had sitting at home, just because I was feeling optimistic. So, with 82 books, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to leave too many at my parents’ house.
First stop was to our hometown newspaper, where I was interviewed. I’m still new enough to the game where little things like this are novel and exciting. If you like, you can read the article here.
Source: “Heights High School grad pens zombie book” from KDHnews.com
Next stop? I’d heard that Hastings has a “local author” section, so I decided to give it a try and see if I could leave a few copies there. Much to my surprise, not only was I accepted at Hastings in Killeen, but I was placed on the “zombie” shelf right up front as well as out in the general “horror” section. Whoa! That in itself was a huge life event–my first brick-and-mortar store.
Make Your ChoiceNote to self, stop having an “S” last name.
Then there was the signing. My sister Alison had the idea to dress up like a zombie on Saturday, and my other sisters soon caved to the peer pressure. After all, I offered a free t-shirt and a professional makeup job. I’d play Friday straight, have my zombies with me on Saturday, then offer a sale on Sunday in hopes of reducing my inventory. I needed to leave some books behind for Hastings, but not too many…
Friday, day 1: People were very receptive to INFECTED! In fact, I sold 21 books–almost a full box. Not bad, maybe I could sell the same on Sunday and try for a full 30 on Saturday when my zombies were with me. That would leave 10 books for Hastings. My nervous fears that I’d be ignored for three days were proving to be unfounded. I even met some very nice people who were excited for me to sign a book for either themselves or a zombie fan in their family. At lunch, my fortune cookie sagely reminded me:
Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps.”
Saturday, day 2: Thanks so much to my sisters–love you guys! The book sold like hotcakes. There was often a queue at my signing table, zombie fans eager for a book and a photograph with our crazy family. I sold 47 books. I had to tell my family members not to buy any for themselves, otherwise I’d be in danger of selling out. I had already dropped off 9 at Hastings, so I was left with only 5 left for Sunday… gulp.
Don’t worry, my family scares me too.
Sunday, day 3: I sold out in about an hour. Boy, did I underestimate. I should’ve brought two more boxes at least. I think I could’ve hit Friday’s numbers at least, then I would’ve had some left over for Hastings after I left. Instead, I had to direct disappointed would-be customers to either this store or amazon.com. After checking with Hastings, turns out they sold out of my book as well–making it their #1 book for the week. Even beating out “50 Shades of Grey”! Granted, E.L. James wasn’t in Killeen promoting like I was, but it still felt like victory.
This was an appreciated confidence booster, and it was fun to be a minor celebrity for a weekend, but I still have lots of work to do before “Click Your Poison” is a household name. So what’s next? Of course there’s book #2 to work on, but I’ve also been invited to come back to Fort Hood any time, and I probably will. Maybe for book #2? Maybe around Halloween when the zombie craze is at its peak? In the meantime, I need to ship more books to Hastings and see about getting other stores out there to carry INFECTED. Maybe there’s a Big Week in California in my future? Who knows–but wherever life takes me, the future looks bright.
Okay, here goes. We can all agree that senseless gun violence is atrocious and that mental health needs to be addressed in our country. Don’t worry, this is not a rant about the Second Amendment. It is, however, a rant about the revitalized call to ban violence in movies, television, video games, and other forms of entertainment.
Since some of my writing leans toward the violent, I take exception to this argument. Full disclosure: one of my stories involves a mass shooting. Yet it’s obviously a parable about white collar helplessness, not a story encouraging senseless gun violence.
Maybe that’s why “violent books” get a pass in this proposed boycott. Maybe it’s understood that books are meant to teach us something, whereas videogames put your finger behind the trigger.
Yeah, well so does INFECTED, my survive-your-own zombie apocalypse book. It puts you at the heart of adrenaline fueled deplorable choices. But it’s adult entertainment, and I think that should be the point. How about instead of banning adult entertainment, we call for parents to take an active role in screening their children’s entertainment?
“I think you know there’s violence in the world, tragedies happen, blame the playmakers. It’s a Western. Give me a break.” –Quentin Tarantino, on the violence in Django Unchained.According to BBC, he’s tired of defending his films each time the US is shocked by gun violence.
Violent entertainment has never once made me fear for my life. Nor has it made me consider taking the life of another. Just as playing tug-o-war with your dog won’t make him want to rip out your jugular. Riding a roller coaster shouldn’t make you want to jump off a cliff. In fact, it should do the opposite. The itch should be scratched.
I think I missed this episode when I was a kid.
So here’s the point: If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. And if you don’t think your kids should watch it, don’t let them. But don’t try to ban any forms of expression or entertainment. Please. We have rating systems for a reason.
I’ve officially begun “Click Your Poison #2” and the subject is (drum roll, please)…
A mystery! And I don’t mean, “I’m not telling you, it’s a mystery.” I mean a literal murder mystery novel–a solve-your-own mystery, in fact. Which, I believe, is the first of its kind. I don’t think anyone has ever tried a literary puzzle of this scale, letting you (the reader) attempt to piece together the clues yourself. As part of my preparation, I read “The Elements of Mystery Fiction” by William G. Tapply (which is written more for a novice writer than it is for someone who has studied writing but is new to mystery fiction) and in it he says:
Avoid the second-person point of view… I know of no mystery novel that’s done it successfully–or of any serious writers who’ll admit that they’ve even tried.”
Well, Mr. Tapply, rules are made to be broken. In CYP #2, YOU will have to crack the case or the killer will get away with murder. I’m also sticking with the “3 Unique Storylines” convention that I started with INFECTED, but I can’t promise “50 endings.” I’m going to let them occur organically, like I did with CYP #1. Maybe there will be less, maybe more; we’ll see.
BUT! I’m excited. I know the plot and I’ve buried it under layer upon layer of subterfuge, red-herrings, and what-could’ve-happeneds.
Like onions (and ogres), mysteries have layers.
I know the characters, locale, and major turning points, and now it’s time to jump in and let the possible decision points guide the path of the book. It’ll probably be around 8-10 months before I can publish this book, but I’m too excited not to share. Don’t worry, I’ll post various updates (and samples) in the months to come, so if you haven’t already subscribed now is a great time to do so.
A very special THANK YOU to Mike Beeson, the talented filmmaker who put together this trailer. Yes, INFECTED is now out in paperback. I know I said it would be out for Thanksgiving, but I wanted to make the announcement when I released this spot. The more astute of you may have noticed that the paperback has been linked to the Amazon page for a couple of days now.
Now go bring some Christmas joy to the zombie lover in your life and Get INFECTED!
Happy Thanksgiving, all! I have a lot to be Thankful for this year. Not the least of which is for you, the reader.
This website, which just celebrated its one year anniversary yesterday, has introduced me to many wonderful people: Thank you for your comments and thanks for reading. I’m equally thankful to those who read in earnest silence; the lurkers! I’m Thankful to have published my first book this year, and touched that so many of you not only spent your hard-earned money on something I wrote, but also that you enjoyed it enough to share with your friends and family. I’m thankful that people value the written word, that you appreciate when time and effort is put into writing, and I’m glad to live in a society where it’s possible to earn a living from my passion (not that I’m there yet, maybe next year, ha!).
Now, to show that I’m thankful for your brains, enjoy this ten-course zombie thanksgiving feast:
* I don’t own any of these images and therefore all art is linked to the original source. Thanks to the artists for making this a HAPPY ZOMBIE THANKSGIVING!
Recently, I was paid my highest compliment as a writer to date. I was told by a reader, “Your book got me through Hurricane Sandy.”
With the paperback edition, you can take INFECTED anywhere.
Wow, huge. I’m not sure there’s any greater calling for fiction. If there are three goals for entertainment I see them as: 1) Help escape the dreary or the mundane, 2) Inspire & foster creativity, and 3) Teach us something about the world. I’m honored to have met #1 for at least one reader.
To say, “Thanks!” to all my readers, I’m hosting a giveaway before INFECTED releases in paperback this Thanksgiving. Less than 1.5 days left to enter! And in the Holiday spirit, share share share this link: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter to win at Rafflecopter or on Facebook.
Okay, maybe it won’t really save you. Unless the zombie apocalypse happens just as described. But in that case, you’re welcome.
Author James Schannep 