Zombies! discussion

Originally posted by Netanella:

Okay, I'm interested in this BOTM group read and would like to kickstart this read off its necrotic behind! Anyone up for this?

There are 6 short stories in this book, and it looks like a lot of fun.

Here's a reading schedule:

By November 6 - read stories 1-2
By November 10 - read stories 3-4
By November 13 - read stories 5-6

YAY!!! Shana agreed to mod! We are a go!!! I love you all! <3 Look past my non-sensical rants I spew from time to time, and I'm sure you will see I just have a MAJOR love affair with books of all shapes and sizes! ;-)
~Teresa~

That's right folks...The Bookie Monster is in the house! (I always wanted to say that LOL).

I hope you're ready for the hard hitting questions, because I've got em!

And call me Shay...because most likely you'll mangle my name trying to say it out loud =) (Don't think that I haven't been cursing my mother for 37 years for giving me this name)

Let the FUN begin (lol)

I am intrigued - how is Shana pronounced?

Shay-na. You'd think that would be an easy one. I've gone through life as Shawna, Shanna (like bare), Shania, and I'll be damned if I can get the cable company to change my bill from "Shayla Fiesla" to "Shana Festa"

Shayla Fiesla can be your pseudonym! Lol...you said you were working on a book, right? Still, that's pretty damn far off your REAL name...I always get stuff addressed to a Treasea or Tressa or some similar derivation. You'd think some of these people would've heard of Mother Teresa, no? I will admit, however...I thought it was Shanna. Even though I know a 'Shay-na' that spells it exactly as you (or I guess your mother lol). By the by, Shay, since you've read this one, and this is YOUR BOTM, are there any particular motifs or themes you'd like to call to our attention before we get really rolling? You call the shots on this, that's part of being mod! You can do WHATEVER you want!!! ;-) not REALLY, but for the most part, yeah, really lol. I know- confusing...but we kinda just go with the flow and follow the mod's orders. Order away! I've had professors that wanted us to be aware of over-arching themes before we began reading...anything like that here? Or just read and then answer the questions on the 6th? Thanks!
~Teresa~

I'm all for reading and then answering the questions. I don't like to read with an agenda so I'm guessing others may not either.I set a calendar reminder for the 6th so I don't forget to post the questions LOL. Sadly my life is governed by that damn calendar.

I just want to say that I'm really enjoying the first story in this...I darned near ditched work today just to read and I know what I will be doing tonight!

I finished "LAX" last night and rapidly began the second short story in this collection, about the homicide detective. Considering the visceral, gory details of zombified ick that Sagliani used with a story about an airline pilot, I can only imagine what this second story has in store for us!

I'm looking forward to your questions tomorrow, Shay!

Oh you have no idea what's in store for yoh

Wait, wait...are the questions going up tomorrow, or the 6th? Cause I'm reading Desolation for a buddy read, and it's finish date is the 6th as well. My plan was to finish off Desolation tomorrow morning/afternoon, then read the second story tomorrow nite to be ready for the questions on the 6th. Just trying to juggle properly, here ladies! So questions tomorrow, or the 6th? It kinda sucks the first chunk is the longest (cause of the schedule for the other book), although I'm certainly not complaining! I really, really like this one so far. Its different, that's for sure! And I love the separate story set-up of this book. Good stuff!!!
~Teresa~

You are correct. It is the 6th

Phew! Just making sure...too much reading, too little time!!!
~Teresa~

Mornin', kiddos! Just wanted to let you all know that when I went to 'update' my reading progress this morning (I'm actually up early for once! But only because of a doctor's appt. :-/ ), I noticed that there was only an e-book version that was listed as having 200 some pages. So I went ahead and added the Kindle version to reflect the ACTUAL number of pages for those of you reading from the Kindle. It was a pretty big page difference; you may want to 'switch editions,' or else you'll be marking it as 'finished' somewhere in the middle of "To Live And Die In L.A." Completely up to you, of course; I just try and make sure I'm adding and updating the proper edition for my 'reading challenge' stats.

***Netanella, will you check it for me? I don't use the white wizardry of Goodreads Librarian power I have very often AT ALL, usually just to add uber obscure books and Bizarro titles. I know you are a little (okay, okay, A LOT) better at those type of things! All I know is that I'm super happy another 'librarian' got around to adding Atwood's Positron series- good stuff, man, good stuff!***

Anyone know if there is an audiobook version of Undead LA? I looked and didn't find but I thought I'd ask just in case there was some place to look that I didn't know about. Looks like a great book!

I looked, too Thia, and if there is, there isn't one from Audible. Not really sure where else to look. Can your e-reader read to you? I know the computer 'no emotion' voice is LAME-O, but it works for me while I'm driving. Just a suggestion! But let me know if you DO find a copy! Thanks!

I confirmed there is no audio yet.

OK...I'm 5 minutes early, but want to give everyone enough time to get their answers in! (And don't want to forget in the AM lol)

Questions for LAX and No One is Watching Below!! (I will be editing my post with my answers as I get to them)

LAX

1.1. How do Edgar's infidelity issues make you feel about him as a character? Do you feel he is absolved in the end for realizing his failures as a husband and being truly contrite? Or is the damage already done?

Hell no, he is not absolved! I loathed this character. In fact, at times I wanted to slap him through the pages. If his adultery doesn't land him a one way ticket to Hell, his arrogance surely will.

1.2. Why do you think Edgar hesitates to shoot the weary traveler at the terminal but feels no remorse killing a small child that attacks him in the car?

I believe it's always more difficult to shoot the innocent than the evil. No matter what shape, size and age, a zombie wants to kill you. Hence, it's you or them. The weary traveler still held his humanity, no matter how short of a time was left. This was still murder. And while Edgar is a dick, he still adhered to the society norm. Thou shall not kill.

1.3. What are your thoughts on Edgars flight attendant lover Sandra?

S-L-U-T! Need I say more? She was a vapid girl.

1.4. Edgar has to fight off zombies with his bare hands, sit in urine, and endure a host of disgusting bodily fluids in order to make it to his locked cockpit. What would be the hardest for you?

I can handle bodily fluids (unless of course it's vomit or phlegm...then it's insta-hurl). I don't think I could get up close and personal with a zombie, though. As a voracious fan of the zombie genre, I always tell me husband that he'll need to say his goodbyes as soon as word hits that the zombies are attacking. Because, sin or not, I may just have to off myself to avoid fighting the battle. Either that or I would die instantly of sheer fright. Let's be honest...if rule #1 is true, my cardio sucks and I'm going down fast anyway!

No One is Watching

2.1 Do the ends justify the means? Would you be willing to get revenge on someone who has hurt you and others if there were no longer any rules?

I'd like to say I'm above retribution, but as I read No One is Watching I found myself applauding Det. Wendell's actions and hoped that Randy would eventually get what was coming to him.

2.2 What qualities do you most admire about Detective Gary Wendell? What quirks do you find most annoying? What do you despise about him, if anything?

I enjoyed his drive to keep pushing on. After all the crap he'd been dealing with, it was an admirable way to write an un-admirable character. Gotta love his tenacity.

2.3 Discuss your feelings about the relationship between Wendell and his partner Wong. Is it wrong for him to take advantage of her emotional state from losing her father? Or to exploit her romantic feelings for him to avoid the consequences of going vigilante?

I'm less apt to say either of these things...to me I just felt Wendell was a dirty old man getting in his last hoorah before his end came. Wong's daddy complex, while definitely there, is hers and hers alone. We all make our own decisions, and she is definitely big enough to make hers. With literally nothing left to lose (bombs incoming, terminal disease slowly killing him) I think it appropriate that he go out with a bang! (That pun just made me snicker out loud)

2.4 How do you feel the author works elements of city life and the unique qualities of Los Angeles into the novel so far?

Sagliani's love for his home town clearly comes across in his work. While I have no doubt Angelinos will eat up the extensive shout outs to their city and cultural icons, for me it was the little references that made his work so intriguing. Sagliani not only gave a nod to one of my all-time favorite books, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, but also my favorite band, Godsmack. Ya, buddy! Having never explored the streets of Cali personally, Sagliani helps readers to envision the landscape and local venues with ease.

2.5 Doe Gary's awkward relationship to children reflect his inability to deal with his own intimacy issues or is it a symptom of an abusive childhood he's trying to cover up?

Most men I have met that have no children of their own develop an awkwardness when it comes to interacting with them.

2.6 The story obviously is intended to mimic crime fiction in the tradition of writers like Elmore Leonard and Michael Connelly. Does the author accomplish the goal of creating compelling crime fiction? If so what elements work. If not what did he miss?

Absolutely successful! Detective Wendell is the modern day Sam Spade. He's a gritty, seedy character that will stop at nothing to get his man.

2.7 The inner workings of the entertainment industry get revealed several times in this story. The author has a background in that industry, both in production as well as screenwriting, before switching to writing novels. What references stuck out the most? What did you find interesting to learn?

I have yet to go into a dirty movie place, but Sagliani writes of them in way that ensures I never will. I like that he describes the less than above board side of Hollywood. The one that we all suspect is there.

2.8 So far the stories seem to contain elements of literary fiction as well as pulp and horror and scifi. At points the writing is poetic and philisophical and other times it is course, vulgar, violent, sexual, and extremely graphic. Which elements work best for you and why?

I'm a huge fan of the sick and twisted. No One is Watching jarred me. It left me feeling uncomfortable about what I had just read, but disturbingly satisfied at the same time. Sagliani stretched the very fibers of how much I could handle reading. Randy's actions disgusted me and I found myself cringing and getting angry at a fictional character.

2.9 There is an old saying that one should take care when fighting monsters not to become one. Did Gary become a monster? Or were his actions justified? Did he kill Randy because he was a sick pedophile who preyed on the weak and innocent and deserved justice or did he do it for a less noble reason - to get revenge on the man who embarrassed and outsmarted him, costing him the chance for promotion and marking his professional career? Was it about doing the right thing or just satisfying his ego?

When order is no more, and rules no longer apply, morality and ethics become a thing of the past. Detective Gary Wendell uses the opportunity created by the chaos to settle an old vendetta with the one who got away. Seeking out Randy, a pedophile guilty of the heinous rape and murder of several young girls, Gary delivers sweet revenge and doles out his own sadistic justice. With an animal desire not unlike the zombies that infect the city, a years' worth of built up hate and animosity for Randy has turned him into the very animals he spent his life putting behind bars.

Alrighty, question time! I gotta say, I am really enjoying this one. It is refreshing after what we had been reading (i.e., CRAP!!!). But I have always been a fan of short story collections, so maybe that is one of the reasons I like it so much. But its also very well written!

There are 2 things I wanna say before I start answering. Firstly, one of my favorite zombie books lists review after review saying that all the 'pop culture' references detracts from the writing, and makes the writing seem 'pretentious.' However, this book is FULL of pop culture references, and, once again, I love it! That's part of why I like it so much! Here's a few: "Last time anyone even listened to us was when Sully landed that bird in the Hudson" (pg. 16); you got Snoop Dog and a reference to Violet Beauregard: "We found both of them painting the stairs up to the beds a shade of bright blue that reminded him of Violet Beauregarde; high on coke and blasting Snoop Dogg's hit single "Gin & Juice." (pg. 34); and then when he crashes into the pylon, the kid flying out the windshield kicked him in the head with his " faddish light-up sneakers." (pg. 41). THAT'S just the first story. And it goes on and on. I LOVE it, for one; I think the pop culture references make the story 'realistic' and rooted in time and place. I see NOTHING pretentious about pop culture references; quite the contrary. I was just curious if anyone else caught on to the cultural references, and whether or not they find that sort of thing 'pretentious' or just skill on the author's part. Obviously, my vote is for skill; not every writer can include so many references without screeching the story to a halt...in THAT case, it may be pretentious. But not in this one! Sagliani does a seamless job! Well done, Devan!!!

Then there's the second thing: In the Introduction, the text states that the vignettes are told through different Angelinos' views and that 'they have not been edited for content but remain preserved in their initial capturing," (pg. 7) which lead me to believe this was going to be a World War Z or The Zombie Autopsies style book (i.e., epistolary-ish). Like, I thought that LAX may have been a recording from the black box, capturing what Edgar was saying and thinking whilst flying, and that No One is Watching may have been, say, the interrogation tapes and transcripts of police files. I don't get that statement about them being "preserved in their initial capturing." They are 3rd person stories...so HOW were they captured? Edgar dies, so HE can't tell his story afterwards, so how do we know about it? Maybe there will be a story later that fits these parameters, but the first two don't. So far, that's my only gripe, and only because I SOOOOOO love the epistolary style; Letters, transcripts, and diaries seriously add to my enjoyment of a book. But even so, I still think this is the best book we've read for the BOTM so far! 177 pages in, and only one teeny, tiny little gripe (which wouldn't have even been brought up if I hadn't seen that statement, getting me SUPER excited that this was going to contain 'REAL' audio recording transcripts, scrawled notes (maybe in blood? ;-) ), and video descriptions). So far, so GREAT, Devan!

LAX

1.1. How do Edgar's infidelity issues make you feel about him as a character? Do you feel he is absolved in the end for realizing his failures as a husband and being truly contrite? Or is the damage already done?

Well, his infidelity issues MAKE his character, in my opinion. Yeah, he's a scumbag, and I don't completely understand his motives for cheating. He says it is 'cause his wife can't bear children. Well, what the hell you trying to do, Edgar? Knock up a stewardess? By the time he is crashing into the coastline, I DO feel as though he is truly remorseful, and furthermore, I think he feels as though he is 'getting what he deserves,' if you will. BUT, the damage is most certainly already done. His wife will never know he was rubbing his wedding ring as he died, will she? So, no, my feelings about Edgar as a character aren't affected by his cheating...that IS his character- a liar and a cheat, and a selfish one, no less. But, while he may have found 'peace' in his final moments, that cannot make up for the pain his wife endured for years. He is also very cocky in his cockpit (hehe); he says having the lives of 400 people in his hands is like 'playing god.' Yeah, he's a creep, for sure. But that's just who he is. 'I yam what I yam,' as Popeye would say...how's that for a pop culture reference? ;-)

1.2. Why do you think Edgar hesitates to shoot the weary traveler at the terminal but feels no remorse killing a small child that attacks him in the car?

I think this all comes down to killing a person who has already went through the 'change,' as opposed to killing someone who is still alive and breathing (for the moment, at least). The European traveler's "face went white with fear" (pg. 43) when Edgar points the gun at him. Even though Edgar tells him it is for his own good, I just don't think he can get past shooting a human that is GOING to change, but hasn't yet. Usually, it takes a lot longer for 'survivors' to just start popping shots at everyone who's been bit, whereas it is easy to shoot a frothing-mouthed monster trying to eat your brain! I think that Edgar's moment of hesitation was his first and last. He seemed to catch on that moves need to be made in the blink of an eye; no more thinking about the value of human life, whether there is a cure, etc. Only pure action is going to get him where he needs to be, and that's why he offs the kid without second thought. Plus, who would want to drive a car with a zombie infant clawing at you the whole time? ;-) Better to just lay the child 'to rest.'

1.3. What are your thoughts on Edgars flight attendant lover Sandra?

Ummm...SKANK!!! LOL...she's nasty and disgusting, and incredibly manipulative. He refers to their liaisons as 'sessions,' for Christ's sake! And he says "she couldn't sleep right unless someone was there with her...she was deathly afraid of being alone." (pg. 22) That's sad, in and of itself, but if that's the way she feels, well, find a hubby! Don't sleep with random men just to avoid being alone! I think she's mean, bitter, and, quite frankly, a home-wrecking slut. She shows soooo much emotion towards Edgar, but on page 23, he details how much fun people poke at her for being a easy lay, "low hanging fruit," and, in a way, I feel VERY sorry for women like that. You know, the kind that HAVE to have a man close by at all times, nevermind whether it's Tom, Dick, OR Harry. Still, there are other ways to get attention than spreading your legs for every man that comes by. Her deviousness shows through in the scene where she musters up tears for Edgar, then ends up with another man later (presumably). In short, I don't care for her at all, but I DO feel kind of sorry for her that something in her life happened to make her that way...

1.4. Edgar has to fight off zombies with his bare hands, sit in urine, and endure a host of disgusting bodily fluids in order to make it to his locked cockpit. What would be the hardest for you?

Honestly, fighting off the zoms would probably be hardest! I can fight a human, but a zombie? THAT would suck. ESPECIALLY solo, and ESPECIALLY right after the breakout, before you really know what it is you're dealing with! But, then again, adrenaline would kick in, and he probably didn't think about anything; just reacted. I did find it funny that he kept making jokes, and even slid across the hood of that car. He was cracking me up with his comments like "Toro Motherf$#ker!" But, oh lord! Sitting in urine...ICK!!! MAYBE if it was my own it wouldn't be so bad. But someone else's? And all I can wonder is 'Was it cold by the time he sat down, or still warm?' Don't ask me why, but I'd much rather sit in pee that was still warm than pee that had had time to get cold (as cold as L.A. would let it get, that is). I know, I know...that's weird as all get out, but that's my opinion. I couldn't bear the pee-sitting!!! But ultimately, the hardest part would be NO MORNING COFFEE!!! ;-)

I am going to answer the questions for No One is Watching a little later. By the way, Devan, is THAT a reference to the whole 'The whole world is watching' protest call of the Vietnam War? Just curious...that's the first thing I thought of, and I thought it was pretty darn clever if that was what you were going for!I still have to jump on the Desolation thread to discuss that book today, as well. I'll be popping back and forth between the two all day (except for my family time throughout the day). By the way, Shana, GREAT questions! Very thought provoking. You're doing a wonderful job as mod so far! ;-)

Happy reading, all! I'll see you guys in a few hours!
~Teresa~

I don't have time to go through with a detailed answer to all the questions yet - which is partly to do with not quite being done with No One is Watching - but I just wanted to echo the BIG question Teresa raised in her intro: How is the content of these stories edited as the author asserts in the introduction? That's really been bothering me so far ...

Otherwise, I had similar issues with Edgar's character that Shana did, and struggled to find anything redeeming about him, despite his end. In fact, his character soured the whole first short for me.

Thankfully, I'm relating much more readily to Gary's character, and am hoping he somehow finds his way back to Randy before the zombies come on the scene...

Thanks Teresa and Shana!

Okay, I had a really great post (at least in my head I did) and Goodreads just ate it! Argh!

Too tired right now to retype it now...

Second story's answers, coming up!

No One is Watching

2.1 Do the ends justify the means? Would you be willing to get revenge on someone who has hurt you and others if there were no longer any rules?

I feel as though they do. I couldn't help but be SOOOO disgusted by Randy's smugness that I feel as though he got exactly what he deserved. I try really hard to live and let live, but this is a different level. Gary is getting retribution for victims that couldn't seek vengeance on their own. There are people that I don't like, THAT'S for sure, but I seriously don't think I would take time from surviving the zom-pocalypse to go hunt them down! HOWEVER, if I knew of some horrible, despicable serial killer, and I was a cop, AND I was dying of cancer anyway, then yes, I think I would do exactly what Gary does. He is a man on a mission, and he even admits to Sandra that he wasn't sure if he was even going to do it. My bet is that he would have eventually killed Randy, one way or another, once his cancer reached a point of no return. I thought this story was an excellent portrayal of well-deserved vengeance!


2.2 What qualities do you most admire about Detective Gary Wendell? What quirks do you find most annoying? What do you despise about him, if anything?

As Shana said, I like his tenacity and drive. He is unstoppable in his motivation. One of those 'I've made up my mind; now no one is stopping me!' I like the fact that he cares so much about his victims and their families. He has a rough edge that softens for his poor victims. I am also drawn to his commitment as a 'good guy.' He lets his sense of 'right vs. wrong' dictate everything he does, even to the point where he almost loses his job after pummeling Randy. He reminds me of Elliot from Law & Oder SVU. I don't like his demeaning attitude towards his partners, though. He requests a transfer from his original partner in Hollywood, then acts kinda dismissive towards Yong. Okay, he acts like a complete ASS to Wong. Not cool, especially when she is trying so hard to be the 'eager pupil.' But he is one of those old-school, hard-boiled cops, so I'd expect nothing less. I can't say there is anything I despise about him, though (not even the fact that he is a murderer! lol)


2.3 Discuss your feelings about the relationship between Wendell and his partner Wong. Is it wrong for him to take advantage of her emotional state from losing her father? Or to exploit her romantic feelings for him to avoid the consequences of going vigilante?

Good pun on that one, Shana...made me chuckle too! But you are right. Honestly, I don't think the world could have ended better for either of these people! But, to be honest, the whole romantic sex stuff out of nowhere was kind of dis-jointed from how I would picture the story to go. I wasn't a huge fan of that part. I guess it is natural to seek comfort during troubling times in the arms of another human, but ?I REALLY didn't see that one coming. Of course, I did read Gary as an old-school, pulp fiction type, dime store detective, and those guys usually have a secretary (being the 21st century and all, our 'weak and incompetent' secretary is replaced with a fellow detective- us women sure have came a long way since then!) they treat like shit, then end up having sex with them, so I should have seen it coming! ;-)


2.4 How do you feel the author works elements of city life and the unique qualities of Los Angeles into the novel so far?

He works them in EVERYWHERE! Restaurant names, street names, buildings, highways, etc, are all referenced. He captures the essence of the city, and you can tell he has a great love for L.A. It reminds me of Christopher Moore's love affair with San Francisco. I liked the way he incorporated Richard Ramirez, and the fear he caused during his bloody reign. In the first story, he takes a moment to explain the tourists who come through, and the people looking for their 15 minutes of fame. The description of the Malibu hills is breath-taking. I have never been to L.A., but by god, I feel like I have after reading this! Even the mention of Tent City being the first infection spot would probably be accurate. I think he's doing a WONDERFUL job depicting the city, and he is accurate in saying that he made the city itself the protagonist. Now we are seeing glimpses of all the different types of people living in L.A. I am absolutely enraptured by it!


2.5 Does Gary's awkward relationship to children reflect his inability to deal with his own intimacy issues or is it a symptom of an abusive childhood he's trying to cover up?

I might have missed something here, but I don't really recall Gary interacting with children. If he has any sort of awkward relationships with children, I would go much simpler than pointing to intimacy issues or abuse. Okay...MAYBE intimacy issues. Because he has seen so much death and sick twisted stuff, he is bound to be withdrawn and hardened, which is what you'd expect. Kinda like a war veteran.


2.6 The story obviously is intended to mimic crime fiction in the tradition of writers like Elmore Leonard and Michael Connelly. Does the author accomplish the goal of creating compelling crime fiction? If so what elements work. If not what did he miss?

YES, YES, and YES again!!!! That's the main vibe I kept picking up throughout this story over and over again...crime noir, pulp fiction, 10 cent crime stories, 'shocking and true stories of killers!'...these are the phrases that kept running through my mind. Gary is a hard boiled detective if I have ever seen one! He harkens back to a time when the 'rules' don't mean as much; a time where you can rough up your suspect; a time when justice was swift and severe. I loved Gary because of these traits! The elements that make it so flawless are the peeks into his motivations, but the 'secrets' behind the strong man. I can picture him in a shadowed office, smoking a stogie while drinking an old-fashioned saying "Yeah, I got my man again. And what of it? I did what I had to do, ya see?" in a gruff, rumbly growl. I think if anything is missed, it would be on the part if the reader that isn't familiar with those types of books. Devan, you nailed it here! Perfect ambience in this story!


2.7 The inner workings of the entertainment industry get revealed several times in this story. The author has a background in that industry, both in production as well as screenwriting, before switching to writing novels. What references stuck out the most? What did you find interesting to learn?

I found the fact that 'fluffers' aren't real to be shocking! Is that really true? I honestly, whole-heartedly, believed there were fluffers. Maybe not! The references to TMZ and how quickly things get spread around stood out to me, as well as the necessity to think about hoe every move could be interpreted when you are a celebrity, lest something get skewed out of proportion. All the chitter-chatter about who would play who in a movie about the crime scene is another point that stood out to me. Perhaps the two most telling signs are the references to the script revisals (i.e., the different colored pages), and the 'hot sets.' Those are things I didn't know about, and, although I didn't know Sagliani had worked in the movie industry prior to writing, it certainly makes sense that he would know all these things. There are also like a TON of movie references, which I think is awesome...I thought maybe Devan was just a movie buff, but I guess he's much more than a simple movie buff! ;-)


2.8 So far the stories seem to contain elements of literary fiction as well as pulp and horror and scifi. At points the writing is poetic and philisophical and other times it is course, vulgar, violent, sexual, and extremely graphic. Which elements work best for you and why?

Both! Without a shadow of a doubt! They are perfect counterbalances to each other. I personally LOVE the gore, the filthy language, and the 'uncomfortable' parts, but I also enjoyed the eloquence Sagliani was able to muster up for the descriptions of his beloved city. I think the vulgarity is needed to be able to appreciate the beauty of the words and story, and vice versa. This was perfectly executed, by the way...some authors lean too heavy on violence just for shock value, and some use weighty and uber long emotional dialogue to try and 'connect' with the reader. Neither of these approaches work for me. I like a mix, and Sagliani can add 'mix master' to his repertoire of 'movie dude' and 'author guy,' because so far, he's blending the two spectrums like a master baker!


2.9 There is an old saying that one should take care when fighting monsters not to become one. Did Gary become a monster? Or were his actions justified? Did he kill Randy because he was a sick pedophile who preyed on the weak and innocent and deserved justice or did he do it for a less noble reason - to get revenge on the man who embarrassed and outsmarted him, costing him the chance for promotion and marking his professional career? Was it about doing the right thing or just satisfying his ego?

Whoa...tough one! I'm going to say both, because we all know it had to be nigh on impossible to almost lose your career over someone you KNOW is guilty, but can't prove. I believe Gary killed Randy mostly for the girls, but also for a sense of self-satisfaction. He says, after the deed is done, that he felt a peace he hadn't felt before. Randy had become a personal demon of Gary's, and by killing him, he 'exorcised' the demon, if you will. I DO NOT think Gary was a 'bad guy,' not at all, and I found myself hoping that he didn't get mauled by zoms getting away from Randy's house. Yes, Gary had his own motives, but they were NOTHING like Randy's. I think that if it had been a thief he KNEW was getting away with things, he wouldn't have hunted him down. It was only the atrocious nature of Randy's crimes that made him so bloodthirsty. Gary wasn't violent towards others, just his target. So, in short, no, I do not think Gary turned into a monster throughout his pursuit. He didn't make a monster, he slayed one!


I am enjoying this book so very much! I can't wait for the next set of questions! I'm ready! How is everyone else enjoying it so far, overall?

~Teresa~

Netanella wrote: "Okay, I had a really great post (at least in my head I did) and Goodreads just ate it! Argh!

Too tired right now to retype it now..."

BUMMER!!! I HATE it when that happens! I've taken to copying and pasting the questions in MSWord, answering them there, and then pasting and re-formatting them over here. Its prevented lots of deleted work, time, and effort, I know!!!

Phew! I can't tell you how relieved I am at the positive response to the book. Having been the one that nominated it, I am so excited that you are loving it!!! My favorite story is coming up soon. Can't wait to see what everyone has to say about it.

Whoa! I just realized how incredibly long my answers are! I had so much to say about this one, though, and the questions were really open-ended, leaving tons of room for discussion...sorry guys! I'll have to tone it down a notch for the next set!

Why?? The space is free! Lol.

Shana wrote: "Phew! I can't tell you how relieved I am at the positive response to the book. Having been the one that nominated it, I am so excited that you are loving it!!! My favorite story is coming up soon. ..."

Believe me, dear, the 'drama' was NOT over the book chosen. I thought this one looked good the very second I read the description (same for Savage Days). Its turning out better than the description, in my opinion. This kind of mix between horror, comedy, drama, etc., is EXACTLY my cup of tea! As I mentioned, the only two things I wasn't thrilled with was Wendell & Wong's relationship, and the confusing line in the Intro about 'preserving these accounts unedited.' That's still niggling away at the back of my mind. Is there are story like that in the collection? Is there anyway we might be able to get Devan to join us for a few questions here and there, or even just on the last discussion section? Thanks for the thought-provoking questions, by the by. It must have taken you a while to come up with them, since you had to re-read through to chose the questions. Job well done! Hip-hip, hooray!

Shana wrote: "Why?? The space is free! Lol."

I find people usually don't read through other people's responses. But its ingrained in me! I have a B.A. in English, and one in History...I'm hard-wired to write essay style answers! It's the bane of my existence lol...it'd be so much simpler if I could just answer with one-liners!

I'm sure we could get him here. He is really great about answering requests and social media. I just tweeted him and asked if he will join us. Outside of his book, he really struck me as a down to earth, likable guy.

Undead LA is turning out to be a great read, two stories in! This is my first Sagliani book, and I am enjoying the writing style, particularly the "deep dive" feel into the lives of these seemingly disperate characters. There was so much nitty-gritty detail in the lives of the staff of the airline industry, I almost wondered if the author spent some time working there...

"LAX"
1. Edgard the Swinging Airline Pilot gets no absolution from me, impending death or not. Don't most people tend to regret their sins and crimes in the moments before they meet their mortality? Edgard’s disregard for him wife and wedding vows and mimicked by his total disregard for other people’s lives, particularly when he takes an airplane to Hawaii – how about a little cross contamination. Edgard is classic self-absorbed personality who only looks out for himself.

2. Wasn’t the small child that attacked Edgard a zombie child? Either that, or Edgard has some serious hang ups about his wife being barren.

3. I truly had no real thoughts about Sandra – she was a backdrop to me, like the moth-eaten curtains in the hotels we’ve all stayed in. I would be interested to find out, however, if she makes a reappearance in one of the later stories. Now that would be cool! Mr. Sagliani – any hints since I haven’t finished the book yet?

4. Fight off a host of zombies or sit in urine and endure a host of other bodily fluids? Wow – that’s like asking, “would you rather eat these two squirming cockroaches or have two of your toes broken by pliers?” Can I pick Door #3? So, truly, since fighting off a host of zombies would lead to my imminent demise, I would select the urine chair. Besides, grandma was known to say, “Don’t worry, dear, urine is sterile!” Don’t know if that’s true or not…

Hi everyone! I am glad to see you are enjoying the book. I love the comments and answers so far.

Okay so as far as the opening lines about the way the stories are captured, there is a purpose but I can't tell you what it is just yet. Sorry it's driving you nuts but you have to wait until book 2 to have all of it explained. While all the stories in book 2 answer more of the questions posed in book 1 there is one story (mostly written at this point) that completely explains where the virus came from, how stories are gathered from this period, and what comes next for the human race. I know it sucks to wait but if you can just put it in the back of your mind for now and enjoy the works it will be much easier.

As for Edgar, I didn't realize at the time I was writing him how despicable he was, although I did intend his total arrogance. From my experience with pilots I know that many of them develop a God complex not unlike the fabled one doctors succumb to over time. Edgar seems to think he can live without consequence but discovers he can't when he dies with regret. That's a real break through moment for him because he's always thought he was so bulletproof. For Edgar to understand how he ruined his life and feel remorse for others was a huge step.

About Gary and the kids - Gary mentions he tried to date a woman with a teenage son in Venice and her kid attacked him. Remember that. He also talks to a couple of kids in front of the crime scene in an awkward exchange. There is a moment where he is searching for some spark of recognition in young Gary, projecting his fantasies of what fatherhood might have been like if he wasn't married to his job. Those kids turn up in Camp Zombie.

Gary is meant to be a two dimensional dime store detective, but I did my best to give him some pep. He's a darker version of Harry Bosch with less morals and more self pity. This was the first story I wrote in the bunch and is probably still my favorite overall.

Any other questions you have let me know and I will do my best to answer them. Thanks again for choosing my book. I really appreciate it. As a zombie writer it can be hard to get noticed with so many titles out there to pick from.

You know, someone once told me when I started nursing school that urine was sterile but I didn't buy it. Let's do the math here...think UTI...they test for BACTERIA in your urine...sterile my a$$. So,of course I did my research. Sure, it's normally sterile IN your bladder...but once it begins its journey all bets are off!

My answers have been updated under original questions post.

Shana...your comment about urine being sterile makes me think of dogs' mouths being sterile as well. That IS true, and they even have a natural antiseptic property....BUT the fur around their mouths is FAR from sterile lol...my little rat has a beard and I KNOW that thing is rank! (not a real rat...a schnauzer poodle mix lol) I see people drinking pee on TV in survival situations more often than I'm comfortable with! :O

The scene in Budapest is based off a trip I took there in 2004 by the way. The girl I was with at the time and I ended up bailing on the modeling shoot she was on when the photog went nuts on her. We went to the hostel and met these awesome characters. The owner insisted we stay at his house instead. He was obsessed with Snoop Dogg. I loved that. Said Doggystyle was his favorite album. He got coked up and started painting the stairs and walls blue one night. I still laugh about that to this day. He was all paranoid and didn't want anyone to come into the hostel for 2 days but we managed to get him to go drinking with us and calm the hell down.

I was just in Germany last week. I met these two college kids on the train. The guy tells me his favorite musician is Snoop Dogg. He said he was mad Snoop changed his name, not because he doesn't like dubstep & reggae, but because he said Snoop didn't need to use a new name to do it.

To me that goes to show how Snoop transcends merely being a pop culture reference and becomes part of the fabric of the culture of Americana. I have big plans in book 2 for more on how gang culture and rap shaped this city as we get to see the flip side of One Blood Gang from Taylor's POV.

Teresa wrote: "Shana...your comment about urine being sterile makes me think of dogs' mouths being sterile as well. That IS true, and they even have a natural antiseptic property....BUT the fur around their mouth..."

It's so funny you say that. My first day in my Microbiology class I asked the question about dogs mouths...Apparently the myth came from the fact that the pH in their saliva is different from the pH making most of the bateria in their mouth harmless to humans. Most...but not all!

Teresa

With so many people who have lived in Los Angeles for a short time or visited I thought it would be fun to remind them of the places they loved. That's why I worked hard to show as much of the city as I could. I'm glad it works for you :)

Thanks to you and everyone for all the in depth answers to the questions. I love your responses! Funny the things readers see that you can't when you're writing a character

No One Is Watching

Detective Gary Wendell really pulled a Dexter with the torture and staged killing of Randy. So I'm feeling a little conflicted (no, make that a lot) about his character. Had he just executed Randy for his crimes, I would have said, "okay, he deserved that." Torture...I don't know. Is it me? Am I too civilized that death needs to be humane and sterile?

Netanella- I INSTANTLY thought of Dexter! Of course, Dexter is like my HERO...which probably isn't good! What can I say; I'm a nutcase! ;-)

Ah the beauty of vengeance.

Wendell & Wong - sounds like a Chinese Fast Food joint in an airport somewhere.... I didn't buy their relationship at all - it felt used somehow, and cheap. I'm very glad it was kept to the end of the story, and capped with the airplanes flying overhead, bombing LA.

Of the 2 stories so far, I preferred this one more, probably because it seemed less like a zombie story and more of a gritty crime story of vengeance. With zombies.

You're drunk, Netanella. Go home! LOL ;-)

Tomorrow is the big day! I had THE WORST day at work yesterday! ALL the crazies came out last nite! God, Shana, I wish you were there to help me deal! ;-) You are a psych nurse, right??? I MOST CERTAINLY coulda used one of those last night! I didn't get a BIT of reading done! HORRIBLE! But I will finish tonite I believe. There's no way I will believe tonite's shift will be as bad as last nite! So anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm loving the overall theme of the 'flashback' segments of the stories, coupled with the 'real life' beginnings and endings. I feel like each story gets better than the last! I've only got one left...I'm diggin' in to it as soon as I get to work. And if you put the questions up again at around the same time, Shana, I will probably have them answered before I get off work. If you wait til tomorrow sometime...well...I'll probably sleep in til like 1 pm (38 hrs of work in 3 days will do that to ya!), and you won't see me 'til after that time. Okay, ladies! Just checking in and letting you know my schedule, so no one thinks I've disappeared! By the way, Shana, thanks soooo much for modding. You are doing a good job, and I can't wait to talk about this one some more tomorrow! Have a great day, guys, and happy reading, all!
~Teresa~

What do you do for work Teresa?? And I can't wait for tmrw either!, Kats story is my favorite.

Me TOO!!!!! LOL! I work with video poker machines. Not all states have them; in some states, they are illegal; in other states, they only have big casinos. But here in WV, we have about a JILLION little establishments with 5 poker machines (that's the maximum amount allowed). People play keno, slots, etc on them, and sometimes, when the players get lucky, so do I! (with tips) Like last nite, the only good thing that happened was that a guy 'locked-up' a machine for 1,736.00 (that means he won more than 1,200.00 in one spin), and tipped me a brand new 100 dollar bill! That's where my 'book money' comes from ;-). I typically work 2pm-2am, but if we have players still willing to spend money at 2am, I have to stay late, and let them play until 3am. So, they are super long shifts, but I love the work. 2 degrees, and I work a job you only need a GED for lol...but it makes me happy, pays the bills, and gives me extra cash between paychecks (TIPS :-) ). It was solicitors that drove me nuts last nite; these woofers of girls that come in and 'hang around,' trying to get the male gamblers to give them a few dollars to try their luck. I've just NEVER had to deal with so many of them as I did last nite, and one had a van with tinted windows, and I kept picturing masked men with guns rolling outta that van to rob me (cause, obviously, there's quite a bit of money there to pay the winnings out). Yeah...horrible day! But at least I had 'regulars' there to protect me; you end up forming really close bonds with the gamblers that play day in, day out, and they'd do almost anything for you. One guy refused to leave me alone until closing time so I wouldn't have to deal with the crazies while alone. Sometimes walking out of that place at 3am, when there are NO other cars in the parking lot scares me sooooo bad that someone is going to rob me! We have hold-ups at least once a week in this area. So, there's pros and cons (just like ANY job), but I love it, so that's all that matters! Anyway...that was a really long-winded answer! If you keep doing the BOTMs, you'll notice I tend to ramble. Hell, I'm sure you've noticed already! ;-)
~Teresa~

Oh yeah, and my custys (as I call my customers), bring all sorts of gifts on holidays! Its great! I ALWAYS get 2-3 full meals on holidays, birthday presents, and little gifts here and there. I LOVE the scratch off tickets, and most of my customers know that, so sometimes they buy scratch-offs and put those in my tip jar! I love it when they do that! They know how I love to read, and while they're bust playing the machines, I'm busy reading. They tease me about having my nose in a book all the time, so I tease them back about getting suckered by the machines all day! We have fun lol. And since today is college game day, I get to wear jeans and a tee instead of my uniform! YAY! Today WILL be a good day; today WILL be a good day; today WILL be a good day...if I say it enough, it'll be true! LOL ;-)

Lol nice!! I left bedside nursing recently and moved into nursing Informatics. Much better pay, no poop, and I get to work from home now.

No poop is always good, Shana! LOL ;-) I JUST got home from work, so needless to say, I will be sleeping in tomorrow! So if you post the questions early, think of me, peacefully slumbering away while you are hard at work! But I promise not to punish you with my absence for too long; I'll jump on the thread after I finish my first mug of go-juice! ;-)