A zombie slaying Diva has cruised by today to share her zombie apocalypse series with us. Let's give Jessica Meigs a big ginormous diva welcome!
Would
you please start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Jessica Meigs. I’m currently
twenty-six years old, and I live in a small town in Alabama. I’ve been writing
stories as long as I can remember (the typical statement from a typical
writer!), but it’s only within the past year that things have taken a turn for
the serious (and I definitely mean that in a good way!). I have a day job as an
EMT working on an ambulance in a very large, rural county. Needless to say,
it’s provided great source material for my books, especially for my novella The Becoming: Brothers in Arms, part of
which takes place on an ambulance!
What
was your most challenging book to bring to life?
So far, I think I’d put it as a tie between The Becoming: Ground Zero (book two) and
The Becoming: Revelations (book
three) of the series. Those books dealt with more difficult subject matter and
more heartbreaking events than the first book did, and there were times where I
found myself just sitting there going, “God, I don’t want to write this scene,”
but I just knew it had to get done. Unfortunately,
I can’t elaborate on this because it’d spoil a good chunk of the books for
readers, but when people get their hands on the books, they’ll probably be able
to figure out very quickly which scenes I’m referring to!
What
was your favorite scene or chapter in The
Becoming?
I think my absolute favorite isn’t necessarily
a specific scene as a series of scenes, so to speak, mainly involving the
interactions between Cade and Brandt both in the RV and in the office building
toward the end of the book. I had a scenario where I put two very much alpha
characters in a bad situation and got to see how they interacted and how
everything played out between them, and it was an absolute delight watching it
all unfold. I learned so much about those two characters alone in those
particular scenes that it really influenced the development of books two and
three.
How
many books do you have planned for The
Becoming series?
Loosely, I have five. The fourth one (which,
at the moment, I’m calling The Becoming:
Awakening) is in the very rough, bare-bones sketch of the entire book,
while the fifth (whose working title is The
Becoming: Evolve) is just an outline at this point. The storyline for those
two books is semi-separate from the first three; it’s the same characters but a
new story arc springing from hints and events I dropped in books one through
three on the off-chance I’d have the inspiration to write a fourth. I’m also
considering taking that same universe and following a totally new group of
characters within it, characters that I believe readers will love just as much
as they do Cade, Brandt, Ethan, et al. There’s two characters in particular,
Sadie and Jude, that I’m really anxious to write about, as I’ve sketched a few
short stories and scenes involving them and just love their characterizations.
I
saw on your blog you just purchased your very own zombie apocalypse vehicle. (click here to see!) What supplies do you
cart around in it or recommend for people to cart around in theirs?
This is the part where I have to admit I’m a
bad zombie prepper: I don’t have any supplies (outside of a Swiffer duster) in
my car at the moment. I would definitely recommend people get roadside repair
kits and first aid kits. I think a first aid kit is especially important! (But
I may be speaking from the frame of mind of an EMT there!)
If
you could trade places for a day with one of your characters, who would it be
and why?
I like this question; I don’t think I’ve ever
been asked it before. I’m pretty sure at this point, people are expecting me to
say Cade, but if I had to choose one, it’d be Remy Angellette. She’s smart,
she’s resourceful, and she’s tough, she can hold her own against the infected,
and while she’s got some personality hang-ups, out of all the characters, she’s
the most loyal, both to her friends and to whatever cause she’s fighting for.
If
you were trapped in the apocalyptic world that you created what are five things
that you would want to have with you?
This one’s easy: food, water, ammunition,
weapons, and friends/family. The last one, imo, is the most important of all of
those. A lot of people like to say they’d hole up on their own and basically
live a reclusive, hermity life, but that’s not healthy on a psychological standpoint.
I think in a situation like that, your friends and family are your most
important assets, because they’d keep you sane, grounded, and healthy, and
unlike total strangers, they’d be more likely to fight to the death to protect
you and you them.
What
is one thing about you that your readers would find surprising or never guess
about you?
I know a lot of readers tend to find it
surprising that I am a voracious reader…of regency romance novels. This seems
to throw quite a few people for a loop when they find this out; but I tend to
read anything I can get my hands on, and one genre I tend to enjoy is the
regency romance genre. I also read a ton of non-fiction history books too,
which surprises some people also. I’ll read on a wide variety of topics, but I
tend to specialize on the societal and political aspects of the World War II
Axis powers. (Yeah, I’m a nerd. That
shouldn’t surprise anyone.)
How
do you spend your down time between edits, deadlines, writing and creating new
and fascinating books? Do you have a favorite pastime or hobby to fill your
spare time with?
Well, as I said before, I read a lot. I also love going to the movies and
shopping around in one of my absolute favorite cities in the world, Tuscaloosa,
Alabama (Atlanta, Georgia is the other one). I also work at my day job too, but
I’m not sure I’d consider that downtime
per se. Really, I live a pretty laid-back kind of life. I’m not one of those
people who go out skydiving and rock climbing, but I have fun in my own ways.
Who
is your favorite author that you enjoy reading?
I always answer this question with the same
answers, because it never seems to change: Jonathan Maberry, Mira Grant/Seanan
McGuire, and Peter Clines. I really can’t get tired of their books. I read them
over and over and over. Right now, for instance, I’m re-reading Deadline by Mira Grant in anticipation
of reading Blackout, which just hit
my Nook yesterday morning. I can’t wait to get to it and dig in!
Bio
Jessica
Meigs is the author of The Becoming,
a post-apocalyptic thriller series that follows a group of people trying to
survive a massive viral outbreak in the southeastern United States. After
gaining notoriety for having written the series on a variety of BlackBerry
devices, she self-published two novellas that now make up the first book of the
series. In April 2011, she accepted a three-book deal with Permuted Press to
publish a trilogy of novels. The first of the trilogy, entitled The Becoming, was released in November
2011 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible in paperback, eBook, and
audiobook formats. It was also named one of Barnes & Noble’s Best Zombie
Fiction Releases of 2011 and Best Apocalyptic Fiction Releases of 2011. In
March 2012, she released a related novella entitled The Becoming: Brothers in Arms. The second novel in the series, The Becoming: Ground Zero, is coming in
July 2012 from Permuted Press, with a third novel, The Becoming: Revelations, to follow. A fourth and fifth book are
currently in the process of being written.
Jessica
lives in semi-obscurity in Demopolis, Alabama. When she’s not writing, she
works full time as an EMT. She enjoys listening to music and spends way too
much time building playlists for everything she writes. When she’s not rocking
out at concerts or writing or working, she can be found on Twitter
@JessicaMeigs, on Facebook at facebook.com/JessicaMeigs, and on Goodreads at
goodreads.com/jessicameigs. You can also visit her website at
www.jessicameigs.com.
Synopsis
The
Michaluk Virus is loose.
In
the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, the Michaluk Virus has escaped the CDC, and its
effects are widespread and devastating. Most of the population of the
southeastern United States has become homicidal cannibals. As society rapidly
crumbles under the hordes of infected, three people—Ethan Bennett, a Memphis
police officer; Cade Alton, his best friend and former IDF sharpshooter; and
Brandt Evans, a lieutenant in the US Marines—band together against the oncoming
crush of death and terror sweeping across the world.
As
Cade, Brandt, and Ethan hole up in a safe house in Tupelo, others begin to join
them in their bid for survival. When the infected attack and they’re forced to
flee, one departs to Memphis in search of answers while the others escape south
to Biloxi, where they encounter more danger than they bargained for. And in
Memphis, the answers that one man finds are the last answers he wanted, answers
that herald a horrific possibility that there may be more to this virus than
first suspected.
Jessica in all of her awesomeness is giving away 2 eBooks of The Becoming! Comment with email address and tell us what your favorite zombie movie is. You can also comment on the review to be entered in the giveaway as well.
Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in this tour!
- Alison Groen, Rosie Discovers 05/27/2012 Review
- Reena Jacobs, Ramblings of an Amateur Author 05/29/2012 Bio/Excerpt
- Rea, Rea's Reading and Reviews 05/30/2012 Bio/Excerpt
- Vanessa Romano, The Jeep Diva 05/31/2012 Interview
- Teressa Morris, Window on the World 06/01/2012 Review
- Jessica Mason, Wickedly Bookish 06/02/2012 Review
- Gwen Perkins, A Few Words 06/03/2012 Guest Blog
- Kriss Morton, Cabin Goddess 06/05/2012 Guest Blog
- Suzie, Books Reviewed by Bunny 06/06/2012 Interview
- Susan Peck, My Cozie Corner 06/08/2012 Review
- Kimberley, Turning The Pages 06/09/2012
Sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeletesionedkla@gmail.com
Zombieland!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post and giveaway! I luvs me so zombies!!!
ReplyDeleteZombieland, Shawn of the Dead, All Resident Evils :) These are a few of my favorite things!
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
Night of the Living Dead. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me
ReplyDeleteI like Dawn of the Dead. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Zombieland is my fave. I can't look at Twinkies without automatically thinking of it. My only complaint is that they shoulda been in a Jeep... seroiusly a Hummer, what a bummer.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I can give a favorite zombie movie since I don't like scary movies and I think the only one I've seen is "Night of the Living Dead" and that's more a farce. Funny I don't like scary movies cause I like scary books.
ReplyDeletemindywall@att.net
Mindy Wall
Dreamer2229
Books, Books, and More Books
http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/
I have to admit that the following buzzzzzz words got my imagination going - rural Alabama, EMT, Zombies. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share your gift with us. I look forward to the read and certainly appreciate the giveaway opportunity.
ReplyDeletedz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Are you planning a future novel based around WWII historical tidbits you've picked up in your reading?
ReplyDeletecasey446 (at) hotmail (dot) com
Zombieland is my fave zombie movie. I adore Woody Harrelson.
ReplyDeletetiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
thanks for the review and giveaway. Gale pgan427@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteResident evil is my favorite for sure!
ReplyDeletelissette_125 at hotmail dot com
Thanks!