1--What is the title of your latest release?
POLYBIUS
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
After the arrival of a mysterious new arcade game plunges a small town into violent chaos, a pair of high school students, the local sheriff, and town doctor scramble to uncover where the game came from, how it works, and whether it can be stopped in this horror / thriller inspired by a classic urban legend.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
The legend suggests that the game appeared in a handful of arcades around the Pacific Northwest, but since I’m a Californian and a big fan of a handful of films like THE BIRDS and THE FOG that take place in Sonoma County, I centered my story there, in the fictional oceanside town of Tasker Bay. I had a feel for the area having spent some time there over the years and wanted to capture that atmosphere in the book; it’s also my favorite part of the state.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Andi and I have a lot in common – we’re both intuitive when it comes to electronics, we can both be sarcastic as a defensive mechanism, and we’re both a little misanthropic. I think we could hang out, but probably wouldn’t since, barring a few exceptions, we both seem to prefer our own company to the company of others.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Bright, determined, and stubborn.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
This was my first time writing a book, and I tried very hard to follow the “2,000 words a day” rubric. Some days, it turned out that was impossible; others, I wrote thousands more. As a general benchmark I think it’s useful, but you have to accept that you’re going to both come up short and over-perform; in the end, as long as you keep trying, it’ll all even out.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
When I sit down, I typically look over the last page or two I’ve written to reorient myself with the story’s context at that moment in time. Inevitably, I start tinkering with those pages. So, it’s a very gradual, perpetual process of editing here and there as I go. After “The End,” I dive in much deeper.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love to bake and spent a recent summer working out what is – for me – the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I don’t make them often because when I do, I eat too many.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
Living in LA means space is at a premium. I work in a combination guest room / exercise room / office, at a desk I built myself to optimize the limited space. There isn’t much room on the desk, so I try and keep it clean – a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a cup of coffee are all you’ll typically find.
10--Who is an author you admire?
I read a lot of sci-fi growing up, and JG Ballard was someone I always admired. His ability to merge high-concept ideas with personal introspection and high-minded observations about the world, all of it relayed in extremely unique prose, is still a gold standard for me. Although I haven’t spent much time writing short stories, Ballard excelled at them, and it’s definitely a space I’d like to explore.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I was too young when I read Frank Herbert’s DUNE to really grasp it, but it opened my eyes to the sheer power of imagination. It’s such a richly textured book filled with endless and endlessly strange details; while it should be obvious that anything is possible in fiction, DUNE really drove that idea home for me. It’s a book I’ve gotten more out of each time I’ve gone back to it.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was at my desk, at work on another project. I’d been in pretty steady touch with my reps and knew there was interest, so it wasn’t a complete surprise, but the day they called with Gallery’s offer was still surreal. My wife also works from home, so I made the short walk down the hall and told her right away.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I should probably say “horror” but these days I actually spend a lot of my time reading (and listening to) books about politics. Which can also be horrific, I suppose. The ‘60s and ‘70s are particularly fascinating eras to me, because so much of where we are a society today, for better and worse, seems to have grown out of choices made back then.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
This might not be the answer anyone expects, but Dan O’Bannon’s RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is a perfect film in my opinion; I’ve seen it dozens of times. It updates the zombie genre in a number of clever ways, it’s genuinely funny without sacrificing tension, it’s smart and appropriately cynical about the average citizen’s relationship with their government, and it features an all-time soundtrack that introduced me to a broad spectrum of punk music. It’s not making (m)any best-of lists, but for me it was the right movie at the right moment, and I’ve gone back to at least once a year for decades now. Send more paramedics!
15--What is your favorite season?
Years ago, I would’ve said fall, but since moving to LA I’ve come to appreciate spring. It’s a great time to be outdoors, plus there’s some wonderfully atmospheric fog and rain that rolls in every May and June; we call it May Gray and June Gloom out here.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I don’t! I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been a little self-conscious about it. I typically just spend it with my wife and kids; occasionally, I’ll get out to see a movie.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
SCAVENGERS REIGN is a half-hour, animated sci-fi drama that only lasted one season but left a major impression on me. It follows the survivors of an interstellar wreck as they attempt to find a way off of a very hostile alien planet. It’s a beautiful show in every respect – story, art style, voice acting, score. Plus, the design of the planet and the creatures that inhabit it are the most “alien” I’ve ever seen; you’d swear the creators visited another world for research.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Latin American.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I enjoy baking, woodworking, and circuit bending – which is the process of rewiring old analog electronics to produce random, glitched sounds and visual effects. All of these are methodical in nature but offer relatively instant gratification – I can see the change I affected and have a finished project in a reasonable amount of time. For a writer, that’s a nice change of pace.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I have multiple proposals for new books in the horror space that are making their way out into the world. I’m also revising an action-thriller feature script for a producer and director. Of course, none of that may come pass so the truth is you never know, but I hope to be back with another book soon!
Stranger Things meets The Walking Dead in this chilling novel based on the terrifying urban legend about a video game created by the government for psychological warfare.
October, 1982. Forced to move to the quiet seaside town of Tasker Bay by her mother, the only thing on high schooler Andi’s mind is saving up enough money to return to her old stomping grounds in Silicon Valley. Her self-taught skills with all things electronic make her a perfect fit for a job at the dingy local arcade where she can tune out from life and bankroll her eventual escape.
Pining over the distant and aloof Andi is Ro, the son of Tasker Bay’s sheriff, who begins spending more time at the arcade. Despite promising herself she wouldn’t get attached to anyone in town, Andi finds herself opening up to the thoughtful, like-minded Ro.
When Polybius—a new bleeding-edge game of unknown origin arrives—the shop is suddenly overwhelmed with players fighting for time on the machine. Seemingly overnight, a virus-like epidemic grips Tasker Bay while a violent coastal storm rolls in, isolating it from the outside world. People begin experiencing fits of anger, paranoia, and hallucinations—no one can be trusted. After a grisly act of violence goes unsolved, the town descends into chaos. Is the arrival of this mysterious game and the disorder in Tasker Bay a coincidence? Convinced the dire situation is somehow linked to Polybius, Andi and Ro desperately search for clues that might stop the spread before they, too, begin experiencing side effects…
Science Fiction | Thriller Crime [Gallery Books, On Sale: April 29, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9781668044971 / eISBN: 9781668044995]
Collin Armstronghas worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade developing, writing, and producing material for outlets including 20th Century Fox TV, ABC Family, Bleecker Street, Viaplay, Discovery, and the LA Times Studios. Polybius is his first novel. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.
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