The Zombie Cookbook--Some answers and a Review

I asked some of the "cooks" in The Zombie Cookbook a few questions. Two of them provided answers, Lisa Haselton, who has a poem and a short story included and Lin Neiswender, who has a story included. When not contemplating their next zombie cookout, Lisa can be found at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/ and Lin at http://landoflin.blogspot.com/ . Please stop by and say Hello to them.

Here are their answers:

1. Is there anything in particular you look for when choosing the "ripest" zombie?

Lin: The apples of the cheeks should be rosy and firm, not mushy, otherwise they fall apart when stewing. This is fine if you are making a compote though. Just add enough cinnamon and mace.

Lisa: When I need a zombie for a recipe, I look for the one with the softest scalp. A soft, mushy, sponge-like scalp is the epitome of ripe.


2. Is there a support group for those who feel their zombie cravings havegotten out of hand?

Lisa: The groups are hard to find, but they do exist. If zombies have moved to your neighborhood and your cravings are more than once a year, you should seek out a Zombie-holics Anonymous meeting. If your town doesn't have zombies, yet you have cravings, you should seek professional, public medical assistance.

Lin: ZA, Zombies Anonymous, a 12 step program for the undead-challenged, meets weekly to offer support for those whose toothy hankerings for brains outstrip the available supply. Their motto: "We won't smash a head unless we're dead."

3. For the rare vegetarian zombies, do you believe there is a chance for them to become productive citizens of society?

Lin: It goes against all that zombies hold dear, but it is possible for them to be rehabilitated. Careful protein boosting will get them up to brain munching level eventually, along with regular doses of Flintstone vitamins.

Lisa: I don't believe any zombie can be a productive citizen for long. Clete seemed to be doing well at the L-Double J Ranch, but humans always have to remain on edge, no matter how sweet a zombie may appear. They're dead, they can't function like us and they have a tendency to really stink up a place!

I then ask both ladies if they could round up a local zombie to see what the zombies feel about this book.

Lisa said, "I haven't been able to find get close enough to one. I tend to like a lot of salt on fries and popcorn, and I think they can smell the salt on me. The closest I can get to one is across the street, and that just isn't conducive to a conversation about the book. There are only a couple in my area, too. A big city like New York or Boston have numerous zombies, but I'm just not local enough to a big city to be helpful in this search."

Lin was a bit luckier at finding one. He said, "Zombie Cookbook good, go buy one or we eat you for lunch."

(Hm...few words but right to the point, don't you think?).

Thank you ladies, and Mr. Zombie!

Now, onto my review:

I found The Zombie Cookbook full of surprises. This is not your ordinary scare-the-pants off the reader kind of book. The stories and poems (yes, even the recipes) bring immediate smiles to your face. I felt it was a wonderful break from the traditional Halloween-type horror stories.

The writer's chosen for this anthology are all excellent at their craft. I couldn't find one that I did not think should be excluded. The styles are so varied, yet the editor has brought these together in such a way as to make the stories flow naturally into each other.

Readers should be warned, however, that in spite of the humorous tilt of the stories, this is an adult book and not meant for the young. Some of the stories contain strong language that would be inappropriate for younger readers. The language, however, is not so excessive it takes away from the enjoyment.

I give this book a solid six colors on The Rainbow Scale of Reading Excellence.

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For more information on The Zombie Cookbook, please visit:

http://www.zombiecookbook.net/