Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing since I was about 14 years old and have always been drawn to dystopian and post-apocalyptic worlds. So far (as of November 2020), I have written one novel. It is a serial novel, however, so I initially published it in five separate parts.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘Thrive: Season One’, a novel comprising the first five episodes of my zombie serial. The story starts off with a group of friends on a camping trip in the British countryside whilst, unbeknownst to them, a zombie outbreak ravages the nation. When they emerge from the woods and find the world in chaos, they must quickly adapt in order to survive.
The idea for Thrive came when I went camping with my family in a local woodland. I couldn’t stop marvelling at the peace and solitude we experienced while we were there, especially at night when it was so dark and quiet. My mind wandered and I thought, if we turned off our phones, anything could happen back home and we would have absolutely no idea about it. Because I’m a sucker for a good zombie book, my mind went in that direction and I imagined what it would be like if a zombie apocalypse happened while we were there, how it would feel to emerge from the woods and find our home town overrun by the undead. It was the seed of a story, and sure enough, that became the opening of Thrive.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
The only thing I can think of – though I don’t think it’s that unusual – is my habit of compiling soundtracks on Spotify for each of my books. The songs I put in them are ones I can imagine playing in specific scenes if the book ever became a film or TV show.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My writing has probably been most influenced by thriller writers – namely, Lee Child and Blake Crouch. I consumed a lot of thrillers when I first started seriously writing, and I feel like I emulated my writing style on what I was reading. It would be hard to pinpoint which specific books influenced me the most, though.
What are you working on now?
I am currently outlining a dystopian thriller project that I’m really excited about, and that’s all the info I’ll give on that because I think the idea is quite unique and I don’t want anyone to steal it, haha.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring that out myself. I have found free promotions (making your book free for a limited time or permanently) to be helpful, and I always encourage readers to leave reviews in the back matter of my books as the more reviews you have, the more Amazon and other online retailers will drive traffic to it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to experiment and take creative risks in your writing. And keep reading widely.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” – Stephen King
What are you reading now?
I am slogging my way through ‘Sandworms of Dune’ by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. I have really enjoyed most of the Dune series, but I am not loving this one very much. However, it’s the last book in the series and I just want to see how it all ends.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not yet sure whether I will write this new dystopian thriller project I am currently outlining or continue writing Thrive instead.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
1) Dark Matter by Blake Crouch – One of my all-time favourite books. If I ended up starving to death on this island, I would want to read it one last time.
2) Dune by Frank Herbert – Another one of my all-time faves. And it has great re-readability because the story is packed with so many little intricate details that, even after several re-reads, you are still finding out new things.
3) The Ultimate Desert Island Survival Guide by The Ultimate Desert Island Survivalist.
Author Websites and Profiles
Harrison J. Lamb Website
Harrison J. Lamb Amazon Profile
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