Janice Gable Bashman is the author of WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil. She also has written for THE BIG THRILL, NOVEL & SHORT STORY WRITER’S MARKET, THE WRITER, WILD RIVER REVIEW, and many others. She can be reached at www.janicegablebashman.com.
Jonathan Maberry is a NY Times bestseller, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winner and a writer for Marvel Comics. He has written a number of award-winning nonfiction books and novels on the paranormal and supernatural, including WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE, THE CRYPTOPEDIA, VAMPIRE UNIVERSE, THEY BITE, ZOMBIE CSU and PATIENT ZERO. He can be reached at www.jonathanmaberry.com.
Writers Who Changed Our Worlds
by Janice Gable Bashman and Jonathan Maberry
Readers. Writers. We all love a good book. Whether it’s a mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, science fiction, etc. And we can all remember our favorites. Those books that kept us reading long after we should have stopped to do something else, the books that kept us up late into the night when we had school or work the next day. As authors we strive to be the one who does that to readers, whose work is so compelling it keeps readers from doing anything else but reading. Because, let’s face it. We all love a good book.
For our book WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil, we interviewed tons of authors (and screenwriters, filmmakers, actors, and others) about their favorite good vs. evil book, movie, and comic, so we thought we’d discuss the writers that have influenced us over the years.
JANICE GABLE BASHMAN: There are so many writers I could list, but these are three that have influenced me tremendously.
SHIRLEY JACKSON—When I read Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” first published in 1948, I couldn’t believe the horror and the shock she elicited in only a few pages. It’s been at least 20 years since I first read the story and the memory of it still sends chills down my spine and makes me cringe. It’s a perfect blend of horror, suspense and ancient ritual. Characters so real you can’t help but relate to them and be thankful you aren’t them.
Jackson also wrote the incredible horror novel HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, published in 1959.
Jackson’s work has affected me both as a reader and a writer.
JAMES ROLLINS—The thriller lover in me admires how James Rollins (DEEP FATHOM, ICE HUNT, ALTER OF EDEN, DOOMSDAY KEY, etc.) combines action-adventure with science, exploration, mystery, fear, horror, archeology, etc. to create a story that always keeps me turning the pages. As a writer, I look at his work and am amazed at how he pulls it off, how he combines so many factors to create a plausible and enjoyable read. But he does… and that’s the beauty of it.
WALTER MOSLEY—I’m a big fan of Walter Mosley’s stories featuring Socrates Fortlow (ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, ALWAYS OUTGUNNED; WALKIN’ THE DOG; THE RIGHT MISTAKE). How he describes his characters. The language he uses to create his tales. How every sentence, every word, is chosen for its precise meaning. How the spot-on dialogue makes the characters so vivid. How he tells the story of real people in real situations doing real things but fills those stories with so much meaning. To study Walter Mosley’s stories is a great lesson in writing.
JONATHAN MABERRY:
RICHARD MATHESON: I met Matheson when I was fourteen, and he took some time to have a few long chats with me about writing, creativity, the business of publishing, and about developing an analytical mind. Matheson’s novels are always different, always hard to classify, and often cross-genre. His 1954 classic, I AM LEGEND, is the first real blend of hard science and true horror; and the underlying metaphors of xenophobia, classicism and societal perception are as dead on-target now as they were then. Shame the filmmakers seem to miss Matheson’s whole point, which is alluded to in the title! His other works are equally layered and compelling: THE SHRINKING MAN, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, STIR OF ECHOES… the list goes on and on.
JAMES LEE BURKE: Burke is probably my favorite living author. His writing is lush, descriptive, subtle, gritty, and always compelling. His Dave Robicheaux novels in particular are filled with sensual phrasing and visceral scenes that make all five of your senses come alive while reading. I particularly love BLACK CHERRY BLUES for its insights into corruption, heroism and redemption; THE TIN-ROOF BLOWDOWN, for the unflinching way Burke presents the social and cultural devastation that resulted from the government’s mishandling of Katrina; and THE GLASS RAINBOW, for showing that even eighteen books into a series that has unfolded over 23 years, Burke still manages to surprise his readers.
JOHN D. MacDONALD: MacDonald’s most celebrated creation was the intellectual boat bum, Travis McGee. Irascible, occasionally antisocial, charming, charismatic, and frequently anti-establishment, Travis is the model for the ‘thinking person’s hero’. The stories were meticulously plotted and laid out along devious pathways that not only made the books a thrill to read for the first time, but a pleasure to re-read. No one has tried to out-MacDonald MacDonald, and that’s a good thing. He was the sharpest knife in the literary drawer. And the books are just so damn much fun!
WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE deals with the struggle of good vs evil in film, comics, pop culture, world myth, literature, and the real world. Everything from ghosts to vampire slayers to paranormal investigators to FBI serial-killer profilers. It includes interviews with folks like Stan Lee, Mike Mignola, Jason Aaron, Fred Van Lente, Peter Straub, Charlaine Harris and many more; and the book is fully illustrated by top horror, comics & fantasy artists. In stores everywhere.
Wanted Undead or Alive: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil by Jonathan Maberry & Janice Gable Bashman Publisher: Citadel (September 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 320 pages Discover the nature of Evil- and how to kick its butt!
These days you can-t swing an undead lycanthrope without hitting a Minion of Evil. They-re everywhere-TV, film, the basement-right behind you! It-s never been more important to know what you can do to keep them at bay. Garlic? silver bullets? holy water? torch-wielding mob?
From today-s foremost experts on nightmares-come-to-life, this indispensible guide identifies and describes mankind-s enemies-supernatural beasts, ghosts, vampires, serial killers, etc.-and unearths effective time-proven responses to each horrific threat.
Separate fact from fiction, the deadly from the merely creepy. Learn when to stand your ground and when to run screaming for your life. Determine which monster-specific heroes to call and their likelihood of success. Consider your own potential as a Champion for Good, Conqueror of the Damned.
Whether we-re talking ancient vampire hunters or modern-day FBI profilers, it-s good to know someone-s got your back in the eternal struggle between Good and Evil. And this book, with over fifty illustrations, as well as commentary from luminaries like filmmaker John Carpenter, author Peter Straub, and the legendary Stan Lee, provides all the information and reassurance you need to sleep soundly at night.
Just not too soundly.
Thank you so much Janice and Jonathan for being on my blog today!
For more information Janice Gable Bashman / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Jonathan Maberry / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository