RobertRBest.Com

Interview at Six Demon Bag

2012-01-31T09:44:00.000-08:00

Check out the brand spanking new interview over at Six Demon Bag!

Facebook Contest Via NOTLP

2012-01-20T09:25:00.001-08:00

The good folks over at Night Of The Living Podcast are running a contest over at their Facebook page! You could win signed copies of Lakewood and Ashton Memorial, just for liking their page! Click for more info: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Night-of-the-Living-Podcast/162434578873

Artwork for Ice Picks anthology

2012-01-01T18:58:00.001-08:00

Here's a preview of the artwork for the upcoming "Ice Picks" anthology, edited by the ever-awesome S.S. Michaels. My story "Tinderbox (Of A Heart)" will be included. Check our her website for more info!

World Memorial teaser page

2011-12-28T09:57:00.001-08:00

The RRB website now features a teaser page for World Memorial, the upcoming conclusion to the Memorial Trilogy. Keep checking it to see new teaser info!

RRB Facebook Fan Page

2011-12-27T19:42:00.001-08:00

Did you know there's a Robert R Best Facebook fan page? Click Like to get all the news updates without leaving Facebook!

The Memorial Trilogy on Google+

2011-12-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

Did you know the Memorial Trilogy has a Google+ page? Go and add it to your circles!

Guest Spot On Screamqueenz

2011-12-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Check out my appearance on the Screamqueenz podcast! All glory to Patrick for having me on!

Guest Co-Hosting On The Zombie Mob

2011-10-26T12:21:00.001-07:00

Podcast time! Mike Mitchell (AKA Darkwing Mantis) and I had the honor of hosting an episode of The Zombie Mob. We discussed The Video Dead and fun was had by all. Except maybe for when we watched the movie. Anyway, the website is here: http://www.thezombiemob.com/ and the direct link to the file is here: http://www.archive.org/download/TheZombieMob-Episode15TheVideoDead1987/TheZombieMob-Episode15-Final.mp3

Sad Tidings

2011-09-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let you all know that my grandfather, Louie Mariani, passed away September 2, 2011. The impact of this man on my life cannot be overstated. He was my father figure and good dear friend. He took my early interest in movies and stories seriously and would talk with me about it for hours on end. I credit this, and therefore him, with the fact that I am writing today. Perhaps I will have a longer post later, giving more information about him and the impact he had on my life. For now I'll just leave it at this. Thanks guys for reading and we'll return to lighter stuff soon.

A New Interview and an Apology

2011-08-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

Hey gang it's a new interview!
Behold the link!

And speaking of interviews, there have been several interviews and reviews of late that I have not posted to the website. I will be fixing this in the coming months. But for now, go read the new one!

Con-Tamination Approacheth!

2011-06-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

Quick reminder that Con-Tamination is coming up June 24-26 in St. Louis, MO. I'll be there signing books so be sure and stop by! I'll also have free stuff, including free cd samplers of the All Kinds Of Things Kill audiobook. There will even be a few Library Of The Living Dead shirts to raffle off! Stop by and see me! Check out http://www.con-tamination.com/ for more info on the con.

New Interview At Wicked Channel

2011-06-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! There's a new interview posted over at http://wickedchannel.com/2011/06/horror-interview-robert-r-best/ ! Unfortunately, the interview is of me. But go there anyway!

Appearing at Contamination 2011

2011-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Excited to announce I will be appearing at Contamination 2011 in St. Louis June 24-26! Laura and I lived in St. Louis for years and still live within a few hours of it, so having a horror/sci-fi con there is very exciting. We attended Contamination last year as fans and are thrilled to see it coming back for a second year. Show up and support the con and stop by my table! Buy a book and get it signed! See you there!

http://www.con-tamination.com/

At Texas Frightmare Weekend!

2011-04-29T04:57:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm at Texas Frightmare Weekend! It will run April 29 to May 1st. Come see me and get a book signed! More later. Bye for now! http://www.texasfrightmareweekend.com/start.html

Lakewood Memorial reviewed on Creepy Kitch

2011-04-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was perusing the awesome Creepy Kitch blog and discovered something. A very cool something. A very very cool something. A very very very ... sorry.

What I discovered was that Lakewood Memorial was reviewed on the Creepy Kitch podcast back in February. How I missed this is beyond me. Anyway, thanks to Creepy Kitch and listen to the review here!

New interview and book give-away!

2011-04-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Guess what? No, not that. Save that for later. I'm talking about my new interview on Episode 159.5 of Mail Order Zombie! It was done at Horror Hound Weekend and was a lot of fun.
And there's not just an interview! There's also a giveaway of Lakewood Memorial, Ashton Memorial and the new edition of All Kinds Of Things Kill! Listen for details!
The interview and giveaway comes around the 28 minute mark.

But seriously, guys, listen to the whole thing. Sheesh. I can't take you guys anywhere.

Link to the show is here:
http://www.mailorderzombie.com/2011/03/mail-order-zombie-episode-1595.html

Horror Hound Wrap-up

2011-04-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Well my first Horror Hound trip was a lot of fun. The biggest convention Laura and I have been to so far and it did not disappoint. So much to do and see and I was stuck behind a table! Then again there were many times I was happy to have a place to sit.
Speaking of the table, we got a lot of traffic and gave out a lot of free sample chapters. Even better, we had a few come back and buy a book!
But best of all, I got to meet a ton of people who I've only interacted with online. Such as Mike from Cadaver Lab, Steven from JAFMP, Brother D, Miss Bren, Grey from The Dark Hours, Spooky Bill, Bryan and Randy from Drunken Zombie and too many others to list.
Highlights of the weekend included drunken revelry in the lobby of the hotel, being felt up by Mike from Cadaver Lab, feeling up Metal Mikey, and a long dinner chat with Brother D and Miss Bren. I tried to convince him that Phantasm sucks, but he refused to step into the light.
I also did several interviews while there, including some for the Dark Hours and Mail Order Zombie. And possibly best of all, I was a guest on Night Of The Living Podcast, which was the first horror podcast I found and a favorite to this day. Big thanks to Amy and Freddy for having me on.
Anyway, please forgive me if I met you and forgot to mention you here. It was great to meet you all and Laura and I had gobs of fun. Check out my Facebook to see the handful of pics we took.

At Horror Hound!

2011-03-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

In the Indianapolis, IN area? Like horror conventions? Like meeting authors at horror conventions? Then come to Horror Hound Weekend March 25-27! I'll be there, selling Lakewood and Ashton Memorial. Plus a whole lot of other people you probably actually want to see! Click here for details and I'll see you there!

New Reviews of Lakewood and Ashton Memorial

2011-03-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

Guess what? There's an awesome new review of both Lakewood Memorial and Ashton Memorial over at Twisted Central! Check out the review here:
http://www.twistedcentral.com/2011/03/book-review-memorial-series-by-robert-r.html
and be sure and check out the rest of their cool site. Thanks very much for the review, guys. And to answer your question, World Memorial is underway with a projected release for the end of 2011.

New Lakewood Memorial Review

2011-02-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Got a new Lakewood Memorial review for you all! It's over at the nifty-cool Horrorphilia site. Check out the review here! And be sure and listen to their podcasts!

Vote for Ashton Memorial in the Dead Letter Awards!

2011-02-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hey gang! Ashton Memorial has been nominated in the novel category in the 2010 Dead Letter Awards! I know, right? That's some awesome crap right there. Go and vote! Do it! Pleeeeeeeeeease!

New Lakewood Review on Scream Queenz Podcast

2011-02-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

So there's this awesome podcast called Scream Queenz that I love all to hell. Seriously, you all need to be listening right the ever-loving-hell now. I'll wait.

I said I'll wait.

See? Awesome, right? Well it gets better because Patrick over at SQ HQ has posted a fantastic review of Lakewood Memorial on the most recent episode. The review is here. Listen and enjoy!

Lakewood Memorial FREE e-book edition

2011-02-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

Hey gang and gang-ettes, you may recall awhile back I hinted at a free e-book edition of Lakewood Memorial. You may also recall I proceeded to do fuck-all about it. Well no more! Formatting issues with the Kindle edition of Lakewood Memorial have given me the perfect excuse to go ahead. So here it is. The free e-book edition of Lakewood Memorial!

Download here.

New Review of Lakewood Memorial

2011-02-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

Got a new review of Lakewood Memorial for you all. It's over at Steve Wand's site which you can find here. Steve's a great writer in his own right and it's great to hear him say such nice things about Lakewood Memorial. Check out the review here.

PS. The review mentions formatting issues with the Kindle version of Lakewood. This is the second time I've heard this mentioned and I will be looking into it as quickly as I can. For now, I'd say be aware of the formatting issue with the Kindle copy and watch this space for a FREE e-book edition of Lakewood. Soon. As in like the next few minutes. Seriously.

One day only contest!

2011-02-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone it's my wife's birthday. And because she's awesome, she is giving away five sets of both Lakewood and Ashton Memorial! I know, I know, it sounds like I'm using her birthday as an excuse for self-promotion but it was completely her idea. For reals.

Here's the catch. The contest is for today, February 4th ONLY. To enter, go and "like" The Memorial Trilogy on Facebook. Here's a link for all your clicking needs;
http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=156743807671599&refid=5

Winners will be chosen tonight at 10 PM central! Click! Do it!

Come See Me At Horror Hound Weekend

2011-01-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

Guess where your favorite writer will be this March? Well, I don't know where that person will be, but I'll be at Horror Hound Weekend in Indianapolis! It will be March 25-27 and I will be somewhere in the dealer room selling and signing books. Come and get a copy of Lakewood and Ashton signed!

Go to http://www.horrorhoundweekend.com/default.shtml for con info. See you there!
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New Review of Lakewood Memorial

2011-01-16T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hey gang! There's a new review of Lakewood Memorial over at The Fear Inside. It's by the world-famous Grey of the Dark Hours Podcast and it's a nifty cool review. Check it out, why don't you? And check out the Dark Hours Podcast too! Do it!

Two New Reviews

2010-12-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

Hey all, there's two new reviews of Lakewood and Ashton Memorial to check out. First, we have the awesome Root Rot reviewing both Lakewood Memorial and Ashton Memorial on The Witch's Hat Blogcast. It is truly an honor to be reviewed by a legend of horror podcasting. Root Rot's Midnight Podcast was one of the first horror podcasts I found, and his new blog/show is as awesome as ever. Check out the site here and the review here.

And as if that weren't enough there's a great review of Ashton Memorial over at McBastard's Mausoleum. Check out the review here and be sure and read the rest of McBastard's great reviews.

That's all for now. Back to working on World Memorial.

Robb

Check out Episode 100 of Stuttering Is Cool

2010-11-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Danny at the Stuttering Is Cool podcast at reaching episode 100! He is a great guy and his show is a great resource. I love that his show is about day to day experiences with day to day stutterers. Some other stuttering podcasts tend to get lost in a miasma of therapist or academic interviews. (Should I name names? No.) But not Danny's show. Case in point - he lets my dumb ass on. Anyway, here's a link to episode 100. My bit is around the 24 minute mark. But listen to all of it. Its groovy.

http://www.stutteringiscool.com/stuttering/stuttering-and-self-worth/
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Patrick D'Ozario Reviews Ashton Memorial!

2010-11-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

Why do all my post titles have exclamation points? Well its appropriate in this case, as super-cool author Patrick D'Ozario, author of Comes The Dark, has reviewed Ashton Memorial! See, another exclamation point. Anyway, check out the review here. And be sure and buy Comes The Dark!

If nothing else, do it because Patrick's and my books are having sex. He knows what that means.

!

New Stuff Coming Soon!

2010-11-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

Hey guys. I know the site's been quiet for a while. There's been a lot going on that I won't go into here at the moment. You can check out my Twitter feed for the past few weeks to get an idea. Anyway, just wanted to post something quick to let you all know I felt bad for leaving you all alone and to give you a sneak preview of some upcoming goodies here on the site.

Namely, freebies!

In the next few weeks, I will post audio renditions of three stories taken from the revised and expanded edition of All Kinds Of Things Kill. These are the three stories that were written for this new edition of the book and were not included in the original blog and podiobook versions of AKOTK. Look for those soon.

Then, a little later, maybe a limited-time free e-book of something. Like maybe something that starts with "L" and ends with "akewood Memorial."

Maybe.

Keep checking back!

Come see me at Horror Realm

2010-09-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Quick update to let you all know I'm going to be at Horror Realm in Pittsburgh, PA September 17-19, 2010. I'll be in the vendor room most of the time, with a bunch of other Library of the Living Dead authors. Such as Rhiannon Frater, David (The) Dunwoody, Derek Goodman and a whole bunch of others. Complete list here! Come by and get some books signed! I'll be selling copies of all three of my books so far, Lakewood Memorial, Ashton Memorial and All Kinds of Things Kill. I will also (gulp) be on an author panel on Friday at 4 PM.

I had lots of fun at last years HR, and I'm really looking forward to this one. All the cool kids will be there. See you there, unless you've got something against being cool.

Interview Posted Over at Sonar 4

2010-08-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Missed the interview on Sunday? How could you? I mean really. But its okay because the archive of it is right over here.
And many thanks to the good folks over at Sonar 4 for having me. Go listen! Do it now!
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New Ashton Memorial banner ad

2010-08-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Have a website or blog or any of them other fancy internet places I've heard the kids talk so much about? Want to promote Ashton Memorial to horror and zombie fans everywhere? Well, here's a banner ad for that purpose! How convenient!

Post away!

Outside Of A Dog reviews Lakewood Memorial!

2010-08-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Evening everybody. I got a nice surprise in my Twitter feed today. A nifty-spifty (I'm a word-smith, I tell ya) review of Lakewood Memorial over at the Outside Of A Dog website! 4.5 stars, no less. Out of 5. You all thought it was out of 10, didn't you? You people, sheesh. Just click on the link below and read! Can't do the nifty embedded link thing because I'm posting from my phone. So click. Down there.
Not here.
There.
http://bibliphage.blogspot.com/2010/08/lakewood-memorial-by-robert-r-best.html
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Upcoming Interview On Sonar Four

2010-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

Just a quick heads-up that later on this month, August 22 to be exact, I will be interviewed on the Sonar Four show. The direct link to the upcoming show is here. I'll pester you all more about it when the time comes. For now, here's a picture of a kitten.

Interview on the Midnight Corey Podcast!

2010-08-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

So, there's this guy named Corey. And he pretty much rules. He used to do the awesome Midnight Podcast (which I was interviewed on a while back), he's a musician, he has a story in the Dark anthology and apparently he's making a movie. But this post isn't about all that. This is about his new podcast, aptly called Midnight Corey. And, more specifically, the fact that I'm interviewed on the most recent episode! We talk about Ashton Memorial and much more. Check it out!

Man, lots of links in that post. Look at all the pretty colors.

Interview on James Melzer's Unleashed podcast!

2010-08-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals, I can't believe I forgot to post this earlier. It's been a busy few months I guess. Anyway, back in late June I was interviewed by the awesome James Melzer for his equally awesome Unleashed Podcast. He's a great guy and a helluva writer. (Wow, Blogger recognizes helluva as a word.)

Anyway, clicky here and listen! And listen to all of Unleashed! And read all of James' stuff! I'll know if you don't, and I will be very sad.

Ashton Memorial now on Kindle!

2010-08-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

Quick update everybody! Ashton Memorial, book two of the zombie-themed Memorial Trilogy, is now available in Kindle format! Here is a link for all you Kindle users. Enjoy!

Ashton Memorial

2010-07-19T19:22:00.001-07:00

A group of people sat on the floor. In the dim light from an overhead bulb, Angie saw a mass of bloody meat between them. They greedily shoved the meat into their mouths, pulled off hunks and chewed.

"Go!" said Angie, leveling her rifle at the nearest one. Park stepped in and aimed. The others came around the corner, weapons ready.

The people on the floor looked up, blinking. The one nearest to Angie dropped his meat. His eyes grew wide. He understood what was happening.

"Wait!" she yelled. Park lowered his rifle, frowning.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" said one of the people on the floor. He dropped the raw meat he was chewing and stood. "We aren't dead!"

How long does it take for the world to fall apart, when the dead inexplicably rise from their graves to eat the living?As they travel to the big city of Ashton to find their families, Angela Land and Parker Welch discover the world goes to hell fast. Angie, desperate to find a safe new place for her and her two children, will fight any man or animal—living or dead—that gets in her way. Meanwhile, Park hasn't seen his twin daughters for years, but he'll need to hurry if he's going to rescue them from their crazed power-hungry stepfather and the chaos that is his new kingdom, Ashton Memorial Zoo. With more undead, bat-swinging, creative-swearing action, Ashton Memorial asks the question, What would you do to survive?

Book Two of the zombie-themed Memorial Trilogy, released 2010 by Library of the Living Dead Press.

Available Now!

Review for All Kinds Of Things Kill

2010-06-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

Even with the new edition of All Kinds Of Things Kill on the way, the original AKOTK release is still getting attention out on the interwebs. This time around we've got a review on the Zombie Custodian blog! Check it out and be sure and check out the other great content there!

Click here for the link: http://zombiecustodian.blogspot.com/2010/06/review-of-all-kinds-of-things-kill-by.html
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Artwork for All Kinds Of Things Kill: Dead Librarian Edition

2010-06-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

My debut anthology "All Kinds Of Things Kill" is almost ready for its expanded re-release thanks to Library Of Horror Press! Very excited for the new release! Below is the artwork for the new edition. Watch for it coming soon!

Draft synopsis for Ashton Memorial

2010-05-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

As Ashton Memorial makes its way down the editing and publishing
pipe, I thought you all might like to see the draft version of the
synopsis. This, if it ends up being used, is what will go on the back
of the book. I really can't take credit for it, since my far-more-clever
wife Laura wrote it. She's much better at this stuff than I am.
Anyway. Here it is:
______

A group of people sat on the floor. In the dim light from an
overhead bulb, Angie saw a mass of bloody meat between them.
They greedily shoved the meat into their mouths, pulled off hunks
and chewed.

"Go!" said Angie, leveling her rifle at the nearest one. Park stepped
in and aimed. The others came around the corner, weapons ready.

The people on the floor looked up, blinking. The one nearest to
Angie dropped his meat. His eyes grew wide. He understood what
was happening.

"Wait!" she yelled. Park lowered his rifle, frowning.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" said one of the people on the floor. He
dropped the raw meat he was chewing and stood. "We aren't dead!"
***
How long does it take for the world to fall apart, when the dead
inexplicably rise from their graves to eat the living?As they travel to
the big city of Ashton to find their families, Angela Land and Parker
Welch discover the world goes to hell fast.

Angie, desperate to find a
safe new place for her and her two children, will fight any man or
animal—living or dead—that gets in her way. Meanwhile, Park
hasn't seen his twin daughters for years, but he'll need to hurry if
he's going to rescue them from their crazed power-hungry stepfather
and the chaos that is his new kingdom, Ashton Memorial Zoo.

With more undead, bat-swinging, creative-swearing action, Ashton
Memorial asks the question, What would you do to survive?

At Evil Dead Screening in St Louis

2010-05-16T00:02:00.000-07:00

So Andy over at the Destroy The Brain podcast (http://www.destroythebrainonline.com) is now hosting midnight screenings at the Hi-Pointe theater in St Louis. My wife Laura and I lived in St Louis for years and are now just a few hours away. So when I heard Andy was screening a 35mm print of the original Evil Dead, I didn't take much convincing to agree to a late night road trip.
Anyway, I love Evil Dead. Love love LOVE it. I even prefer it to Evil Dead 2. I said it. Deal with it. For all its zaniness and abundance of ideas, Evil Dead 2 has a lack of focus that the original doesn't. That was an awkward sentence. Probably because I'm composing it on my phone while Laura is driving us to the theater. Anyway, time for a break. I'll be back when we get there.
-------
And through the magic of typing, we're here. The Hi-Pointe is something that died a long time ago in our town. And honest-to-god old-style theater. I've got nothing against multiplexes and I'm not some hispter who refuses to go to them. But they're basically just screens with seats. They aren't part of the movie experience the way a real, old theater is.
We met up Andy, who we'd previously met a few weeks ago at Con-tamination 2010. He was way too nice and generous as always. He gave me a copy of Paracimema, which was awesome. Thanks Andy! Anyway, back with more thoughts after the movie.
-------
Well, the movie is done and I am tired, but it was worth it. The print looked good and it was great to see it on the big screen. A good crowd of people turned out too. If you haven't seen Evil Dead, by all means do. And if you get the chance to see it in the theater, don't pass it up. Many thanks to Andy for setting this up and here's to many more cult screenings to come.
Robb

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Everything Old Is New Again

2010-05-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a brief affair with Wordpress and I liked it, but for the time being I'm switching back to Blogger to run this website. I'm just more comfortable with it and more used to all its little quirks.

So a few of the Wordpress postings are lost, through my own fumbling, but no worries. We'll just pick up where we left off. Ashton Memorial is done and in the editing stage. That stage should be over soon, which means it will be off to the publisher soon! Hope you all enjoy it. And if you haven't yet, why not check out Lakewood Memorial so you'll be all caught up when Ashton arrives!

Vote for Lakewood Memorial in the Dead Letter Awards!

2010-01-21T20:53:00.001-08:00

Exciting news! Lakewood Memorial has been nominated in the "Best Zombie Book, Fiction" category in Mail Order Zombie's Dead Letter Awards! Click here to cast your vote in many zombie-related categories, and please consider Lakewood Memorial for best novel!

Listen to my interview on the Funky Werepig podcast!

2010-01-18T17:26:00.000-08:00

As I referenced in a previous post, I was recently interviewed on the Funky Werepig show. The podcast version of the interview is now available here. Listen and let me know what you think!

Hear me on the Funky Werepig

2010-01-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

The awesome folks over at Choate Road have a weekly Blogtalk show called The Funky Werepig. This coming Sunday 1/17/10 will be a Library Of The Living Dead-themed episode, featuring Dr Pus, Steven North, Rhiannon Frater and myself. I'm really looking forward to this. Should be a lot of fun! Check here for times and to tune in!

Interviewed on The Midnight Podcast

2009-11-29T08:21:00.000-08:00

I recently had the honor of being interviewed by Corey over at The Midnight Podcast, the fantastic podcast devoted to everything zombie. We talk about Lakewood Memorial, zombies and many other things. A big thanks to Corey for having me on! You can listen to the interview here.

Choate Road Reviews Lakewood Memorial

2009-11-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

The awesome Choate Road website (also home to the equally awesome Funky Werepig web radio show) has posted a review of Lakewood Memorial. Here's what Gregory L Hall had to say:

"Hey kids, do you like zombies? Enjoy zombie stories where a few survivors have to keep running from endless hordes of living dead? If you do, then you’ve come to the right place.

I don’t know much about Robert R Best but I can give an accurate guess or two. Best loves zombies. I mean he’s a true fan of everything that is zombie. And it shows in his writing. The first book of what is lined up as a trilogy; LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL is set in a hospital where the main character, a lowly nurse’s aide, has to save anyone who has survived being eaten alive by the ever growing waves of rotting corpses. To add that extra boost of angst, her two young children are at home with a babysitter who has also wound up as dinner.

Now she has to save a small group of patients and co-workers, get to her children and of course, keep herself alive all within 150 pages. Ah, good times.

Hey kids, do you like zombies? Enjoy zombie stories where a few survivors have to keep running from endless hordes of living dead? If you do, then you’ve come to the right place.

I don’t know much about Robert R Best but I can give an accurate guess or two. Best loves zombies. I mean he’s a true fan of everything that is zombie. And it shows in his writing. The first book of what is lined up as a trilogy; LAKEWOOD MEMORIAL is set in a hospital where the main character, a lowly nurse’s aide, has to save anyone who has survived being eaten alive by the ever growing waves of rotting corpses. To add that extra boost of angst, her two young children are at home with a babysitter who has also wound up as dinner.

Now she has to save a small group of patients and co-workers, get to her children and of course, keep herself alive all within 150 pages. Ah, good times.

Being honest and upfront, the book noticeably needs at least one more solid edit. No fault of Best but he is often caught with some sloppy paragraphs and repetitive chapter endings. At one point early in the book I actually wondered if yelling ‘Shit!’ was a universal cry when seeing a zombie or something Best did as a personal challenge to see how many times he could write that one word over and over at the beginning of almost every character’s dialogue and get away with it. Either way, it became an unfortunate distraction as the number grew.

A strong editor would have caught these however and that would have left only Best’s strengths. The first is his devout usage of classic zombies. The second is his great humor within his characters. And the third and by far his best talent is building tension. Let me just say right off the bat this was the most fun I had reading a book in quite awhile. It’s not deep. It’s not a Rubik’s Cube. It’s a fifteen minute roller coaster ride that you want to hop back on when you finish screaming.

Best has a definite knack for knowing all the great set-ups and curveballs. Every corner brings a new road block for the characters and just when you think they’ve figured it out, someone or something screws it up. Here’s a perfect example. The kids steal a car neither really knows how to drive. There are zombies everywhere. They reach a cross roads on the way to the hospital to get mom. One is the long way across a new bridge but that means more time exposed to attacks. The other is a much quicker and direct route…but it goes over the old bridge that’s actually been condemned. Guess which Best chooses?

Wrong. He picks both. They try the long route and zombies make them turn all the way around and go back to the only other choice, the old creepy bridge that’s about to collapse. This is the kind of beautiful terror Best gives the reader. And you can almost hear him giggling aloud.

Are there better written, more professionally edited books out there? Definitely. But for pure enjoyment and hardcore zombie scares, Robert R Best has me hooked and I’ll be picking up the other two in this trilogy to get more of the same."

Thanks again to the wonderful people of Choate Road. You can read the original review, and many others, here.

New Interview on Cadaver Lab podcast

2009-11-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the great pleasure of talking to Mike over at the Cadaver Lab podcast. We discussed Lakewood Memorial and upcoming projects. The interview is available in Episode 44 available here. Thanks to Mike for having me on. Between this and my appearance on A Little Dead, this has been an awesome last few weeks. Thanks guys!

New Interview on A Little Dead Podcast

2009-11-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed by McPierce for the awesome A Little Dead Podcast. My interview appears in Episode 21 available here. The episode also gave away a copy of Lakewood Memorial. Congratulations to the winner!

Win a free signed copy of Lakewood Memorial from A Little Dead Podcast!

2009-10-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Our friend McPierce will be giving away a signed copy of Lakewood Memorial on the Halloween episode of his show, A Little Dead Podcast.

For rules and details, look here.

Thank you, McPierce, and I can't wait to be on your show!

New interview online

2009-09-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

For those not in the know, I am also involved in a podcast called "Don't Look In The Podcast." Our spin-off show "Don't Peek In The Podcast" is devoted to one-off interviews and reviews that don't fit the format of DLIP. Laura, my wife and co-host, interviewed me for an episode of Don't Peek and the interview is now available here. Enjoy!

Lakewood Memorial

2009-07-20T19:08:00.001-07:00

"Lakewood Memorial has revived a love of the Romero zombie, proving that some things don’t need to be updated." - http://buyzombie.com

The small town of Lakewood has been overrun by the walking dead. In a single night, the world has descended into a madness of biting teeth and a sickness that kills but does not kill. Caught at the center of it is Angie Land, young single mother and nurse's aide at Lakewood Memorial Hospital. She and a handful of others are lucky enough to survive the initial assault, but how long will they last? And more importantly to Angie, how long will her kids - waiting at home - survive?

Book one of the zombie-themed Memorial Trilogy.
Released July 2009 by Library Of The Living Dead Press.
Available now!.

Interview for "Stuttering Is Cool" podcast

2009-07-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

I was recently interviewed by Daniel Rossi for his Stuttering Is Cool podcast. We discuss writing, stuttering and an interesting dilemma about reading stories for audiences. Check it out!

Examiner article mentioning All Kinds Of Things Kill!

2009-06-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

While we're awaiting the impending release of Lakewood Memorial (See below for some sneak peaks), here is an awesome article about horror podiobooks. Written by Mike of the great Cadaver Lab Podcast, the article mentions All Kinds Of Things Kill as an example. Many thanks to Mike and the Examiner for the plug!

Lakewood Memorial Sneak Peak: Synopsis!

2009-06-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the synopsis as it will appear on the back of the book:

"The Whole World Is Dead"

The small town of Lakewood has been overrun by the walking dead. In a single night, the world descends into a madness of biting teeth and a sickness that kills but does not kill. Caught at the center of it is Angie Land, young single mother and nurse's aide at Lakewood Memorial Hospital. Her and a handful of others are lucky enough to survive the initial assault, but how long will they last?

And more importantly to Angie, how long will her kids - waiting for her at home - survive?

Lakewood Memorial Sneak Peak: Cover Art!

2009-06-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

I have it on good authority (ie, the publisher) that my zombie novel Lakewood Memorial will be out very soon. While you're waiting, here is a mock-up of the cover:

Zombology

2009-04-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Anthology from Library Of The Living Dead Press.
Available here.

Here's an excerpt from the official description by LOLD mastermind Dr. Pus:

"An incredible collecton of crawling cadavers, relentless rotting revenents, uncompromising undead, strange as hell shamblers, zealous zombies and any other type of living dead you could imagine. 21 stories to give you necrotizing nightmares

From "Library of the Living Dead Press" we give you "ZOMBOLOGY".

Take a breath between each story .... you'll need it to scream!!

Undead love to you all,
Dr. Pus
Library of the Living Dead Press "

Includes:

"Suzy Polenski's Panties" ~ D. L. Snell
"The Fear Monger Calls it a Night" ~ Eric S. Brown
"April's Ministrations" ~ Robert R. Best
"Rule Hard, Or Die Free" ~ Tel Williams
"Clockwork"~ David Dunwoody
"Unnatural Selection ~ John Grover
"Stop Requested" ~ Rhiannon Frater
"Every Rose" ~ Michelle McCrary
"One of Many" ~ Mark M. Johnson
"Your Turn" ~ Derek Gunn
"Zombie Cola ~ T. Patrick Rooney
"The Beginning of the End" ~ Robert Cordray
"Happy Ending" ~ Kody Boy
"6 Feet Above The Grave" ~ Pascal van dem Beemd
"Good Intentions" ~ Don Newberry
"Undead Overpass" ~ Gregory Michaels
"Same as You" ~ R. Thomas Riley
"Halloween Treats" - Mike Steele
"Children of Landford's Towers" ~ Brad Zipprich
"Zombie Germs" - Shane Sullivan
"The Letter" ~ Rob Fox
"Z Day is Here" (excerpt) ~ Rob Fox

Order Paperback From Amazon

Artwork for "Zombology Vol I"

2009-03-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

The finished artwork for the Library Of The Living Dead press release "Zombology, Vol I" has been released. My story "April's Ministrations" will be included. You can view the artwork on the Library Of The Living Dead forum thread here.

Did I Stutter?

2009-03-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, time for the post that I'm not even sure if I should make or not. Because this is a website about horror and my horror writings, and not a website about this issue. But it is an issue and it is an issue about me, so here goes.

I am a stutterer.

And I have been my entire life. I have no formal training on terms, but based on my own half-assed research I would guess that my stutter would be classified as mild to moderate. Which means I can go for a long time with no discernible stutters. Which means a lot of people don't even realize it, unless they happen to hear me hit a noticeable block or repetition.

So again, why am I posting this?

Because I can, I guess. And I want to learn more about my condition and learn to deal with it. Not just avoid and repress it. Because most of why my stutter is not usually noticeable is because I am constantly changing words or avoiding talking when I know I'm going to hit a block. As I deal with my stuttering more openly, I will do less of this and therefore stutter more.

And also, I guess, to let anyone else who also happens to stutter know that I do too.

Anyway, I am no source of info on this condition, I am just someone who has it. For initial reading, I recommend this excellent list of stuttering myths.

That is all for now. Back to scary things.

All Kinds Of Things Kill to be re-issued by Library Of Horror Press

2009-03-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

Dr Pus, the mastermind behind the Library Of The Living Dead podcast and press, has announced the launch of Library Of Horror Press. LOH press will focus on non-zombie horror. And, the first book scheduled for LOH press will be an expanded edition of All Kinds Of Things Kill. When this happens, the original nine-story version will no longer be available. Order your copy of the original while you can, because before long it will be out of print!

Memorial Trilogy To Be Published By Library Of The Living Dead Press

2009-03-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

Very excited to announce that Lakewood Memorial and its two sequels will be published by Library Of The Living Dead press! Dr Pus has been a great friend and supporter, and I feel honored to be working with him. The first book, Lakewood Memorial, should be out in time for Horror Realm in September. Thanks Dr Pus!

New Story To Be Featured in Zombology Vol 1

2009-03-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

Library Of The Living Dead press have announced the line-up for volume one of their "Zombology" anthology. My story "April's Ministrations" will be included. It is very exciting to be included among such a wonderful group of authors. I'll post the release date as soon as I know more.

D. L. Snell - "Suzy Polenshi's Panties"
David Dunwoody - "Clockwork"
Eric S. Brown - "Ground Zero"
R. Thomas Riley - "Same as You"
T. Patrick Rooney - "Zombie Cola"
Pascal van dem Beemd - "Six Feet Above the Grave"
Rhiannon Frater - "Stop Requested"
Donald Newberry - "Good Intentions"
Derek Gunn - "It's Your Turn"
Robert R. Best - "April's Ministrations"
Michelle McCrary - "Every Rose"
John Grover - "Unnatural Selection"
Robert Cordray - "The Beginning of the End"
Shane Sullivan - "Zombie Dreams"
Tel Williams - "Rule Hard or Die Free"
Mike Steele - "Halloween Treats"
Greg Michaels - "Undead Overpass"
Mark M. Johnson - "One of Many"
Kody Boye - "Happy Ending"
Brad Zipprich - "Children of Landford's Towers"
Rob Fox - "The Letter"

All Kinds Of Things Kill

2009-03-25T04:41:00.001-07:00

All Kinds Of Things Kill
The debut anthology
Originally released May 2008
OUT OF PRINT

Stories:
1. The Hooker
2. The Wife's Confession
3. Nipping It In The Bud
4. Charity And The Vampire
5. The Family Tree
6. Everything That's Damaged
7. Get Together
8. All Kinds Of Things Kill
9. Boil Order