THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

Greetings and salutations again loyal blog readers,

As you can see I’m packing up.  I’ve had no time to write during my stay at the Werewolf Monastery, and quite frankly the monks are getting on my nerves.  I may have over stayed my welcome.  I think I’ve fixed about everything they could find and I installed new accent lighting in the gardens.  It looks very nice, but that’s not what I meant to do with my time.  The other reason for my sudden departure is I haven’t heard from Mischievous Raven and that worries me.  As you know he was abducted a while back and held for ransom by The Three Misfiteers.  Although I fulfilled my part of the bargain to obtain his release, which required me to submit their novel out to literary agents.  I admit that I’ve slacked off for the past two months.  And those three are not above taking my good friend and confidant again.  So I’m heading back to The Swamp today to check on my friend.  My muse has the armored Humvee here and he’s agreed to drop me off.  That saves me a trip through the Impenetrable Forrest.

Today we’re going to talk about Stephen King’s most recent work, The Wind Through The Keyhole.  I openly admit to being a huge fan of Mr. King.  Also known as The Master around The Swamp.  The critics were pretty cool on this book.  One said, it was disappointing because it did not further the Gunslinger story at all.  While it is true that it does nothing to further the series, it is a great tale in its own right.  The Wind Through the Keyhole is a story within a story within another story.  And while it takes its place right in the middle of the Gunslinger series, it gives some insights into the characters that we already know and have come to love.  Roland and his ka-tet– Jake, Susanna, Eddie and Oy, the billy-bumbler have to hunker down to ride out a storm.  To pass the time Roland tells them a story about himself as a young gunslinger, in which he tells a young boy a story to keep his mind off the difficult task Roland has put upon him.

The tale itself (without the set up) is a wonderful read and demonstrates why SK is one of the best (if not thee best) writer of his generation.  We are transported back to mid-world when Roland was a brand new gunslinger.  SK’s feel for this alternate world and his ability to share it with the reader is wondrous.  I found myself there, next to Roland as he takes on one of his first challenges as a gunslinger.

Isn’t that why we read fiction in the first place.  Keyhole is a character driven ticket to another world.  Characters we love, and some we hate, and still others we love to hate.  By arranging black letters on a white background, SK creates emotional responses in us, as we lay safely in bed turning pages until the wee hours of the morning.  Who could ask for more.  Thanks Stephen.

“Time is a keyhole, he thought as he looked up at the stars.  Yes, I think so.  We sometimes bend and peer through it.  And the wind we feel on our cheeks when we do–the wind that blows through the keyhole–is the breath of all the living universe”

That short excerpt speaks for itself.

I love reading, which is probably why I write.  Or maybe it’s the other way around.  Either way, if you’re a huge fan of The Master then reviews are meaningless and you’ve already read or are planning to read this book.  If on the other hand, you are a sometimes reader of SK, don’t let the critics steer you away from this powerful story.  By a ticket and enjoy your journey into mid-world.

Todays quote comes from G.K. Chesterton:

“Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.”

Thanks for stopping by,

Write on,

Errie

Something’s a Foot

Friday, October 28, the entire swamp is alive with the prospect of All Hallows Eve.  The Zombies are chomping at the–well everything to be honest.  I head over to that expensive department store, Maelstrom’s for a costume. All I see are zombies, zombie banker, or zombie nurse, or zombie nun.  They even had zombie used car salesman, which honestly wasn’t much of a costume at all.  So I say, “Don’t you have anything besides zombies?”

“Sorry sir, but zombies are the in thing this year.”  She says in this perky little voice that makes me wish I’d asked Swamp Thing to come shopping with me.

“Tell me about it.  They’re my life.  You should see the swamp, it’s littered with half eaten corpses.”

“Excuse me!” she gasps.

“Nevermind.  I’m looking for something really scary.  Don’t you have something in a McDonalds fry boy or a Wal-Mart greeter.”

“Sorry.  Have you tried Saps Fifth Avenue?”  I heard they have a Personal Injury Attorney costume that is to die for.”

“That sounds scary, on so many levels.”  I thank her for her help and leave her perkiness and head over to Saps.  Of course they don’t have the Personal Injury Attorney in my size.

“You should try the children’s section sir.  I mean your ahh, kind of, not so tall.”  The sales woman sniffs adjusting her jewel encrusted glasses so she can look down her beak-like nose at me.

“I beg your pardon.  I’m actually fairly average for a dwarf I’ll have you know.”  I continued to berate her until I noticed a group of large, uniformed men with weapons arriving on Segways.  ”Thank you very much.  I’ll just be on my way now.”  

What happened to the good old days when you paid a decent witch for a temporary spell for All Hallows Eve.  She could turn you into a handsome prince, or king of the realm, for the night.  Even an enchanted frog if your funding was lacking.  No two costumes were alike back then.  These days everybody wants the store-bought costume that looks like every other one.  Of course on the down side, you had to watch out for the occasional enchanted candied apple.  Remember what happened to Sleeping Beauty.  

Still without a costume, I’m off the Sal Manella’s Sweet Shop.  Sal carries all the best treats for All Hallows Eve.  His selection of hand dipped fungi is legendary, not to mention the Chocolate Covered Squirrel Nuts.  What they lack in size they make up for in taste.  Sal can even provide you with one of the afore-mentioned apples on request.  Of course you have order them way in advance.  Just ask for the mother-in-law special.

Arriving at Sal’s I see the line is out the door.  Everyone is talking about the fried bat wings.  He has Barbed-a-cue, Sea Salt and Stinger, Sour Creme and Bunyan and Fromunda Cheese,  just to name a few of the flavors.

My favorite treats are the E-Coli Carmels.  He also has S&Ms and Feces Pieces in every color.  They’ve called my number, I’ve got to go.  So enjoy the holiday.  Until next week.

“My candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…”

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.”

Shakespeare, Macbeth

“As I was going up the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today…Oh, how I wish he’d go away.”

Anonymous

Happy All Hallows Eve

Write On,

Eerie