Devoured Review and author interview

Devoured by Jason Brant

Life isn’t kind to Lance York. A full-time job has eluded him for years, his wife loathes the sight of him, his bank accounts are empty, and his wealthy father-in-law revels in his failures.

After he lunges in front of a car to save a sick and disoriented woman, Lance awakens in a quarantined hospital. A devastating plague is spreading worldwide, driving those infected with it insane. Their bodies begin to mutate into horrors that have haunted mankind’s nightmares for centuries.

The world descends into chaos as death holds sway in the streets.

With the help of an unlikely ally, Lance must navigate through the collapsing city of Pittsburgh, striving to escape the madness of the Apocalypse that unfolds around them.




Claire's Review 5 of 5 Stars

Devoured was one of those books I have had on my tbr list for a while but never got around to reading, I then managed thanks to the author to obtain a copy of the audio book. Not knowing really what to expect I jumped straight in and I was not disappointed. From the first chapter I wanted to hear more, the story sucked me in from the word go, wanting to know where the story was going, I well and truly became hooked listening to little bits as often as I could. It was so well written and well read I could imagine every single scene and the story played out in my imagination like a movie! Jason Brant has created an amazing story which has you hooked as if the infected have you in their grasp! I will be purchasing the book to read as well as having listed and I cannot wait to read/listen to the next installment of the story.

About the author

Jason Brant is the author of thrillers and horror novels. His works include Devoured, The Gate, The Dark, the West of Hell series, and multiple novellas and short stories.

A job led him from the mountains of western Pennsylvania to the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. For a little over half a decade, he held the position of Digital Forensics Analyst for the Department of Defense. He escaped that post to write novels, watch movies, and drink microbrews

Author Interview

What do you do when you are not writing?

Read books, watch movies, drink beer.

Do you have a day job as well?

I'm a full-time writer. Until three years ago, I contracted for the Department of Defense as a Digital Forensic Analyst. It sounds more important than it is. Basically, I broke into computers and looked for bad stuff.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing two and a half years ago. Before that, I'd never attempted fiction. It took me about 3 months to finish my first novella, though it was terrible and isn't for sale anymore.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

Horror and thrillers are the books I read and the movies I watch. I never considered attempting anything else.

Where do you get your ideas?

Cocaine.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? And if so how do you deal with it?

Not in the traditional way that people think about it. I don't sit and stare at a blinking cursor. I do get stuck on plot points and twists and turns, though. Getting through them can be brutal at times. I don't have a method for dealing with them, besides sitting down and struggling through.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

The idea of writing from an outline has no appeal to me. I enjoy discovering the story as I write it. Working from an outline feels too much like work and I'm a lazy S.O.B.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

I know it's a cliché, but Stephen King. IT was the first adult book I read as an early teenager and it really hit home to me. The man has produced some of the best horror ever.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I'm an indie author who has never sent a single manuscript to a publisher. I have no interest in the struggles of finding an agent and a publisher and then getting a measly percentage. Instead, I pay an editor and cover artist outright, then handle the publishing process myself.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

There are several that I've attempted to write, but I also get bogged down. One is THE DARK GATE, a joint sequel to my novels THE GATE and THE DARK.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I'm currently writing BLAZE the sequel to my thriller novel, ASH. It's about a soldier who suffered a traumatic- brain injury while serving in Iraq. As his mind heals, he begins to hear the thoughts of those around him. His life spirals into booze and depression until the government finds out what he's capable of.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

I use the names of readers, friends, and family members in all of my books. In CONSUMED, I put over thirty names from readers of mine in the book. Like all authors, I draw from life experiences, but, fortunately, I don't base my books on things that have happened to me.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Get your ass in the seat and put some words down. The only way to finish a book is to put the work in. This is the greatest time, ever, to be an author. If writing is your passion, then take advantage of the opportunities provided.

Who designed your book cover(s)?

Rene Folsom from http://www.phycel.com/.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Im not so smrt, and like: can't think too good, so...

At what point in your life did you realise that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?

When I released THE DARK. It sold 2000 copies in less than four weeks, which was enormous for me at the time. At that point, I knew that I could make it as an author.

Can you describe your writing room/space?

Sex swing in the corner. Mirror with cocaine on the desk. Bad, bad things in the closet.