Writing Zombies into Austen

Collaborative Authorship: Writing Zombies into Austen

Jason Rekulak, the associate publisher and creative director at Quirk books, and Steven Hockensmith, author of the forthcoming Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls sat down to discuss how these ideas to turn old novels into updated horror novels came about and the benefits it has brought to both the genre and the company.

Jason Rekulak was the visionary for the whole idea. Working for a small publishing company in Philadelphia meant that creativity was much needed if he was going to profit in the business competing with other large companies such as Random House and Time Warner. Rekulak thought it would be really neat if he could rewrite some of the older books that were required in many high schools across the nation to contain more modern foes such as ninjas, zombies, and even sea monsters. Once he had this idea in his head, he began searching for all of the books that were written before 1953 because their copyrights had expired and they could be freely tampered with. Rekulak wanted to seamlessly combine the original text and ideas with some new text that brought these books to the modern times. He said that his biggest risk was whether or not he would lose both of the targeted audiences: the Austen fans and the zombie freaks.

After Rekulak convinced the publishing company that this was a good idea, they had Pride and Prejudice and Zombies written. They only printed 10,000 copies for the first run, which is rather ambitious for such a small company. The book was put on Amazon.com for preorder to see how many people were interested in this new idea. The preorders skyrocketed after a blogger had blogged about the new book including the dreadful picture that was to be the front cover. Seeing people take such an interest caused Rekulak to create a Facebook page and to print another 10,000 copies as well. He was amazed by how the blog and the Facebook page drew in so many new customers. It was enlightening to see how the internet can advertise so much so quickly.

The album debuted at three on the New York Times Bestsellers list and then held the number one spot for 43 weeks straight. This was an amazing feat that Rekulak had never expected. Over one million copies have been sold, and I know that at least two more have since that seminar because I have a copy and so does my best friend. This book has caused many other books like this to fluctuate into the market. This little leap of faith has gotten Rekulak recognition and a new business compete in.

The newest writer, Steven Hockensmith, is releasing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls sometime this year and is excited to see how it fares in the book world. Both agree that this new “Monster Mash-Up” is like combining “two great tastes that taste great together.” They are both hopeful of what these new novels will bring and they cannot believe how one book sparked such a change in the book world. I cannot wait to see what is next!

The Future of Entertainment

The Future of Entertainment: Robbie Bach; 1984 UNC Alumnus [Economics]

Mr. Bach presented a great presentation on what the future of entertainment is going to look like and the goals that have been laid out by Microsoft. His main set up was the three different places that changes will be seen: the Customers, the Creators, and the Canvas. It is now common, if not expected, for customers to have multi-screens in their houses. There are now 3-5 televisions per house. Many people can be found both watching television and using their laptops at the same time. We are a more interactive generation; we can be watching Lost while we are on our laptop looking up facts about each character. Microsoft believes that customers will begin to want an integrated system that can incorporate both of these actions seamlessly.

The creators will also have a great freedom of ideas because there are so many different ways that new technology can go. They are continuing to look for ways to combine things like books, music, video, etc. together. A perfect example of the beginning of this combination of these things is the popular game Guitar Hero. Is Guitar Hero a video game or music? The honest answer is that it is a mixture of both. When you play the game you are interacting with your guitar; so it is a video game. But while you are playing the game was are also listening to the music and learning rhythm; so it is music. Many who play this game do not even realize they are combining both of these ideas together because they come together so well.

Along with the creators who come up with the actual software and the approach that they are going to take, there are also the digital artists. Digital art has become more technologically advanced. Those who are working with video game specialist strive to make the most realistic looking characters. Modern art for many in the field has shifted to “video game” or technology art that is tweaked and created with an online art studio after the basic concept is draw out by hand.

The final change is in the canvas. New technologies have called for a great and drastic advancement in our every day products. The mouse is now viewed as a hassle because our technology is becoming more seamless than ever before. Now we are gravitating to Natural User Interfaces (NUIs) such as touch screens, motion sensors, and voice recognition software that allow us to use them much more easily and efficiently. The consumers want these easy to use and convenient technologies and the creators are working hard to make this happen.

All of these new ideas are creating opportunities for everyone. The consumers have the opportunity to basically tell producer what they want in their future products. The producers, the creators and artists, now have an idea of what they are aiming for, and they have the chance to make the newest products with artistic freedom. The business people can market these technologies with specific strategies aimed towards those who will use these products. Mr. Bach was optimistic about the future of entertainment and the involvement of everyone in its creation.

I Believe..

Ashley Russell

“I Believe”

I believe that books will be there for you when no one else is. What else do you know of that will always curl up with you in the comfort of your own bed and will take your mind off of any situation? Nothing.

Many argue that books are just a distraction that keeps the reader from dealing with their problems. I believe that books allow the reader to see possible ways to deal with their problems and the outcomes associated with each.

I fall in love with these books. They saved me from so many lonely nights full of confused emotions. When my parents decided to argue loud enough for the world to hear, their screams and shouts could only be drowned out by the words on the pages of the many books that I had amassed. They surrounded me and kept me safe. They would never forsake me in my time of need.

Independence. Many of the books that I read were about being your own person. In the book, Something Rising (Light and Swift) the female protagonist came from a bad family. They did not guide her through school. They showed no interest in her life or where she was going but she made it through because she learned to rely on herself.

Perseverance. Cassie, the main character of Something Rising (Light and Swift), overcame many obstacles and never let anything hold her back. She came out on top against all odds without the help of others around her because she trusted in herself. Even when it looked like all hope was gone, she found a way to accomplish her goals.

Courage. Cassie had the nerve to continue to try. She even took a leap of faith when she went down to New Orleans in search of her mother’s old lover to challenge him in pool. She knew he was a renowned pool player but she also believed in herself. The nerve to be persistent, the strength to persevere, and the independence to do it all on your own, that is what these books taught me.

I believe that all of these traits are essential is you want to make it anywhere in life. They all taught me that relying on myself is the best way to go. You cannot expect others in life to put you first, you must put yourself first.

I never realized perfectly I paralleled with Cassie in Something Rising (Light and Swift). She is a strong-willed, stubborn girl who makes her way through life without needing outside support from her family. She always craves for people to care about her feelings and to encourage her BUT she does not need this affirmation to keep chasing her dreams.

My parents always had work on their minds. They were never there for me when I was a child. I would look out into the stands during track meets, and I would never see them. I would pray that maybe this weekend we would go out and have ice cream or just be together but that never happened. And most of all, I wanted someone to tell me that I was doing a good job in school and that it did matter.

When you have nowhere to turn, books will be there. And when you do not have an answer for a situation, they will provide you with the right tools to find it. They have helped me through so many trials. If I had not read about Cassie’s perseverance when no one else stood by her side, then I would have never made it through the obstacles I have endured. I believe that books saved my life.