Zombie Shop: 20 Questions with Sean T. Page

Sean Page is a zombie survival expert and has provided consultancy to private industry and governments around the world on what to do in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Admittedly, few of them actually asked for the advice in the first place.

Sean founded the Ministry of Zombies in 2009 to raise awareness of the zombie threat and stop the uninformed becoming cheap meat snacks and published The Official Zombie Handbook UK, War Against the Walking Dead and The Haynes Zombie Survival Owners Apocalypse Manual. He is banned from most government buildings and some people think he's a bit weird.

Here at Zombie Shop, on the other hand, we think of Sean as the unrecognised guardian angel savior of mankind and all round badass.

We've battled the undead horde by Mr Page's side in the deep park depths of military bunkers, and witnesses him fight back against the walking dead on more than one occasion and can attest to his skills, knowledge... and maybe just a little bit of that weirdness.

So when we recently had a chance to get inside the head of UK's leading zombie expert, we'd be brain-dead to refuse.

Sean Page with his most recent bestseller.

1 Why Zombies and how did you become the expert you are?

Zombies are the best monsters for writing. They’re a blank canvas & you can pretty much do anything with them. My time hanging around morgues & cemeteries has made me an expert at all things ‘undead’. I wouldn’t say it’s done me much favours in other areas as I am a bit weird now. But, zombies I know about.

2 Do you mostly write in the morning, daytime or the witching hour?

Evenings mostly. I like to be quiet & locked down. Also, during the day I’m grafting so the any writing needs to be done in the evening & at night. I probably don’t produce as much work as other authors.

3 Which author has had a major influence on your work and why?

David Moody & Max Brooks for sure. Both cool dudes. Different kinds of writer but both kings of entertaining readers. That’s what I like. I think most folks to be entertained. They work hard & they want something to relax or scare them!

4 Which book do you think everyone should read?

I like 1984. I mean it’s not a laugh a minute read but it’s one of those stories that will stay with you. One day I’d like to try a mash up & ruin it with some teenage vampires or zombies.

5 Do you think non-fiction is finally getting the recognition it deserves?

Not really. I read Pippa Middleton’s party book & it was shit. However, the SAS survival handbook was good. It’s a strange world like that. I’d like to have of combination of Pippa Middleton & the SAS handbook – now that would be a good read.

There is no combination of Pippa Middleton's party book and the SAS Survival Manual, so here's the next best thing.

6 Zombies – slow or fast and can some really fly?

Must be slow for me. I loved 28 DaysLater but for me in books & movies, I like em slow & menacing. I love the build of thousand of walking corpses – that really helps build the tension.

7 Blunt instrument, firearm or blade?

Blunt instrument every time – unless you are trained in the use of firearms, they’re more of a danger than a help. I say a trusty cricket or baseball bat is best. Blade wise, a cleaving sword might do as well.

8 If you could save just one luxury, what would it be?

Coffee for me. I need it to live. I know I have a problem & I’m dealing with it. But, that’s what I’d save. Coffee for sure.

9 What do you think is most likely to cause a zombie outbreak?

Mutated virus for sure. We’ve had a few close misses but it’ll be a virus which causes the big one.

10 What is your number one piece of advice for surviving a zombie apocalypse?

Preparation. With just a few hours of zombie training per week, you can drastically increase your chances of survival. So, get organising your 90 day survival plan with rations & stores now.

11 If you were a character in someone’s work of fiction, what would be your opening line?

Mmmm....good question. My last words, just as I’m dying, would be “It must’ve been the pate” I’d then keel over in a comic death scene.

"It must've been the pate!"

12 How much does music play a part in your creativity?

Not much. I like STEPS & they’re crap. I don’t get much done to music.

13 If you had to live in a clichéd alternate reality would you choose medieval fantasy or futuristic sci-fi?

Futuristic sci-fi. I’d love a hover car. I’ve always wanted one. I tried to make one out of an old Toyota Prius. It didn’t end well & a lot of people got hurt. I can’t say too much as there’s still legal action pending.

14 If you had a super power, what would it be?

Invisibility – but not the kind where you have to run round starkers. I want to be fully-clothed when I go snooping.I’d also like to be able to cause mischief when invisible. Nothing serious, just dropping an orange on people’s heads – that kind of thing.

15 Star Wars, Star Trek or Sci-Fi curious?

I came out as Sci-Fi curious a few years ago. Up to then I was all Star Wars. Now I’m out & proud I can say that I like both, with a bit of Babylon 5 mixed in. You used to get put in prison for that kind of stuff.

"You used to get put in prison for that kind of stuff."

16 Do you think roleplaying and video games are good practice for the impending zombie apocalypse?

The ones where you have to gather resources & fortify are best. The ones where you are constantly battling with a team with an average age of 9 & more ammunition than a regiment is not so good. You gotta get out there & learn some real survival skills.

17 Do you see the influx in zombies in entertainment as good thing or will it simply dilute the serious message you need to get across?

I gotta admit I love it. I try to write to entertain people. Many of my readers are young & they don’t want preaching. If there is a message in my books it’s bloody well hidden. Nah, joking aside – it’s brilliant to have so many books, movies & games out there.

18 Dead Island, Dead Rising, Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty Zombies or ‘They just haven’t made one quite right yet’?

For me, Dead Island came as close as you can. What a game – I love it & the expansion Riptide. I just liked the whole scenario, the missions & how the level of difficulty increased. The range of weapons was great as well. Ideally, I’d like a more open, free-play world but this game was brilliant.

19 Do you have a guilty pleasure you are willing to share? An interest completely unrelated to zombies?

I love trekking & travel. It’s a great chance to try out those survival skills. I’ve been all over the world climbing things but I love the desert the best. Zombies would just crumble & die there...it would be a great place to hide out.

20 What’s next for Sean Page?

The last six months have all been about aliens. I am preparing an Alien Invasion Manual for Haynes (the car people). I now wear a tin foil hat everywhere & am always on the lookout for clones or implants. David Icke was right – it’s a scary world.

The Truth is out there... somewhere.

Sean isn't kidding when he says he loves trekking and travelling. He's just spent 7 days surviving in the Sinai desert, exploring haunted ruins and dancing... mentally as a continuation of his Omega Man adventures!

You can see Sean's video blogs of this and his previous Omega Men escapades over at the Ministry of Zombies website.

When the apocalypse goes down. We want Sean T. Page on our Zombie Survival team!