Shakespeare posed the question concerning a flower.
I recently found a new pen name to don when writing.
The former name had an alliterative ring, but wasn’t exactly attracting a flock of readers. I accepted the new name Adam Dust. After all, Adam was the Biblical name of the first man, and if it’s good enough for him then I accept. And as for the last name, well it is to dust for us all. Includes the alpha and the omega. There may be a Biblical connection.
By any other name.
2021 may have been a depressing drag on various counts. But for the first time I am aware of my number of books read matched the year’s final two digits. Some of the books read were even quite thick. At least one had copious pictures. I was introduced to the prose writing of Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker. Interesting reviews of both writers were similar and named Stephen King as a matching influence. Oh, I at last read King’s The Shining. It was one of those thick books finished off last year. It maintained a fabulous tone of place and had a chilling sense of descending horror. As for literary classics, I did touch on those with a reading of D. H. Lawrence’s Kangaroo about a British couple’s relocation to Australia. The book contained grand descriptions of the place, not surprising as Lawrence resided there a while, and political turmoil brought to boil by the novel’s nicknamed title character.
This year I have read Gaiman’s American Gods. Long but interest holding. It boasted a wide cast of characters as it touched on old deities and brought their needful characters into complex interaction as their needs sought to bring about an apparent end of days.
Years ago I saw the movie The Magus, starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn. It was labyrinthine and quite challenging but I enjoyed it. The book on which it was based was by John Fowles. Years later when I saw the used book for sale I bought it and enjoyed the read. It became a favorite. Therefore having seen the film version of The French Lieutenant’s Woman, I decided to give that Fowles’ book a shot. I’ve started reading it twice but haven’t made it too far into the book. Perhaps I am just put off by its almost Victorian writing style.
Instead I recently opted for outer space action with an old paperback I had aquired but not read. It was the novelization of the Battlestar Galactica movie by Glen A. Larson and another writer. On the cover it boasted of the TV movie and promised interstellar action. I had not read the book but had seen the film. So far I like aspects of the book. While I am somewhat dubious of the promise, I have now read half of its 250 page length and should finish in early March, winds willing. I like the length. I enjoy reading that length while most of my written books measure closer to a hundred pages. So now it’s shameless plug time.
If you like that length book with science fiction adventure, mystery, action, or horror, give one of my short books a try. Currently available are Certain Shadows I Have Known and Masters of the Alpha Crystals from Rowanvale Books as well as available via its site. The later is listed there under my pen name of Adam Dust. The first is listed by W. P. Rigler and also at amazon.
The frozen ground will make no sound
where hope and loss are twins not found.
Flowers with sharp ice for petals
offer truth as they cut metals.
The wise tale is loud and can ring
with its very old song to sing.
Remember that evil has room
in earth or heart to grow and bloom.
where the ice rose will again grow
one can be doomed to the show.
This is an attempt to fashion a poem from an original horror tale idea of mine. Most of my poetry is now taking an idea from a story form usually influenced by horror. My tales of terror can be found on the pages of Summoned Secrets and Midnight Writings from lulu.com and Stranger Thoughts from Rowanvale Books. All are listed by my name of W. P. Rigler as writer.
Happy nightmares.
The all seeing eye will never know rest
to assume that your fear is not the best.
When watching with open eyes for such sin
what trouble you realize you are still in.
To stay in a safe place seek out your own mind,
but beware the demons or ghosts you may find.
Age matters not if you are the brightest dead,
All safety remains alive within your head.
There is a touch of my macabre writing found in this poetry which is always on display in the short fiction and poetry of my books, such as Summoned Secrets and Midnight Writings from lulu.com and Stranger Thoughts from Rowanvale Books. The later is also available at Amazon. All books by W. P. Rigler.
The cold can still burn
when it has a turn.
Beware the season
despite all reason.
The air can be fresh
but ready to kill.
Perhaps the above poetry reveals my dislike for February. I am not fond of the cold weather or stillness of the season. My other ventures into the realms of poetry can be found at lulu.com under Summoned Secrets or Midnight Writings and at Stranger Thoughts found at Rowanvale Books or Amazon.com by W. P. Rigler.
The Trickster bets by day or by night
in hope of making all things so right.
The deal is a lie but never false
or else the cost would mean a great loss.
Enjoy time’s trickle before the leak
when time is enough thee need not speak.
Overall my unspectacular dating life has not led to a strong relationship. But I have survived so far. I think…
Once in my misguided youth, when a relationship ended with a girl I had given a friendship ring to and I asked if the ring would be returned I was informed it wouldn’t The terms of te deal seemed to be that she would keep the ring and I would keep my sanity. She got the better part of the deal. LESSON LEARNED – Never be a librarian and lend a girl a book.
Once when taking a girl out for diner, she proclaimed herself married, but stated that wasn’t important. I kind of thought it was. The meal was memorale mostly for the wrong reasons, save te gumbo. LESSON LEARNED – Gumbo is good.
Once on a date I was set on fire by a girl who insisted on drinking and smoking. LESSON LEARNED – Avoid dating girls who are fans of fire and smoking. Cigarette checks are optional. The frisk may prove fun.
For more of my off center dating observations, check out The Ultimate Guide to Dating While Avoiding Supernatural Menaces in my book of short stories, poetry, and more, Stranger Thoughts.
To choose a state of silence is to ignore the world,
which may be more then you can ever hope to afford.
Fears and worries hold cold sway in the darkest of night
when there is no light to guide and you must walk alone.
The tide can be too tough but slim hope must be enough
as limbs tire beyond will in waves that are still quite rough.
Winter’s winds bluster with delight,
in hopes of triggering a fright.
Doors rumble while windows menace
and all will rattle with vengeance.
Shame on those that are deaf to all,
for sound will come without a stall.
I am very tired of my least favorite season, winter which was proclaimed to be long this year seemingly correctly by Sir Groundhog, and am ready for spring.
