The Next Big Thing Blog Hop.

First, a thanks to S.E. Meyers for thinking of me and tagging me to take part in this blog tour. Also, I may be mistaken, but I believe the genesis for this began with the folks at Master Koda. Since I am participating, I am asked to tag 5 others. I would like to see Mark Tufo, John O'Brien, Heath Stallcup, Catie Rhodes and Greg Carrico.

So, here are the questions and answers:

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?

Dead: Siege & Survival (available December 15th.)

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The entire DEAD series came from reading A LOT of zombie fiction. Not to mention my love of the original Romero classics. What I was seeing out there just seemed like a lot of the same stories hashed over again and again. There was not enough dealing with the characters…much less allowing for development. A few writers were breaking the mold, just not enough. What I wanted was a zombified The Stand. In other words, I wanted a good-sized cast of characters. Some people say that I might have taken it too far, but I give my readers more credit than that. I think it is a shame that only the fantasy genre seems to be able to create these epic series that span a dozen or more books and unleash a cast of hundreds.

What genre does your book fall under?

Zombies will always fall under horror. I refuse to say “dystopian” because I just do not believe zombies are that Orwellian.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

A few of the highlights would be Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Steve, Helen Mirren as Dr. Zahn, Victoria Justice as Heather Johnny Galecki OR Kevin Sussman as Kevin, Charlize Theron as Aleah, Richard Raphael as Garrett, Eden Sher as Kirsten.

Those are just a few. I am always entertained by others who throw out names. (Still a blank when I think of Juan.)

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Survivors around the world try to deal with the global zombie apocalypse.

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

May December Publications will continue to be my label.

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

Just over two months.

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

The Walking Dead is the closest, toss in some elements of The Stand and the rotating chapter format of Game of Thrones.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always loved writing. I have had a few people, notably my wife Denise and a college professor, Ms. Bose.

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

If you want a series that goes beyond the simple rip-and-tear violence of zombies, if you like characters that will stick with you for a while, this is the series for you.