I'm pleased to welcome Richard Murrary, author of Killing the Dead!

 

 

 

1. Hello, and welcome to my blog! To start off, what made you decide to take the plunge into the world of publishing?

 

 I have wanted to write for a long time now and I have been an avid reader since I was a child. I've spent years creating the stories I would love to read, though limited to just my imagination. With my youngest daughter reaching an age where I am no longer needed unless it's a meal time, I find myself able to dedicate some time to getting those stories out.

2. Tell me about your book.

 

 This book (the first in the series) is set in England and starts out just as the zombie apocalypse kicks into full swing. The protagonist is a charming man who just so happens to be a somewhat psychotic and sociopathic serial killer who has just been given access to a world descending into absolute chaos. When a young woman pursued by the walking dead knocks at his door, he finds he has a choice to make between staying alone or saving a life.

3. What, if anything, inspired you to write this?

  

Well as I mentioned I love to read. I have read countless numbers of books over the years and the one thing that they all seemed to have, was a hero. You know the type, reluctant or eager the hero will still go out and save the day. Quite frankly I had reached the point where I was rooting for the bad guy just for something different. Eventually I realised that if I wanted to explore the world from the more morally ambiguous character, then I would need to write it myself.

 

4. Did you have a favorite scene to write (without giving spoilers, of course)?

 

Gosh, without spoilers it is hard to say. Some scenes were much more fun to write than others. With a main character who is most definitely not the norm, you get to have so much fun with so many scenes. Just trying to show how he sees the world, which is so different from most other people is exciting when you aren't constrained by the morality and rules of civilisation.

 

5. The zombie apocalypse seems like a hot topic these days. What do you think sets your book apart from other zombie books?

 

 The main character first and foremost. He is so different from your usual lead in zombie fiction which tend to mainly have the everyday guy who is terrified and trying to stay alive or the ex-military/policeman or even the gamer guy who was a loner but manages to be a zombie killing machine in the apocalypse. Instead we have a man who genuinely loves to kill. Fighting the zombies isn't a chore to him and he won't even generally notice the moral dilemmas that most people would face, which is where the other characters come in.

6. What do you do when you're not writing?

 

 Between work and being a single parent to an almost teen girl, the only other thing I do these days is write. I realised early on that to be able to do justice to my story I would need to dedicate all of my free time, which generally meant cutting out a lot of the things I used to spend my time and energy on.

7. Can we expect more books from you?

 

 You certainly can. Book 2 in the series is out now and I am expecting book 3 to be released sometime in September this year and I have to say I am really excited about book 3. At this point my favourite killer is definitely finding his way in the world and having a lot of fun with it. I really do love writing and sharing these stories and I am planning on doing a lot more in this genre and others.

off-beat questions

1. What's your favorite zombie fiction (can be books, movies, tv shows)?

 

 I would have to say it is a toss up between "The Walking Dead" graphic novels which I think we all know about now and the "Black Tide Rising" series by John Ringo which has some wonderful characters and an entertaining storyline.

2. I got to ask. Do you have a zombie survival plan? If so, what is it?

 I certainly do have a zombie survival plan and since I have written a zombie apocalypse book it is fair to say that I document it quite well through that book. I will tell you that one of the first things I would do before almost anything else, would be to gather up books. In an apocalypse knowledge would be key, it's no use surviving is you don't know how to grow your own food or purify water.

Fashioning Your Ideal Character

So far, I've written two books, and I'm in the process of writing my third. In just these works, I have fashioned over thirty-five characters.

And that doesn't include the characters that will be introduced in the sequels.

It sounds like a lot, but if you go back and think about the books you've read, you'll probably find that they had a similar number (this is, of course, including minor characters). With so many characters in one story, there is always the question of how to properly create these characters. How do you make them unique and well-rounded, especially the ones with only a brief role in the story?

I look back on my books, and I can honestly say that I'm happy with all the characters I've created. I believe that's because I try to answer certain questions before I create them:

Who are they?
What do they look like, and how does their look/style reflect who they are?
What is their goal and how are they going to achieve it?
What purpose will they serve in my story?

Then of course I factor in age, gender, applicable background information,etc.

Here's an example of how I would answer these, using one of my characters in my upcoming novel "Lokte."


Who is she?

Her name is Patricia Garcia, although her name is never mentioned in the book. She is an elementary teacher who has cancer. She is also the main character's mother.

What does she look like, and how does her look/style reflect who she is?

Though she is not seen much in the novel, she is Hispanic with dark, narrow eyes. She has light lines across her face, indicating she is in her early fifties. She has lost her hair from chemotherapy, and she generally wears clothes that are comfortable. This is to reflect that she lives in the country and teaches children, so she has little need for fancy attire.

What is her goal, and how is she going to achieve it?

Her goal is to ensure that her only daughter is alright. She tries to achieve this by calling Marianne daily to stay updated on her life.

What purpose will she serve in my story?

Her condition drives Marianne to wish for a better life. That's where Logan Lokte comes in.



So in just four, easy steps, I have created a solid minor character.

One of the other things to remember is this: none of your characters should act like their just a part of your story. Everything should feel as real as possible for the reader. So when considering the words and actions of your minor characters, remember this: in their eyes, they are the main character. If you can do convey this in your writing, your characters will be diverse and colorful.

I know this is a little short, but I thought I'd share my ideas on writing characters :) . Have a great day everyone!