Zombies. I
love ‘em, point of fact. I guess that is all well and good, but I think I need
to explain why. After all, they are not everyone’s cup of Darjeeling. As I have found when discussing the genre at
conventions, the genre produces the marmite effect amongst the horror
community. Some suggest that the genre is literally dead, one idea rehashed
time and time again to serve the masses of zombie fans that exists the world
over.
It certainly
is a prime marketplace at the moment, the hunger of fans appears as insatiable
as the undead themselves. Zombies are now mainstream, included in car
advertisements and kid’s cartoons. We have to admit it, zombies sell. There are
many indie writers jumping upon an already burgeoning band-wagon. Some results
are genuinely absorbing, astonishingly good reads. Others are, well, let’s just
say, zombie literature, like the movies, has a variety of standards.
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I need to be
clear that I have written in other genres and these books have not proven as
successful in terms of sales as Necropolis Rising, my zombie novel released
through Dark Continents Publishing in early 2011. I have to say that the
success of this book was not as readily apparent as my need to write it. I had
always wanted to write a zombie novel but made the decision to put things on
hold until I had a premise that would not piggy-back existing literature and
would bring something fresh to the table. Once I was happy with the plot-line
the rest sort of fell into place. This was where I discovered being a fan, not
an exploiter of the genre, came to the fore. You see, writing the book was
easier because I was such a fan. I was aware of the lore and the interplay
needed to make the story work for many of those hardcore zombie zealots, as
well as draw in traditional horror fans who usually gave the genre a wide
berth. Overall this has worked well (see the enthusiasm for the piece on www.zombiefiend.com) and is certainly informing the sequel, due out early 2013.
As a fan it
has also been useful to have knowledge of those elements within the traditional
approach to zombie literature that I needed to avoid in order to make the
premise of the book fresh. Out went the post-apocalyptic setting. Whilst I have
visited this in stories such as Ascension? (Hersham Horror Books) and Daddy
Dearest (Wild Wolf Publishing), the concept of an apocalyptic setting for the
book left me uncomfortable, the discussions of countless forums returning in
strength.
But as any
zombie fan knows, the real essence of the genre lies in the human dynamics
throughout a story. Now, before a multitude of authors jump up and down and
shout out about how this is important to any storyline, I argue here that no
other horror genre has such a commensurate focus on the effects on the human
condition. What I mean is: zombie
fiction is totally and utterly about people. No monsters rising from the deep,
no ethereal entities haunting folk to the point of madness. None of these
things. just people, those who were
and those who are, and how they have
to survive. Any elements of horror rests in how they engage in the latter.
Zombies in their need to feed, survivors and how they maintain any semblance of
humanity.
And what
constitutes humanity in a world that no longer functions? People will always
matter.
Always.
Such nuances
can meld into any zombie storyline - post apocalyptic or not - and it this, I
would suggest, that has contributed to Necropolis Rising’s overall success as a
project. This is why I love this genre above all others and why I will always
come back to it, irrespective of the marketplace or where my muse takes me in
the years to come.
Until then,
I shall accompany Armand Rosamilia, Ian Woodhead, Todd Brown, Mark Tufo and
John O’Brien, my fellow Summer of Zombie cohorts, and try to spread our passion
for all things zombie throughout June and July 2012.
All that
remains is to say a big thank you to Shaun for allowing me to stop by and
witter on. Read his stuff, he’s great!
Dave Jeffery
June 2012
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