Sunday, March 21, 2010

Walter Greatshell


His new book is Xombies: Apocalypticon.


Melville was an ironic, literary guy, with a strongly-felt political agenda that comes through the material, while Dana was more workmanlike, just describing his adventures. I feel closer in spirit to Melville, the romantic, the doomed idealist, which is probably why I'm completely screwed.

I've also just finished House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, which has flashes of brilliance but is otherwise almost unreadable. Having said that, I did finally read it, hence the "almost." It's basically a very simple (and interesting) haunted house story buried in tons of typographical gimmicks and fake footnotes. The good stuff is almost worth it--again: almost.

Finally, I'm reading Charles Portis's True Grit for the hundredth time, just because I heard the Coen brothers are making a new movie adaptation. True Grit has always been a huge inspiration for me as a writer--one of those perfect little gems like Catcher in the Rye. It reminds me of what I should be trying to do...even when I'm writing about zombies.
Visit Walter Greatshell's website and blog.

My Book, The Movie: Xombies: Apocalypse Blues.

The Page 69 Test: Xombies: Apocalypticon.

--Marshal Zeringue