Hi, Everyone –
I wrote a short story called “Undead Air” based upon a painting called “Zombie Riot” by David Seidman. The interesting thing about the painting was that it featured real life Philadelphia morning show DJs Preston & Steve (WMMR, 93.3FM) battling a horde of ravenous zombies. (Are there any other kind?) My challenge was to place two real people in a fictional situation. The painting had a gonzo attitude, with Preston firing a pump action shotgun into a charging mass of undead and Steve wielding a baseball bat with equal effectiveness. In writing the story, I took my cue from that gonzo portrayal, hoping to deliver an appropriate companion prose piece for the artwork.
To help with my research, Preston and Steve graciously allowed me to come into the studio to observe one of their shows from start to finish. While songs played and during commercial breaks, they answered my questions about the studio equipment and the inner workings of a metropolitan morning radio show and allowed me to take pictures of the studio layout. (These would help me choreograph the fight scenes and remember where the various pieces of equipment were located and provide visual details I could call upon later during the writing process.) The rest of the time, I sat nearby, quietly taking notes as they welcomed studio guests and conducted humorous phone interviews. After the show, they took me back to their office and this really made my job as a writer much easier. Why? Well, because they had a baseball bat and replica swords in their inner sanctum, just the kind of weapons they would need in the story to battle an invading army of zombies. I would think of a way for Preston to lose his sword and get his hands on the aforementioned shotgun. And Steve would be sure to hang onto that bat for the final confrontation scene! Before I left the station, I even scored some promotional radio show swag. Overall, a productive, informative, and entertaining day.
And now it all comes full circle. Modern Magic, featuring “Undead Air” is now available at Amazon.com — and I will be appearing as a guest on WMMR 93.3 FM on the Preston & Steve show (along with the anthology’s editor (W.H. Horner) and David Seidman, the illustrator) on Tuesday morning, May 16 to discuss the final product. This time I get to talk when the mikes are live! If you’re in the Philadelphia, PA metropolitan area, tune in and give a listen. If you’re not in the area, it’s possible the bit will be available later as one of the Preston and Steve podcasts. And, of course, the book is available everywhere.
In Modern Magic “Undead Air” is accompanied by two new Seidman illustrations of Preston and Steve in zombie-laden jeopardy, but you can see a poster of “Zombie Riot“, the painting that inspired my story by visiting David’s CafePress store.
I had a lot of fun visiting the studio and observing the Preston & Steve show live. I had a blast writing “Undead Air.” And now I’m really looking forward to talking about the story with the two main characters. Many authors say their characters talk to them. In this case, for me, that’s absolutely literal. I hope you enjoy my first zombie story!
Thanks for reading,
-John “Jack” Passarella
http://www.passarella.com
Kindred Spirit (June 2006) – For Twins Separated by Death, Life Can Be Twice as Terrifying…
