W W W . D E R E K G U N N . C O M
 
 
 
Newsletter from Derek Gunn
May 2009
 
Dear Readers,
Between the doom and gloom (recession, flu scare, weather) over here, I've spent the first few months of the year up to my tonsils at work (day job) but writing wise,
there has been a few things happening that have brought a little ray of sunshine to brighten my day. 

First up, my first book has been under option for film since 2007 and contracts have recently been exchanged to extend this until 2011. This project has changed
a lot since it was first optioned.  For starters, there is a far bigger project in development in terms of personel, budget etc. than what
was first envisioned two years ago. I've seen a couple of versions of the script and all looks great so far. Sorry to sound vague but this is awash with agents,
producers, lawyers so at this stage, until it's officially announced, I'm limited in what I can say.  What I can say is that my new contract gives me first option to write the
movie tie-in book which, I'm very excited about. Also, the location for filming that is being talked about at this stage, means I won't have too to go to the other
side of the world to visit the set. I'm holding my breath and keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this keeps moving forward....
 
 
Latest Book Release:
I'm delighted to see that the release of the second book in the Vampire Apocalypse series DESCENT INTO CHAOS has brought about a renewed interest in the first book,
A WORLD TORN ASUNDER, and a lot of sales are now of both books at the same time. It would certainly seem that bringing out the sequel has introduced a bunch of new
readers to the series.  Also, new reviews are coming in all the time and I'm thrilled with the feedback.
 
 
New Stuff at derekgunn.com:
I've added a piece of fiction at my website for readers to read online.  ‘Payback’  is a short story that first appeared in the horror anthology, The Blackest Death II,
published by Black Death Books in 2006. The anthology is now out of print. This is actually the first piece of mine to be published so, I thought I would put it up at my
website (look for it in the "extras" page) for anyone who enjoys an atmospheric horror story.  A serial killer takes a train ride but his past comes back to haunt him...


Contest:
Subscribers to my newsletter are already entered in a random drawing to win an autographed copy of my latest release, DESCENT INTO CHAOS,
the second book in the Vampire Apocalypse series.  Winner will be drawn on June 1st.  Please note that subscribers who sign up for the newsletter
by May 31, 2009 are also eligible.
 
 
Also Just Released:
From THE LIBRARY OF THE LIVING DEAD press, ZOMBOLOGY is now available to purchase at online booksellers. The fantastic Dr. Pus has put together a great line-up
for the first anthology from LOTLD (Library of the Living Dead) and a story of mine, It's Your Turn, is in it.  Note: this story first appeared in Chimera World #2.
 
 
Forthcoming works:
 
I have a short story coming out (June) in an anthology, BURIED TALES, set in the Pinebox, Tx universe (publisher, 12 to Midnight)
the story is called "The Evil Within".

 
THE ESTUARY (Permuted Press)   Preview coming soon at my website.
 
The third Vampire Apocalypse book, FALLOUT, is due early October. 
 
And, I just found out that THE HMS SWIFT CHRONICLES, coming from Ghostwriter Publications this year, is getting new cover art from none other than artist
Steve Crisp who has designed covers for Richard Laymon and Stephen King to name but a few, over the years.  Needless to say I'm stoked at this, I can tell you! 
 

Convention wise, I had a blast at Phoenix Con in Dublin in March and at this stage, I'm on for Games Fest in the UK and Octocon in Dublin in October. Oh, and I'm a
paid-up attending member for The World Horror Convention in Brighton in 2010.  And, the guest of honour is non other than James Herbert!
 
Until the next time....
 
Take care and happy reading.
 
Derek Gunn

Dave Moody (author of HATER) praises THE ESTUARY

UK scribe Dave Moody took time out of his busy schedule to read my forthcoming release from Permuted Press. Dave is the author of the recently released HATER, now available in both the US and the UK and the book is in production with producer Guillermo del Toro and Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage)is signed to direct. Here's what he had to say:

“Gunn’s ‘The Estuary’ feels like a head-on collision between John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ and Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead’; claustrophobic settings, a mysterious outbreak of infection and a group of survivors plagued by hordes of ravenous, flesh-eating zombies. Almost fifteen thousand men, women and children turned into flesh eating zombies by a long-forgotten Nazi chemical weapon… sound like your thing?

An idyllic Irish coastal town; a small, close-knit community; a cast of everyday people going about their fairly unremarkable, ordinary lives… it sounds too good to last – and it is. With the help of a buried Nazi secret and several thousand undead townsfolk, Gunn drags his cast to hell and makes them fight for their survival.
Trapped within a quarantine zone with the military on one side and hordes of flesh-eating ghouls on the other, escape is no longer an option. Just surviving is all that matters now…”

"an action packed book, which doesn’t let up until the last page"

2 new reviews of DESCENT INTO CHAOS

I recently came across two new reviews of the second Vampire Apocalypse book: DESCENT INTO CHAOS (Black Death Books, 2008) from The Horror Fiction Quarterly Review and UK author, Garry Charles. Both had kind words to say :-)

"Well, Derek Gunn has gone and done it again....I have to take my hat off to (Derek) for delivering this novel to us. He has taken the vampire mythos and given it what it so desperately needed. These bloodsuckers are true monsters and I can’t wait for the third instalment."
Garry Charles, Feb. 09

"CHAOS dives head first into what (I guess) can be labeled a "military vampire" adventure that'll have fans of the UNDERWORLD films as happy as a rabid cannibal at a weight watchers meeting."
The Horror Fiction Review, March 09