Monday, October 31, 2016

Straight Chatting at the Library: Brandon Zenner


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Brandon Zenner will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW


What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

Hatchet was the first book that I read myself and enjoyed. It’s a great book for a young boy, it’s full of action and adventure.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Two years have passed since mankind faced extinction

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a few. I’m re-reading The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks and Hot Water Music by Charles Bukowski. I’m also reading Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon for the first time.

E-Reader or print? and why?

They both serve a purpose. I like having a physical library in my house, where I can see and flip through my books on a whim. But I also think my e-reader is extremely useful. Having the world’s largest library on my nightstand, or backpack, or luggage during a trip, is amazing. It took me a while to get used to an e-reader, but now that I have, I like them equally.

One book at a time or multiples?

Reading or writing? The answer to both is multiples. However, I’m now going to try to be writing only one book at a time. Flipping back and forth between books, along with working a full time job, gets to be a bit much.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

Bookmark. Or a scrap of paper, a Post-it, or anything really. Dog-ear is a big pet peeve of mine, seeing someone do it gives my anxiety for some reason.

Favorite book you've read this year?

The March by E.L. Doctorow

When do you do most of your reading?

Before bed. I used to be a big morning reader, and would like to one day get back into the habit, but ever since my daughter was born (about three years ago) I no longer have mornings free.

Do you loan your books?

Yes, all of the time. There a few that don’t leave the shelf, but if I think a friend would really like a book and I’m nervous of losing one of my more prized paperbacks, chances are I’ll buy them a copy.

Favorite book to recommend?

That depends on the person. The book that I’ve recommended the most is The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Now, I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, it’s a very disturbing book. But when I find the right person, I typically buy them a used copy from Amazon. I think I’ve given away about ten copies of that book.

READ THE BLURB


Two years have passed since mankind faced extinction. Brian Rhodes and his cousin, Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker for the first time, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth.

On the other side of the North American continent, young Simon Kalispell is leaving the safety and seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston.

For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, where the fragmented lives of a small number of survivors will soon be decided by the choices of a corrupt few.

Simon Kalispell and Brian Rhodes are not yet aware, but the strength that resides inside them will soon be tested, and destiny will call for their fates to be forever intertwined.

READ THE EXCERPT


Brian lowered his gun. “It’s okay, Steve. He’s dead.” He looked around. “There’s no one here.”

Steven lowered his rifle, wiping his palms on his thighs and brushing the sweat from his eyes.

“I said he’s dead, Steve—”

“I reckon he’s dead, Brian. I see he’s dead.”

“Come on now. We’re right at town.”

They sidestepped the corpse until it was well behind them. If the body was someone they had once known, it was now impossible to determine who that person might have been.

“That won’t be the last of them,” Brian said. “You better get your head on straight.”

Steven opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again.

They stepped onto the road as the first house emerged from the woods. They walked past it, taking careful notice of the blank windows—as black as the eye sockets of the corpse—and scanned for any sign of movement, like the fluttering of drapes, or the partially covered face of a person peering out from the darkness with a shotgun clenched tight in their hands. Anything.

But there was no movement.

“Think anyone’s left?” Steven said, with a crack in his voice.

Brian shrugged. “I know as much as you do.”

The yards around the homes, and Pearl Street itself, were spotted with litter and debris of every kind blowing in the gentle breeze. Overgrown tree roots buckled sections of the sidewalk and emerged from cracks in the pavement. They passed the police station bordering the center of town. The cruisers were vacant in the parking lot, and the building was cold and silent.

MEET THE AUTHOR


Brandon Zenner is an American fiction writer and an Amazon best selling author. His short fiction has been published in both print and online publications, the first being submitted when he was 19 years old. THE EXPERIMENT OF DREAMS, his debut eBook thriller, has reached Amazon's best seller list many times. His second novel, WHISKEY DEVILS, was released in early 2016. THE AFTER WAR, a dystopian thriller, is available now as a pre-order, at 80% off the final sale price. You can follow the author on his Amazon page, or through his email list on his website. All email subscribers will receive his futuristic short story, HELIX ILLUMINATED, for free as a thank you. His genres of choice are thrillers, crime, dystopian, and science fiction.

https://www.facebook.com/brandon.zenner/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
https://twitter.com/SlapstickII

Buy the book for only $0.99 at Amazon.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY


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11 comments:

  1. Hello, and thanks for hosting—and happy halloween! I'll be in and out throughout the day, I look forward to talking to you all.

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  2. Congrats on the tour, the book looks great, and thanks for the chance to win :)

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    1. My pleasure Lisa. Thanks for checking the book out!

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  3. I also like to have a physical library in my house. I do use the ereader but prefer regular books. By the way I don't loan my books out. I did it a few times and never saw them again.

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    1. Yeah, you kind of have to assume there's a good chance any book you loan out may not come back.

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  4. Enjoyed reading the interview and excerpt, sounds great!

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    1. Hi Eva,

      Thank you for your support, it's much appreciated.

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  5. Replies
    1. Hi Victoria,

      I'm glad you liked it. It's true—I really do hate dog-eared books :)

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  6. Hi Nicole,

    Thank you, I appreciate it!

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