Author Spotlight: Armand Rosamilia

Writer, publisher, and heavy metal guru; Armand Rosamilia is an author who explores the dynamics of people who're forced to survive harrowing scenarios—Armand is not afraid to push his characters over the edge, especially in his zombie novels. To celebrate the latest episode in his popular Dying Days series, Armand stopped by the blog to share his thoughts about zombies and his beloved protagonist, Darlene Bobich, while showing us a glimpse of his maniacal imagination…  

Synopsis for Dying Days 3: 

Flagler Beach Florida is a wasteland of ruin and gore, looted and picked clean of supplies… and now, Darlene Bobich and the other survivors have an even bigger problem…

What could be worse than a mindless zombie horde? They are about to find out. 

Continuing the zombie series, "Dying Days"… extreme situations, extreme violence, extreme undead

CLICK HERE TO BUY DYING DAYS 3

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE DYING DAYS SERIES!


INTERVIEW:

VINCENZO: The fans love Darlene Bobich from your Dying Days books; what makes her stand out from other zombie fiction protagonists? What makes her interesting to you? Was there a specific character or person who helped inspire Darlene's creation?

ARMAND: I love writing about Darlene Bobich because she isn't superhuman. She is just a normal woman, late twenties, pretty but not a model, a little overweight and a bit emotional at times. She is pretty cool. After writing the first stories with her I realized she'd be pretty cool to hang out with, with or without the zombie apocalypse. She wasn't based on anyone I know but I guess as she progressed in later stories she became a woman I would like to be friends with, if that makes sense… and isn't too creepy…

The Dying Days series offers readers a chance to see the long-term effects of characters who survive for an extended period of time. What kind of role does the setting play in the stories development? 

Darlene is from Maine, so this is a totally different place for her. Even the characters native to Florida are not used to living like this, and some of them clearly handle it better than others. I enjoyed keeping each character's motivations intact even as the world changed around them, some adapting and some keeping focus (right or wrong). Just because the world goes to hell doesn't mean bad people suddenly become good. Or good people don't suddenly breakdown and act like selfish jerks. 

How often do you think about your characters? 

I am constantly 'writing' in my head, every time I meet a new person. I am at the point where something will hit me and I can see Darlene or John or Tosha doing that or saying that, and I make a mental note for later. A writer never stops writing, even when they aren't in front of a computer screen. 

Why won't you tone down the gore of your Dying Days series? There seems to be a lot of it…


I'm not interested in writing a happy or toned-down zombie story unless it's organic when I write it. I don't actually have too much gore and craziness, but I imply it quite a bit. I can only think of once or twice where I actually mention the zombies sexually violating someone, and it happened in the beginning of the Highway To Hell novella, the story that Dying Days really evolved from. 

How do you envision the evolution of your series? 

I have no reason to believe Dying Days will end anytime soon, because I have so many major and minor characters to tell their story about. For instance, the next release will be Dying Days: Origins, which tells the prequel tale of Tosha Shorb and then David Monsour (both featured in Dying Days 2). There are plenty of stories still left to tell. 

What was the most memorable moment you have, as a writer, while working on Dying Days Three? 

I remember about halfway through it I was stuck on a part during a beach scene and knew I had to move the story along and give the reader something interesting and move the story forward another notch. I took a break and when I checked my e-mail I saw the cover art Ash Areceneaux had put together and I loved it. A female zombie underwater, with one arm and her nose missing. I immediately knew it had to be incorporated into the story, and it's one of my favorite scenes. 




What's the craziest experience you've had with a fan? 

I had a fan send me a vodka skull, big boxes of M&Ms and TicTacs, and a bunch of other cool stuff. I became great online friends with her and help her with her own writing career. I've also had a couple of propositions for them to fly to Florida and get a room overlooking the beach and… yeah, I have had a few wild and crazy events because of this career. 

Are you reading any independent authors? If so, who? 

I mostly read independents. Bryan Hall, Tim Baker, Robert Chazz Chute, Mark Tufo… I could list another dozen. I am constantly finding new authors to read and getting recommendations from friends I trust. 

Which zombie movie is your favorite? Why?

My absolute favorite is the Dawn of the Dead remake. The fast zombies don't bother me. I love Ving Rhames in this, and anytime I see it on TV I will watch no matter what part it is on. I'm also a big fan of Shaun of the Dead and 28 Days Later. 

What's the biggest difference/challenge between writing a series and a standalone story?

With a series you have the freedom to really dive fully into the background of the character(s), and take your time telling their story. You can ease into what makes them do the things they do, and not have to worry about cutting scenes and quirks because you have to neatly fit it into one story. I have several characters in Dying Days that drop in and out like in real life. Some of these character threads might never be closed. And I'm OK with it. 


Describe the moment you discovered you enjoyed writing.

I knew at 12 I wanted to write, and write horror. It sounds cliché but it was always my career choice and nothing else. I just had no idea how to go about doing it, and 30 years ago the rules were so different. It was just a pipe dream of a pre-teen. Even in my twenties it was very hard to get published and get help. But I've always wanted to be a horror author. You can thank Dean Koontz for that. 

In your opinion, why is zombie literature a relevant genre?

The fan base gives it relevancy. There is a solid, small rabid fan base for zombie literature. After The Walking Dead and World War Z has come and gone, there will still be fans of zombies out there, and they will keep finding the better releases and word of mouth will keep certain authors writing and selling their work. 

As an editor at Rymfire Books, what has been the most rewarding part of the experience?

Meeting so many great writers and getting to publish some of their first stories, and then months and years later seeing them move up and get noticed and grow into an even more amazing writer. Mark Tufo comes to mind. To be able to publish his short, "My Name Is Riley," in Undead Tales and then see his career explode soon after was great. 

The world is ending, and the pantheon of music gods have sent three bands down from the heavens to Earth to put on one last concert the human race. Who're the bands?

Original lineup of Slayer, "Kill 'Em All" version of Metallica, and Steel Panther (as long as the chicks are with them).

You're standing on top of a hill and you're surrounded by zombies. You're the last person alive, and you have a weapon in your hands and a pair of headphones in your ears. What's your weapon? What're you listening to?

I have a five-pound bag of M&M's and I hope eating it will induce a heart attack, while listening to "I Hate, Therefore I Am" by Cyclone Temple (one of the greatest Thrash Metal albums of all time to me)



I have a feeling you'll survive… 


Your non-fiction projects are interesting; why is the "Metal Queens Monthly" series such an interesting project for you?  

I like writing not only horror, but expand my writing as much as possible. I'm a Metalhead and I've always been fascinated to find and hear new bands, and talk with fellow Metal fans. And I'm a guy, so I've always been attracted to women who also like Metal. I decided to combine my love of Metal, writing, and women into one neat package. I interview each female about their love of Metal, and there are plenty of pictures. 

Armand, you've got thirty seconds to tell us anything else about Dying Days we might have missed… 

I was getting tired of reading about stereotypical characters trapped in a building together fighting a zombie horde. I decided to write my own, and to set it in an odd place for zombie fiction: the beach. Plenty of sunshine, lots of sand and cool breezes and gore. After over two years of the Dying Days series being out, I think I'm still doing it right. Readers seem to think so. I hope you'll take a second to read the sample of one of my books on Amazon or Smashwords or Nook or Kobo, and decide to read the rest. And then get in contact and let me know what you loved and/or hated about it, because I love meeting new people. And eventually killing them in a future story. 

Bio:

Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he's not watching zombie movies, the Boston Red Sox and listening to Heavy Metal music...

Besides the "Miami Spy Games" zombie spy thriller series, he has the "Keyport Cthulhu" horror series, several horror novellas and shorts to date, as well as the "Dying Days" series:
Highway To Hell... Darlene Bobich: Zombie Killer... Dying Days... Dying Days 2... Still Dying: Select Scenes From Dying Days... Dying Days: The Siege of European Village... and many more coming in 2013.

He is also an editor for Rymfire Books, helping with several horror anthologies, including "Vermin" and the "State of Horror" series, as well as the creator and energy behind Carnifex Metal Books, putting out the "Metal Queens Monthly" series of non-fiction books about females into Metal...

You can find him at http://armandrosamilia.com
and e-mail him to talk about zombies, baseball and Metal: armandrosamilia@gmail.com

Links:

http://armandrosamilia.com 

BOOK REVIEW: Sirens by Kurt Reichenbaugh

Just another Saturday night, sometime in the middle of that decade we call the 70's, when Disco was queen and shows like Charlie's Angels and Happy Days reigned on television. But there are no angels, happy days or dancing queens for four bored friends, Kevin, Brad, Nick and Otto, who go looking for action on a sweltering Saturday night and instead get themselves involved in murder. A murder that spins them into a twisted web of vengeful rednecks, psychotic cheerleaders, a missing flying saucer, a hybrid creature on four legs, a sadistic ghoul or two, and one lethal bad-ass babe in a leopard-skin bikini who just might give our friends more action then they'd ever dreamed of. Take a sweltering mix of swamp noir, drive-in grind house, sex and rock n' roll seventies style, and you've got what SIRENS is all about.



CLICK HERE TO BUY (US)
CLICK HERE TO BUY (UK)


Amazon Stars 5/5

I've never been to a drive-in movie, but I like to think Sirens belongs on a big screen with grainy video footage and audio that cuts out every few minutes. This book is a "throwback" in every sense of the word; a story that leaves you wondering how the "real" world could shatter so much innocence. Horror, as it relates to the inclusion of teenage characters, takes us on a ride through the nightmare-adventures we envisioned conquering; our need to feel empowered by realizing our greatest fantasies is a theme of our own young lives, and a concept Reichenbaugh uses to chilling effect to make his book come alive.

Fantasy is within reach, however; just as we can read the book and escape into the past with Reichenbaugh's well-crafted, concise sentences and subtle humor, the characters in this adventure flirt with their wildest dreams. The group of teenage boys who're forever ripped from their version of reality by a horrific event turn to an interesting young man who helps solely because he wishes to become like the fictional characters he idolizes; Otto is a stark contrast to the lustful dreams of his friends. The narrative is held together by the mystery behind the eerie powers and savage desires of Suzie and her companions.

Besides Otto, the boys seems fairly generic; I often had a difficult time distinguishing between the characters, but their desires helped me identify them as the story progressed. Reichenbaugh has a knack for creating an engaging setting with "evil" characters who're better written and more interesting than the "good guys." More details were used to distinguish Suzie and her twisted "friends;" I wanted to know more about them, and thankfully, some of the chapters ended quickly so I could get right back into the heads of the more twisted characters, or, specifically, Otto. The fast-pace of the chapters kept the story moving forward, while the author continued to leave a trail of breadcrumbs by allowing the characters to figure out what was happening--we're discovering the horror right beside them.

Mystery, innocence, and evocative antagonists infuse Sirens with the vitality of an endearing story that reminds us reading can be a fun experience--you'll keep turning the pages as if you're a hero from one of Otto's favorite pulp tales; eager to solve a puzzling question that leads to an unforgettable thrill-ride. There's enough here for an intelligent reader to respect and admire Reichenbaugh for his storytelling craftsmanship, and there's an entertaining story that left me eagerly awaiting the author's next book.

New Release: Gravity Comics Massacre

Press Release from Bizarro Pulp Press!

Vincenzo Bilof's novella is on the way. The book cover has been finalized. We are in the editing stages now and should see that bad boy out very soon. The art was done by Sarah VonKain. 

A mind-bending trip down the rabbit hole of terror where aliens, comic books, and nightmares are painted onto a blood-red canvas…

Damien Shears is the best artist alive, but his favorite pastime is killing people. Armed with a pen designed by aliens, Damien illustrates his victims until they fall asleep; in their dreams, they confront their worst nightmares while Damien visits atrocities upon their flesh. His famous comic store has become the perfect tourist attraction for a group of five burn-outs who're looking for a place to party. Reality and dreams collide for the sake of murder and art; the aliens need more data for their analysis of human fear, and people will have to die.

"GRAVITY COMICS MASSACRE is a wild, fast-paced ride into the strangest sectors of your imagination. I dare you to read it without a smile carved into your face; unique and adorably quirky, you can't help but finish this in one sitting. Vincenzo Bilof is what bizarro fiction has been missing."

--Max Booth III, author of They Might Be Demons

"For original, literate, Horror that swings between the bizarre and the profane, look no further than Bilof's inventive rendition of the darkest Horror tropes. You might just get what you don't expect!"

--William Cook, Editor of Fresh Fear and author of Blood Related.

BOOK REVIEW: Washing Machine Holocaust by Alan Spencer

Tonight is Larry Koche's final shift working at "Get Loaded," a self-service laundry mat that has been bought out by a mysterious new owner. Larry's shift reveals what the new owner is really planning to do with the business, and those sinister washing machines. 

Washing Machine Holocaust is exactly what you think it is. Flying body parts, survival horror, double mutilation, surreal terror, and self-reflection loom in Larry's future. Can he save himself from the vicious washing machine's spin cycle of horror? 

Fear not life.

Fear not death.

Fear the washing machine.


*Washing Machine Holocaust has been deemed too graphic for general audiences by The American Literary Board of Public Decency. The risk is entirely yours!!!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER


An Ode to Gore 

Amazon stars 5/5


Alan Spencer knows the horror industry, and it continues to show in his latest bizarro offering: "Washing Machine Holocaust." Why does his knowledge matter? Spencer is an unforgiving author who punishes the reader with relentless amounts of gore and pain; while there is a metaphor and a theme embedded in his work, he doesn't hit you over the head with it. You can explore the work on a deeper level or accept it for the entertaining ride through the ocean of blood-red laundry detergent.

With each new chapter, I kept thinking things would improve for the protagonist, that somehow, Spencer would show a little mercy. Not only does this story shower you with gore, but I felt as if I could feel the pain and horror. Not many authors can pull that off. I didn't have any personal connection to the protagonist, but I wanted the story to just STOP torturing the poor guy. I wanted to feel the relief for this man just as I felt his agony; I knew while reading the story that I didn't care about the main character, but Spencer assaulted the reader's sensations with his details that were simple yet effective; this short tale is accessible and entertaining with vivid imagery, another difficult feat managed well by the author.

A criticism that any reader might have is that the book drags on with its sequences; the book could've contained one of the scenes and moved on to another character or just end altogether. I would argue that the visceral horror is designed to work toward a goal. From another writer's perspective, I feel that Spencer allowed the character to find the resolution on his own in the time that he needed to do it, which allows for the horror to feel more palpable for the reader. Indeed; this story is a fantasy like anything else that will greet you when you close your eyes, so anyone looking for "realism" (whatever that means to the world of fiction) should read something else. If you want to read Spencer's love letter to gore you'll be rewarded with an experience that goes beyond storytelling, just as Larry ventured beyond his isolated laundromat universe...

The Next Big Thing-Necropolis Now: Zombie Ascension Book One

What is the title of your latest book? 

My latest novel is called Necropolis Now: Zombie Ascension. The book is available from Severed Press. 

Where did the idea come from for the book?

For this particular novel, I concentrated on the concept of redemption. Most of the characters and images that comprise the novel are heavily inspired by dream-sequences and music. For this book, the musical artists Deadmau5, Frou Frou, Drake, Deftones, and Sigur Ros heavily inspired large portions of the plot.

What genre does your book fall under?

Necropolis Now: Zombie Ascension is a horror novel.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?    

Amparo Vega- This haunted mercenary would be played by Michelle Rodriguez, who would capture Vega's badass demeanor while her desperation would be simmering on the surface.

 James Traverse-The villain of this novel is a professional mercenary and madman who refers to himself as a "homicidal artist" and "the patron saint of pain." A former super-soldier, he has been tormented by an experience in Egypt, in which he learned that he might be able to acquire demonic powers in the midst of an undead apocalypse. Daniel Craig would be perfect, and nobody would ever expect him to take on such a role.

Vincent Hamilton-A famous arms dealer in Detroit, Vincent is a former soldier who has become unhinged by the zombie apocalypse, though he learns how to cope with it and become the man he never thought he could be. Mekhi Phifer would be ideal.

Bob Fields-A professional soldier, he has been hunting Traverse for a long time. A grizzled veteran who loves combat, an bearded Robert Deniro would be perfect for the character who assumes a fatherly role over Amparo Vega.

Mina Neely-Lindsay Lohan would need green contacts and would have to have almost porcelain skin for the role, but she could play the deranged cannibal. Whenever Mina dreams, zombies devour her flesh, and the only way to stop these nightmares is for her to eat the flesh of the living. Her mind serves as a temporal gateway for the dead, and she is horrified to learn that the zombie menace is indeed real.

Patrick Griggs-Griggs is a former homicide detective whose obsession with adult films led him into a relationship with Mina Neely, who coincidentally ate another actor while Patrick tried to film them together. Even though Mina has been institutionalized, she's all he has left, and if he finds her, he hopes to restore his film studio to prominence. Patrick just happens to love using a Desert Eagle magnum, something Mel Gibson could pull off very well.

Desmond Hunter-He grew up in poverty and watched his mother succumb to crack addiction while he raised his brother, Jerome, who ended up becoming a junkie. Desmond became a lawyer; he's a crusader who will stop at nothing to succeed, and he feels extremely responsible for Jerome. Desmond has just opened up his own law practice, and his first client is one Patrick Griggs, who wishes to sue the state of Michigan because they've barred him from selling videos that depict his former actress-turned-cannibal, Mina Neely. Desmond is given a video of Mina to help create a psychological profile, but he hardly knows what this video really is…

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

While the undead menace threatens to destroy the city of Detroit, an elite cadre of mercenaries is dropped in to find a deranged killer who might be the key to stopping the zombie outbreak.  

Is your book self-published or represented by an agency?

I am working with Severed Press.

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

Three months. The first draft was complete at the end of August, 2012.

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

The only books that come close are Epidemic of the Dead by P.A. Douglas, and Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry. Any other zombie books that have military action might be close, too, although I haven't read too many of them. 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The inspiration for this book came from dreams and music.

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

Mercenaries, sex, violence… there are a lot of bullets, and there are a lot of zombies. Most of my characters are "damned" people who must find some way to understand themselves better in order to survive the cataclysm. This story involves an ensemble cast, as the book uses character perspectives for chapters while the stories finally collide in the emotional climax. Vega, the protagonist, is a Shakespearean character, whose flaws lead her into an abyss of war and terror. 

Full Synopsis:

Detroit has become a war zone. Slow, shambling corpses feast upon the living while fire consumes the city. 

Amparo Vega, a haunted mercenary, fights through streets that are choked with the dead. Her mission: extract the legendary soldier, Jim Traverse, who holds the terrifying secret behind the zombie epidemic.

While the bullets fly, Traverse befriends a group of survivors whose fates are forever linked to his: an infamous gangster, a young lawyer, and a former detective struggle against the zombies together.

Can Vega's elite cadre of mercenaries find Traverse before the epidemic becomes global?