Shaun Meeks's Blog - Posts Tagged "zombies"
ZOMBIES!
The Kindle version of the new zombie anthology, Zombies Gone Wild is finally here! The book is packed with some very strange and amazing stories. One of the stories is my own, Dreams of a Dead Man. That one is a strange a somewhat demented story written in the first person. The fact that that person is a zombie makes it stranger. This is not you typical zombie story or collection and is well worth it. I hope to hear how people liked, or even dislike my story. Here's the link to it:
http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Gone-Wi...
http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Gone-Wi...
Strange Brew
Today I received an email that my story, They Say the Dead Don't Drink, has been accepted and will be features in the upcoming release called A Six Pack of Stories. The anthology is all about beer, but don't worry, it's still a horror story. I actually wrote this one around 10 years ago and only rediscovered it this year while going through all my old stories. I won't give the story away, but it is a twisted one.
The good news is, even though I only received the acceptance letter today, the anthology is due out early December of 2012. It will be available in print and in digital formats. Once I get the links, I'll be sure to post them all here.
The good news is, even though I only received the acceptance letter today, the anthology is due out early December of 2012. It will be available in print and in digital formats. Once I get the links, I'll be sure to post them all here.
Zombie/Erotica?
Two days ago, I started to write a story called Body Bag for Angelica Knight Press. They have an upcoming anthology called Fifty Shades of Decay and as you can tell, it is going to have a zombie/erotica theme to it.
I know what you are probably thinking, as I was too. Who could ever think of mixing the two together? I mean could anyone with a somewhat normal mind ever think the two genres could meld together? I didn't. In fact when I saw the post for the submission call, I actually laughed and said to Mina, "Well, there is one I won't be submitting to!".
Yet that same night, I came up with a great idea for it and wrote a first draft in less than three hours.
Normally, there is little to no sex in my writing, but obviously for this I had to step out of my comfort zone a little, and I was surprised to see that it actually worked out. It is really one of the creepiest and most disgusting things I have written, and that is saying something. There are times when the story may even border on a Bizzaro story, so if you are a fan of Brian Keene, Edward Lee or Wrath James White, this may be right up your alley.
Mina is currently trying to build up the courage to edit it at the moment. After how much my last story disturbed her, and the subject matter of this one, she seems a little more hesitant. I think that's a good sign!
I know what you are probably thinking, as I was too. Who could ever think of mixing the two together? I mean could anyone with a somewhat normal mind ever think the two genres could meld together? I didn't. In fact when I saw the post for the submission call, I actually laughed and said to Mina, "Well, there is one I won't be submitting to!".
Yet that same night, I came up with a great idea for it and wrote a first draft in less than three hours.
Normally, there is little to no sex in my writing, but obviously for this I had to step out of my comfort zone a little, and I was surprised to see that it actually worked out. It is really one of the creepiest and most disgusting things I have written, and that is saying something. There are times when the story may even border on a Bizzaro story, so if you are a fan of Brian Keene, Edward Lee or Wrath James White, this may be right up your alley.
Mina is currently trying to build up the courage to edit it at the moment. After how much my last story disturbed her, and the subject matter of this one, she seems a little more hesitant. I think that's a good sign!
Review for Dreams of a Dead Man
A great review for my story "Dreams of a Dead Man" which appeared in Zombies Gone Wild! (an anthology). Posted by Joshua Skye (DarkMedia.com):
"Shaun Meeks’s “Dreams of a Dead Man” follows the melancholy days of a dutiful husband pining away for the life he once had and what perhaps may be. He’s dead now, you see, a member of a maligned minority in the aftermath of a misunderstood zombie-uprising. The living and the dead have been forced to integrate and zombies have become the bane of society, the object of open ridicule and prejudice. It’s the ultimate post-modern parable and what a fascinatingly profound work it is. Even with its blatant social commentary and media criticism, “Dreams of a Dead Man” is deceptively simple and could easily be taken purely at face value. It is, however, captivatingly insightful. The author places his protagonist repeatedly on a bus, the allegory pointed and appropriate but perhaps lost to the casual reader. The story addresses bullying and chauvinism but also the self-deprecating paranoia born of the ‘what if they were right?’ mentality. Within the context of an alternate take on the undead, the dream of the oppressed to rise up and claim their rightful equality by any means necessary is cleverly presented in this stand-out story."
http://www.darkmediaonline.com/book-r...
"Shaun Meeks’s “Dreams of a Dead Man” follows the melancholy days of a dutiful husband pining away for the life he once had and what perhaps may be. He’s dead now, you see, a member of a maligned minority in the aftermath of a misunderstood zombie-uprising. The living and the dead have been forced to integrate and zombies have become the bane of society, the object of open ridicule and prejudice. It’s the ultimate post-modern parable and what a fascinatingly profound work it is. Even with its blatant social commentary and media criticism, “Dreams of a Dead Man” is deceptively simple and could easily be taken purely at face value. It is, however, captivatingly insightful. The author places his protagonist repeatedly on a bus, the allegory pointed and appropriate but perhaps lost to the casual reader. The story addresses bullying and chauvinism but also the self-deprecating paranoia born of the ‘what if they were right?’ mentality. Within the context of an alternate take on the undead, the dream of the oppressed to rise up and claim their rightful equality by any means necessary is cleverly presented in this stand-out story."
http://www.darkmediaonline.com/book-r...
Body Bag
My latest story, Body Bag, will be appearing in the upcoming Angelic Knight Press anthology called 50 Shades of Decay. If you couldn't guess by the play on the title, this one is a zombie erotica collection. It wasn't as hard to write as I would have thought, trying to add sensuality to a story that at the same time makes you queasy. When I first handed this one over to my editor, she was unable to finish the edits on it due to how disgusting it was. I let two others read it afterwards and had similar reactions to it. Not sure if that's good or bad, but I look forward to seeing what others think about it.
Later this week, I will be able to post the full ToC, which will include all 50 stories in the anthology, as well as the cover art. Stay tuned for more.
Later this week, I will be able to post the full ToC, which will include all 50 stories in the anthology, as well as the cover art. Stay tuned for more.
Dark Reaches on minor hold
So, I had planned to release my new collection of short stories called Dark Reaches in December of this year, but I have decided to put it on hold until at least spring of next year. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. The reason for this is that I have sold three stories that were supposed to appear in there and have three more sales pending. With a possibility of six stories gone, that creates an issue for the book.
So why spring?
I am currently writing three new stories and have more than five that will be available to reprint. I will also be able to add The Old Man to this one. This was the story that was going to appear in Fresh Grounds, but as Wicked East Press now seems all but defunct, I will use it in Dark Reaches.
So what is currently still a go in the ToC? Here is a list of what will be in there for sure:
The Soldier
Dreams of a Dead Man
The Undergarment Eater
Miriam
The Cleansing
Mr. Stand
Family Lessons
Give Me Convenience
Angel in the High Tower
Taut
Body Bag
Red Velvet
Shelly's Tape
The Old Man
More will be added and when it is, I will add an update.
So why spring?
I am currently writing three new stories and have more than five that will be available to reprint. I will also be able to add The Old Man to this one. This was the story that was going to appear in Fresh Grounds, but as Wicked East Press now seems all but defunct, I will use it in Dark Reaches.
So what is currently still a go in the ToC? Here is a list of what will be in there for sure:
The Soldier
Dreams of a Dead Man
The Undergarment Eater
Miriam
The Cleansing
Mr. Stand
Family Lessons
Give Me Convenience
Angel in the High Tower
Taut
Body Bag
Red Velvet
Shelly's Tape
The Old Man
More will be added and when it is, I will add an update.
