New Interview and Book Giveaway

New interview with me over at Freelance and Fiction Blog. Check it out!

New book giveaway! Leave a comment here to this post, from now until November 16, and be entered to win a copy of TRIUMPH OF THE WALKING DEAD!

Thanks!

Low Prices on Books

This Halloween (and anticipating the gift-giving holidays of December), please consider checking out these Kim Paffenroth titles, available now at deep discounts:

The new TRIUMPH OF THE WALKING DEAD, with the final essay by me, is available at the publisher's website for only $10.47. (It's only a little more at Amazon, so if you had their Prime and could get free shipping, it'd be less there.) The publisher is also doing a free giveaway over at Goodreads if you want to try to score a book that way.

VALLEY OF THE DEAD (probably my favorite thing I've written, or tied with the third D2L volume for favorite) is on a deep discount to $8.33 over at Amazon.

The original DYING TO LIVE is on a huge discount at Amazon, all the way down to $5.84. How can you go wrong?

Deep Discount

On the original DYING TO LIVE at Amazon. Stock up, give as gifts, but please consider buying some at this crazy low price.

Not in Ohio

(I meant to post this sooner, but I can't post from my work computer for some reason)

I will not be able to attend this con in Niles, Ohio, as previously announced. I very much doubt anyone was going to go just to see me, but if you were, I heartily apologize and hope we can meet and talk at a future con.

Huff Po!

I get a mention in the set up of a Huff Po piece on monsters and religion. The reference to GOTLD is kind of just a throwaway, but once the author gets going, he has some nice ruminations on how treacly and non-threatening most modern religion (or spirituality, I dare say) has become, and how that leaves out something we yearn for, even as we dread it.

Walking Dead

Great season opener. I think it was all us fans could be hoping for - delivers the gross outs, but is still mostly about the human characters and their interactions and drama.

Minor factual / tactical peeves:

Why does the church still have ELECTRICAL power (for the bell)?

How does a woodchuck skull , intact, fit down a human esophagus?

(Recurring problem) - How do you get spattered all over your face with zombie blood and not be infected?

Why would Andrea still be noisily trying to put the gun together, when she knows how imperative it is she stay quiet, and she knows she has no clue how it goes together?

Where is Tyrese?!

ADDED (after several people reminded me) - That's an RC type cross in a church that was labelled "Baptist."

But as I say - these are minor quibbles - the proof is in how we love and care (or hate and wish ill upon) the human characters. I'm wondering if they're gearing up for Shane not being killed, they're making him seem so sympathetic (and Lori such a bitch toward him).

And I think so far at least, Season 2 is in line with my analysis in this awesome essay collection you should run out and get to read as you're watching the series. The whole first episode is occupied with protecting children (at huge risk to the rest of the group), re-establishing marital bonds, and getting rid of Shane as a threat (as non-violently as possible, so far). The only possible exception is that Dale looks like a bit of a pill, whereas in the comics he's heading toward hooking up with Andrea.

The whole church thing was interesting, if a little heavy handed. No one remarked on why zombies were there, worshipping Jesus, and I think that would've been the more interesting part, rather than having a couple of the human characters go in and say (rather predictably) "Why God?!"

Fan Mail

I still get some. Some stand out, especially if they involve talking about my books as gifts (either given to a beloved who's into zombies, or received from one) or connecting them to a larger project of education and self-discovery. The one I received yesterday had both elements and was a really touching story. I cleared it with the writer, who goes by the online name DEADERIS, to quote from it:

"The first zombie book I ever read was Dying to Live - it was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend our first year together. He has since bought every book in the series for me. I spent our first anniversary crying over The World is Dead. I credit you for my ravenous hunger for written zombie literature. If I hadn't read your book, I may not have gotten so hooked on the genre in the first place."

As I told her, that is the nicest email I've gotten this week, and it makes me feel good about what I do and the effect I have on people.

Upcoming Appearance and Amazon Reviews

I'll be at the HALLOWEEN HORROR EXPO in Niles, Ohio, all day (11am - 9pm) on Saturday, October 29, 2011. So stop by and get some signed books! (Note - Jack Ketchum was kind enough to sign a bunch of copies of his story in THE WORLD IS DEAD anthology, and I'll have them there.)

Also, I have just a few copies of THIN THEM OUT (the chap book I wrote with Julia and RJ Sevin) - my first attempt at "smart" zombie POV that I've since done a couple more times. If you'd like one, post a review of one of my books (I'd love to see VALLEY OF THE DEAD and DYING TO LIVE: LAST RITES get some more attention) on Amazon (or elsewhere) and send me an email (kimpaffenroth@msn.com) claiming the review, and I'll send a chapbook your way (until I run out).

Thanks!