Ty Schwamberger, author of The Fields, is offering up the following contest.

1) Buy the Trade Paperback and/or Kindle edition:

2) Post a Review on Amazon.

3) One person will win ALL the following NEW items:

Withersin Magazine, Death 1.3

Morpheus Tales Magazine #XIII 

Black Static Magazine, Issue 12

The Bloody Best of Gorezone Magazine #1

Fangoria Magazine #306

Night School (a signed copy of Ty’s obscure & out-of-print first novel)

Cake Batter (2010) – signed DVD (short film based on Ty’s short story)

Cover flat of Brian Keene’s Castaways (rare item)

Cover flat of Bryan Smith’s Deathbringer (rare item)

Cover flat of Wrath James White’s The Resurrectionist (rare item)

Fell Beasts, edited & signed by Ty Schwamberger

Escape from Zombie City by Ray Wallace

Creatures of the Pool by Ramsey Campbell

Beware by Richard Laymon (donated by Ann Laymon)

The Woods Are Dark by Richard Laymon (donated by Ann Laymon)

Triage by Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon & Edward Lee (donated by Ann Laymon)

Plus a surprise HARDCOVER novel by Richard Laymon (donated by Ann Laymon)

Contest is open from 1/13/12 – 2/13/12. This will give folks that pre-ordered the Trade Paperback to receive, read and post a review of the book, as well as, any new orders during the next month. There IS a minimum review count needed for this BIG contest to kick in. The magic number is 50! So, order one yourself, tell your friends, your cellmate inmate, your co-worker, whoever & enter this kickass contest!

Apex/TZF Blog Interview of Ty Schwamberger by Janet Harriett

Janet Harriett: What made you want to write a zombie historical novella?

Ty Schwamberger: Two things: I’ve always loved zombie films & books and history was the only subject I ever really liked in school. In fact, my degree is in history (which has since proved pointless to even have). During college, I read my first historical fiction novel, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, which I really enjoyed. So, when it came time to write a twist in the zombie subgenre, I thought it’d be a fun experiment to infuse two of my favorite things: history and horror.

JH: Why is the Reconstruction-era South an interesting setting for a zombie tale?

TS: Well, maybe one of the reasons for the zombie craze in popular media is caused by a deep-rooted fear of what happens after we die. What if sometime in the future a horrible chemical spill or some evil sorcerer comes along, you somehow come back to life, then start ambling around like a weirdo looking for a fresh lumping of brains to sink your teeth into. Crazy, huh? Maybe one day it will happen. Perhaps. Well, maybe not. I also knew I didn’t want to place the zombies in a modern day city. Hell, that’s been done far too many times (though, I still enjoy watching and reading them). So I chose the South after the slaves were freed. Besides zombies, of course, racism is still a factor in today’s America. A fear, really. People are still afraid of what is and isn’t politically correct. Zombies + Racism = scary stuff!

JH: Where on the zombie taxonomy do these fall?

TS: The far, far left. We’re talking politics here, right?

JH: How are the zombies in The Fields different from the zombies we’ve seen elsewhere? What ethical or moral questions does this open up for exploration? 

TS: The zombies are a metaphor for something bigger. They’re not just running around, snapping their decaying jaws at the next closest human scalp. The zombies in THE FIELDS represent some of the deep-rooted fears that live in all of us – social injustice, racism, fear of the unknown, failure, disappointing one’s father, etc. So, yes, there are zombies in the story, but that’s not what the story is about. Jonathan Maberry wrote the Introduction for the novella and described THE FIELDS as: “It’s part horror story in the classic sense – misdeeds from the past coming back to haunt the present. It’s part zombie story. It’s part adventure. And it’s part social satire in its darkest sense. The Fields is a morality tale. With zombies.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Really.

JH: A sympathetic slave-owner might be a tough sell for a protagonist when dealing with modern readers. Why do readers end up sympathizing with Billy Fletcher?

TS: I think readers will relate to the dead slave owner’s son, Billy, because he really doesn’t want to be a slave owner. In fact, he doesn’t want to be anything like his father. His father had run the tobacco farm for years until he fell sick and died. Now, the slaves have been freed, the fields are drying up, the plants are dying and Billy must find a way to save his family’s farm. He has no idea how to go about this, until a stranger by the name of Abraham knocks on the front door of his plantation house. The tall, strange man offers him a deal. A deal he can’t refuse – bringing back his father’s dead slaves to work the fields. Through it all, Billy is having an internal battle within himself. He knows making these once-dead slaves work again in the fields is wrong, but also doesn’t want to disappoint his father. Billy must choose between what he believes is right and wrong.

JH: Although the novella opens with Billy being chased and attacked by a zombie, the zombies ultimately aren’t the villains here. What other forces are at work?

TS: Some people say that zombies are the Devil’s playthings. The Devil pulls this or that person’s or thing’s strings to bring people back from the grave. To do his bidding. But, the zombies in THE FIELDS aren’t evil. In fact, these zombies were slaves while they were alive. They had to work under the blistering sun and get beat when they didn’t do as they were told. Death was their Godsend. They had peace in death. Given the choice, they sure as hell would choose to stay buried in the cold soil behind the tobacco fields, than be resurrected and be forced once again to work in the fields they toiled in while alive. It’s another one of the Devil’s messengers, a man named, Abraham that is the face of evil in this story, not the zombies.

You can order a copy of THE FIELDS here. You’ll be glad you did. Promise.

Janet Harriett is a freelance editor who hunts typos for sport and shapes prose for pay. As a writer, she leans toward pulp and science fiction stories. She lives in Ohio with her husband, three cats and six coffeemakers. Find her online at www.janetharriett.com.

The Pre-Order event for The Fields is now over. But, the excitement doesn’t end there. Oh, no. This atypical zombie tale has now been released upon the masses in eBook, along with the previously available Print edition. And don’t forget, Ty Schwamberger’s blog tour kicked off yesterday. Below are Ty’s stops on that.

Where you can buy a copy:

Available in Trade Paperback ($7.95):

Amazon

Apex Bookstore

Available in eBook (.99 cents):

Amazon (Kindle)

Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Smashwords (available in a wide variety of digital formats)

Blog Tour Schedule:

Old Major’s Dream (Joe McKinney’s blog) – 12/19/11

Wag The Fox- 12/21

Maggie Slater – 12/26

The Dead Don’t Die (blog) – 12/27

Writing in the Dark (Tim Waggoner’s blog) - 12/28

Review & Interview on The Sci-Fi Guys Book Review - 12/29

Benjamin Kane Ethridge – 12/30

Interview on Apex/TZF websites – 12/31

Rescheduled (TBA): Hunter Shea & Review by horror-fix.com

Look Out… THE FIELDS is COMIN’ AT YA!

cover art by Thomas A. Erb

THE ZOMBIE FEED PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF APEX PUBLICATIONS, RELEASES THE FIELDS BY TY SCHWAMBERGER

Lexington, KY December 15, 2011 – The Zombie Feed Press, an imprint of Apex Publications, is pleased to announce the release of THE FIELDS by Ty Schwamberger in Trade Paperback and eBook.

About the book:

Billy Fletcher learned to farm the family’s tobacco fields – and beat slaves – by the hands of his father. Now, his father is dead, the slaves have long since been freed, and the once-lush fields are dying. Salvation by the name of Abraham knocks on the farmhouse door, bringing wild ideas. He can help Billy save the plantation and return the fields to their former glory…by raising his father’s slaves from the dead.

Can the resurrected slaves breathe life back into the Fletcher farm? Having brought the slaves back from graves that his father sent them, can Billy be the kind master his father wasn’t? Is keeping the farm worth denying the men the freedom they earned with death?

Billy’s conscience holds the key to those mysteries, but not the biggest one: what does Abraham really want from the former slave owner’s son?

Welcome to The Fields.

New York Times bestselling author, Jonathan Maberry, states in the introduction for the book. “[The Fields]…is part horror story in the classic sense – misdeeds from the past coming back to haunt the present. It’s part zombie story. It’s part adventure. And it’s part social satire in its darkest sense.”

THE FIELDS

TY SCHWAMBERGER

82 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-937009-02-1

$7.95

What others are saying about THE FIELDS:

“The Fields is a merciless, pitchfork-to-the-face, homespun zombie adventure.  Schwamberger offers up a shotgun blast of graphic undead action in this unique take on the genre.”

— Shroud Magazine

“Ty Schwamberger knocks it out of the park with his novella, THE FIELDS. No sooner do you begin to read, than you realize that the story is much bigger than the words on the page. The setting is timeless, and the horror depicted much more than ghoul and gore. THE FIELDS is a story you don’t want to miss, and Ty Schwamberger is an author to watch, for he just may be headed for the major leagues.”  

— Deborah LeBlanc, Author of The Wolven

“An intelligent zombie morality tale, unlike anything you’ve ever read before.”

— Morpheus Tales Magazine

“If Nathaniel Hawthorne had known anything about zombies, this is the kind of story he’d have written.  I’m not joking.  This is some genuine old school horror.  With The Fields, Ty Schwamberger has given us a crime so horrendous it’s impossible to look away.  The sins of the father.  A deal with the devil.  It’s all here.  And Schwamberger makes it look so frustratingly easy.  This is one hell of a good story.”

— Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Apocalypse of the Dead.

“With The Fields, Ty Schwamberger did the near-impossible:  made zombies interesting to me again.  Not only interesting, but frightening, as well.  Throw in more than a dash of scathing social commentary, a pace that never stops to catch its breath, and a sly bit of gallows humor, and you’ve got a winner. Kick yourself if you miss this one.” 

— Gary A. Braunbeck, Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Award-winner, author of To Each Their Darkness and A Cracked and Broken Path.

“Ty Schwamberger’s THE FIELDS is an original zombie tale that will satisfy lovers of grisly fiction and well told stories. Good characters, cool twists and great writing make this a story that grabs one by the scalp early on. Anything with a Southern vein and the specters that can invoke gets my slash of approval.” 

— Steven L. Shrewsbury, author of THRALL, BAD MAGICK and HAWG.

“The walking dead, a post-Civil War setting, and a sinister Lincolnesque figure add up to a fresh new take on the zombie mythos.”   

— Tim Waggoner, author of Nekropolis, Broken Shadows and Darkness Wakes.

How to order a copy:

The Zombie Feed Press will be accepting Pre-Orders for the Trade Paperback from 12/15/11 – 12/18/11. The release date of the novella is 12/19/11. If you order during the Pre-Order event, you’ll not only receive a great book for under 10-bones, but your order will come with FREE shipping AND signed by both Ty Schwamberger and Jonathan Maberry. Click HERE to Pre-Order your copy. AFTER the Pre-Order date, you can still snag a copy of the TPB or eBook on Amazon (which we’ll provide the link for at that time). To watch the book trailer click here.

In addition to the Pre-Order event, Ty’s also doing a blog tour after the book is released. Below is where he’ll be, along with the dates.

Joe McKinney – 12/19/11

Kristin Dearborn – 12/20

Wag The Fox- 12/21

Hunter Shea – 12/22

Review by horror-fix.com – 12/23

Excerpt of The Fields on The Zombie Feed Press – 12/26

The Dead Don’t Die (blog) – 12/27

Writing in the Dark (Tim Waggoner’s blog) - 12/28

Review & Interview on The Sci-Fi Guys Book Review - 12/29

Benjamin Kane Ethridge – 12/30

Interview on Apex/TZF websites – 12/31

Maggie Slater – 1/2/12

TBA: Jonathan Maberry, Appearance on Rotting Flesh Radio & Jeff Strand’s “Zombie Wars”.

Take a chance on a great atypical zombie tale. You’ll be glad you did.

eBook	Print
(ePub/mobi/PDB/LRF/PDF)	(Free Global Shipping)

Billy Fletcher learned to farm the family’s tobacco fields–and beat slaves–by the hands of his father. Now, his father is dead, the slaves have long since been freed, and the once-lush fields are dying. Salvation by the name of Abraham knocks on the farmhouse door, bringing wild ideas. He can help Billy save the plantation and return the fields to their former glory… by raising his father’s slaves from the dead.

Can the resurrected slaves breathe life back into the Fletcher farm? Having brought the slaves back from graves that his father sent them to, can Billy be the kind master his father wasn’t? Is keeping the farm worth denying the men the freedom they earned with death?

Billy’s conscience holds the key to those mysteries, but not the biggest one: what does Abraham really want from the former slave owner’s son?

Welcome to The Fields.

Includes special introduction by NYT Bestselling author Jonathan Maberry!

Read the first chapter

Reviews:

“The Fields is a merciless, pitchfork-to-the-face, homespun zombie adventure. Schwamberger offers up a shotgun blast of graphic undead action in this unique take on the genre.”
— Shroud Magazine

“An intelligent zombie morality tale, unlike anything you’ve ever read before.”
—Morpheus Tales Magazine

Praise:

“Ty Schwamberger knocks it out of the park with his novella,The Fields. No sooner do you begin to read, than you realize that the story is much bigger than the words on the page. The setting is timeless, and the horror depicted much more than ghoul and gore. The Fields is a story you don’t want to miss, and Ty Schwamberger is an author to watch, for he just may be headed for the major leagues.”
—Deborah LeBlanc, author of The Wolven

“If Nathaniel Hawthorne had known anything about zombies, this is the kind of story he’d have written. I’m not joking. This is some genuine old school horror. With The Fields, Ty Schwamberger has given us a crime so horrendous it’s impossible to look away. The sins of the father. A deal with the devil. It’s all here. And Schwamberger makes it look so frustratingly easy. This is one hell of a good story.”
— Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Apocalypse of the Dead

“With The Fields, Ty Schwamberger did the near-impossible: made zombies interesting to me again. Not only interesting, but frightening, as well. Throw in more than a dash of scathing social commentary, a pace that never stops to catch its breath, and a sly bit of gallows humor, and you’ve got a winner. Kick yourself if you miss this one.”
— Gary A. Braunbeck, Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Award-winner, author of To Each Their Darkness and A Cracked and Broken Path

“The walking dead, a post-Civil-War setting, and a sinister Lincolnesque figure add up to a fresh new take on the zombie mythos.”
— Tim Waggoner, author of Nekropolis, Broken Shadows, and Darkness Wakes

Cover Artist:
Thomas A. Erb

Product Details:
Trade Paperback
82 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1937009021
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches

About the Author:
Ty Schwamberger is a growing force within the horror genre. He is the author of a novel, multiple novellas and collections, and is the editor of several anthologies. In addition, he’s had many short stories published online and in print. Two stories, “Cake Batter” and “House Call”, have been optioned for film adaptation. He is also an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association. You can learn more at: http://tyschwamberger.com.

Happy Holidays from your friendly neighborhood zombie-phile and author!

Greg Lambrakis- Artist

While preparing to write this month’s column, I tossed a few different ideas and while some were very creative and would have been preetay killer, the silly nature of web pages and such prevented me from crafting a letter to Santa from Fred, the Jersey Zombie.

            So, in its place, I’ve decided to write up three recommendations for you all to add to your Christmas wish-list for that jolly ol’ fat man! (No, I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout me.  Geesh!)

            I’ve broken it down into book, video and music categories.  I am sure you are all well aware of these flesh-eating, eyeball –slurping goodies but since it is the season of giving, that is what I am here to do my necrotic-loving friends.  I giveth thee my favorite three stocking stuffer gift ideas.

PRINT:

DEAD OF NIGHT by Jonathan Maberry

This novel is a must-read for all Romero-style undead.  Maberry captures the blood-filled essence of the classic zombie mold but mixes in some finely crafted tidbits of his own, to make this book a different experience than many of the other zombie novels out there. 

            If you haven’t read anything by Mr. Maberry yet, well then I am going to slap ya in the back the head and take away Zombie Apocalypse Survival Specialist Membership card.  So go here and find out more:

            http://jonathanmaberry.com/dead-of-night-a-zombie-novel-by-jonathan-maberry

• As a side note and a bit of tooting my own-ness here, another cool zombie book to check out for your favorite undead reader is Death, Be Not Proud.  Hey yeah, I know, it’s a book I edited and it’s kinda like cheating but this collection really kicks moby butt and fits nicely into any stocking, right next to the other rigor mortis-afflicted gifts.

            http://www.amazon.com/Death-Not-Proud-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1937051145/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323306028&sr=1-2

Flim/TV:

The Walking Dead Season One Special Edition

What really needs to be said about this kick buttocks show?  This show has guaranteed that the zombie genre is finally cemented as a righteous and worthwhile addition to the visual horror cannon.

            I am not going to go into all the nitty gritty details of this bad boy, but its chock full of intestine-chomping goodness.  From extras like audio commentary, documentaries and tons of extra footage that will satiate the discerning palette of any ravenous undead lover. (Oh wait, that just sounded wrong on sooo many levels.)  It matters not, go grab a copy today.

            It will keep you craving for more rotted flesh.

            http://shop.amctv.com/products/117022-the-walking-dead-season-one-special-edition-blu-ray

Music:

Anthrax- Worship Music

Let me say first off, that I’ve never been a huge Anthrax.  Sure, I really dog “I am the Law, “Caught in a Mosh” and “I’m the Man”, but as a whole album, tape, 8-track whatever, not sold.  That was until I picked up their latest CD.  Holy crow and a flaming torso is the album seriously heavy, catchy and damn good!

            As with the book and TV show above, I won’t give a full review but let me tell ya folks and you’ve heard it from the old school metal-head that from the intro of the CD, I knew I was about to get my zombie-lovin’ arse stomped.

            Do yourself a favor and check this sucker out.  You will NOT be disappointed.

            http://shop.anthrax.com/shop.cfm/pk/category/ac/detail/cid/400025/prodid/402161

There are plethoras of other fantastic zombie inspired gifts out there and I could fill pages on them, but at the core of this whole thing is that I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Kwanza, George Romero Day and all that tinsel-filled jazz.

            Take the time to embrace the ones you love and raise a glass to the ones not able to be with you over this wonderful holiday season.

            Be safe out there kids and be kind to one another. After all, tomorrow we could be bitten by zombies.  No ain’t that the gift that keeps on giving.

            Happy Holidays Folks!

                                                 -TAE

Ray Wallace, author of Escape from Zombie City, recently answered questions on A.F. Stewart’s Blog.

Read the interview here, then click here to buy a copy in Trade Paperback or eBook.