It’s time to face the facts: the Zombie apocalypse is now and the undead are shambling among us. They’re gruesome, they’re hungry—and they’re bloody sexy with their brain-ravenous charm and a Keith Richards-like stagger.

For expert advice on how to cultivate the look, attitude and lifestyle of the undead, Zombie Eye for a Living Guy: Look Undead, Cook Undead. Dress Undead & Live Undead (Marion Street Press, October 2012) by J.M. Hewitt, with photos by Alexander Colby, explores the myth of the zombie sex appeal, investigating what makes these tattered, single-minded creatures so alluring. Written by an actual “zombie whisperer,” the book’s advice promises to release the average guy’s inner undead in one week, teaching him how to dress, groom, exercise, eat, date, decorate and shamble just like a real zombie. Acknowledging that one’s family may not understand the repulsive diet, tattered clothes or foul odors, these pointers contend that such sacrifices for popularity and seductiveness are all part of the program. Makeup tips, horrifically delicious recipes and practical lessons to be learned from zombie “life” all pair with striking photographs for an outrageous self-help guide just in time for Halloween.

Whether going through an experimental phase, blending in after the apocalypse or seeking out a killer Halloween costume, Zombie Eye for the Living Guy contains the essentials for acquiring that debonair, decomposing chic and mystique.

J.M. Hewitt has published short fiction featuring horror and fantasy themes in a host of online outlets, including The Harrow and Velvet Mafia. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Alexander Colby is a photographer, a writer, and an editor for popular media, lifestyle, technology, and culture publications. He is a contributor to Guyshop.com, Movieline.com, Penthouse magazine, NewYorkCool.com, and Fangoria magazine. He covers male interest subjects for leading men’s magazines and menswear for online retail distribution. He is also a hairdresser and makeup artist. He lives in Astoria, New York.