And no, I don't mean smart publishers/agents; I mean publishers of smart zombie novels.
Emm... smart novels. Not smart zombies.
See how slippery these adjectives can be?
Here is the thing: I have the pleasure of editing a truly kick-ass zombie novel written by a client who also happens to be a good friend. This is a pure joy for any freelance fiction editor.
But I'm not sure where to help him submit. It isn't the pulpy genre stuff. It isn't super literary like Colson Whitehead's Zone One, although it does do some experimental things with POV and is very well-written.
As I said, this zombie novel is not just a zombie novel. But it's also not just a "thinking man's" zombie novel. It's a coming-of-age story, a love story between a boy and his dog, it's a commentary on the force of connection that keeps us sane in the midst of insanity, even if it's with someone from a different species.
I keep searching for publishers and agents of "thinking man's" horror, but that isn't quite right. The book is thoughtful, yes, plays with point of view, yes. It even uses the dog's POV charmingly and in a way that actually seems like dog-think. This is a guy who really knows his dogs, thirteen-year olds, and zombies, and approaches them with the wonder of an adolescent.
It is more like Salem's Lot - horror that has more to do with a world turned upside down than lots of gore.
My friend is a first-time novelist but he's polished this thing to a shine. He's a talented and emotionally intelligent storyteller and if I could publish him with a strong force of marketing and distribution, I would. I would be on him.
I think it would be a great pick-up for a medium-sized publisher. An agent or publisher who isn't just publishing pulpy zombie stuff, but looking for genre fiction that transcends itself.
Any thoughts, leads, comments, dear writers and editors and friends?
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