Jo Salazar is back to celebrate the biggest twist in her writing career: her self-published zombie novel The Dead Weight has been acquired by Sourcebooks Fire and relaunches as If We Survive the Night on August 25th. We talk through the wild, one-DM-at-a-time path from indie hustle to a traditional book deal, what changes (and doesn't) when a title and cover get a makeover, and why a title matters when a reader is deciding in seconds. Jo also opens up about building an audience through TikTok and Amazon ads, the realities of author marketing even after landing a publisher, and the Walmart special edition bonus chapter that finally answers fans' burning 'riverboat casino' question.

Then we surprise Jo with two of her biggest inspirations in the genre: Kate L. Mary and Sarah Lyons Fleming. The three dig into mentorship, community, and what it's like to write through anxiety and real-world horror without losing the joy of storytelling. They also talk candidly about how women have reshaped zombie fiction away from the lone-wolf (mighty-whitey) power fantasy and toward stories built on relationships, found family, and emotional stakes. It's part reunion, part masterclass, and part long-overdue celebration of an author who earned every bit of this moment.


Guest Contact & Social Links

Jo Salazar

• Website: https://www.josalazarwriting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jo_salazar_/
• Linktree (all links): https://linktr.ee/josalazarauthor

Kate L. Mary

• Website: https://katelmary.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombieauthormom/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateLMaryauthor
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-l-mary

Sarah Lyons Fleming

• Website: https://www.sarahlyonsfleming.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahLyonsFleming/
• Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Lyons-Fleming

Other links referenced in the episode:

• Publisher
  • Sourcebooks Fire: https://www.sourcebooks.com
• Our Town Books (Jacksonville, IL — release party host / signed preorders)
  • Website: https://www.ourtownbooks.com/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourtownbooks/
  • Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/ourtownbooks

Support the show

Zombie Book Club Links

• Join us on on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ZombieBookClub
• ZBC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombiebookclubpodcast/
• ZBC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/710957975263518/
• Zombie Book Club Email: ZombieBookClubPodcast@gmail.com