Riding On The Tide [Interview]

Recently, I reviewed RAGE, the fourth book in the DEAD TIDE series by Stephen A. North. I began my journey with North and his undead series back in 2013, when I was still writing for The Zombiephiles. You can read the first interview here.

I can't emphasize enough how Rage is the best book in the series! Not only has the author continued to keep outcomes unpredictable, while revealing more personal details about the mentality of each character, but he also creates unforgettable connections between the survivors. (Ex: there is a major reveal about Trish's past, concerning her husband's murder.)

North has come a long way as an author, and I wanted to give readers another reason to begin the Dead Tide saga. I invited the author to the Lair this weekend, for our second interview together...

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I know I asked you this once before, but would you elaborate on where the idea/inspiration for your Dead Tide series came from.

Stephen A. North, author of Dead Tide series

I was sixteen or seventeen when I saw the original Dawn of the Dead at the Midnight Movies. Blew me away.  Not a perfect movie, but there was a lot of good in there. My friend Dave was there with me, and at the time I wondered what adventures I might be able to explore in that world. Literally decades later, I discovered a publisher who was actively seeking zombie novels. I was forty years old at this point (roughly 14 years ago now), and I wondered if I could write a zombie story. I’d written one novel and self-published it at this point (Beneath the Mask). I decided to go for it, and wrote it with the express purpose of trying to be published with Permuted Press.

I am a great admirer of the present tense style of writing used so effectively (to me) by Richard Monaco (in his Parsival series). He’d alternate POV characters (in 3rd person in some of the books) and I loved it so much I used in it Dead Tide. I wanted to be different, and think I succeeded.

The sad part was the previous owner of Permuted Press rejected my book (Dead Tide), and said that it didn’t really excite him. I was crushed, but didn’t give up. A man named Michael West (Dr. Pus) was starting up his own publishing house (The Library of the Living Dead) and he wanted Dead Tide for his first book! The book did well, and I went on with the series.

My friend, Dave, a real life homicide detective, helped me by being my beta reader, and giving me insight that helped me portray certain elements of the story realistically. Bottom line is Dawn of the Dead inspired the story, Richard Monaco provided the framework I’d use, and Jacob Kier gave me a reason to take a chance. The story was published elsewhere first by a wonderful man who believed in me (Michael West, aka Dr. Pus and The Library of the Living Dead), and later by Jacob.

So glad I took the journey.

Do you have a specific number of books in mind for the series, or are you letting your characters decide how to continue the Dead Tide saga?

There should be at least one more book. I’m also considering a possible spin-off. So, the answer is there will be at least five books. If any surviving characters still have a story to share, there could be more. I’ve also entertained the perhaps strange notion of exploring what would have happened to these characters if the zombie apocalypse had never happened. I suppose many of them would never enter the story if this happened.  

Within the last year, Mel Smith, author of the zombie comic, Dead Ahead, filed a lawsuit against Fear The Walking Dead for having an “identical premise” of a group trying to survive the zombie apocalypse via boat. Considering that Dead Tide has characters battling over a yacht, how do you feel about an author claiming infringement over a common bug-out plan?

I have only seen an episode or two of Fear the Walking Dead, and I’ve never heard of Mel Smith. I think I’d have to see the second season of FTWD and read Smith’s book to judge. Without doing either, I’d lean towards no infringement. Are the two stories that similar, or is it just escaping the Zompocalypse by boat? In my story, it just makes sense to me. Zombies have a hard time getting to you out on the water.

What do you think sets your Dead Tide series apart from other zombie series?

Well, it is the only zombie series I know of set in Tampa Bay, and it alternates POV characters with each chapter. There is a large cast of characters.

When the books were sold to Permuted Press, the decision was made to ditch the present tense in favor of the more common past tense narration. Initially, it had that difference also. The present tense is immediate, and I still use it when I feel it’s appropriate, but not any longer in the Dead Tide series.  

For the sake of continuity, I have self-published Dead Tide Rage in the past tense to go along with the three published by Permuted. The books are also famous/infamous for having short chapters (but I tried to transition away from that due to ‘some’ reader complaints).  

Is there a specific message or theme you’re trying to impress upon your readers?

My many years of retail, and in six years in the Army Reserve left a indelible imprint on me that people aren’t just one thing.

The guy who cheats on his wife still loves his kids and his wife, but for whatever reason he just can’t resist temptation, or the outraged woman consumed by hate may one day find her way back to letting go, or the lonely little boy might give his all for a friend who loves him.

People aren’t just one thing.  

How do you keep track of so many characters? When I picture you writing, I imagine you have a board filled with post-it notes connected by yarn…or a white board with a flow chart…

Every time I wrote these books I’d work in a circular fashion. I’d re-read what I wrote previously then come back around. I was constantly re-reading what I’d written to keep it straight.

I did keep track of when to come back to a character with a list that would show when to return to that character. For instance it might show this progression: Tracks; Keller; Trish; Daric; Julie; Foster; Mills; Sid; Johnny; then come back around to Tracks.

I also tried to stay in the same time frame. It was a challenge at times, but a joyous one. I really had fun writing these books!

What can we expect from you in 2019? Any conventions coming up?

There will be a short story collection for sure, and I’ll see if I can get paperback versions out for both the collection (tentatively titled ‘Laments of the Damned’) and Dead Tide Rage.  I’d also like to finish ‘Undead in Vegas.’  I suspect that it may reach novel length.

I’m guilty of having too many ideas and not enough time. For the first time in my adult life I’m in the position of doing whatever I want (when not working my real-world job), and sometimes I take time to do things I wasn’t in a position to do before.

I look at these distractions in a positive light. New experiences may help my writing. I hope my readers will find that to be true. I certainly have more projects than I have time for.

I would love to go to Texas Frightmare. Never been, and many of my writer friends seem to enjoy it.  So far, I have no definitive plan for any convention. I’m open to suggestions or requests.

Thanks for coming to Lair! I can't wait for the fifth Dead Tide book!

Thank you, Ursula.

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If you're still not sure you want to commit to an ongoing series, I encourage readers to check out North's short stories. I'll be reviewing TUSK AND SEDATION DENTISTRY in March. In the meantime, you can find my other North reviews here.

As always,
AstraDaemon