Kier McGuinness is the author behind horror-dark comedy Generation Dead. A writer who takes inspiration from those around him and his own rich life experiences, Kier’s diverse background spans creating graphic novels, dedicated charity work within the Leeds LGBT community, fashion marketing, photography and now training as a paramedic. All while working on the Generation Dead series with the second book set for release in the coming months. His vast experience has shaped the way that he writes to create something extraordinary like a zombie apocalypse which also feels relatable on a deeply personal level. Kier offers readers a raw and authentic narrative about real life issues, against a backdrop of zombie horror unfolding in Leeds!
Generation Dead follows a group of students as they navigate the zombie apocalypse. What feels like an unflinching, almost anti-coming of age story which Kier himself describes as Skins vs. The Walking Dead, the gritty storyline of the series includes young people dealing with psychological issues, mental health issues, body and identity issues. Now they must take their very survival into their own hands.
“In the chaos of a NYE party vs the zombie apocalypse, four unlikely friends become separated and must grasp the harsh reality of the undead nightmare breaking out in their living room.
As they seek sanctuary at a supermarket, they must learn to trust one another and battle their personal demons as they battle the monsters outside.
This horror-comedy puts a fresh spin on what it means to be a teenager, and what it will take to stay alive. Can they figure out who or what is behind this outbreak before its too late?”
I had been looking forward to chatting with Kier about Generation Dead and was so pleased that we both found time to talk about indie publishing, what’s next for the series and how he finds inspiration in everything.
Lucy (L): Zombie books and films are a popular horror genre, how did you make Generation Dead stand out?
Kier (K): I began with an eye catching cover. I drew the comic style illustration when I was 16. The book is very personal to me. Each character carries pieces of my own life experiences, they are loosely based on people I know, and it's set in Leeds, where I'm from. The story itself contains a lot of hard-hitting themes that will run throughout the series. The young people in Generation Dead are adjusting to the world around them with psychological issues, mental health issues, body and identity issues. One of the characters suffers with borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia, and they have to navigate the zombie apocalypse without their medication. I am very careful not to dramatise these issues, I want to represent them accurately, I try to keep the characters as realistic as possible.
To compare for a moment to Charlie Higson’s Enemy series, he writes middle grade and young adult horror and sci-fi. I wanted to look at how students would navigate the zombie apocalypse. They are all young adults who are going through the trails and tribulations of testing the limits of their independence and finding themselves. I wanted to explore how these characters will react to pressure cooker situations — then add zombies. Sort of like Skins meets The Walking Dead. The zombie genre is so popular that it will always continue to be reimagined.
L: Generation Dead isn’t just a horror novel, there’s a lot of dark comedy woven into your writing, how do you carry humour through such a dark story?
K: The series goes to some very dark places, I don’t want people to have to put the book down if it gets too intense. I wanted to offer some comic relief. I have a very dark sense of humour, it can be a good coping strategy. Humour is medicine, it’s helped me through some difficult times. I’m currently training as a paramedic, and a part of my dissertation is “why do paramedics use humour as a coping mechanism with patients”. Also, some of the characters might seem a bit too unlikable if it wasn’t for their funny moments.
L: Did you find any of the scenes difficult to write because of the fact that the characters were based on real people?
K: Yes and no, I used friends real names and personality traits. Everyone in the early drafts of the books died at least twice. I found myself getting quite upset because I didn’t want to lose the characters.
In terms of gore, I wanted people to squirm. My publisher said she had to put it down and take a break. I wanted the gory scenes to be meaningful, I wanted them to shock but not to only offer shock value, they had to drive the plot forward. I had to keep telling myself “It’s not real!” because the characters were all based on people I know.
L: What books and films inspire you?
K: I was actually exposed to horror films when I was far too young by some relatives, we can laugh about it now, but it definitely left it’s mark. I grew up enjoying fantasy-horror films like The Mummy (1999) which is a comfort movie for me and sci-Fi such as The Fifth Element. Generation Dead was inspired by zombie films such as 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead, also comedy-horrors like Shaun of the Dead. The cinematic trailer for Dead Island which was released in 2011 was fantastic, it swept awards everywhere, although it was a trailer for a zombie game it was so emotionally charged which I took inspiration from. All of the books, films and TV series I consume have inspired Generation Dead in some way. Even shows like Fleabag, everything has a subtle influence on the way I write.
In terms of books I have quite an eclectic taste too, but I’m quite picky about the books I read. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. Recently I read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, it had me in an emotional chokehold. It had such a profound effect on me.
L: Are you a planner when writing? What does a typical writing session look like for you?
K: Sometimes I can sit down and write a scene which ends up as a stand alone scene ready to expand on, or work into a book. Sometimes I can sit down to write and it’s as if I’m possessed by a Generation Dead entity, the words just flow and before I know it I’ve written 150 pages. I’m more of a spur of the moment kind of guy. My notes in my phone are just lines of ideas for the books. I’ll take my notes and piece them together later. While writing Generation Dead I was so sure that I was going to end up under investigation because I was regularly googling things like “What happens to the body after decomposition?” and “How to clean up a dead body?”
L: You worked with an editor, Rachael E Hardcastle, how was that process and how did you meet Rachael?
K: Generation Dead started when I was at school, I have ADHD but I found it easy to concentrate on writing, it was a great way to express myself and so my teachers encouraged it. At first it was about school kids but the book grew with me and ended up being about a group of students. I continued to work on it and add to the book which was a collection of loose pages at the time. I based it on Shaun of the Dead. A friend of mine found my papers and asked if I’d like her to send them to a friend who was an editor and had just started her own indie publishing house, which is how I met Rachael. I needed an editor for the book and I was happy to work with Rachael but only pages into reading it she called me and offered me a publishing contract.
Working with an editor for the first time had its difficult moments, it took time to realise that none of Rachael’s feedback was personal. I struggled to take criticism at the beginning but she knows her stuff, she’s a bestselling author. She was direct with her opinions but she explained the editing process really well. We worked together collaboratively on editing, I learned a lot from her about publishing and marketing, she was a joy to work with.
Rachael pointed out that a single line of Generation Dead was a plot hole early on in the editing process. Going back to edit that meant that the sequence of events in the book changed which even changed some characters fates — that was a huge learning curve, although I enjoyed reimagining and rewriting the outcome.
L: Did you always know you wanted to be an author?
K: When I started writing at school I knew that I loved it. I also went to stage school and, at the time, I felt sure that I wanted to be an actor. I did a few minor roles and wrote some scripts. I was interested in directing too. I had this urge to create. In the end I knew I’d be a good writer.
L: Will you continue to write horror? It seems like you’ve found your niche.
K: Definitely, I love writing horror, I also enjoy fantasy. I’m interested in ancient mythology. I listened to Stephen Fry’s Mythos, Heroes, Troy and Odyssey. My immediate thought was that you don’t get many show’s about ancient myths and legends on TV. There’s Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, off the top of my head. I’d love to make a Once Upon a Time style series with Greek Gods. My roots are in horror, I love the scares and the thrills, but I enjoy writing anything otherworldly. Who knows? Perhaps one day I could write a memoir about being a paramedic, I’d have to make sure it was done ethically. There’s definitely a story to be told.
L: I’ve seen 5 star reviews of Generation Dead from readers who want more, when can we expect the next book in the series?
K: The second book is ready to go. Things have been on pause because I’m in the last year of my degree and it’s a very intense time. I’ve had lots of people ask when they’ll be able to read the second book! It’s coming soon.
Pick up your copy of Generation Dead at Waterstones. For updates on the next book in the series follow Kier on Instagram here.
Find more information about Rachael E. Hardcastle and Curious Cat Books here.