Books by Richard Krause

Epigrams can be stabs at thought, sudden insights, or summations of a life. The fact that they don't parade in the best dress gives freedom to all types of garb; even so, occasional nakedness is exposed. Ultimately writing epigrams exposes the reader as well as the writer, and by extension all human nature -- broadening our observations of the species. The sole object is understanding.

The Horror of the Ordinary deals with life through the eyes of diverse characters and stories. As you dive into the short story collection, you'll meet a property owner dealing with an infestation of Japanese beetles in his backyard, a too-tall Afghan named Hamid, a trophy huntiing orthodonist not prepared to deal with his actions, and many others.As you dive deeper into the collection, things get weirder, more out of the ordinary. From the unexpected tragedy of a Japanese pitcher's performance in American baseball to disturbing thoughts about an alligator watchband, every story provokes. Every story incites.

OPTICAL BIASES is a collection of original epigrams. Each epigram is carefully culled, has a twist or edge, and is included as an aesthetic whole. They are readable. They are clear. They don't require head scratching. Though they might not be read in a sitting, a reader would easily want to go through them once started. There is humor and no fillers are intended. Overall the collection shows a way of looking, despite the writer's own optical biases. Meaning and insight are the objects throughout. Areas that are addressed include intelligence, love, women, beauty, sex, cruelty, loneliness, friendship, talent and ambition, family, religion, and power.