Archive for December, 2007

Happy New Year from il Maestro (and Idylls Press)

December 31st, 2007

Pardon, gentles all, if you experience a bit of webdust on the Idyllist and the Idylls Press home site–we’re trying to upgrade our software.
In the meantime, here’s a New Year’s offering, by way of the one and only Ennio Morricone:

Pavel Chichikov’s new Christmas poetry on CRI

December 26th, 2007

We hope you’re having a wonderful Christmas!
To help you celebrate, check out Catholic Radio International’s Poetry of Pavel Chichikov page, where you can find links to audio files from CRI in which Pavel reads from his poetry. The most recent are his Christmas poems on the Adoration of the Shepherds–simply beautiful.

Mad TV on the Commercialization of the Birth of the Baby Jesus!

December 22nd, 2007

As we all wind up for several days of joyous celebrations with family and friends, here’s a bit of levity to accompany your last-minute orgy of gift-shopping and present wrapping, courtesy of our favorite Catholic jazz singer, Harry Connick, Jr.–seriously, his Christmas album (not the one featured in the skit!) is a classic–and the Rev. [...]

La Guadalupana draws millions

December 11th, 2007

As many Idyllist readers know, Our Lady of Guadalupe figures prominently in my novel, The Mystery of Things. Well, here’s a little factoid from the Catholic news agency, Zenit, which made even my jaw drop:
MEXICO CITY, DEC. 11, 2007 - Leaders at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which houses St. [...]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

December 7th, 2007

I’ve just posted a review of 2007’s biggest book phenomenon, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, over at Catholicfiction.net. It’s a thorough (read: lengthy) account of my mixed reaction to the final volume of the epic fantasy series. If you want the short version, it’s this: Rowling’s handling of the Snape subplot sucked.