Author Gene O’Neill Interviewed, book review, and America Idol Update
I had the recent good fortune to read author Gene O’Neill’s upcoming release, “The Confessions of St. Zach,” a traded paperback novella from Bad Moon Books. This is a post-apocalyptic tale about a family who comes home from being snowed in up in 
the mountains to find the world a very different place than it was when they left.
Since I had read this, and Gene and I had been chatting a bit lately, I thought I’d take the opportunity to add in a five question (with a bonus) interview to give people a better glance at just what they’d be getting into. This is a trade paperback book - signed by the author, numbered and limited. The cover price is an attractive $15 and you can buy a copy at THE HORROR MALL by clicking the cover image to the right.
READ MY REVIEW OF THE CONFESSIONS OF St. ZACH
Now, a quick take on this weeks American Idol shenanigans. Kristi Lee Cook - who looks a little bit (to me) like a younger Brooke Shields, saved herself by choosing exactly the right song. They’ve said this all along, but Simon nailed it - possibly the most clever song choice ever - Proud to be An American - sung well, blonde and pretty - she slid through. Chikezie wasn’t as lucky, but let’s face it - top ten, going on tour, probably got a career now - no big deal to lose at this point. Can’t imagine meeting Dolly Parton was his musical dream…
Still, I have quibbles. Of course I do. They tend to give praise where it isn’t due, and criticism where it isn’t due, and it very much smacks of a silly, inept method of manipulating things. They tell Jason Castro to do what he does best…he continues to choose that sort of song, and then Simon blasts him for it. If America likes it (and they do) why would you change? The Australian guy butchered every high note in the Queen song - it was mediocre at best, and they tell him it rocked. The judges are (to me) such irrelevant, pointless poofs of sound in the wind that I wish, once they got to the top ten, they’d just send them home…but they ARE good for entertainment. What’s up with Paula’s face? Too much rouge, or puffy from lack of sleep…or? Very odd. Randy continues to PRETEND relevance while using slang from about ten years ago…a very odd man.
Onward into next week. My prediction for the top five remains… David Cook, David Archuleta, Brooke White, Carly Smithson, and Jason Castro.
-DNW
03/28/08, 8:55 AM |
That was a great interview and the book looks like a must read. I’m off to pick up a copy now…
03/28/08, 9:02 AM |
ok, perhaps I’m an idget, but the link takes me to the Horror Mall home page and when I do a search, it doesn’t show up. Do you have a direct link?
03/28/08, 7:58 PM |
I liked reading Gene’s comments in the interview. I’ve read some of his short fiction, but only a little; DEATHFLASH sounds really good. It looks like, near as I can tell, that his work would be right down your alley anyway.