"The Other Side" is OUT NOW!!!!

So so so so pumped! "The Other Side" has been released today! It's been a long wait, but wait no more! Blood, sweat, tears, sweaty-tears, some sanity, countless hours of sleep lost, but in the end, I effing did it!

I want to thank all the fans (all two of you) and friends (I won't dare put that number) very much for your support. You took a chance with a first-time writer and stuck with a story that I hoped would set itself apart from the growing post-apoc/zombie genre.

I can't say it enough, thank you.

I truly hope you enjoy the finale. It's a long one (like 2-3 books packed into one), but in the end, I hope you flip (or swipe?) the last page, and then lean back exhausted and say "Damn that was an epic f**king finish!" Or something to that extent. You can choose :)

But again, thank you for your patience, reviews and support.

If you get a chance, I'm sure fellow readers and new ones would like to hear your thoughts on Amazon or Goodreads (lame to ask, I know I know). Hell, even if you wanna send an email my way I'd love to hear from you. But even if you don't I hope you enjoyed the story.

In the words of my good buddy Mike, Ciao for now, world,

-me

You can check out all three books here:
Yup, right here

Guesss whooooo's done?!?!?!?

That's right!!!!

No B.S.
No subtleties
No playin' coy

I Effing did it! Book three - "THE OTHER SIDE" - the epic conclusion to The Longest Road and The Change, is DONE! Finished! In the bag! I'm not sure of another word or phrase so I'll just stop there.

At times I wanted to step back and make it two parts. Other times I wanted to throw something at my screen. But in the end, I powered through and last night, just before an hours-long power outage in the area, I finished the fourth draft!

Over a year ago I started working on "The Other Side." I knew a general direction of where I wanted the story to go, but one thing I've learned from writing is sometimes you have to let the characters and story take the reins. And I did, albeit to an extent (I am the author after all), but so much happens in this novel, so much love, so much heartache, so many cheers, so much heartbreak, new allies alongside your favorite heroes, despicable bad guys for you to curse, but one thing is certain, you can expect a fast paced, in your face finale. And if I may be so bold as to quote the back blurb from "The Longest Road"....every stop is filled with surprises, twists and turns as their lives continue on this roller coaster driven by hope and shadowed by despair....and this roller coaster is one more wild ride from the end.

After "The Change," I really wanted to take my time with this story. All too often with books, TV shows, and movies, a series finale can be a let down, it can fall short, it can be not exactly what we hope for. But it has been my hardest endeavor to build this book, to create a story with such intensity as this. And after reading through it time and time again, I believe this EPIC ENDING will be worthy of your approval. I hope by the time your finger flips the last page or swipes the screen one final time, that you sit back, exhausted and say "Damn, that was an ending...what a story!"

Okay, maybe you can use your own phrases, but seriously, my goal is to leave you with a bittersweet (mostly sweet) feeling of fulfillment. I can promise you laughs, I can promise you "oh shit!" moments and I can promise that it's not all roses in this story, not everyone makes it...but the struggle, the passion, the drive these characters exert and what they endure is worthy of the ending they achieve.

So Thompson, what does this mean? When can we actually read it?!?! Damnit man give us answers!

Well to answer my metaphorical self posing to be a fan, here's what happens. Some point today I will do a lot of copy and pasting in order to get it in a format to send off to Severed Press. From there, the book will go through editing. With a page-length like The Other Side has, I wouldn't be surprised if it took 3+ weeks to get back from editing, who know's maybe more? It is Christmas (that's right I said it) season- but of course, for those with different beliefs I wish you and yours happy holidays- so the end of the year craziness could also push back editing time frames.

No matter, the hard part is done. So, after it gets back from editing, I'll give it a once over with a finer tooth comb and if all is well, stamp it with my final approval and then it's yours. How does that sound? Awesome. So sit back, pull out your copies of "The Longest Road" and "The Change" and get caught up on all the action because very soon, you'll be neck deep in "The Other Side!"

Well, that's all I got for now. Keep checking back here, Google +, FB, etc for updates. Oh, and real soon, +michael boyajian will be releasing some artwork from "The Other Side" :) which even I have yet to see...

So stay tuned world, and thanks again for your support.

Love,

me

direct questions, comments, concerns, criticisms = theasthompson@gmail.com

BOOK 3, draft two....DONE!!!

What's up everyone?!?!? First off, I'm back stateside, so that's cool.

But more importantly than my safe return...I'M DONE WITH THE SECOND DRAFT!!!!

That's right, literally just finished draft two of "The Other Side" right now, and I mean right now! I wanted to shut off my computer and I donno, go eat, go do something, anything to get me away from a computer screen, buuuuuuuut I wanted to share this piece of awesome info with ya'll.

"So, Thompson, what does that mean?"

Good question...I probably have mentioned it before, but I do write a few more drafts before I send it off....BUT WHAT IT MEANS is that we are SUPER close to release... while I can't give a specific release date, this day- finishing draft two- marks the beginning of the end (dramatic pause.....aaaaaand continue) I mean all that's left is cleaning up the story and adding my finishing touches...kinda like sanding a sculpture, or nothing like it, I donno, I don't sculpt.

I will say that this story is exhausting...in every sense of the word. This epic has everything I know you'll be craving and I'm anxious for you to read and see how it all ends...

But there you have it..I'm tired so no more for right now...any questions about the process (other than "when's the release date?") and I'll be happy to answer.

Stay tuned for more, world...

-me

Merry Christmas/Happy Bday

Good Morning, everyone!

Don't worry this post will be short :)

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. And for those who have different beliefs, I hope you had and continue to have an excellent holiday season. I hope you got to spend it with the close ones in your life, and who knows, maybe you even met some new friends?? There's a ton to be thankful for and one of the things I'm most thankful for has been the opportunity to put my stories out there for you to read. I really appreciate all of you for supporting me in my writing. I hope that as time goes by the writing continues to improve and the stories continue to get better and more exciting.

Also, I wanted to take a minute to say thank you to everyone who wished me a happy bday. I appreciate the messages/calls/texts from all of you. You seriously rock! Aaaaand IF you felt like giving me a present, it wold be awesome to hear you in the form of a review on amazon. Positive or negative, long or short, it's nice to hear from readers to see what they liked/didn't like and how I can continue to make better stories with each book.

That's it, I'm done :)

Again, thank you and I hope all of you had an excellent Christmas/holiday season and whatever your plans are for NYE, have a blast and be safe!! And hey, it's about to be a new year so whatever you've been holding off on, do it! Travel, start a new hobby, ask the person out, go for a career change, learn something new; whatever it is, go for it and give it all you got, you'll be glad you did! Don't let time pass you by!

Bye world!

-me

This Must Be the Week of Celebrity Encounters...

Last weekend was the LBC&HC where I met a ton of great people from +Off Shoot Comics  and Fanboy Comics as well as new and established talent like +B. Alex Thompson (not related...that we know of), +Joshua Silverman (great writer who you should check out)...AND not to mention my run in with +Jonathan Maberry ....all of who added to a super-fun and straight up kick-ass weekend...

How could it get any better you ask? Well, I'm sure you didn't since I'm the one writing this, but I'll tell you anyway...

Hanging out with author/blogger/Zombie-Guide writer +J. Cornell Michel, THAT'S HOW!! I'm just a celebrity magnet!

I made my way up to sunny San Francisco to get away from life for a couple days. Aside from visiting friends, eating delicious clam chowder, touring Alcatraz, and savoring just one piece of Ghiradeli chocolate, my mission was to sit down and get some long-awaited face time with none other than the author of Jordan's Brains... and what a fun night that was..

But first, a little perspective...

Michel wasn't alone that night for dinner- she brought along the other half (And I since I'm not allowed to use his real name, for reasons of anonymity of course, I will refer to Mr. Michel as "Spouse"). So, by the time I navigated to the restaurant, Spouse was relaxing with some wine, while Michel was already one martini deep...let the games begin :)

So there we were, a couple-a' zombie writing living legends, shootin' the shit while I slurped down clam chowder (obviously it's a theme) and she sipped elegantly on martini Numero 2. We talked about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, zombies, more life, Spouse's life, Michel's second book, my books, football, wine and more life (yes, I did want to see how many times I could use the word life before I got annoyed with myself for not thinking of anything else).

Anyway, what a fun, talented and full-of-life person Michel is...and not to mention BUSY! Currently, she's finishing up her second book- which I'm sworn to secrecy to not discuss "hint-hint...it MAY or may not have to do with the undead"- all-the-while she's ready to co-publish a short Christmas-themed zombie poem "Twas the Bite Before Christmas"...I had the opportunity to beta-read it and let me just say it's hysterical and so creative, and the rhyme scheme and descriptions are fantastically done...all three of you reading this, you have to follow her and check up on release dates!!

Unfortunately Michel and Spouse had real jobs so it wasn't the all-night rager I was hoping for, but it was a great time hanging out with them. So, two, or was it three beers later? And a couple martini's for her...the night was closing up...but not without an interview from Michel. I can't even remember how many times I got off topic during her questions (so thanks Michel for dealing with me...and I wasn't even drunk), but eventually I answered (kinda) them...If any of you are interested in checking out the interview click here..you can even see a pic of us two mysterious horror novelists!

So, in closing, what happens when two next-gen horror writers get together? Well, I can't exactly tell you cause we try to keep our lives out of the media...I know, I know, what a cop-out...sad, but it's just something us famous people have to deal with.

Seriously though, we had a great dinner discussing our passions and future projects. Michel is a wonderful person and writer and I want to say thank you to her and Spouse for taking the time to get together with me. I am personally looking forward to another trip up to the bay, but maybe not as much as I am to read her next book.

Oh, and +J. Cornell Michel if you're out there reading this...thanks for signing my book!! And thanks for my present!!

That's it for tonight, ya'll...football time.

Khdahafez dania,

A.S. Teezy

LB Comic and Horror Con, and oh, Happy Thanksiving

Alright, so I'm finally getting to this...a few days late, but whatever, I've been busy...

So, the Long Beach Comic and Horror Convention was last weekend. +michael boyajian and I hit the con hard, bringing books, posters, cards and some other goodies to giveaway.- maybe next year we'll even dress up...cos play they call it?

Being my first convention ever- going or having a booth- it was interesting. There was decent traffic, although, if I had one criticism, it's that it wasn't as geared toward horror...it should have just been labeled as LB Comic Con only. I mean, there were some horror booths, writers and zombies crawling around but mostly it was comics. Whatever, end of the day it was exposure, right?

But if one of you curious cats were to ask me "Hey Thompson, what was the biggest and best highlight of the convention?" To that I would reply, "Well, Curious Cat, I'm glad you asked....randomly walking around the convention was none other than writer +Jonathan Maberry (his work has been a huge influence on my writing). And more than that, he stopped by the booth and took the time to hang out with Mike and I! Whaaaaaaaat?!?!!? Ya, that happened! Maberry was informative, helpful and just a super cool dude!

So, all in all the weekend was a success. I met a ton of great people, made helpful contacts and new friends and even had the pleasure of fellow Severed Press author +mwgarza  making an appearance! Thanks man! And check his stuff out if you haven't.

Now today is Thanksgiving, and it only feels right to take a second and say THANK YOU to all those who purchased books or otherwise supported me- both at the convention and since the inception of my first story. It's a really cool feeling, and I'm grateful to have you as fans and friends as you are who make writers a success, and it's your support that allows us to continue to do what we enjoy doing.

So have a happy, happy Thanksgiving (even if you don't live in the US). Eat, drink and tell your family and friends how much they mean to you. Tell a stranger hi, give a lil something to someone less fortunate and be happy to be alive.

See ya,

me

The Longest Road only $0.99...?!?!

So it looks like The Longest Road, yup that's book one in the most kick-ass zombie/post-apocalyptic series of all time, is only $0.99 for a limited time! What does that mean for you? You get book 1 for a huge discounted rate!!

For those who already got it, I feel your pain of having to pay full price...I always seem to miss out on deals like that. BUT you can always pass this info along to your friends so they can take advantage of it, and when karma comes around full circle you'll have some goodwill coming back at ya!

So there it is, short post, but just wanted all three of you to be on the lookout for the deal and help me spread the word!

Thanks world,

me

*Oh and in case you needed help finding the deal on Amazon, you can click on the hyperlink on this post or the image on the side of the blog. Thanks!

Long Beach Comic and Horror Convention

Okay, yes, I know, I suck at social media. It's not surprise, though. I check emails and respond to fans and friends alike on a more personal level, but when it comes time to logging on, liking, following, messaging, joining pages, and being actively involved every minute of every day on the million sites, I just suck at keeping up. I even don't get on this blog as much as I should.

Anyway, I just wanted to get that out of the way to explain my absence to the world. Well, I do kinda have an excuse and that is I have been working away at the second draft for book 3. It's coming along nicely! That's so great of you to ask! :)

So with work, book 3 and all the other stuff in between I've been busy...but not too busy to talk about something super important that's coming up....and that is THE LONG BEACH COMIC AND HORROR CONVENTION taking place on November 23rd and 24th! That's 2 days of hanging out with fantastic authors like myself and awesome illustrators like +michael boyajian, who, yes, will definitely be there too...as a matter of fact he and I will be sharing a booth and will be having TONS of goodies to give away!

I know what you're thinking..."I don't live anywhere near Long Beach, CA." Answer: Road Trip! Plane ticket! Bus ticket! Hitchhike! Whatever it takes...I guess we'll see how much you really like me...(seriously though, don't go poor or get killed hitching to get there- there will be other conventions)

Or maybe you saying to yourself, "I want to go, but it's like $25 for a pass!" Answer: It's ONLY $25 for a single day pass and discounted if you go both days, and even cheaper if you go just Sunday!!! That and there's SO MANY PERKS...you can come hang out with me, physically "like me" in person, walk away from my booth with a sh*tton of goodies and giveaways, and even some free candy, yes, delicious-buy-your-love, candy. I'm keeping the grand prizes and best giveaways under wraps, so come!!!

You're probably thinking some other stuff too, but my mind reading is slowing down- I need breakfast. So I think that's about it for now, but get your passes and come have a fun weekend with me!!

Yours truly, world,

me

Oh and if you're looking for some good zombie/horror reads, check out these friends of mine...
+mwgarza
+J. Cornell Michel
+Zombie Fighter Jango
+Phillip Tomasso

The Other Side- first draft, done!

Alright so I neglected eating, drinking, social media (not that that was rare), people and just about breathing, but last night I finally finished the first draft of "The Other Side"!!!

What is "The Other Side?" you ask?

This book is the epic conclusion of the previously released books "The Longest Road" and "The Change"- for those who read this having no idea what those books are about, they are zombie novels that follow a group of cousins after the world was exposed to a viral outbreak (yes the general statement of basically every other zombie story). With elements of conspiracy, family, perserverance, and intertwined fates, mine are WAAAAY different than anything that is out there, but at the risk of writing a long, boring synopsis and losing you halfway through, I won't. Instead, you can find them here: books

You might ask yourself "Yo, A.S. Thompson, why are you making a big deal? It's just the first draft, why's that so special? Why not wait until the book is actually finished and released?"

Whether or not you did ask yourself that, consider those questions, talk like that or you use informal/ gangsta lingo, you're right. A first draft still has quite a ways to go until it is finished, but for the fans and friends who are looking forward to the third book and the die-hards who are jonesing to see how it all ends, I wanted to give an update and let you know the end is almost here.

And there is more than that...

When I first wrote the outline, I debated releasing this book as two parts. Not to be a dick, squeeze your pockets, or tease/taunt you, but because there was SOOO MUCH drama, twists, turns, heartbreak and of course, zombie action that remained- SOOO MUCH story left to tell, that this last book could stand alone as two parts. But I thought about it from a reader's perspective...would I really want to read one part, then wait a million months to read the finale? I hate it when TV shows and movies leave you hanging, craving for the last part, so I said screw it and decided to close this epic zombie tale in a grandiose fashion.

This conclusion is straight up nuts. If you thought book 2 stepped things up, just wait. Even as I write it I think to myself, did you really just do that?!!? Did that just happen?!?!

When I get done with the next couple drafts and iron out the action, you will see. There are brand new characters- friends and foes- new scares, new twists, but you can expect to find the same characters you've come to bond with (hopefully) and cheer for them or scream at them as they follow their path to the end.

Sincerely, I want to thank all of you who have stuck it out this far to read the story, and as always, I have appreciated all the comments and criticisms you have taken the time to write. There is more to come and more updates to divulge, but know that it won't be much longer. Also, for all the fans for the amazing artwork, +michael boyajian will be back to do another badass cover and more interior illustrations!!!

Thanks again, world.

- ME

Interview with writer/blogger Heather Myers

I just did an interview with southern CA writer/blogger Heather Myers. We talk about, well, me and what makes me tick.

Topics include: what inspires me, why zombies, and why yelling and throwing things at a computer does not successfully combat writer's block.

Here's the link for the article:

It's right here

Check it out, blog-reader-people! Thanks for stoppin' by!!