Armand Rosamilia talks about zombies and Hell’s Bells: Highway To Hell 2

 

Got a hankering for Zombies? The Walking Dead just not doing it for you? Well come on down to the Sunshine State and meet Armand Rosamilia. That's right, wildly prolific horror author Armand Rosamilia is here to talk about Highway To Hell 2. And as usual I'll throw in a few lines and updates from The Witch's Lair.

Blurb:


Randy Jackson's car has been stolen by a hot redhead, more guns pointed at his face than he can count, and zombies around every corner. Just when he's about to toss in the towel, a mysterious blonde saves him... but why?

The long-awaited sequel to "Highway To Hell" (which began the "Dying Days" zombie series) and sequel to "Dying Days: Origins" is upon us...

The zombie apocalypse is in full swing but sometimes your fellow survivors are more deadly than the undead.



Main Character's motivations

Randy's motivated by survival and not getting bitten by a zombie. He's a coward who tries to convince himself otherwise at times, but he's just not built to fight off a horde of zombies or other survivors.


What's Randy's secret strengths/ weaknesses

He's not as cowardly as he thinks he is. Despite his track record of sometimes getting the job done, he is very down on himself. But when push comes to shove he finds a small well of strength to overcome.


Any philosophical issues in this story? If so how do you address them, how does MC live and over come them?

The issue is who is worse: the zombies or the other survivors. Randy has to figure out in which world would he be safer: living on the streets with zombies or inside a compound with people who aren't the nicest people.


Any offbeat obscure or 80s references?

The main character's name is Randy Jackson, not named after the American Idol guy but the lead singer of Long Island rock band Zebra from the 1980's. I always sprinkle in pop references in most of my stories.



When did you start to write this one and why?

I started Highway To Hell 2 about six months ago. it had been over five years since the first one came out. I've been busy writing other books in this same world for my Dying Days series, but never got back to Randy's story until now.

Excerpt:

Hell’s Bells: Highway To Hell 2

Armand Rosamilia

Chapter One

       Randy Jackson didn’t know the make and model of the pistol aimed at his forehead and right now he didn’t care. His arms were growing tired from keeping them over his head. His shitty day was getting worse and worse.

“Where’d the woman go?” the dirty man holding the gun finally asked through rotting teeth. He was flanked by two men also threatening Randy with weapons. “The redhead. We saw her drive away in a car.”

“My car,” Randy said. “She stole it. She left me stranded.”

“Lover’s spat?” one of the men asked and all three laughed, but kept their guns aimed at Randy’s head.

“I didn’t really get to chat with her much. She jumped me and took my car. That’s about it,” Randy said.

“Bullshit. You’ve been with her for awhile and she fucked you out of your wheels. Isn’t that right?”

Randy sighed and put his arms down. If they were going to kill him they’d do it regardless of where his hands were. “Not even close.”

“I’m listening,” the leader said.

“I drove into town and when I stopped the woman carjacked me. I barely saw her but I’m guessing there aren’t too many redheads running around. That’s it. I’ve been wandering around for a couple of days trying to keep warm and find another way out.”

“Where did you come from?”

“Baltimore area,” Randy said.

“Why’d you leave Baltimore?”

“Because it’s worse there than here, if you can believe it. I was… out of my head for a bit. I lost someone very near and dear to me.”

“We all did,” one of the other guys said. “The fucking redhead killed a lot of people before she left. We’re going after her.”

The leader shook his head and stopped aiming at Randy’s head. “No, we ain’t. We have no way to follow her and it is too damn cold. We have no real idea where she’s heading, either.”

“South,” the guy offered. “Jimbo and me were on the roof when we saw her driving south.”

“Well, that really helps clear it up. Easy as pie now. We just go south. It ain’t like it’s a thousand miles to fucking Key West. And that’s if the bitch drives straight down and follows I-95. God forbid she turns at any point,” the leader said. “You’re an idiot. You know that?”

Randy sighed. “Look, I’m no harm. I’m just a guy having a shitty week. I want to find somewhere to sleep that’s warm tonight. The zombies are everywhere and we’re standing in the middle of the road.”

“You ain’t going anywhere, buddy. So shut the fuck up and put your hands back on your head,” the leader said. “We’ll decide what to do with you once we get back to the warehouse.”

“Does the warehouse have heat?” Randy asked. His fingers were on the verge of being frost-bitten. The days were getting nicer but at night it was still really cold.

“We live on the roof,” one of the men said.

“Shut up,” the leader said. “There’s no room for you at the warehouse.”

Randy was confused. “Huh? You just said you’d figure out what to do with me once we got back to the warehouse. I heard you. How about you guys?”

“You did say it,” one of the men admitted.

“I changed my fucking mind,” the leader yelled. “He’s another mouth to feed and we’re almost out of food. This town is dried up. Ain’t nothing left but zombies. But no one will listen to me. I’m not watching him.” He held up his pistol and took a step back. “I’m going to kill him and be done with it.”

“I think there’s an easier way,” Randy said, having no clue what it would be but trying to stall. He had his arms up again, waving his hands. “We can work this out. Every move doesn’t have to end in violence, buddy… I’m Randy. Randy Jackson.”

“Like the guy from American Idol?” one of them asked. “You, uh, don’t look like him.”

Randy had heard it a million times. Right now he didn’t want to get into a long-winded explanation about where his name came from. Although… “Have you ever heard of a rock band from Long Island called Zebra?”

All three men shook their heads. At least no one had shot him yet.

“I was named after the lead singer from what my mom tells me. I don’t know if it’s true or a coincidence. But I never had a problem until the show came on. I’ve even had people ask if we’re related,” Randy said. When the men laughed he felt relief. Maybe he could get them to joke around. He’d do a dance if it meant staying alive.

“That’s a great story. So long, Randy Jackson,” the leader said.

Randy closed his eyes. End of the line, he thought. What a horrible life and a horrible way to die.

What's next in this series or in your next book?

Highway To Hell 2 wraps up the story for not only Highway To Hell but also a character from Dying Days: Origin. From this point on I'll only be writing the main Dying Days story.



Preview of your next book?

Nothing I can share just yet. Working on Dying Days 6 for a June 2016 release.



When will it be available?

Highway To Hell 2 is available right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Highway-To-Hell-Armand-Rosamilia-ebook/dp/B014PNZ24Q/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=087Z0YH38XAG6NN0802B

Armand and cuddly Cthulhu
 

Bio:



Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he's not sleeping. He's happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life...
He's written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels.
He runs two very successful podcasts on Project iRadio,
Arm Cast: Dead Sexy Horror Podcast - interviewing fellow authors as well as filmmakers, musicians, etc.
Arm N Toof's Dead Time Podcast - with co-host Mark Tufo, the duo interview authors and filmmakers and anyone else they feel like talking with.
He also loves to talk in third person... because he's really that cool. He's a proud Active member of HWA as well.
You can find him at http://armandrosamilia.com for not only his latest releases but interviews and guest posts with other authors he likes!
And e-mail him to talk about zombies, baseball and Metal:
armandrosamilia@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edits for The Witch's Lair, Inquisitor Series #3, continue,

expect to be finished by this weekend or next.

 

 

 

 

 

Junior Inquisitor

 

 

 

 

 

Still just $2.99

Amazon - http://goo.gl/D6KrbX

 

Smashwords - http://goo.gl/XsGgAC

 

Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/mJtTf8

 

 

 

 

SOULLESS MONK Book # 2

 

 

 

Smashwords - https://goo.gl/NXw3Gr

 

Amazon - http://goo.gl/p9fBn0

 

Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/5lCyaX

 

 

Excerpt from The Witch's Lair, Book Three of the Inquisitor Series - We only got in a few miles, far enough that no one could hear our screams, when a twig fury stepped out from behind a tree, and tackled me. A twig fury is exactly what it sounds like, five feet of angry sticks held together by a bitter, malevolent spirit, bent on mayhem and death. 

 

Michael Durkota's Once in a Blue Year

As I'm busy working my fingers to the bone, getting The Witch's Lair (Inquisitor Series #3) ready, another Indie Author has offered to help me out with this week's post. Also, as promised, there are a few lines from The Witch's Lair at the bottom of the post, if you want a teaser of what will happen next to Brother Sebastian.

In the mean time, sit back and learn about being a Submariner, and what happens when you train and train for an event and then can't go.

 

Meet Michael Durkota

He's written a book called Once in a Blue Year

 

Tagline

Set during the Gulf War, this engrossing dramatic narrative follows two barracks roommates who remain onshore when their submarine is deployed— leaving each to resolve his own inner conflicts.

Yep he knows a bit about the Navy

Blurb

Once in a Blue Year begins during the first days of the Gulf War, with two navy barracks roommates remaining onshore as their submarine leaves without them. Unraveling through different points of view in both present action and flashbacks, the story follows Dan, who is conflicted about receiving a medical discharge, and Trevor, who is seething with anger over the incident that forced him to miss his deployment.

With nowhere else to go, Dan moves into the home of his friends Nathan and Heather and their young son, James. Meanwhile, Trevor is furious with Nathan, who has managed to volunteer to go to battle in Trevor’s place. But Trevor’s hotheaded temperament has finally caught up to him, and regardless of his skill as a true naval warrior, he’s suddenly been ordered to “stay in.”

In Nathan’s absence, Dan is charged with looking after Heather and James as he rebuilds his life, while Trevor struggles with his anger and intimacy issues in his relationship with girlfriend Tara. But before they can move forward, they must both come to terms with the fateful event at sea that changed their lives forever.

 

 

Links

Author Page: http://www.durkota.net

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lsb7wkn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/durk13

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mddurkota

Rogue13 Publications: http://www.rogue13-publications.com/

About the Author

Michael D. Durkota, a former submariner in the US Navy, holds a master of fine arts degree in fiction from the University of Pittsburgh. His debut novel, Once in a Blue Year, follows two friends during the Gulf War as they struggle with their navy service, adulthood, and relationships. Durkota lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife. He is currently working on his second novel and an odd collection of stories.

Excerpt (from the prologue)

She will reach for her glass of wine, and, as she takes a sip, she will catch a reflection of him, of them, in the glass. The boy and the man. One, then the other, depending on how she tilts the glass and catches the light. She will alternate between the two. The tiny pink representations of them. The boy now peacefully asleep. His chest rising and falling like waves. The man, near sleep himself. His head tilted back. His fingers combing through her hair.

The boy. The man. She will feel content with her head on his lap. The boy. She will feel content with him by her side. The man. She will wonder what he is thinking. Then she will ask in a whisper.

But before he answers, someone will pull into the driveway. Headlights will flash off the mirror, the clock. And for a moment the room will light up. Shadows will transform. She will see the wax on the table. She will see the toys scattered on the floor, like casualties of war. She will feel his leg flex beneath her. The man. She will hear him stir. The boy.

Then the car lights will go out. And, if not for the footsteps, all would be as it was just a moment before. She will wish she could hold on to that moment just a little longer. The man and the boy. But the footsteps will grow louder as they approach the door. And chaos will enter the room.

 

 

When did you start to write this one and why?

I wrote a story called “Submergence” about 15 years ago. The original story was a mostly true telling of my experiences on submarines. In writing it, I realized I had a lot of demons that were in need of exorcism. I also realized that I was facing an opportunity to achieve my life-long goal of writing a novel. Fictionalizing those memories was a perfect therapy.

 

Main Character's motivations

Dan is largely unmotivated. Having just been discharged from the Navy, he finds himself at a loss for what to do next. His indecisiveness get him into trouble pretty quickly. Trevor is motivated to a fault; his sole purpose in life is to serve the Navy. When that is taken away he is rudderless (nautical pun intended).

What is their secret strengths/ weaknesses

Dan’s secret weakness: Although he qualified for submarine duty, he is terribly claustrophobic. Trevor’s secret strength: He is covertly training to become a Junior Inquisitor. (Good Choice!)

Any philosophical issues in this story? If so how do you address them, how does MC live and over come them?

There are several, mostly moral dilemmas from differing perspectives. Fitting to their motivations, Trevor overthinks them and Dan tries to ignore them. I’ve always thought the two created their own balance. The story also plays around with irony and coincidence. Oh, and there is a mention of Plato; does that count?

Any offbeat obscure or 80s references?

The story takes place in the early 90’s, so there are a few. I did a have a solid reference to the Beastie Boys, but I was strongly encouraged to remove it in order to avoid litigation. I have to admit it would have crushed me to be sued by my high school idols.

What's next in this series or in your next book?

Once in a Blue Year is a standalone novel. That said, one character was only in the present of the story for a few pages; Nathan existed mostly in flashbacks. He was an enigma, and that was all he was ever meant to be. However, I did enough exploration of his character to realize that he had an entirely different story to tell. The next book is a subtle prequel based on his early teen years. I have always been a fan of Michael Ondaatje, and I loved that Hanna from “The English Patient” was actually introduced as a young girl in “In the Skin of a Lion.” My second novel will be a feigned attempt to emulate the master, albeit in reverse.

Preview of your next book?

The story focuses on a teenaged boy living in a small rural town and how he and his friends perceive the early 80’s economic (steel industry collapsing) and political (Iranian hostage from US embassy) crises.

When will it be available?

Soon, I hope. If I keep to my current schedule, I should have a draft out for edit by early spring. Optimistically, I am hoping for a summer 2016 release.

 

 

Links

Author Page: http://www.durkota.net

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lsb7wkn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/durk13

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mddurkota

Rogue13 Publications: http://www.rogue13-publications.com/

 

 

Edits for The Witch's Lair, Inquisitor Series #3, are progressing, and should be ready for the next review soon.

Beta readers get ready.

 

 

 

                                    Junior Inquisitor

             Still just $2.99

 

                           Amazon - http://goo.gl/D6KrbX

 

                        Smashwords - http://goo.gl/XsGgAC

 

                  Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/mJtTf8

 

 

 

                                        Soulless Monk

                         Smashwords - https://goo.gl/NXw3Gr

                              Amazon - http://goo.gl/p9fBn0

                       Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/5lCyaX

 

 

Excerpt from The Witch's Lair, Book Three of the Inquisitor Series - The Hammer’s Chapel was too small to fit all of the caskets properly. Simple boxes, still smelling of freshly cut pine were stacked so they could all fit. The smell of flowers lingered faintly in the air.

Love a kick-ass female protagonist and an interesting mystery? EM Kaplan's got you covered.

Buckle Up everyone while I'm busy doing edits to The Witch's Lair, #3 in the Inquisitor series, Emily Kaplan, a renown author and massive presence on Twitter, has agreed to talk about her heroine Josie Tucker, and Josie's first adventure, The Bride Wore Dead to keep you entertained. And she will.

Subversive hip-hop Ninja

                                       

EM Kaplan is the author of un-cozy, un-culinary Josie Tucker mysteries. The newest snarky mystery, THE CUT-THROAT COED, will be released in 2016. She also has written a fantasy/paranormal series called Rise of the Masks.

EM Kaplan grew up in a part of Tucson, Arizona where there were no sidewalks. Like a tumbleweed, she moved from Massachusetts to California to Texas, and is now settled in northern IL. She's been a Girl Scout, trombonist, toilet-cleaner, beginner ninja, hip-hop dancer, and subversive marketeer.

 

More about EM-

Who am I? These are the basics: I’m a multi-genre author—I write snarky, humorous mysteries as well as epic fantasy adventures. I tweet like a maniac and try to blog weekly. I’m also a full-time office drone, mom, and dance fitness instructor.

                                       

           The Bride Wore Dead: http://myBook.to/BrideWD

            FREE for the first time ever, from Nov. 20-23

Blurb:

Meet Josie Tucker. Food is her life, from her mother’s old restaurant to her newspaper column on restaurants and kitchens. She can soothe any problem with food or drink. Missed bus? Mango-orange smoothie. Mild doldrums? A piece of peppered beef jerky. But lately, she can’t even stand the smell of a watery cup of broth. Being at the mercy of an indignant and vengeful digestive system is no cup of tea.

So what happens when she gets roped into being the last-minute bridesmaid at a society wedding? The bride’s mother tries to kill her with kindness. Too bad for the bride, Josie isn’t the only victim.

Main character's motivations

Josie Tucker is an adult orphan. Kind of. Her dad died when she was in high school, and her mother has dementia. If I were to profile Josie, I’d say she has asocial tendencies, but yet, she has a close circle of friends and is generally well-liked by both acquaintances and strangers. Her doormat says “GO AWAY,” but her friends ignore it.

What is Josie's secret strengths/ weaknesses

Her outward appearance is deceptive. She has one of those faces that makes her look as if she’s intimately involved in whatever’s been shared with her—conversations, casual glances, whatever—on the other hand, she can fade into the background and go unnoticed, if need be. She inspires confidences and the spilling of secrets. She’s non-threatening and can easily be written off by people who underestimate her.

Any philosophical issues in this story? If so how do you address them, how does Josie live and over come them?

The Bride Wore Dead has a couple of main themes, but the one that motivates Josie is her coming to grips with the death of her father, even after all these years—more than a decade. By the end of the book, she’s found a surprising surrogate parent, who may or may not be the best choice.

Any offbeat, obscure, or 80s references?

Uh… Olivia Newton-John in the movie Xanadu. I was a big fan of that movie, but not for the reason you’re thinking. It’s because it had Gene Kelly. I watched a million of his movies when I was little.

When did you start to write this one and why?

I started writing The Bride Wore Dead before my son was born. He’s almost 14 now, so when I was getting ready to publish it, I had to go back and update a lot of things…Like, her lack of a cell phone and some other technological stuff that have become more prevalent since then.

What's next in this series or in your next book?

The second Josie Tucker book is called Dim Sum, Dead Some. It’s a standalone mystery, which means you can read it first if you want. She’s the same lovable, cranky person, but this time, she’s in San Francisco, searching for a missing software entrepreneur named Ivan Sorokin. This adventure takes Josie into Chinatown, Silicon Valley, and even into a burlesque showplace. It’s based roughly on the year I lived in San Jose…except for the burlesque part. Mum’s the word on that.

Preview of your next book?

I just started writing the next Josie Tucker mystery. She’s going back to college undercover, looking into a stalker situation. The working title so far is The Cut-Throat Coed. All I can tell you so far is that the book cover rocks.

When will it be available?

Hopefully, it’ll be out by late spring or early summer. Feel free to sign up for my non-spammy newsletter so you don’t miss it. Here’s the link: http://justtheemwords.com/index.php/subscribe/

Any freebies for your fans?

I just started writing a series of holiday-themed Josie Tucker stories. The first one is free on my blog if you want a quick introduction to Josie: http://justtheemwords.com/index.php/2015/10/19/halloween/

I’m doing a Josie Christmas story next.

Don't forget there's a fantasy/paranormal series called Rise of the Masks.




Add caption

And where can we find these amazing books and more about EM Kaplan?

                Website and blog: www.JustTheEmWords.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/emkaplan.author

Twitter: www.twitter.com/meilaan

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/emkaplan

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/emkaplan

Email: JustTheEmWords@gmail.com

 

As I said earlier, I am editing The Witch's Lair, #3 in the Inquisitor Series, and I should have a few lines ready to share next week. With luck it will be available by Valentine's day, which is good as there is a romantic scene or three in The Witch's Lair Of course since I'm writing them, they are dark, shudder-inducing romance scenes. Be prepared to say "Oh," and "Oh my," at the same time.

Just in case you have not started the Inquisitor series -

                    Junior Inquisitor

         Still just $2.99

          Amazon - http://goo.gl/D6KrbX

      Smashwords - http://goo.gl/XsGgAC

        Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/mJtTf8

                          Soulless Monk

         Smashwords - https://goo.gl/NXw3Gr

                 Amazon - http://goo.gl/p9fBn0

           Inquisitor Series - http://goo.gl/5lCyaX

Prometheus Unchained

                  Welcome to death you POS HTC android phone.

 

Dead at last!

 

Thanks to you I remembered swears I had not used since Afghanistan. You were worthless to me and I'm not sad you tripped and hit the floor at high velocity. Your touchscreen was buggy making turning off alarms damn near impossible. Data retrieval was always a “where is it now” snipe hunt. Screen brightness was so weak that unless it was night, there was no point in trying to read your screen. Your idle time was nearly non-existent, slipping back to a locked state faster than one could read a three word post. Impervious to modification, unwilling to meet my needs, and ready to revert back to annoying factory settings on a whim, I learned to loath you with the power and fury of a Grizzly bear with a rotten tooth. I hoped I had lost you many, many times, but no thief was dumb enough to take you and when I finally went looking, there you were, like an annoying alcoholic second cousin parasitically attached and too self-absorbed in pathetic worthlessness to get the hint and disappear.

 

Yes, you were not paid off, that was how new you were, and it will cost me more money to replace you, but the peace and sastification I now feel with be worth every hard earned penny.

 

It burns and I feel good.

Burn in the special hell reserved for people who talk in the theater. May your designers be flogged through the streets, the executives who approved your creation be demoted to janitorial staff and your programmers never allowed to touch code more advanced than BASIC. Tomorrow I go to the cell store with a smile on my face for I am free of you and your baneful presence.

 

I'm sooo happy!

 

                          So how about some positive news, like -

                           Inquisitor Series

                          http://goo.gl/mJtTf8

Just 2.99 to get your heart racing

5 Stars - I cannot wait to read the entire series in final perfection...during daylight hours. These are fascinating yet terrifying stories written with incredible detail. The reality that Lincoln writes into his fiction will pull you into his world and convince you it's real. THAT is how it becomes so frightening. When horrible things happen, you will believe it CAN and IS happening. Do NOT read these in the evening. You will have nightmares.

Just released!

5 Stars - If you like beautifully written, dark horror that sucks you in and won’t let you go, this will be candy to your soul.


                                                                  

                          Inquisitor Series

                        http://goo.gl/mJtTf8

My first 5 star review of Soulless Monk

Soulless Monk went on sale 1 October. And while I knew people were waiting to buy it what I did not expect was that some would plow through it like a buzzsaw through butter and then post a review the same day.

 

 

Next we cut butter for our English muffins!

 

The 5 star review:

What a riveting tale of horror and heroism!

Lincoln Farish has a way of scaring me senseless and still not letting me walk away from the story. It is definitely NOT for the weak-minded, weak-souled, or even those with the weak stomach.

The bad guys' hatred of all, including each other jumped off the page and smacked me upside the head. I kept telling myself that it was time to go to bed, and yet I continued to read.

Sebastian is still the angry but innocent monk. Aching still from amusia and the loss of his wife and child, he hunts the bad guys with a desperate frenzy that could qualify as dedication or idiocy.

Can't wait for the next book!!!

To say I'm pleased is a lie. I'm very, very happy.

I did things differently in Soulless Monk than I did with Junior Inquisitor.  Changes include POV, who was the main character, surprises, a couple of nice twists, monster types, and so on. I wasn't sure it would work. I'll admit it, I had some doubts. Perhaps changing things in a series would cause problems, the readers might reject what I'd done. Then there was other issues, could I make the “voices” different for the main characters? Would each person be whole and complete, would they live and breathe in the pages, or just read like a really evil Mary Sue, or Marty Stu? Something straight out of central casting and as real as a cardboard cut out? The concept worried me. When I was done I thought I had pulled it off, but the real test was my audience. People who had paid money to be entertained; where they entertained? Did it meet their expectations?

One review is a start, and I'm sure I will have more soon, the big question is, why haven't you started on the Inquisitor Series yourself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Inquisitor Series http://goo.gl/5lCyaX

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junior Inquisitor

Amazon - http://goo.gl/D6KrbX

Smashwords - http://goo.gl/XsGgAC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soulless Monk

Smashwords https://goo.gl/NXw3Gr

Amazon http://goo.gl/p9fBn0

Inquisitor Series http://goo.gl/5lCyaX