Bio
S.G. Browne attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, where he started out studying Engineering until he realized that he hated physics and was falling asleep in his thermodynamics class.
Not long after switching to the School of Business and joining a local fraternity, Scott took on the reins of writing and directing his fraternity’s entry into the annual university stage competition called Band Frolic. After being at the helm of this creative endeavor for three years, he realized writing was what he wanted to do for a living.
After graduation, Scott moved to Los Angeles and worked in Hollywood for two years as an assistant producer for Disney, where he worked an average of 50-60 hours per week. Eventually, he discovered he was working more than he was writing, so he fled Hollywood and ended up in Santa Cruz to write novels.
Thirteen years, three novels, one poodle, five cats, one marriage, and one divorce later, he moved to San Francisco, where he finished up the first draft of his eventually-to-be-published fourth novel, BREATHERS: A Zombie’s Lament, a dark comedy about undeath through the eyes of an ordinary zombie. One week before his book hit the shelves, the film rights were picked up by FOX Searchlight Pictures, to be produced by Mason Novick and Diablo Cody.
Scott continues to live and write in San Francisco, CA, where he has finished his next novel and is in desperate need of a clone.
Q & A
We sat down with S.G. Browne, the founder of Undead Anonymous and the author of BREATHERS: A Zombie’s Lament, and asked him a few questions:
How did you come up with the idea for BREATHERS?
In 2001, I wrote a two-thousand word short story titled “A Zombie’s Lament,” where I played with the idea of what it would be like if zombies weren’t the prototypical flesh eating monsters but were just normal humans who came back from the dead, without any rights. I thought if would be fun to give a different perspective on the zombie existence.
Is BREATHERS your first novel?
Actually, it’s my fourth. My first three were straight supernatural horror novels. Witchcraft, ghosts, demons from another dimension. I’d written about four dozen short stories, as well, several of which were in the first-person and more dark comedy than horror, but with a supernatural or sci-fi edge that I really enjoyed. I just never thought to try writing a novel in the same voice and tone.
What inspired you to turn “A Zombie’s Lament” into a full-length novel?
In 2002, I read the novel Lullaby, by Chuck Palahniuk. I’d never read Palahniuk, but Lullaby resonated with me. It had the first-person perspective and the dark humor of some of my short stories, so I thought, “Maybe I can turn one of them into a novel.”
Who are your favorite authors?
Chuck Palahniuk, of course. Especially Lullaby, Invisible Monsters, and Survivor. I like Christopher Moore, Nick Hornby, and Kurt Vonnegut. I also enjoy reading Mary Roach, who writes non-fiction with a fabulous wit. And Stephen King is the reason I wanted to become a writer.
How long have you been writing?
I wrote my first short story in 1990, while living in Hollywood working post-production for the Disney Studios. I finished my first novel in 1995.
How long did it take you to find an agent for BREATHERS?
From the time I started sending out the manuscript, it took me 15 months and 82 agents before I finally found one who said “yes.” Two months later, I had a publisher.
What’s the status on the film version of BREATHERS?
The film rights were purchased by Fox Searchlight Pictures, with Diablo Cody and Mason Novick producing and Geoff LaTulippe adapting. A script has been written and pending approval. That’s about all I know.
What is your next book about?
It’s a dark, irreverent comedy about fate, destiny, and the karmic consequences of getting involved in the lives of humans. The title is FATED and you can read more about it HERE.
How would you describe BREATHERS?
It’s Fight Club meets Shaun of the Dead, only with the zombies as the good guys.
