Posts filed under ‘Update’
NEW READERS
You have read what I have to say about writing and what characteristics, I think, a writer must have to be successful. What is the meaning of success?
The meaning of success, to me, is the ability to put coherent thoughts on a blank page which will strike a chord with a fellow human being. In some small way I consider myself to be successful. The response I receive for some of the pieces I post on my blog talk to that end.
Recently I have had new readers begin to follow my blog. I welcome them along with other readers that have found interest in what I have to say. I consider you all my friends and hope you find what I have to say interesting and informative.
For those new to my blog, you can find advice on writing and reading along with short stories that have been published and both published and unpublished poetry.
I am also providing a link to my publisher, Melange Books, where you can purchase my novel, New Moon Rising.
Once again, welcome to my new friends.
http://www.melange-books.com/authors/walttrizna/triznanewmoonrising.html
A NEW APPRECIATION OF AN OLD STORY
For the last few months I’ve been doing a lot of reading and I’d like to share with you a book that I recently finished that I found to be a fantastic read.
I’ve been haunting the local Goodwill Store lately, picking up books and stumbled across a paperback written by Nikos Kazantzakis and first published in 1952. The title of the book was well-known to me but I had no idea of what the story involved. I should add that he is also the author of The Last Temptation of Christ. The title of the book I wish to discuss is his novel, Zorba the Greek.
Who has not heard of this book, yet again how many continue to read this work? If I hadn’t stumbled upon it I too would have remained ignorant of this fantastic story.
The story takes place in Crete. The two main characters are the narrator, whom I think is never named. He is bookish young man who comes to Crete with money, hoping to make more. He hires Zorba and together they start mining for coal.
The thrust of the book is the frequent talks about what life is about and the existence of God between a young man wrapped in words and not life and 65 year old Zorba who has experienced life to its fullest and is not ready to stop his search for love and his lust for life.
This is not meant to be a review but only to let you know that this is a most satisfying read and worth the trouble to seek out this book.
Michael Dirda, a book critic for the Washington Post, loves used book stores. He said in one of his books that you should try reading something written fifty years ago indicating that there are long forgotten treasures out there. I found one.
I RETURN
My consistent readers,
I return after a long hiatus, part due to a seaside vacation and part to a regrouping of my priorities in life and my writing.
As difficult, and at times depressing, writing may be I have decided to attack the projects I have begun with more vigor and determination. I know I am not alone in this mystic endeavor when I say that I went through a long period thinking that anything I wrote was worthless and thought ‘who would read this shit’.
Those ghosts of despair are still lingering, but for better or for worse – I’m back.
NEW MOON RISING
I would now like to introduce you to my published novel, New Moon Rising.
Along the way you will meet the main characters and be given a taste of the story.
Blurb:
The Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Ocean, will soon escalate its impact on mankind. Two brothers, one a geologist and one a surfer are at the center of an event that will change the Earth, forever.
Prologue
In countries bordering the Pacific, needles on seismic charts formed tiny squiggles, and then moved violently side to side. Moments later, the machines themselves began to move, fell from shelves as the over buildings that housed them crumbled.
Wade Randall stood on a hillside. He looked to where the Golden Gate Bridge once stood and surveyed the destruction. As far as he could see, columns of smoke issued from devastated buildings. People who survived wandered around in shock and horror. The world they once knew had come to an end. The piers of San Francisco no longer jutted into the ocean; they now stood in mud. The shore, once close, was now distant. “God help the world,” Wade said to himself, “the prediction came true.” It had been two years since events put into motion this cataclysm.
Wade thought about his family and friends, some now distant, and his heart ached wondering if they were still alive, how many millions around the world had died. The predicted event seemed impossible, even to him. Many chose not to heed the warning and many died. The irony was that in the history of life on Earth, the irregular cycles of destruction by asteroids were now accepted as fact. Everyone looked to the sky for the next cataclysmic event to visit Earth; no one expected that the next ruinous event, on a scale unknown to man, would come from beneath the sea.
UPDATE REHAB
My consistent readers, 4/11/13
I’m home now and have been since last Saturday. I thought I’d share some of my thoughts while getting to the point that I could come home.
Once I left the hospital after my bout with a ruptured spleen, I was not able to go home so I entered a rehab facility. I would like to share some of my thoughts while experiencing this period of my recovery.
I was now a resident, temporarily, of Devon Manor, after falling and suffering six cracked ribs along with a lacerated spleen. The spleen was a big problem for I was on blood thinners when it began bleeding. I went to the rehab center after a ten-day hospital stay and was weak as a baby. I needed a walker to walk and breathing exercises to rebuild my lung capacity.
Once I made fun of walkers calling them ‘jungle jims’. Now that I was using one to get around during my recovery they were no longer a source of ridicule.
I went through a strange period when I first started rehab. We did our exercises in a large room with about four or five patients at a time each working with a physical therapist. As I looked around at my fellow patients I realized that, except for those with brain injuries, I was the youngest at 65. Later I would visit another gym where those in rehab were around my age or younger.
What started me thinking this way I do not know. But as I looked around at the patients working along side me, some extremely elderly and barely able to move, unable to do the simplest tasks, I wondered why rehab them at all? What were they going to rehab to?
But after much thought my heart softened and my mind opened. They were rehabbing back to the life they left no matter how limited that life may be. They were rehabbing back to their families, their children and grandchildren.
I’ve mellowed during my rehab experience. Perhaps it’s having your routine, your normal life; take away from you and trying desperately to get back to where you were. I now know it doesn’t matter how old you are or what that life was like – you want to return.
The care, the concern of the therapists at Devon Manor was highly professional. I owe them a great deal, especially, Lisa, the physical therapist who worked with me for most of my stay.
MEDICAL UPDATE
Well, I did it again. For the second March in a row I wound up in the hospital. I hope this does not become a tradition.
This time the hospital visit was my own stupid damn fault.
I fell in our kitchen one Saturday afternoon last month and landed on my right side. As I stood up I realized that I had done some damage. The pain was intense. I walked to my recliner, sat down and remained perfectly still. The pain diminished until I had to stand up. This was a new experience in pain even with Joni helping me to stand. The week went by and the pain lessened. I would later find out that I had cracked six ribs.
But I wasn’t finished yet. The next Saturday afternoon I fell again. This time I gave my right side the treat. I felt no pain on my right side but that second fall did not help the pain on my left side.
After the second fall I spent two weeks staying very still and the pain all but went away. But Monday morning March 11th things were about to take a drastic turn.
Early that morning I began experiencing shooting pains traveling from the right side of my abdomen to the left. An ambulance trip to the ER was required.
When I got there I discovered not only the cracked ribs but a ruptured spleen. Through a vessel in my leg they inserted coils in the splenetic blood vessels to stop the bleeding. I asked how many coils it usually took to do the job and was told about four. I asked because they used 24 coils on me. When I get an injury I don’t mess around.
After a ten day stay in the hospital the sent me to rehab. That’s were I am now. I’ve been here about two weeks and hope to get out soon.
I wanted to let my readers know the reason for the lack of activity. I’ll be communicating with you more now thanks to my daughter, Lynn’s, laptop.
SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY, A POEM
My consistent readers,
My mind has been in a whirl since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.
I cannot imagine the thoughts going through the tiny children’s heads as they waited to be slaughtered.
I grieve for those little lost souls and for their parents.
For what it is worth, I wrote this poem.
SUFFER THE ANGELS
The devil entered
And twenty angels
Destined for grace
Were slaughtered.
The devil entered
And twenty angels
Destined full lives
Were gone.
The devil entered
And still we doubt
The strength
Of the devil’s tool.
Until we know the devil
And the strength his tool possesses,
More angels await his calling,
We are all the devil’s work.
GONE TOO SOON
My consistent readers,
My sister died last year.
Today is her birthday.
For Judy
We spend our time
Do what we do
And then depart.
Walttriznastories's Blog 