Folks, please give a warm welcome to James Aquilone. I greatly enjoyed his audiobook Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device. He’s here to chat a bit & there’s a giveaway of the first Dead Jack audiobook at the end of the post.
If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?
It would have to be a movie based on my fantasy/horror series Dead Jack. And I’d be a donut-eating werewolf. In fact, I’m going to write that character into the script now.
What is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime?
Being super, duper rich. Everyone should have a day of lounging on yachts, driving Lamborghinis, and eating truffles.
A toy company makes a replica action figure of your likeness. What 2 accessories do they include?
The James Aquilone action figure would have a donut in one hand and a book in the other. With an extra donut included, in case the first one gets lost, or accidentally eaten.
If warning labels and safety features didn’t exist, what would be the likely thing you’d die from?
I don’t read warning labels, so it’s a miracle I’m still alive. I once cut an electrical cord with a pliers while it was still plugged in. I’ve also lit hairspray on fire in my bathroom and ridden the escalator without holding onto the railing. I’m a bit of a daredevil.
Is there a genre or literary niche that you feel hasn’t gotten its deserved amount of attention?
Zombie fiction. Some people think it’s a fad, but the undead never die. It’s kind of in their DNA.
What has been your worst or most difficult job? How does it compare to writing?
My most difficult job is convincing people I’m sane. Like writing, it’s a creative process that I’m not always successful at.
What book should be made into a game (card, PC, board, etc.) and why? Is there a specific character who you would want to play in this game?
A Clockwork Orange video game. With a score by the lovely, lovely Ludwig van Beethoven, the game would follow Alex as he rises to power among his droogs and battles rival gangs to take control of a totalitarian London. Side missions would include finding and stealing a real horrorshow Durango 95, avoiding capture by truant officers, and collecting classical music albums, while racking up as many ultra-violence points as possible.
Would you prefer to visit Earth in 2100 or travel back to 1900 for a short visit? Why?
I’d travel back to 1900, open an interest-bearing bank account, deposit as much money as I could while there, and then empty the account in the future.
What does your Writer’s Den look like? Neat and tidy or creative mess? Can you write anywhere or do you need to be holed up in your author cave?
Armed with a laptop, I don’t have a Writer’s Den. I mainly write on the couch or the tub. And, yes, I take my laptop into the tub. Like I said, I’m a bit of a daredevil.
If you could sit down and have dinner with 5 dead authors, who would you invite to the table? What would they order?
Elmore Leonard, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, Kurt Vonnegut, and Richard Matheson. Considering the fact that they’re dead, they’d most likely order brains.
Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?
I was recently named Managing Editor of Weird Tales Magazine, which I’m very excited about. We have some great stories and artwork coming out. So check that out. And the third book in my series, Dead Jack and the Old Gods, should be published later this year.
Dead Jack Website ~ Dead Jack Facebook ~ James Quilone Facebook
A Bit About the Author
James Aquilone was raised on Saturday morning cartoons, comic books, sitcoms, and Cap’n Crunch. Amid the Cold War, he dreamed of being a jet fighter pilot but decided against the military life after realizing it would require him to wake up early. He had further illusions of being a stand-up comedian, until a traumatic experience on stage forced him to seek a college education. Brief stints as an alternative rock singer/guitarist and child model also proved unsuccessful. Today he battles a severe chess addiction while trying to write in the speculative fiction game.
His first novel, the horror comedy Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device, has been optioned by Lonetree Entertainment and Dreamstreet Entertainment and is in development for a TV series. His short fiction has been published in such places as Nature’s Futures, The Best of Galaxy’s Edge 2013-2014 and Unidentified Funny Objects 4. He is the managing editor of Weird Tales Magazine and an entertainment editor at iHeartMedia. Suffice it to say, things are going much better than his modeling career.
He lives in Staten Island, New York, with his wonderful wife.
Book Blurb
Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device
Dead Jack, Book 1
By: James Aquilone
Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-13-18
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Pandemonium: a twilight dimension of nightmare creatures, mythical beings, the undead, and everything in between. To Dead Jack, it’s hell sweet hell. In the first book of the series, the tortured, drug-addicted detective stumbles upon his most dangerous case yet, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Can the zombie PI and his associate, the homunculus Oswald, save the day? It won’t be easy. The duo must face rogue leprechauns, ghost pirates, a sex-obsessed shark woman, sycophantic ghouls, an insecure fire demon, and a goateed maniac who calls himself the Duke of Pandemonium. Good thing Jack’s getting paid in a ton of fairy dust!
The Giveaway!!!
Author James Aquilone is offering up 1 Audible US copy of the humorous zombie fantasy book Dead Jack & the Pandemonium Device. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) What are some of your favorite zombie stories? 2) Do you have an Audible account? 3) Leave a way to contact you. Giveaway ends September 15, 2019, midnight.
