The Summer of Zombie Blog Tour is drawing to a close, but there are still two interviews left! Today. Bryan Smith talks Zombies and fiction, but let’s take a quick moment and introduce him to you first…

Bryan Smith is the author of numerous previous novels and novellas, including House of Blood, The Killing Kind, Depraved, The Dark Ones, and The Diabolical Conspiracy. Most of these were first available via mass market paperback from Dorchester Publishing. Some have since been reprinted by Deadite Press. A new novel, The Late Night Horror Show, has been recently released from Samhain Publishing in March of 2013. Bryan lives in Tennessee with a wide array of pets. Visit his home on the web at www.bryansmith.info.

Welcome Bryan, tell us: why Zombies? Is there anything specific that draws you to the genre?

Dawn of the Dead came out when I was 14.  I just enjoyed it on a very basic level, the gore effects by Tom Savini and that sense of lawlessness in a world gone to hell.

Tell us about your latest project.

My latest novel, The Late Night Horror Show, was released by Samhain Publishing in trade paperback and various ebook formats in March.

What makes your Zombies different, if anything?

I write about a lot of other things, but when I do write about zombies, the stories tend to be either comedic in nature, in the vein of the 1985 film Return of the Living Dead, or similar to the usual Dawn of the Dead.  I don’t try to do anything very unusual with zombies, because in my opinion the stories should be more about the human characters and how they cope with this radically altered world.

Is there a Zombie novel that has influenced you more than any other? If so, what is it and why?

I really haven’t read a lot of zombie novels.  Offhand, I guess the ones that made the biggest impressions might be David Wellington’s Monster Island or Brian Keene’s The Rising.  I also like another zombie novel by Brian, Dead Sea.

What are your top 3 favourite Zombie films?

Dawn of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead remake, and Return of the Living Dead.

Do you think the popularity of The Walking Dead and its appearance in mainstream media has helped to increase the popularity of the genre, or has there always been such an interest?

There’s always been an interest in zombies, at least going back to the initial Romero films, but The Walking Dead has undeniably elevated it to a new level, bringing in hordes of new fans.  And, again, I believe a lot of these converts are drawn to the story because of the human element rather than the zombies.

As we all know, music and slaying the Undead go hand in hand. Given these headings, what would be your Soundtrack to the Zombie Apocalypse?

These songs choices may seem flip or irreverent, but that’s only because if I’m in a movie about the living dead, odds are it’s going to be more in the ROTLD/Zombieland vein rather than something like The Walking Dead.

1. Overall theme for the Apocalypse:  “Children of the Grave” by Black Sabbath

2. What plays when I kill my first zombie:  “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) by AC/DC

3. What plays when you’re chased by the horde:  “Zombie Dance” by the Cramps

4. When you have to kill a loved one:  “Last Caress” by the Misfits

5. When you find a group of survivors:  “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones

6. Meeting a new love interest:  “Hit It And Quit It” by Funkadelic

7. Making a Final Stand:  “Dyers Eve” by Metallica

8. You’ve survived it all:  “Beware Of Darkness” by Concrete Blonde

9. Then you discover a bite mark:  “Now I’m Feeling Zombified” by Alien Sex Fiend

10. End Credits:  “I Walked With A Zombie” by Wednesday 13

Pop Quiz: If the Zombie Apocalypse were to occur right now, 5 things found in the room you are currently sitting will be your weapons – what are they?

Screwdriver, switch blade knife, chair, 9mm pistol, and…back scratcher.

You may well survive Bryan… But I don’t think they’ll want their backs scratched!

Now let’s take a look at Bryan’s novel Deathbringer…

From the author of DEPRAVED, THE KILLING KIND, THE FREAKSHOW and THE DIABOLICAL CONSPIRACY. A rogue Deathbringer (as members of the global society of reapers are known) initiates an apocalyptic plot in order to gain ultimate power. As a night of terror and blood unfolds in Dandridge, TN, an unstoppable army of sentient living dead rises to destroy the living for the rogue reaper, who seeks to wipe out all of humanity.

Don’t forget that clicking on the cover will whisk you away to Amazon!

Thank you Bryan for taking the time to answer my questions. If anyone would like to connect with Bryan, you can find him on his blog and on Twitter.