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Interview with Stacey Jay

Stacey Jay is the author of teen fiction books: “You Are So Undead to Me” and the upcoming “Undead Much?” and “My So-Called Death”. She has four kids and a husband, she loves to write and is very hyper. She has a dark sense of humor, loves zombies and all manner of creepy stuff, but she likes unicorns and romance too.

ZWN: How long have you been writing and what authors (if any) are your influence?

Stacey: I wrote my first poem in kindergarten (about concrete deer lawn ornaments, they really freaked me out). But I’ve been doing this scribbling stuff professionally since 2005. I’d say my biggest influence has been Stephen King. I love his fiction, but it was his book for writers, On Writing, that got me on the road to being published. He’s so practical and self-disciplined, a great example for aspiring authors.

ZWN: You’re a young mom with four kids and a prolific writer. How do you manage it?

Stacey: Ah, this “manage” stuff that you speak of, what is that? I think I beg, borrow, and steal it, more than “manage” it.  I simply set goals and work my butt off to achieve them. That’s it. No magic potion. I am very driven, however. I need to be doing something every single second. Usually two things. I’m excellent at brainstorming story lines while racing my crawling baby around the couch. (I’m also a very fast crawler. If it ever becomes an Olympic event, I could be a contender.)

ZWN: Why did you choose to write Young Adult books? Furthermore, why Young Adult romance zombie books?

Stacey: I love drama, and there are few times in life as dramatic as the teen years. I’m also a huge fan of YA books, especially romance. I never stopped reading them. The zombies (and other scary things coming in my future books) found their way into my work because I love being scared almost as much as I love romance. Horror and romance in one book=happy Stacey Jay.

ZWN: The main character in “You Are So Undead to Me “is Megan Berry, a teenage girl that’s also a Zombie Settler. What exactly is a Zombie Settler?

Stacey: A Settler is a supernatural shrink and intervention specialist for people recently troubled in death. Megan helps zombies with issues solve their problems so they can return to their graves and rest in peace. She also kicks evil zombie tail when the need arises. (Not all zombies are the same, you know.)

ZWN: Lately, there seems to be a lot of pro-zombie books. Would you consider this book to be a pro-zombie book or an anti-zombie book? Or somewhere in between?

Stacey: “You are So Undead to Me” is neutral. Some of the zombies are innocent people in need of help, others are evil and bloodthirsty. My book with Flux [the teen fiction publisher], “My So-Called Death” (March 2010), is totally pro zombie, however. In that book, the zombies are genetically undead and have to go to a special, top secret, zombie boarding school where they eat brains in the cafeteria. It was a lot of fun to write. I’m team zombie all the way. (Though, I can appreciate unicorns and sparkles, as well.)

ZWN: This book is very busy and emotional on a teenage hormonal type level. Is that what it’s really like to be a teenage girl?

Stacey: Hmm…that’s kind of like asking, “Is that really what it’s like to be a woman?” Who’s to say? I know what it’s like to be me, I’m not sure what it’s like to be you or any other girl/woman. As a girl, my friends and I were very interested in boys on just about every level–including the hormonal level. The drive to find a mate and reproduce is secondary only to the drive to acquire food and shelter. So…yeah…I guess, if pressed, I’d say that’s what it’s like for many teenage girls. But then, I know girls who are in their twenties who have never had boyfriends and have no desire to have one. We are all different. Thankfully, there are books out there for all of us.

As for the busy part, I did mention I can’t stop moving, right? I’m very hyper and busy, always have been. I think that comes out in my work.

ZWN: You tend to use a lot of slang and shorten names in this book. Is that the inner teenage girl coming out of you? Or are you just cool like that?

Stacey: I’m the coolest person on the entire planet. I ooze cool from every pore. I bleed cool. I eat cool for dinner and it comes out of the next morning even cooler than when it went in. I–

Seriously, what is cool? Whatever it is, I’m not it. Lol! That was just how this book evolved. When I wrote this book I’d only been out of college four years and I think that affected the voice of the character, but mostly Megan just came to me with slang. That’s how “she” talks. My newer books are different because the characters are different.

ZWN: If a zombie is spotted staggering down the street, how would we go about contacting a Zombie Settler?

Stacey: You wouldn’t. They are top secret. They would find the zombie or the zombie would eat you. Hopefully the former!

ZWN: You have a second book coming out about Megan Berry in January 2010 called “Undead Much?”.  What can we expect in this one?

Stacey: More Undead thrills and chills, some secrets revealed, a death, more romance, and a darker continuation of Megan’s coming of age story.

ZWN: You’ve also got another book coming out in March 2010 with a zombie girl as the main character. Care to tell us a bit about that?

Stacey: Why, of course. : “My So-Called Death” follows Karen, a freshman who’s just found out she’s genetically undead–a zombie–after she falls off a cheerleading pyramid. Now she has to negotiate the world of zombie boarding school, solve a murder mystery, and convince the rest of the zombie kids that just because you’re dead, it doesn’t mean you can’t be perky. This is a lighter, tongue-in-cheek story aimed for slightly younger readers than the Megan Berry books. There is a romance, but it’s very simple and sweet, and takes a backseat to our heroine’s story.

Time for the ZWN standard questions, ready, okay:

ZWN: Do you have a zombie survival plan? If so, what is it?

Stacey: I work out every day. I am strong and fit and have a sharp chainsaw in my garage. Those zombies won’t stand a chance.

ZWN: In dealing with zombies, what would be your weapon of choice?

Stacey: Chainsaw, please .

ZWN: Do you think zombies are overdone?

Stacey: I think zombies are made of awesome with kick-butt sauce on the side.

ZWN: Who do you think is the best zombie hunter (alive or dead)?

Stacey: Don’t know a lot of zombie hunters. Will have to plead ignorance on this one.

ZWN: Brains, yummy or gross?

Stacey: I don’t judge.

Thanks for your time Stacey!

Be sure to check out Stacey Jay’s website at: http://staceyjay.com

Purchase “You Are So Undead to Me” at Amazon!

Tags: author, interview, stacey jay, young adult