Jordans Brains

“I’m a self-proclaimed zombie addict, and I’ll read or watch anything that has to do with the undead. Most people wonder why I’m obsessed with zombies; I just think it’s the most fascinating genre. Stories about how survivors would react in a post-apocalyptic world are intriguing to me. I’d like to think that I would do everything in my power to help others during the zombie apocalypse. I guess I’ll never know until a real zombie invasion occurs (hopefully soon).

I wrote my first book, Jordan’s Brains, exactly one month before my thirtieth birthday. Unlike many authors, being a writer wasn’t a childhood dream of mine. It wasn’t even on my radar until recently. I’ve always been a daydreamer though, and my mind tends to drift off quite often, and I end up weaving these elaborate and strange stories. I’ve always enjoyed conjuring up these bizarre tales in my mind, but one day I just decided to start writing down my ideas. I began taking notes about a psychotic zombie fanatic who yearned for the zombie apocalypse. That’s how the idea for my first novel was conceived, and I had such a blast writing Jordan’s Brains.

I recently finished writing my second zombie novel, and I’m working on my third round of editing. Publishing always takes longer than I think, but hopefully it’ll be released in a few months. It’s quite different than my first book. It takes place in the 1950s, and only women can get infected by the zombie virus. Because all men are immune and most of the women are infected, the men are left to fend for themselves. It’s more of a comedy than a horror novel. I have a few ideas for my third book, which I hope to start working on soon. I’m having so much fun creating my own little stories about the zombie apocalypse!”

Q & A

1. Obvious question – what is your zombie apocalypse plan?

My plan is to stockpile food and water, so I’ll be able to stay inside and ride out the first wave of the zombie apocalypse. Then I plan on venturing out to help other survivors. I’m sure I’ll get killed or turned in the process, but I have to at least try to save a few people.

2. What is your zombie killing weapon of choice?

Excellent question! A machete would be the perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse. Unlike a gun, you never have to reload it, and it’s nice and quiet.

3. Did you base any of the characters in Jordans Brains on yourself, or anyone you know?

I think Jordan was based on me a little bit. Jordan is a little crazy, but in an endearing way. While I’m not a psychopath, I definitely fall into the “eccentric” category. I’d also like to think that, like Jordan, I would do everything in my power to help strangers during the zombie apocalypse.

4. Did you have a strict plot line for your book, or did you just allow it to develop as you wrote?

I had the first third outlined before I started writing Jordan’s Brains, and then I just let the story unfold naturally from there. It’s fun to let the characters develop themselves. I was even surprised by some of the twists in Jordan’s Brains because I didn’t plan them ahead of time.

5. What is your favourite book (horror or otherwise) and why?

Oh, that is another excellent question. I read so many books, and it’s hard to pick just one. Can I give you a top five? Here are my five favorite zombie novels:

1. Zombie/Apocalypse 2012: A Political Horror Story by Ian McClellan

2. The Road to Hell is Paved with Zombies by Cedric Nye

3. A Bloody Road to Nowhere by Joanna Prototype

4. The Longest Road by A.S. Thompson

5. The Hand That Feeds by Michael Garza.

I know that was cheating, but I couldn’t pick just one! I love all of those books because each story has its own unique twist on the zombie apocalypse.

Check out http://thelockdown.co.uk for more

Something a Little Different...

Here I want to introduce you to photographer Jake Riding. He has been a wonderful help tohttp://thelockdown.co.uk and his work is absolutely worth a view!

“I’m 17 years old, I live in Helston, Cornwall and I’m a very passionate photographer. I started photography in 2010 not long after winning a photographic competition in my secondary school (Helston Community College). I like to do event, news, food and creative photography. I also sometimes try and do macro nature photography and aviation photography.

I have a weekly market stall in Helston, that’s every Friday (weather permitting). I started market stall trading on the 7th September 2013 after getting help from Jonathon Radford-Gaby (Helston Town Mayor), and Emma Wooderson (Helston Markets Chair). I sell a selection of photographs from myself, Bob Sharples and John Richards (all local photographers). All photographs are mounted and packaged. I also have my photography for sale in Loravon, Helston too – what’s downstairs of ‘Fruit & Veg 4 U’ shop that’s located near the top half of Meneage Street.

I have previously produced photo-shoots for Sounds Eclectic, The Old Cattle Market (Helston), Cunda Kitchen, Porthleven Primary School, Porthleven Community Group, MyCornwall Magazine and Kingsgate Church (Helston).

My website is http://jakeriding.co.uk and you can ‘Like’ me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jakeridingcouk to keep up to date with my work.

I use a Canon EOS Digital SLR 1100D with lenses: 37-76mm zoom, 75-300mm zoom, 50mm prime. I use a YONGNUO speedlite (external flash gun). I edit my photographs in Digital Photo Professional and Adobe Photoshop CS2 using Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate.”

More available at http://thelockdown.co.uk/blog

Who is Kevin S Hall?

“I am Kevin Hall, an upcoming author who has recently had two short stories published in Holiday Horror 2014.

I’ve been writing stories since I was ten but only recently decided to pursue a career in writing full time. I have a long way to go yet but I hope to make it big with my upcoming Raven’s Edge novel, a ghost story said in a forgotten Scottish ghost town.

I have done Nightmares Before Christmas which you can find on my Black Hole page on Facebook – short horror stories and poems for the festive period which I hope you will all enjoy.

I am currently working on finishing Thirteen, which is a collection of 13 short horror stories and is over 100,000 words so far! I hope to finish it soon but it’s sometimes hard finding the time.

I am still 33 and will be 34 this year so I hope it’s not too late to become a successful author – I hope to get out of my rubbish job one day but take each day at a time and try to write lots.

I have to say my influences are Stephen King (Pet Sematary being my all time favourite book and movie), James Herbert, Dean Koontz, Tolkien and Terry Pratchett to name but a few!

I am a sci-fi, fantasy and horror fan and love comics and Doctor Who. I am not afraid to be a geek – in fact I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world. I may be mocked at work and made to look stupid but I am not and hope to rise up and show them all one day that I can and will be better than they are!

Hope you all like my work and feel free to leave comments and let me know how I can improve on my writing. We are all in this together and even if you only write a little a day it’s better than none at all. I look forward to getting to know you all a lot better and making new friends like I have with Samie and so many others.

Here’s to many wonderful years of writing together!”

For more, check out http://thelockdown.co.uk/blog

Get to know Kat Yares

Kat Yares has been writing fiction her entire adult life. She is an author, screenwriter, indie movie maker and amateur photographer. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous print publications and online. She was first accepted into the Horror Writers Association in 2001 and remains a member today.

Her fiction is primarily in the horror/thriller genres. Unlike many, she writes horror not to gross out or startle her readers, but to make them think. Most of her stories are mind games and deal with mans (or woman’s) inhumanity to man (or woman).

Her novella, Vengeance Is Mine, while horror, still strikes a cord for many readers as they can see correlations between the story and what is happening in today’s political climate.

Her two novels, Beneath the Tor and The XIII, are both fantasy and thriller and as several readers have written to her, are bound to send her to Hades after she passes.
Visit her blog (www.katyares.com) to find out more about her and the various Internet retail outlets where her books can be found.

For more #sci fi fun check out http://thelockdown.co.uk

Interview with Nicholas Scott Lilly

“I have been writing horror stories for as long as I have been able to string words together. My lifelong love of Jason Voorhees the Crystal Lake slasher horror fiend from the Friday the 13th movies has kept me interested in blood, gore, and dead camp counselors ever since I was a young child.

Growing up I never cared much for sports, cars, or the traditional cartoons for a child, the first movie I ever saw in theaters was Childs play and I was hooked from then on. Non stop reading and story telling my parents had to take a different approach to punish me. I could without a TV or video games and I sat quietly and smugly as they took them away but eventually they caught on and when my books started being confiscated I started straightening up….or at least being more sneaky about things.

Writing is all I could ever do with my life anything else would just be a fall back, something to pay the bills until writing paid off and even if I never made a cent doing so I will never stop.

Thirteen horrific tales that will not only keep you up at night but make you second guess everything you thought you knew. Inside these pages is a world of the unknown a fear that you never knew existed. You will think twice about every day encounters after reading Mirror mirror, the phones that you revolve your life around might not be your obsession after you experience Technical difficulties, Taking a family trip to the carnival may seem harmless, carefree, family fun but you’ll think again once The dark man cometh. These and many more are what you have waiting for you in between the pages of Where we come to die.”

Get to know Nicholas better at http://www.facebook.com/WhereWeGoToDie

For more #horror fun check out http://thelockdown.co.uk

Author TJ Weeks

TJ Weeks – the brains behind the Holiday Horror 2014 book – is an author you want to keep your eye on! His horror novels will have you on the edge of your seat. A rollercoaster ride of emotions.

To find out more about his amazing works, check out TJ on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/tjweeksofficial

For more #zombie fun, please check out http://thelockdown.co.uk

Exciting Projects

This is the blog of Samie Sands - author of Lockdown, a novel which will be released in Spring. Here I am going to look at exciting projects from authors to films and everything in between.

Contact me if you'd like to me to look at your project/product.

thelockdown.co.uk