S.G. Browne

So last week my marketing manager at Random House presented my with the opportunity to contribute a blog to a web site called Largehearted Boy, which is, per the web site:”a music blog featuring daily free and legal music downloads as well as news from the worlds of music, literature, and pop culture.”

One of the ways the site blends literature and music is in their Book Notes series, where authors create and discuss a music playlist that in some way relates to their recently published novel.

I’d never really thought about creating a playlist for Breathers, but once I got going, it seemed like a natural fit. Plus I had a lot of fun.

Check out the Breathers Playlist and let me know what you think.

In other fun news, USA Today did an online and print article on the front page of the Life section titled, “Zombies lurch into popular culture.”

Read the article.

Personally, I like the print version better because the cover of Breathers is included, whereas it’s left out in the online version.  But it’s not like I’m complaining.  Okay, maybe a little.

What’s also great about the article is that it plugs several other zombie novels, including three by some YA authors I’ve become friends with through the magic of the Internet:  Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth), Amanda Ashby (Zombie Queen of Newbury High), and Stacey Jay (You Are So Undead To Me).

Check ’em out!  And look for the zombie round-up of fiction in the April 20 issue of TIME.

(Once again, this is a feature from Undead Anonymous where Andy, the main protagonist of Breathers, answers your questions.)

This week, AJ Eberly from the land of hotmail asks:

Has there been any talk from Hollywood about turning your memoirs into a feature film? I know I’m just dying to see it. Who do you think could “breathe” unlife into you the best?

Actually, yes.  There has been talk of turning my memoirs into a feature film.  More than just talk.  Fox Searchlight Films, a division of 20th Century Fox, has acquired the film rights to Breathers to be co-produced by Diablo Cody and Mason Novick, with Geoff Latulippe on board to write the screenplay.

They’re pretty cool for a trio of Breathers, though I haven’t met Diablo Cody yet.  Whenever I bring it up, Rita gets upset.  I get the feeling she’s a little jealous.

As for who could “breathe” unlife into me on the silver screen?  I’m sure there are a number of quality Breathers out there I’m leaving off the list, but I don’t get to the movies much since we’re not allowed in movie theaters and my parents didn’t splurge for On-Demand.

Still, I could see Jason Segel or Jake Gyllenhaal playing me.  Anne Hathaway could play Rita, with James Franco as Jerry.  I’d love to see Christopher Walken as Ray.  Or maybe Steve Buscemi, though he could play Carl or Tom.  And I think Bruce Campbell would be great as my dad.

Which makes me wonder, who do YOU think should play me or Rita or Jerry or anyone else in the film version of Breathers?

Okay, so I’m about three weeks late with posting this interview on Fangoria.com, which was actually my first live interview.  I realized how much I ramble when speaking live to someone rather than having the chance to actually take the time to craft my answers in a written interview format.  Which is why writers need editors.

The interview was done by Matt Goodlett, who originally wanted to talk to me for a piece in the Omaha City Weekly.  I think that ran back in the second week of March.  Matt put the expanded interview on Fangoria.  I think it turned out pretty good, in spite of my rambling.  Plus they posted the YouTube link to one of the Necrobufrin videos:

Necrobufrin Kills Depression

In other news, I’m getting interviewed Tuesday by someone from the Chicago Tribune about a piece on the recent increase in all things zombie and, presumably, on Breathers.  This is supposed to take place about the time I’m sitting in the rain and thunder for the Giants opening day at AT&T Park.  Then on Wednesday, a review is supposed to appear in the Style section of The Washington Post.

After that, a zombie trend story that will include Breathers is scheduled appear in the Thursday, April 9 issue of USA Today.  And TIME magazine will be including Breathers in a zombie book round-up currently set to run in the April 20 issue (on newsstands April 10).

So this week looks like it’s shaping up to be a lot of fun.  Now if only the rain will hold off until Thursday…

(This week’s blog is brought to you courtesy of Andy)

“I’m at the Soquel Community Center, sitting in a semicircle of chairs that’s open toward a petite, fifty-two-year-old woman who looks like my third grade teacher.  Except my third grade teacher never ended up on the wrong end of a twelve-gauge, pump-action Mossberg.”

Meet Helen.  The group moderator of Undead Anonymous who does her best to make me and the rest of her fellow zombies come to terms with our new existence.  Only Helen prefers to use the term “survivors” rather than zombies because she’s fond of euphemisms.

Helen used to counsel other “survivors” in her private practice before she became one herself.  Her prior experience with zombies is the main reason she was allowed to head up the local UA chapter.

At every meeting, Helen starts off by writing something inspirational on the chalkboard, something to remind us of the bond we share, of what we have to look forward to, of our humanity:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE
FIND YOUR PURPOSE
HOPE IS NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD
I WILL NOT CONSUME THE LIVING

While I appreciate what Helen is trying to do, at times she reminds me of Mary Poppins – always cheerful and full of advice that works for characters who live in movies, fairy tales,or the Playboy Mansion.  Still, her heart is in the right place and I know she truly cares about us, which is more than I can say for my parents.

Next entry:  I is for Investigate (aka Research)