Featured Interview With Wallace Pustinjak
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Wyoming, I have lived here my whole life, and I would be content to do so until I die. Personal interests of mine include running (very slowly) when I don’t feel too lazy, baking all sorts of tasty treats, spending time in nature, and sampling all of the dark chocolate I can get my hands on. Reading, of course, has been my main hobby since a young age. Writing, on the other hand, is a passion that I have only discovered fairly recently.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
Some of my earliest memories are of sitting on my father’s lap, reading a book. I am incredibly grateful to my parents for instilling my love of literature at a young age. Gradually, I became more independent with my reading, and all through my school years free time was spent in some fantasy world. Sports have never been my forte, so instead I turned to books to fill my time. Fantasy, science-fiction, fiction, non-fiction, science books, and just about anything else I could get my hands on were fair game. Eventually, my admiration for the authors grew so great that I realized I wanted nothing more than to join among their ranks. Though it took many years of effort, I am proud to say I have now published my first book.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
One of my favorite authors is J.R.R. Tolkien. The sheer amount of original thought needed to craft his world is astounding. Down to the smallest detail, the setting and characters of The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings are realized with the thoroughness of a historian paired with the creativity of a true artist. If I had even one hundreth of his ability as a writer, then I would consider myself a success. Another author, Hugh Howey, has given me inspiration in a different way. While I massively enjoyed his Silo Saga, what I find most impressive is his story of success. As a self-published author, his book Wool achieved massive success that earned him a place of high regard in the writing community. Afterwards, rather than abandon his self-published roots, he has become a figure-head in the movement for non-traditional publishing. I am proud to say that I agree whole heartedly with his policy that writing should be about the stories and the readers, not about the profits.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest (and first) published book is titled Riddles From a Recluse. It is a collection of fifty original riddles written in a poetic style. These are riddles meant to be enjoyed not only as a challenge, but as beautifal creations worthy of one’s time whether or not they are actually solved right away. The riddles are more closely related to those of antiquity than they are to the simplistic “what gets wetter the more it dries” or knock-knock joke style riddles of today. As a sample, here is one of my personal favorites:
Inadequate reflections of each facet of the mind.
The essence of profundity once skillfully combined.
Great stairs within a tower granting never ending sight.
Or petals on a flower with no purpose save delight.
These jagged stones thrown wantonly in ignorance and hate,
Are only given substance through the change they may create.
The original inspiration for writing a book of riddles most likely came from reading The Hobbit as a child. I was fascinated by the erudite exchange between Bilbo and Gollum, and I have been captivated by riddles ever since. A few years ago, while discussing the book with some friends I boasted that if given time I could probably write similar riddles. They scoffed, but to prove them wrong I went home that night and wrote my first riddle. Since then, I have poured my soul into perfecting Riddles From a Recluse. Writing and re-writing each riddle, laboring for hours over a single word choice, learning how to properly format a book, and creating the cover where all part of the labor of love
With complete honesty, I can say that after much deliberation I have determined my highest goal in life: I want to be admired and respected by complete strangers. One day, I hope to be able to walk onto a bus and see someone enjoying a book that I have written. I truly believe that Riddles From a Recluse has the potential to earn admiration from strangers if you will give it a chance. With the help of readers, one day soon I may be able to say that I have reached my goal.
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Also, here’s my website if you would like to learn more.