Books, Beer and Blogshit: Winter of Zombie 2015: Russell James

Books, Beer and Blogshit: Winter of Zombie 2015: Russell James:

Winter of Zombie 2015: Russell James

You're reading Books, Beer and BLOGshit! Its the only blog that doesn't make cheesy joke about guys without arms and legs in odd predicaments. I am your armless and legless blog host, Mr. (I can't type, I have no arms or legs.)

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs laying in a pile of leaves. RUSSELL! As in today's spotlight interviewee, Russell James. Get it!?

Seriously, take my wife. Please! I'm kidding, I take my wife everywhere but she always find her way home! Cut! It! Out! I'll be here all week! Try the veal!

And now on with the show.

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?

Russell James:  Q ISLAND is one of seven  novels I have published through Samhain Horror. They range from haunted house stories to witch stories to stories of Satanists. This is the only one in the zombie genre. I’ll continue to write whatever horror genre inspires me at the time. I have a second story set on Q Island about half-done now, so there’s at least one more zombie story in me.

The Blogshit: What is more important to the story: A sympathetic human survivor or a zombie with an interesting storyline?

Russell James:  I think people can relate more to a sympathetic survivor, but Tim Waggoner did a great zombie POV novel in THE WAY OF ALL FLESH that proves me wrong.

The Blogshit: For you, who are the most important writers in zombie fiction at this moment?

Russell James:  For sheer impact, the writers of THE WALKING DEAD have to be the most influential. I don’t think anyone else can claim the reach of their work, and the amount of derivative work they inspire.

The Blogshit: Is there room for sex in the zombie apocalypse?

Russell James:  There will be some in the next Q Island story I have in the works. And it won’t be pretty.

Would you read Russell James? I'd read Russell James.

The Blogshit: How much consideration do you give to the seasons in your zombie stories?

Russell James:  Q ISLAND covers a long time period and the seasons change for a reason. The arrival of spring is especially important. This is a time for natural optimism as the world comes back to life. But on the island, that is juxtaposed with the fact that no progress is being made on a cure, and everyone’s standard of living is eroding at an ever increasing rate, with no end in sight.

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?

Russell James:  The Fresh Flesh food truck will be heavily armored, and run strictly on a cash basis. The menu includes Heart Valve Hoagies, Unfried Chitlins, Human Back Ribs and Brain and Liver Smoothies. Form a line, no pushing.

Russell James on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Russell-James/e/B006BFIOKQ/

Russell James Home Page: http://www.russellrjames.com/