Author, David Bernstein

Young and alone against the living dead.

Riley has lived alone with her dad in an isolated cabin in New York State for as long as she can remember. It’s just safer. Her dad’s told her about the time before the zombies, but she can only imagine it. Instead of playing with friends, Riley became a crack shot with a rifle. And she’ll need that skill now that her dad’s been bitten.

She’ll be forced to leave the cabin and fight off zombies all on her own. She’s twelve years old. There’s a lot she’ll have to learn about the world she’s never really been part of. She already knows how to kill zombies. But now she’ll learn just how dangerous the living can be too.

"David Bernstein is a real craftsman, and one of the most thrilling voices to come along in a decade. He's who you should be reading now."

—Joe McKinney, author of Flesh Eaters and Apocalypse of the Dead

“David Bernstein is a rare kind of writer who really delivers the goods when it comes to horror. He'll be burning up the best seller lists soon. Count on it.”

—Eric S Brown, author of A Pack of Wolves

"David Bernstein's work resonates off the page, unforgettable in its elegant delivery, a ripple effect no doubt translating to ever bigger and vaster audiences as he continues to terrify -- and impress!"

—Gregory L. Norris, author of The Q Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Fierce and Unforgiving Muse

THE INTERVIEW:

What inspired you to write, Amongst The Dead?

Actually, Amongst the Dead, started out as a short story. The prologue is the original story. I wrote it for an anthology that never panned out. I wanted to write a zombie story with feeling. After writing the short, I wanted to know what would happen to the twelve-year old girl. She is left alone in the woods with no family or friends. Could she survive in a desolate world not only filled with undead, but with the lawlessness that is about. What will she do? How will she survive? Can she find “good” people? Her father taught her how to survive and she is a great shot, but she is only twelve.


You have a long list of works under your belt, what works are you most proud of?

That’s a really tough question. Each story and novel is special in some way or another. For short stories, one that stands out is, The Trojan Plushy, because it was accepted into Books of the Dead Press’ Best New Werewolf Tales. I’m truly honored to be in it. Then again, the first story I ever had published is special too. It’s called, You Are What You Eat, and is a sci-fi vampire tale that appeared in Hungur Magazine issue 8 back in 2009.

As for novels, well, they are all quite different from each other, except for the fact that they are horror related. One is a pure zombie novel, another is a horror/sci-fi novel and yet another is a zombie novel, but more of a horror-zombie novel. I really can’t pick one out. My girlfriend has her favorite, but I won’t say.


Of course I have ask a writer with as much accomplished as you, who inspires you?

My parents. I see what they’ve done in their lives and how hard they worked and all they’ve done for me. My girlfriend, Sandy, who not only works a full time job, but reads everything I write, tells me what works and what doesn’t, and picks up on all my mistakes. And when it comes to writing, I am inspired by a good book, regardless of the author. I love reading something that makes me not want to put it down, but at the same time makes me want to go write.


Your favorite author/s?

Okay, so the obvious, but true answer is Stephen King. I hated reading all throughout school until a friend lent me his copy of It. I was blown away and started reading other King books. I read a lot and have a ton of authors I enjoy. I used to pretty much read anything Leisure put out—Masterton, Simon Clark, Garton, etc. There are certain authors when I am reading them, make me want to write—Jack Ketchum, Joe McKinney, Ronald Malfi, Wrath James White, Robert McCammon, to name a few. I don’t know what it is, but there is something special about the way they write. And I love David Morrell books. I am constantly discovering new authors too. I have actually just discovered a slue of new authors whose work I love.


What new works are planning in the near future?

I have a trilogy of zombie books coming out from Severed Press. The first one entitled, Machines of the Dead, is available now. It’s a different type of zombie novel than Amongst the Dead. Machines is a strict zombie novel. The zombies are slow, Romero-like and there are plenty of guns a blazin’. Amongst the Dead is more action-horror oriented and creepy. There are many kinds of undead, like runners and sniffers, or tracker zombies, undead that can track someone by smell over long distances.

In October I have a supernatural horror/sci-fi (yes I mix two genres that are normally not mixed, but it’s mostly horror) novel called, Tears of No Return, coming from Evil Jester Press.

And finally, I am hard at work on my next horror title for Samhain.


Any advice for writers working to break into the publishing business?

Write and read as much as you can. Seriously. Read, read, read. Reading will help with your writing so much. Also, I highly recommend making it to Writer’s Conventions, Cons, like The Stoker Awards, World Horror, Necon, AnthoCon, KillerCon, etc. Go meet others like yourself, make connections, friends. Talk to people in the business. Ask questions, mingle. Have fun! And never give up. Rejection will become a word you see a lot, so get used to it and make it meaningless. Rejection isn’t about you, so don’t take it personally. Just keep writing and submitting. One of my novels was turned down numerous times and I had almost given up on it, but then one day it found a great home, other doors opened, and I couldn’t be happier. So you never know.


It was great having you here, I look forward to reading your works!


David's Bio:

I love writing, reading and watching horror or just plain old weird stuff. I have stories in a number of anthologies and have written a few novels in the horror genre. For a list of my credits please visit me at

My Blog

Find David Bernstein on Facebook

PREORDER Amongst the Dead HERE!!!

BUY Machines of the Dead HERE!!!

Tears of No Return--coming from Evil Jester Press in October 2012


And...


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