SciFiChick.com was recently able to interview author Rob DeBorde to talk about his latest release PORTLANDTOWN and, of course, zombies!
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Can you tell us a bit about PORTLANDTOWN in your own words?
Portlandtown is the story of the Wyldes, a uniquely talented family living in Portland, Oregon in 1887 who face off against an undead outlaw and his horde of living-challenged brethren. Okay, that’s the studio pitch. For the reader I’d add this: it’s not just about zombies. Yes, more than a few slack-jaws stumble their way through the pages of Portlandtown, but it’s much more of an adventure than the zombie apocalypse. Plus there are voodoo cowboys, steam-driven totem poles, and a tent-full of old-timey circus freaks. Zombies versus Old West oddities? Yup.
Who is Joseph Wylde?
Joseph is a husband, father, and owner of Wylde’s Booksellers & Navigation. The fact that he’s also blind has not hindered him in the slightest. In fact, he sees the world better than most, which makes him quite good at his side job helping to investigate and resolve delicate situations-the kind his clients would rather not talk about. He’s also a reformed criminal who once rode with a very, very bad dude known as the Hanged Man. Joseph would rather not talk about that.
Why do zombies and westerns seem to mesh so well together?
It’s the hat. Zombies look great in ten-gallon hats. Plus it’s a bit more of a challenge to take on the undead with only a six-shooter, a shovel, and not much else. And, of course, westerns are cool. Imagine the Man with No Name hunting zombies. That’s cool. Now imagine if the Man with No Name was a zombie. You see where this is going, right? Cool.
Zombies have become extremely popular lately. What makes PORTLANDTOWN stand out?
