From what I heard, it's because of some conflict with the original writing staff. In any case, this is what I found:

The Walking Dead executive producer Robert Kirkman says a recent report about changes in the show's writing staff is "unfortunate" and "premature."

Earlier this week, Deadline.com reported that executive producer Frank Darabont had let his writing staff go, including his No. 2 guy, executive producer Charles "Chic" Eglee. The report also suggested that Darabont might not hire a new team of writers to pen Season 2's 13 episodes, but would instead assign scripts to freelancers.

"It's kind of unfortunate that it's being reported that our writing staff has been fired because that's not the case," Kirkman, who created the comic book series on which the AMC zombie drama is based, tells TVGuide.com. "It makes Frank look bad. I don't think Frank wants it out there that he's just firing people off of a successful show seemingly for no reason."

Kirkman says Eglee, whose previous credits include Dexter, Dark Angel and The Shield, chose to leave the show after Darabont decided to stay on as the showrunner for the The Walking Dead's second season.

"Chic Eglee is a high-level television writer. He was brought onto The Walking Dead with the idea that Frank was going to work on the first season and then go off and do movies," Kirkman says. "Chic didn't want to be second-in-command on a show when he's used to being a top dog, and so he decided to go off and do something else, which is something that happens and is not a big deal."

Kirkman says he's excited to continue working with Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) and credits him with creating a unique vision for the show. But it's too soon to tell what other writers the duo will work with in Season 2, Kirkman says.

"It's a little premature to be nailing down. I don't know if it's going to be a freelance situation or if we're going to have writers in a writers' room," he says. "That's something that's being worked on now.

AMC would only confirm that there will be some changes to the writing staff in Season 2.

"Everybody knows what they're doing," Kirkman says. "AMC has done a few television shows before, and Frank Darabont is a professional. Whatever is decided, I don't think it will affect the show one way or another."

Regardless, I agree that it seems that October is too far away, but all we can really do is wait and hope it will be worth it. :)

Too much of a gap between seasons, they could lose viewership, it happened with The 4400, but on a positive note-

Exclusive First Look: McFarlane Toys Announce The Walking Dead Figures!

What’s the coolest action figure news to hit pre-Toy Fair? The fact that McFarlane Toys has scored the rights to make action figures based on The Walking Dead comic series AND television series, that’s what! You read that right, folks! There are going to be 2 separate toy lines for The Walking Dead, and you all know what that means – zombies! 2 zombie figures per series to be exact. Not only that, but apparently they have action features including exploding heads and removable body parts! We here at MTV Geek are excited to be bringing you guys an exclusive first look at one of the rotting brain-eaters that make up the population in Robert Kirkman’s love letter to the apocalypse, and all of the info on the toys including the list of characters being released. Damn, September just can’t come fast enough!

Read the rest here: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/02/10/exclusive-mcfarlane-toys-walking-dead-figures-zombies/