Zombies!

[GeneChing]

Yeah, I still don't get it.

Go to a shopping mall. Then watch Dawn of the Dead, the original from 1978. Zombies are a metaphor for today's consumers. Actually, this is why I'm not into zombie flicks anymore. Why would I want to watch a movie of what I can see at our shopping mall?

There's actually some historical basis for zombies in black magic, at least colloquially. According to the hosts of our local late night horror show, black magicians would stage a person's death by poisoning them, typically with belladonna derivatives. This would cause temporary paralysis. Then they would bury them and unearth them later with bizarre rituals to convince them that they were indeed dead and brought back from the dead. Then, keeping them plied with various mind-altering drugs, they would convince the victim that they were a zombie and use them as a slave. Talk about your mind****, right?

Ok, I've not been able to validate any of this (I haven't really tried) but that's what that they said on the show and they have skanky go-go dancers. See Creepy KOFY Movie Time Cave Girl Scarlet Von Harlet.

[Lucas]

Ok, I've not been able to validate any of this (I haven't really tried) but that's what that they said on the show and they have skanky go-go dancers. See Creepy KOFY Movie Time Cave Girl Scarlet Von Harlet.

If you are ever interested, look up the haitian and west african 'zombie' connection.

[Syn7]

I had put this on the back burner for a while, but have recently decided to pull it off the shelf and start working on it again. I have my own zombie story that I've been working on for a while, and now plan to make use of the popularity of the genre while its still around. I wont share any details, but there are quite a few unique aspects with my story. One of them being I have it fully thought out, developed, and can completely explain why the living dead are actually the living dead, and yes, they are indeed re-animated corpses, not just sick people. Magic is not involved in any way.

Of course, since I'm partial, there is going to be a chinese martial artist in the story, one of the characters, complete with a personal arsenal of pudao, double broadswords, emei piercers and a spear. I can assure you that the story will be exciting, brutal, and probably more graphic than most of the general public can handle. I don't like to pull my punches, and I feel the details of the knitty gritty are important to develop a quality, realistic approach to a fictional experience.

There are a few people close to me that I've been bouncing things off of for a few years now and they are all almost as excited as I am to see the beast take life.

I'm looking at possibly doing a graphic novel with this, but have not yet decided.

I can assure you, that if you like the zombie genre, you will be into this.

Do you write very often? Or is this an isolated thing for you? If you have written anything, can I see? You can email it to me if you don't wanna post for everyone. I like short stories.

[GeneChing]

If you are ever interested, look up the haitian and west african 'zombie' connection.

Like I said, I see enough zombies at the mall. Zombies and vampires - it's a sad comment on our society now that these mythical creatures are so popular. Why aren't there more stories about sylphs, sirens and succubi?

[Syn7]

Go to a shopping mall. Then watch Dawn of the Dead, the original from 1978. Zombies are a metaphor for today's consumers. Actually, this is why I'm not into zombie flicks anymore. Why would I want to watch a movie of what I can see at our shopping mall?

There's actually some historical basis for zombies in black magic, at least colloquially. According to the hosts of our local late night horror show, black magicians would stage a person's death by poisoning them, typically with belladonna derivatives. This would cause temporary paralysis. Then they would bury them and unearth them later with bizarre rituals to convince them that they were indeed dead and brought back from the dead. Then, keeping them plied with various mind-altering drugs, they would convince the victim that they were a zombie and use them as a slave. Talk about your mind****, right?

Ok, I've not been able to validate any of this (I haven't really tried) but that's what that they said on the show and they have skanky go-go dancers. See Creepy KOFY Movie Time Cave Girl Scarlet Von Harlet.

Hatians do that. I learned that on Miami Vice many MANY moons ago!!!

I can't remember the name of the substance, but basically it brought you to just before death Slow heartbeat, slow breath. Death is assumed by those who don't look properly. It's very real. But they are not zombies, of course.

Sons of Guns had a zombie episode. That was kinda cool. Not cause of the zombies, but because of Will Heydens crazy work.

[Syn7]

Like I said, I see enough zombies at the mall. Zombies and vampires - it's a sad comment on our society now that these mythical creatures are so popular. Why aren't there more stories about sylphs, sirens and succubi?

Ahhh Sirens.... They are caaaaallllllliiiinnnggg meeeeee!!!!

The Odyssey is in my top ten forsure....!!!

[Lucas]

@Syn...I've done a bunch of short stories over the years, but have mainly over the last 5 years been working on a couple of large projects. This horror one, but mainly a sci fi/fantasy tale. I don't have any of my shorts available, they are all on an old hard drive that is sitting in my closet. I may pull them out at some point, I may not, I'm not overly attached to any of them, but some of the characters I work with were born there and have become more permanent residents for me. However, I'm all for sharing my big stuff once it's at a place to do so. I may take a queue from SimonM and put things online as they solidify. At this point I've just been compiling a lot with breaks of time off here and there. I know once I take the full plunge it will consume me, so I've been building up to it.

@Gene....I think another part of the whole zombie fetish is the apocolypse angle. A lot of people are into apoc/post apoc fiction, and zombies combines that with horror, violence, and survival. For me personally it's never been about a parallel between modern society and the living dead.

I really wish I could share more about my project(s), as the differences would become pretty clear the more you know, but I'm super paranoid that my ideas will get hijacked so I keep my cards close to my chest.

[Syn7]

@Syn...I've done a bunch of short stories over the years, but have mainly over the last 5 years been working on a couple of large projects. This horror one, but mainly a sci fi/fantasy tale. I don't have any of my shorts available, they are all on an old hard drive that is sitting in my closet. I may pull them out at some point, I may not, I'm not overly attached to any of them, but some of the characters I work with were born there and have become more permanent residents for me. However, I'm all for sharing my big stuff once it's at a place to do so. I may take a queue from SimonM and put things online as they solidify. At this point I've just been compiling a lot with breaks of time off here and there. I know once I take the full plunge it will consume me, so I've been building up to it.

@Gene....I think another part of the whole zombie fetish is the apocolypse angle. A lot of people are into apoc/post apoc fiction, and zombies combines that with horror, violence, and survival. For me personally it's never been about a parallel between modern society and the living dead.

I really wish I could share more about my project(s), as the differences would become pretty clear the more you know, but I'm super paranoid that my ideas will get hijacked so I keep my cards close to my chest.

Can I read some of your short stories? If you post them on a secure site and just give me access, that gives you legal ground should I take one of those ideas. You will be able to prove that you did it first. That way it's published, but only those you choose can read it. Come on, I'm curious. Hook me up. I understand where you're coming from. I feel that way about my music. Gimme a story and I'll give you a track. Deal?

[JamesC]

The Walking Dead is my favorite show. Like Lucas said, it's not about the zombies for me. It's about the throwback to the survival days. It really isnt that different than it was in our more primitive days. We were constantly hunting while being hunted ourselves.

There are a lot of morality issues that come with survival too. Anyways, I'm not really into zombies, but I like what they're doing on that show.

[diego]

@Syn...I've done a bunch of short stories over the years, but have mainly over the last 5 years been working on a couple of large projects. This horror one, but mainly a sci fi/fantasy tale. I don't have any of my shorts available, they are all on an old hard drive that is sitting in my closet. I may pull them out at some point, I may not, I'm not overly attached to any of them, but some of the characters I work with were born there and have become more permanent residents for me. However, I'm all for sharing my big stuff once it's at a place to do so. I may take a queue from SimonM and put things online as they solidify. At this point I've just been compiling a lot with breaks of time off here and there. I know once I take the full plunge it will consume me, so I've been building up to it.

@Gene....I think another part of the whole zombie fetish is the apocolypse angle. A lot of people are into apoc/post apoc fiction, and zombies combines that with horror, violence, and survival. For me personally it's never been about a parallel between modern society and the living dead.

I really wish I could share more about my project(s), as the differences would become pretty clear the more you know, but I'm super paranoid that my ideas will get hijacked so I keep my cards close to my chest.

I've devoted this winter to studying writing so I've been analyzing the body of works of anyone who made millions or changed the game and i figure if i sat down i could come up with 20 original stories with all my ideas...that's easy it's the person that makes the writer anyone can write not everyone can write for everyone so I'm seriously looking into how to write romance novels which I'm so not into that **** sells though...



Writing is easy its making fresh dialogue that creates a franchise. The author of Bone was saying how he studied peanuts, Doonesbury, Archie and Garfield to help him with his dialogue to make the story fit for everyone. Who do you look to for inspiration and who do the pro's go to?.

T.V shows like entourage, game of thrones and south park have awesome current dialogue but they have access to 100 writers what's the secret to dialogue? talk like Charles Manson just let **** ramble...Syn7 you got any tips bro?.

[GeneChing]

Because I'm trying to sell Monk Spades here and everyone knows that Monk Spades are the best weapon against zombies so you should keep one in your apocalypse kit.

For me, the turning point was truly the aforementioned Dawn of the Dead. If I have to survive the apocalypse holed up in a shopping mall, well, just shoot me now. I appreciate the genre - it gave me some good chuckles - but I'm over it.

I'm looking forward to fighting off sirens after the apocalypse...lash me to the mast!

[Lucas]

Syn, I'll think about it, I'll definately let you know and send something your way if I break it out.

Diego, romance is definately a must, imo. IMO the best writers are masters of evoking emotional response through story telling. I think the best formula for a story is having all of the emotional elements, mingling and entwined, with a directed balance that fits the ride you want to take the reader on. Fear, awe, triumph, hate, love, retribution, hope, despair, joy, etc. Some of the most impressive things I've read, are from authors that can get you to so adamantly hate/love a character, then get you to do a complete 180 at some point and feel the opposite.

You may want to check out; On Writing: By Stephen King

It's inspiring.

http://www.amazon.com/On-Writing-Ann...rds=on+writing

[GeneChing]

I highly recommend On Writing by Stephen King to all aspiring writers. I used to lead writing workshops and this was the required text.

[diego]

Syn, I'll think about it, I'll definately let you know and send something your way if I break it out.

Diego, romance is definately a must, imo. IMO the best writers are masters of evoking emotional response through story telling. I think the best formula for a story is having all of the emotional elements, mingling and entwined, with a directed balance that fits the ride you want to take the reader on. Fear, awe, triumph, hate, love, retribution, hope, despair, joy, etc. Some of the most impressive things I've read, are from authors that can get you to so adamantly hate/love a character, then get you to do a complete 180 at some point and feel the opposite.

You may want to check out; On Writing: By Stephen King

It's inspiring.

http://www.amazon.com/On-Writing-Ann...rds=on+writing

I have the pdf and a library hardcover of "On writing" just got it a month and a half ago, going to get into it after I'm done "the artful edit"

This was pretty good by King:

In Roger Ebert's review of the 2004 movie Secret Window, he stated, "A lot of people were outraged that [King] was honored at the National Book Awards, as if a popular writer could not be taken seriously. But after finding that his book On Writing had more useful and observant things to say about the craft than any book since Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, I have gotten over my own snobbery."[78]

[David Jamieson]

I don't get the whole zombie thing.

It's an American TV obsession thing.
meh.