Thursday, December 13, 2012

Eagerly awaiting The Next Big Thing Interviews with Max Xavier and Sara Brooke!

(grin) 

Just doing what I can to build anticipation, ladies!  Enjoyed learning about Jami Deise's upcoming novel.  Here is the link to it:

http://jamideise.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-next-best-thing.html

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Long days at the real world job.

I wonder if I will ever enjoy the holidays again?  Can't really remember what it is like.  Oh well.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Next Big Thing Interview Questions

I was asked to participate in the Next Big Thing Interviews.  A thank you to Richard M. Cochran for including me.  So far, I will be followed by Sara Brooke and Jami Deise. 

What is the working title of your book?

Right now, my latest project is simply Dead Tide 3.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Roughly five or six years ago, I found out about a publisher who was looking for zombie novels.  I was a huge Dawn of the Dead fan, and decided to write one myself.  This will technically be my fourth zombie book.

What genre does your book fall under?

Post-Apocalyptic Horror
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Haha, this should be fun!  Ving Rhames as Tracks, Denzel Washington as Bronte, Halle Berry as Janicea, Josh Brolin as Mills, John Cusack as Talaski, Brad Pitt as Keller, Charlize Theron as Trish, Michelle Pfeiffer as First Lady Julie Foster, Jack Nicholson as President Burt Foster, Daniel Craig as Jacobs, Emma Stone as Natalie, Jon Cryer as Morgan Blake.  No one came to mind for 'Dead Eye' Johnny.      

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

The last of the living grapple with the living dead at World's End.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It is being published with Permuted Press.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Still working on this one, but it has been in the works for a few months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

None that I know of.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Permuted Press originally inspired me to write this.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think it has a fast pace, and a wide variety of characters.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Eleven Random Facts about me

1.  I once was very shy. 

2.  I lived on an island until I was almost 8. 

3.  I have at least 50 relatives living in the same city I do, and wouldn't recognize most of them.

4.  When I was seven I got into two long fist fights with a nazi kid, fell almost 2 stories out of a tree, and nearly lost an eye when a bunch of kids were throwing rocks at me.

5.  In the fourth grade, I went to three different elementary schools.  It was the year de-segregation was instituted.

6.  I've never smoked a cigarette.

7.  I once weighed almost 350 lbs.

8.  I was born a redhead. 

9.  I'm a third generation Floridian.

10.  I'm related to a former President.

11.  My dad is in the Florida Softball Hall of Fame for most homeruns.

Liebster questions from Jami Deise

1. What is your all-time favorite sports team?
    
    The Tampa Bay Rowdies.  They were (and are currently) a professional soccer team.

2. Which supernatural creature would you feel most comfortable fighting?
    I'd be pretty freaked out if I was fighting any supernatural creature, but zombies seem easier to kill when compared to vampires or werewolves.    

3. What are you too scared to do?

    I was always afraid of heights.  I could jump out of a plane to save my life, but never for enjoyment. 

4. What invention do you wish was around when you were a kid?

    I was pretty happy as a kid. Not convinced that the latest gadjets would have changed my life in a positive way. 

5. What book written by another author do you wish you had written?

    The first book that popped into my head was Dean R. Koontz's Twilight Eyes.   

6. What is your favorite city to visit?

     I love Cape Cod.  South Orleans in Massachusetts.

7. What is the longest-ever stretch of time you’ve spent writing without a break?

    Probably five hours.

8. If you weren’t a writer, what do you wish you could be?

    Only other jobs I wanted to do were soldier or police officer.  I used to include astronaut in that list until I found out how much a problem I have with motion (for example, being in a helicopter that is moving evasively, or a rollercoaster).

9. If you had the chance to repeat a year of your life, which one would it be?

    Probably the year before I went in the army.  I'd reconsider it now, knowing that it would inspire my brother to join the marines, and that my absence would create distance between us.  I had no idea what would happen to him when I left him behind for Basic Training.  Never even considered his feelings.  Ah, the selfishness of youth.  I can't blame myself for his death, but I would have forsaken my time in the army to still have him with me today.

10. Did you buy a ticket for the latest big Powerball jackpot?

    Yes, although I never win.

11. Has blogging, tweeting, etc., helped your book sales?

    Not sure that blogging has, but networking and going to conventions helped without a doubt.  I haven't been active enough on my blog until recently to know.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

More madness from the past!

Anyone curious about the origin of this blog's name?

8 years ago, on a game development forum, a friend (dwave1165) and I used to get a 'little' crazy.  He pretended to be Canadian, and to have a special interest in bacon, fungus and mold.  I may have exaggerated and embellished those lies a bit.  Here are some examples:


Ah, from a distance, it is just a spray of black flecks against the base of the wall. Against a background of peeling paint and rotting woodwork, the spores are the very living essense of life! Life from death and decay! Supply a bit of darkness and moisture and lo, like an out of control mutation a black stain grows together obscuring the long neglected surface beneath...
Ah, sweet mystery of life..."
_________________

 

Or 'Paradise' as described by our own expert on the subject, dwave1165!
Just a couple of questions to start for your fans, dwave...
One: How is your book, 'Rot and Rebirth, a Celebration of All-Things-Fungi!' coming along?
Two: What can you tell us about how you discovered your life's passion and how it can change all of our lives?


 

dwave1165:
__Sweet Passion!

Not all mysteries can be shared. Even amongst the tightest of friends! If all could just know the deep pondering that moulds can cause. Imagine world peace brought on by the study of pulsating pustules.


 

Dave, in Chapter Two of your book, 'Rot and Rebirth', you mention spores, the reproductive method whereas fungi proliferate. Can you elaborate on what happens when these spores find a nice, dark, wet spot?
Also, I have a question from one of our readers, "What should I do if I find mildew growing in my bathroom? It's soooo nasty, little black spots all over the ceiling. Help? Love your column, Rhonda"
Well, this question presents a number of problems dear readers. If even one of you is interested in the answer, I will provide it here.
 
 
. Let's see, where did we leave off...? Ah, yes, the Elk Stones. Dave, I have heard from a notable source() that there are many varieties of Elk Stones, and that secretly she has long admired your work in this and the related fields of Cryptogamous' Plants. For those of you unfamiliar with soft spongy growths that are destitute of chlorophyll I just can't convey how much you are missing. Then there is the notoriety the Elk Stone story is bringing as it weaves the passion of deriving norishment wholly or chiefly from organic compounds...It all leaves me a bit breathless! Wow, I think we better cut to a message from one of our sponsors...
 
I simply must ask another trivia question. The response to the last one was encouraging.
What produces 75 % of the world's oxygen? Plants? Trees? Lead? Vary small rocks?

All wrong.

Photosynthetic algae and cyanobacteria do
 
algae and bacteria are single cell organisms---neither plant nor animal.
 
It's like noticing the quiet girl you always took for granted. One day you notice that she has beautiful eyes and that when she looks at you those same eyes light up and dance with mischief...One day someone will ask you what a lichen is, and next thing you know you find yourself answering: "Unicellular algae that has joined with fungi..."
Simple words fail to convey the miracle of life...Perhaps Dave can explain better than I. He has an upcoming book entitled 'The Lord won't mind?' Dave? I can't begin to imagine how that relates to fungus...
 
Three, two, one and we're back!

Steve: "And here we are in Dave's garden, and this is a continuation of our ever-popular 'Conversations with Dave' series. Although, Dave does appear to be very intent upon something at the moment. Let's see if our cameraman Timothy can get a close-up of the action."

Timothy: "What, you want me to say something or just tape?"

Steve: "Feel free Tim. I'll just stand here and enjoy this delightful Sangria with my Costa Rican Moderno Number Five cigar!"

Timothy: "Well, ok. As you can see folks, Dave is on all fours and it isn't his best side, but never mind that. He appears to be examining something."

Steve: "Say, what's that on the radio, Bowie? Somebody turn it up."

Timothy: "Oh my God, what is that? Shouldn't you at least wear some gloves...?"

Dave: "Ah, a perfect specimin of the Armillaria Ostoyae...the Honey Mushroom!"

Timothy: "Did you just dig that up with your bare hands? I'd swear that it was growing out of some sort of fecal matter..."
_________________
 
 

 


A Love Story At World's End...

The dead were really beginning to stink.

Standing on the old Skyway Bridge with three near-strangers put things in perspective:  Adam Mills had too much time to think.  Too much time for regret.  Funny how you can live life in a trance.  Living but not living.  Loving but not being loved.  The days of your life pass in an eye blink.  Can't get them back. 

When he woke up, nearly forty years of his life were gone.  If his head had been on right they should have been wonderful, happy years.

But what did he know of love?

Very little when it came to romance.  He'd never been lonely, at least, not consciously so.  Never was a shortage of interested women. 

(just a little teaser from a current work in progress) 

Update!

So what's new?  I have signed a 3 book contract with Permuted Press and at least one of the books is planned for a 2013 release!  The books are about a zombie apocalypse and are set primarily in Florida.  I will post the covers for the first two books soon. 

Living and enjoying life!  The holidays are always rough for me given the nature of my real world job, but the days are rushing by.  Just hope I can resist the lure of taking an immediate vacation in January.  I still have 3 weeks left between now and September, but want to use them wisely.  Hoping to make some conventions this year, but will have to wait and see for now.