Are you already exhausted with the presidential campaigns? Romney vs Obama? Then get involved with some #Zombie campaigns.

Now that my little ZOMBIE monster has been undeading across all English-speaking parts of the world for the past few months, I’ve decided to roll out two ZOMBIE campaigns: #Undeadhead & #GotZombie. I wish I could say that these ideas were my own, but truthfully they have been inspired by my readers and their vigilant efforts to spread the ZOMBIE infection globally.

Operation 1: #Undeadhead
About a month ago, I received word that a small group of super-fans in Canada challenged each other to read my ZOMBIE in reverse, chronologically by chapter–meaning Epilogue to the Apocalypse, Chapter 99, Chapter 98, Chapter 97. You get the idea. I asked one of the readers to explain the reasoning behind this reverse ZOMBIE reading method, and her answer was very Jeremy Barker-esque: “because it seemed like a fun experiment.” These fantastic ZOMBIE super-fans were the first to be donned with an official title: #Undeadheads.

Then on my Bolt Bus back from Baltimore to Brooklyn this past weekend, I came upon a pocket of super-fans in the Philippines via Twitter. These fans have been passing a copy of my book around to their friends. As if this humbling grassroots promotion weren’t enough, one super-fan, in particular, went so far as to render her vision of what Jeremy Barker (@ZombieBarker) the narrator and main character of ZOMBIE looks like to her.

Pencil Drawing of Jeremy Barker
Artist: Chelsea Menda (age 14)
Location: Philippines

Clearly, they’re #Undeadheads,even referring to me as:

WOOH. Got followed by le awesome author of "Zombies" @jrangelella

—
FOLLOW ME, GRIMMIE シ (@Chernathan) September 04, 2012

For the #Undeadhead campaign, ask yourself: are you a fan of ZOMBIE? If so, then use the hashtag #Undeadhead whenever you reference ZOMBIE on any social media platform. Be it: blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. Eventually, I’ll create an official #Undeadhead ZOMBIE Fan Club on my website, offering some truly cool giveaways and ZOMBIE-rific goodies.

Operation 2: #GotZombie
Since the book’s June 5th release, I have received a number of pictures from readers, expressing their various ZOMBIE loves: the cover, story, characters, zombie film references, Lazarus as the first zombie, the ending. The pictures are mostly of themselves holding their ZOMBIE, or in front of a ZOMBIE. If they’re an #Undeadhead, then they get creative and send me pictures of their ZOMBIE with scary dolls.

For the #GotZombie campaign, I want fans to take to the social media metaphorical streets and Tweet, Facebook, blog, Pinterest, Instagram pictures of my ZOMBIE with the hashtag #GotZombie. For example, snap the pic and upload it with:

• #ZOMBIE spotted at WORD in Brooklyn #GotZombie
• This book is messed up! Srsly! I love it! #GotZombie
• Only 2 left at Atomic Books – #ZOMBIE – Baltimore #GotZombie
• I #GotZombie today in the mail. #Undeadhead

Do you #GotZombie? Are you an #Undeadhead? Get involved!

With warmth,

- JRA