Author Interview - Mira Grant, author of Feed

Hi Folks!  Today is an exciting day here at Lions and Men.  I am hosting my first author interview!  And I am so happy it is with an author of a book that I absolutely loved, Feed.  Read on to get the scoop behind the zombies, technology, and politics of Mira Grant's debut novel.

Lions and Men:  The zombies that are featured in Feed seem to combine classic mythology with new elements of horror.  Where did you find the inspiration for your "walking dead"?
Mira Grant:  Too many Romero movies, too many re-reads of THE HOT ZONE, and too many arguments about running vs. shambling zombies.  I really love some of the horrible things that viruses can do, and wanted to play with them more.

LM:  The majority of the main characters in your novel are young adults (in their twenties).  What made you decide to go with a younger cast of characters?
MG:  It was very important to me that my core cast be born after the Rising, and that the Rising be recent enough that it was still very fresh in the memory of the generation that came before them.  That sort of dictated the age of my protagonists.

LM:   I noticed that Feed is not your typical zombie horror novel as it tends to focus more on the characters, technology, and politics of the world you create than it does on decapitation and flame throwers.  Could you explain why you chose to put the zombies on the back burner?
MG:   No, because it wasn't really a choice so much as just the way the story developed.  Unless mankind falls completely and winds up living in tiny, isolated compounds, I think that zombies are always eventually going to wind up on the back burner in this sort of setting.  Plus, my main characters weren't stupid.  They weren't going to go out there more than they had to.

LM:   What's next for you?  I understand that Feed is part of a trilogy.  Could you give us any information about the sequel?
MG:  DEADLINE will be coming out in May 2011.  And...that's really about all I can say, since not everyone has read FEED.  It's a fun book.  I like it a lot.  It goes much deeper into the science and medical technology behind the zombie menace.  And there are bulldogs.

Thank you very much for your time and willingness to share, Mira!  Your novel is truly unique amongst others of the genre.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the full review of Feed.  I hope you enjoyed this interview, I know I did!