FAQ: Will There Be a Sequel to THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING?

THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING was named the #1 Zombie Novel of 2012 by Barnes & Noble's Explorations.

It has garnered rave reviews from both readers and book reviewers.

Sales have been very good across all the platforms including audiobook, ebooks, and paperbacks.

It's been optioned for a possible film.

I have had numerous fans tell me that my sci-fi/horror novel is their favorite of all my work so far.

On my personal list of favorites I have written, this novel sits at the #2 slot behind THE TALE OF THE VAMPIRE BRIDE.


The second most commonly asked question I get from fans is

Will there be a sequel to THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING?

The answer is no.

There are no plans for any sequels whatsoever.

THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING is a standalone novel that tells the story that brewed in my mind in it's entirety.

But why...

Because the story I wanted to tell is done and there isn't anymore inside my head.

I don't understand. Just make something up...

One of the things that is increasingly apparent to me the more I talk to other writers is that every single one of us has a completely different way of writing our novels. Some people base their characters off of people they know or themselves, they meticulously construct storylines, they outline every single plot point, and basically micro-manage the book into existence.

I do none of those things.

Most of my novel ideas are born out of dreams. I dreamed the opening chapter of THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING then skipped through the rest of the story, snagging snippets as I went. By the time I woke up, I had a general idea of the story and the characters.

My process is that I think about a story and characters long before I start to write about them. I often describe it as having little worlds floating around in my head. Occasionally I open one up, peek inside, and decide if I want to explore further. If I do, I spend a good chunk of time in my own mind exploring the world, the characters, etc.  Therefore, by the time I actually sit down to write that particular story, I have an idea of how all the puzzle pieces might fit together once I start writing. Unless I have to write a synopsis for Tor, I don't write out anything at all. I just start writing. If I get an idea for something further down the line in the story, I write the idea utilizing yWriter's  feature of summarizing scenes and/or chapters.

I basically write until the story is told.  Sometimes as I'm writing I realize there is much more to be told than just that one novel. The perfect example of that is PRETTY WHEN SHE DIES.  But it also works in the opposite direction. I realized fairly quickly that THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING was a standalone.  When I finished the final scene, I felt the door on that world close in my mind.

So make it up!

Well, I can't. I know that sounds weird, but stories take on a life of their own. They have a definitive beginning and an end to me. Long ago, I did try to force stories to do my will (hehehehe), but they would just peter out and die on the page until I ripped out the stuff I was trying to shove into the narrative. It's like watching a movie in my mind and transcribing it to the page. If I try to write something that isn't on the screen, the whole thing falls apart.

Yes. I'm crazy.

But it's my favorite book...

And it's one of mine, too, but I refuse to force the story forward when the seed of a new tale isn't in my mind ready to flourish. I don't want to sell that world short.

If one day an awesome idea for a sequel lands in my head, I will definitely consider it, but for now I feel the story is done.