Q&A with Courtney Summers

Am I taking part in another blog tour? Why, yes. :) And, once again, it involves a Canadian author and her new book. I think I've been typecast. ;)

When Raincoast Books asked if bloggers were interested in taking part in a Canadian blog tour for Courtney Summers' new book This Is Not a Test, I jumped at the chance. Courtney has a way of writing emotional contemporary YA that cuts deep, and this book is no different. Except for the zombies. That's right, Courtney's new book has zombies. And it's awesome. :)

As part of the blog tour, I got the chance to ask Courtney some questions. Now, I did something possibly foolish and didn't ask about the book. At all. Honestly, if most of the questions she answered weren't about writing, This Is Not a Test, or any of her other books, I'd be surprised. I blame Crystal at Raincoast Books, her e-mail said to ask unique questions. And so I asked bizarre questions that had nothing to do with the book. Thankfully, Courtney was awesome and still answered everything. :) I hope Courtney doesn't think I'm weird. Well, too weird.

Q: What is your favourite pop culture (TV/movie/comic book/book/video game) zombie?

A: I LOVE the zombies in the game Left 4 Dead even though they're more zombie-like than actual zombies.  I used to hate zombies that mutated until I started playing that game and now I'm receptive to them.  :)  The Taaaaank! is particularly horrifying.

Q: What is your favourite video game? (doesn't have to be zombie-related)

A: I have three because I'm a cheater because it would be impossible for me to pick just one.  The first was mentioned above:  Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2.  I like the campaigns and look of the first but prefer the characters in the second.  Portal 2, because the gameplay is amazing and GLaDOS is one of the best villains of all time and finally, Alan Wake because it's so atmospheric and moody and creepy and the story gets me every time. That ending--wow!  I also love Mirror's Edge.  Okay, that was four.

Q: What is the one scary/horror movie you would recommend above all others?

A: This is one of the toughest questions I have ever been asked so I am going to cheat again and name more than one.  The Changeling is one of the spookiest ghost stories I've ever seen--I still can't watch it at night--and One Missed Call was my introduction to J-Horror and it scares me on repeated viewings too.  So does Ju-On: The Grudge, which I totally recommend.  And one of my all-time favourite scary movies is the original Pulse. It's not conventionally scary but it's unsettling and beautiful and lonely.

Q: In your opinion, what is the best weapon against a zombie attack (both one-on-one and a horde)?

A: Probably a gun for the one-on-one and an ultra-weaponized, reinforced vehicle of some kind for a horde.

Q: In your opinion, what is the best plan of attack against vegetarian zombies?

A: Vegetarian zombies!  Hmmm... since they'd pose little threat to humans, I imagine booby-trapping gardens would be the way to go.  That's what a vegetarian zombie is, right?  Undead who rove around looking for fresh produce?  :)  If it's more like the 28 Days Later kind of zombies where they don't eat you so much as just tear you apart in a fit of anger, then my answer is there is no best plan of attack.  We are totally doomed. So I really hope you meant the first kind.  :)

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Lindsay!

Thanks so much to Courtney for answering my non-book-related questions. ;) This Is Not a Test comes out on June 19, so spend the next week waiting desperately on the edge of your seat so you can go buy a copy.