So, Wednesdays are pretty much my favorite blogging days because I get to welcome cool guests like Clay Morgan.
Clay is a writer, speaker and teacher…and author of a sweet nonfiction book called Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, Reborn. It’s about zombies. And Jesus. And being undead. It’s awesome.
Awesome enough that I’m doing a giveaway!* Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Clay’s book. I’ll use a random number generator to pick out the winner next Tuesday night. So enjoy the interview with Clay and make sure to enter by leaving a comment!
1) Your book is about life and death and God…and zombies. Which might make a person go, what?! How’d you come up with the idea? Why zombies?
You should have seen the looks I got in the beginning when I told people I was writing a nonfiction book on zombies and Jesus. I wasn’t even thinking about writing a book at the time when the idea struck that dead people came back to life in the Bible, and we would call such people zombies by today’s standard. Then I found out that stories of nine people returning from the dead are recorded in scripture. I didn’t know all the stories and they were too cool to not tell.
2) I loved the closer look at the lives of people raised from the dead in the New Testament and the sort of labels you gave each one—the outcast, the ruler, the friend, the savior, the servant, the student. Is there one you most identify with?
I’ve related to those types differently over the years. At one time I would have said the student. For much of my life I could say the outcast, and I love that no one is an outcast to God. In recent years I most closely relate to “the friend” or Lazarus. He was a guy who had a relationship with Jesus but still suffered something terrible. They were friends but Jesus did not come save the day when times got bad. However, God still did this amazing transforming work in the life of Lazarus. God is so great and deep and never loses the ability to blow our minds and change our lives for the better.
3) A lot of the readers of this blog are aspiring writers. (And the rest are kind enough to put up with a good deal of writer-talk.) So, as a debut author, can you tell us what it’s like on the other side of publication?
It’s tough. I worked with a supportive publisher, but you still have to carry the load if you’re not at an elite level which few people are. Marketing is brutal work, at least if you’re doing it right. I tried a number of things that yielded zero results; I mean absolute wastes of so much time and money. But I’ve learned a lot about what works too and have been given some cool opportunities on the other side here. Very few people are able to make a living as a full-time writer, so I’m thankful for the teaching and speaking work I do.
But the great part is hearing from people who read the book and find meaning within. I put a lot of personal stuff in Undead because it turns out I’m kind of an authority on spiritual death. It’s super humbling to think that I’ve been given this opportunity, however modest, to show people God, Christianity, and true life in a way they’ve maybe never seen before.
And now, some just-for-fun questions…
4) If you could add zombies to any rom-com out there (’cause that’s what I write), which would you zombify?
Okay, here’s my standard. What rom-coms are absolutely unwatchable for me? (And this is where you all throw things at me with your minds!) I mean, Hugh Grant flicks are safe because I always enjoy them. And I also acknowledge the greatness of The Notebook.
So if we’re talking about zom-coms I’d like to add the undead to Sex In The City right off the bat. Let’s see, what else have I been forced to suffer through? I’ll throw zombies in a Julia Roberts double feature and say My Best Friend’s Wedding and Runaway Bride. I wish she would have been running from the living dead.
I lost a bet last year and had to watch and review Mamma Mia! WORST EVER. Zombies would be awesome in that one. Also, ANY Jennifer Lopez movie from the past decade needs zombified.
Okay, Melissa has to butt in here (and apparently refer to herself in third person)…because Runaway Bride is wonderful! Don’t let Clay lead you astray! The characters actually get to know each other. They throw out good zingers. And that second to last wedding dress Julia Roberts wears…So. Pretty. All this is coming from a girl who doesn’t even like Richard Gere. Okay, I feel better now. All that said, I could not possibly agree more about Mamma Mia…and I will be quiet now.
5) For the zombie uninformed among us, best zombie movie or book ever?
World War Z by Max Brooks really is an amazing book. It’s set afterthe zombies are defeated which isn’t how the upcoming movie version is going to play out, but that’s a brilliant feat of writing, especially if you know anything about history and world cultures.
As for movies, Zombielandis a safer bet than most. At least they use humor and talk about Twinkies in between appearances by the living dead.
6) Your number one tip for surviving a zombie apocalypse…or a regular day. 🙂
Keep moving and get to where it’s cold and snowing. Zombies wouldn’t be able to move in a blizzard. If you do think that hunkering down is your best bet I recommend finding a Walmart in Northern Canada.
7) Why would your book make a good Christmas gift?
Undead makes a great Christmas gift because everyone knows people who are impossible to buy for. This book has a great message delivered in a fun way and also includes some sweet original artwork. Most importantly, this book is for anyone who’s ever wondered if something was missing in their life.
*****
Clay Morgan is a writer, teacher, and speaker from Pittsburgh, PA who blogs about pop culture and spirituality at ClayWrites.com. He is the author of Undead: Revived, Resuscitated, and Rebornabout zombies, God, and what it means to be truly alive.
Readers, Melissa wants to know: Are you a zombie person? Not, are you a zombie, but are you into zombie stuff? If you could zombify any rom-com (or really, any genre if you don’t like rom-com…though if you don’t, you probably shouldn’t tell me), which would you choose? And who is with me on Runaway Bride?!
*I’m doing giveaways each Wednesday in December. Woohoo! So if you’re not lucky enough to win this time, come back next week. And if you don’t win Undead, go here to pick your favorite online outlet and buy it.
Comments 65
Not really a zombie fan…just haven’t gotten into that genre, but…I have a friend who keeps pushing The Walking Dead, so I may have to breakdown and watch it. 🙂
And Clay’s book sounds intriguing. Will check it out! Thanks for introducing him to us!
Hi Pat. I’m so glad Melissa let me stop by here. Great community around these here parts.
The Walking Dead is not for the faint of heart but there’s a reason it’s breaking ratings records too. At least I can say that my book isn’t scary.
Yeah, I actually have a friend who’s obsessed with The Walking Dead, but I’m actually a little scared to commit to it solely because I remember how I was with 24. I loved it, but I think watching it gave me heart problems. I have a feeling TWD could do the same…only it’d be zombies instead of terrorists…
Okay, first, Mel…I need to hear this story about you going to a memorial service for someone who wasn’t dead!!! Whaaaat???
Secondly, didn’t someone zombify Pride and Prejudice? Disgraceful. 😛
And third, sounds like a very cool book! Love the originality of the idea.
Yup, I want to hear that story too MT!
I didn’t mention Pride and Prejudice but will say I read the zombified version… And loved it 😀
Okay, I almost told the story in the video, but then realized I’d been rambling too long. Here’s the thing: I work for a homeless ministry and we have a lot of student groups, youth groups, colleges, etc that come do missions trips. Sometimes we actually go down to tent camps by the river, in the woods, etc, just to give out food, water, pray with people, basically let them know that when they’re tired of living that way, there’s a place they can go for help…sooo…one Saturday we had about 25 students from my alma mater, so I went along with the guy leading the group. We get to this one camp we visit often, the people living there all know us…and we find out one of them has died. The tent campers were really broken up about it, talking about how this man has no family, THEY were his family and now he’s gone and they were very understandably heartbroken…as was my supervisor, because he’d gotten to know this man through the years. So, he decides we’re going to have a funeral right there in the tent camp. He actually gave a sermonette, people are crying, we sing a few songs, hold hands and pray…it really is an emotional time…a couple hours later, I’m sitting out on my balcony, having said goodbye to the students (who I think were a little stunned at the turn the day had taken)…and I get this call from my supervisor, who says, “Soo…um…I just found out *Bill* isn’t actually dead.” I spit out my pop. “Yeah…uh, he just has a broken leg.” And then we had to decide which one of us was going to be brave enough to call the students and let them know we’d just had a funeral for a guy who was very much alive. Good times.
Why did they think he was dead?!
Um, I really do not know. But let it be a lesson to us all: verify. And oh, there are so many other hilarious details to this story I didn’t share…like the fact that I ran into one of the college students like a year later and couldn’t figure out how I knew him. And he took one look at me and goes, “Funeral in the woods!”
This is probably the most intriguing post I’ve ever read on your blog, Melissa … well, probably almost-ever.
Zombies and God … really?
But, it works.
I mean,really.
(Clay is now nodding his head and going “Duh, of course it does. I wrote an entire book on it.”
I am ordering a copy of this book today — as a Christmas present, no less!
And no, I am not into zombies at all — although I saw a 2-page spread in a Christmas catalogue devoted to all things zombie, including a T-shirt decorated with all the vital organs … yeah, there ya go …
And I must concur with Melissa about Runaway Bride, Clay. It is a terrific rom-com –but of course I’m a bit partial to the whole “runaway bride” scenario.
But now all I can see is Julia Roberts heading toward the Fed Ex truck and being cut off by a horde of zombies!!
Thanks Beth! And you’ve got a great vision for how we could zombify that movie. Okay, so I should leave Julia alone. I am a Knotting Hill fan. Does that give me any cred?
I think Melissa and I need to record a rom-com/zom-com debate video and post it.
Ha, Beth! I could so picture that! But I have to say I wouldn’t enjoy the movie nearly as much.
Beth, you have good reason to be partial to runaway bride stories. 🙂
And yes, Clay, good call on Knotting Hill. I got to see the red door from Knotting Hill when I was in London. Sadly, Hugh Grant was nowhere to be seen.
And yes, we need to do the debate video.
Melissa, you never cease to amaze me! You have a zombie story from college and a non-dead memorial service story…I feel like I’ve lead a sheltered life. 🙂 This sounds like an amazingly interesting book. I’m sharing this post on Facebook – I know others would be interested to hear about it, too.
Yeah, we Iowa girls live exciting lives. Ha! Thanks for sharing, Gabe!
Hi Gabrielle, in the book I talk about how my family forgot me at a funeral home when I was a little kid. Glad the dead person didn’t come back to life then!
Not a zombie person. 🙂 But I love the story of Lazarus, especially when Jesus weeps at the grief of Mary and Martha, even though he knows he’s going to raise their brother from the dead.
…which makes me so thankful we have a Savior who doesn’t just watch us live our lives, but feels with us.
I love that story so much.
I’m not normally a zombie fan, but love this definition. And there are Walmarts in N. Canada–lots of them–and it’s fun hunkering down during blizzards–I’ve gotten some of my best insights that way.
Thanks for a great post.
Dee, we have blizzards AND Wal-Marts in Iowa, too. You should come visit sometime, zombie apocalypse or no.
I don’t stockpile ammunition; I just stockpile Canadian friends 😀 Although I’ve never been to Iowa yet…
Um, you’re missing out, Clay. Cornfields. Barns. The birthplace of John Wayne. The deathplace of Buddy Holly. Field of Dreams. So much to see…
Interesting concept, Clay!
Melissa, I’m with you on both Mama Mia and Runaway Bride.
I’m not into zombies…or many supposed-to-be-tear-jerking dramas. So throw the two together and that might be halfway watchable. 🙂
Mamma Mia made me sad for musicals.
Mamma Mia made me sad for humanity.
Okay, all, was it just the movie version or the show in general?
I’m talking the movie version. Unfortunately, I watched/endured it without ever seeing the stage version, so I’ve been drained of whatever desire I might’ve once had to see it live.
Hi Clay! What a fun twist on Zombies, I love it. I concur that Mamma Mia is the worst movie ever, so let’s Zombi-ify that one and leave the good ones alone!
Amy, seeing your comment here made me miss you. I need to plan a trip to the Twin Cities solely to visit you.
Thanks Amy! I love talkin’ zoms. I’ll try to leave the good ones alone but we may have varying definitions of “good” 😉
Hi Melissa, Lyndsay here….Okay this is my first time leaving a post about anything, anywhere….ever, but just had to comment about the idea behind this book. Sounds like a great read and why didn’t anyone ever think of this before?? Clay, you’re a genius! I wouldn’t classify myself as a zombie fan, but I love the parallels that this concept draws on as it relates to our walk and relationship with the Lord. I’m “dying” to read it! 🙂
Lyndsay! You are hilarious. Also, want to walk to Casey’s…hehehe…
Love this comment! I’m honored that you made it in response to me too. Also stunning is that no one (as far as we’ve discovered) EVER wrote a book on the individuals raised from the dead in the Bible. Sure there’s a story here and there but how did we miss this collection of stories? I’d love to hear what you think.
I’ve often wondered about people like Lazarus and some of the kids that were raised from the dead in the Bible, like what they end up doing with their life after they’ve been raised from the dead and what they even thought about the whole being-raised-from-the-dead business. Even though I mostly put up with zombie movies occasionally for my hubby’s sake, I might just have to read this book.
I think it would be fun to zombi-fy some old movies, because they were way better at amping up the melodramatic back in the black-and-white days…
Maggs…a) Yes, read the book! b) I most wonder about the guy who fell out the window. Because while the end of his story is awesome, telling the beginning falling-asleep-part could be a little humiliating. Although, maybe after being raised from the dead, a little humiliation doesn’t even register. And c) Now I want you to come down to Des Moines and watch an old movie with me.
I love the idea of the religious leaders threatening Lazarus after he had already been brought back from the dead. I bet he was real scared!
Hey, I know some living “walking” zombies. Great to meet you Clay!
Rachel
In that case, they could probably use Clay’s book, Rach. 🙂
Hi Rachel. I talk about that very thing. What do you think of the term zombievangelicals? 😀
Okay so the whole zombie thing is totally freakish to me. Yeah, being the mother of two teenage boys, when that stuff comes up — I quickly exit or use my “motherly authority” to change the subject. Ack! The latest thing they want me to watch…The Walking Dead? umm, No! I probably wouldn’t sleep for a week. But I absolutely am intrigued about the walking dead from The Bible!
I will add it to my boys Christmas list. Thank you for sharing!
I happen to remember how much your kids like to read, Alena. I’m thinking of the boxes of books you bought at ACFW. Hehehe…speaking of, so are you saying if we’re roomies at ACFW next year, you don’t want me to wake you up in the middle of the night dressed as a zombie?
That’s great Alena. If they like zombies or The Walking Dead they’ll probably enjoy the book.
Ack! MTagg — I am not responsible for my response if you do that. Just saying……;0)
Hi Melissa! Hi Clay!
The book concept is very interesting!
I confess that I’ve read P & P – the zombified version, seen Zombieland, and have thumbed through The Zombie Survival Guide. As a big fan of Jesus, I think your book could be a great read. Congrats!
Ok, ok, who is a zombie in the zombified P&P, Loree. Please say Mr. Collins. I just love him. The most obliviously obnoxious character ever. He deserves to be a zombie.
Hi Loree! Oh you’ve gotta check it out if you’re with me on all those fun stories. True story, I was reading P & P & Zombies the very night I got the idea for this book.
Melissa, NOT Mr. Collins. He’s kind of great in this version.
So, really, what you’re saying is, P&P inspired your book? 🙂 As for Mr. Collins, now I’m tempted to read P&P&Z just to see him in that version…
I am not a Zombie person at all, but I would love to read this book. I also have a son that would enjoy it! Clay, what a creative way to talk about life on earth!
Denise Hawks
Much appreciated Denise. I would love to hear what you think about it!
I’ll confess I wondered about the subject matter today! I’m kind of a zombie-slayer from way back. Just kidding, but I’m not fond of the whole concept.
Brilliant new take on some old true stories. I’ve often thought about Elijah (or was it Elisha?) that stretched out over the dead boy…being more science-minded, I try to figure it out. Of course, it was all GOD and nothing I COULD figure out!
Fun post and nice to meet you, Clay. I don’t watch much rom-com, I’m afraid. I’m more of a sci-fi, Doctor Who kinda chick.
Sci-fi is good with me. I’m certainly not much of a rom-com guy. I do talk about those Old Testament stories too in the book and how the stretching out move resembled some sort of CPR.
Ezekiel 37 is probably the coolest story of zombies in the Bible. My favorite sermon is by Pastor Colin Smith and he writes that a pastor friend of his holds a class for preachers and he takes them out to a cemetery. The pastor then asks if someone would volunteer to preach. Pastor Colin writes: “What is the point of preaching in a situation where, by definition, hearing, understanding, and responding are impossible? The point of the exercise is simple. Every time someone presents the Word of God to an unbelieving person, that is exactly the situation. The Bible says that until God makes us alive through Jesus Christ, we are spiritually dead. (Eph. 2:1-5)”
I’m also with Melissa on Runaway Bride being an excellent story. I love when he asks her what kind of eggs she likes. 🙂
Preaching in a cemetery. I like that, Mel. So, my question though…he’s saying preaching to an unbelieving person is like preaching to someone who is dead. And Christ has to make us alive. So, what’s the role of the preacher, then? Is he saying, don’t preach to unbelievers, it’s pointless? I’m guessing not, but maybe I’m wrong. Ha, probably I should listen to the sermon!
“So Ezekiel began to pray, and as he did, the breath of God entered the corpses. Ezekiel saw them coming to life. Never, never, never underestimate what God can do, when His Word is preached and His people pray. If the breath of the Spirit of God blows upon a situation that is completely dead, a remarkable transformation will take place. As Ezekiel looked at the vast army in the valley, he knew that this was the work of God. But he also knew that God had done this miracle as he preached and as he prayed. He must have wondered, What if I had not spoken? What if I had not prayer?” -Pastor Colin Smith.
Good question Melissa! I think his point is that it is only by God that the dead can be made alive. We can be the tool in which he allows this to happen, but we were once zombies too before Christ made us alive. 🙂
Awesome, Mel. Thanks for the explanation. And I see why you love that sermon. 🙂
Once I had a patient die in the ICU and we ran the whole code and everything and he was good and dead for awhile so we stopped everything and pronounced him dead and walked out of the room and 20 minutes later one of the nurses walked in the room and he was breathing again. That’s my closest “zombie” story. (He later died for the second time that day).
I really loved that story until the last line. I don’t envy your job, Laura!
On a happier note, though, the long-awaited Waterloo trip is upon us. See you soon. 🙂
Incredibly interesting subject matter. Never even considered the connection between zombies and The Bible. Thanks for being so original and giving us something new to ponder. Well done! K Fotia
Thanks so much for that!
Hey, Clay and Melissa! Fun post!
I’m not really into zombies, though I keep drifting into writing other horror-monster stories. When you’re presenting spiritual truth and power, it just makes sense to have spiritual demons and other monsters as the baddies.
UNDEAD would make a great present for the hard-to-buy-for. You could definitely say, “Hey, I bet you don’t have THIS…!”
I think there should be a zom-com sequel to some Meg Ryan movie. Her movies never have sequels b/c then she would have to say, “I realized that Tom Hanks just wasn’t the right guy for me anymore when I fell in love with Russell Crowe …” But if you turned the lead into a zombie, that might create a reason for her to wonder if she should really stay with him, now that he’s dead and gory-looking. Just some suggestions: “City of Angels II: City of Zombies”; “Undead in Seattle”; “After Harry Met Sally and Became a Zombie”, or “You’ve Got an Obituary”. Can you work something up with those?
Hey Randall! I think we could definitely work with a City of Angels sequel. I don’t have to actually watch the first one to know what I’m writing I hope.
Maybe not, but it would give you some fuel for ideas. Seriously, I don’t hate any of the above-mentioned Meg Ryan movies – just wish she didn’t routinely leave one guy to pursue her “true love” – not a good message to send people.
Hope you sell lots of UNDEAD books for Christmas!!!
(:^D
I’m a pretty big fan of the You’ve Got an Obituary option. Or, we could go back to the Jimmy Stewart movie You’ve Got Mail is based on, The Shop Around the Corner…and rework it: The Morgue Around the Corner, The Cemetery Around the Corner…lots of options…
Very good! I like “Morgue Around the Corner”! Heard about the original but didn’t know Jimmy Stewart was in it – now I’ll have to see it.