Thursday, April 30, 2015

Vision and Verse Surpasses 55,000 Pageview Milestone


Dear Gentle Readers,

This morning Vision and Verse has breezed by the 55,000 Pageviews Milestone.

I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am to find so many readers from so many places stopping in daily to see what's happening here. Thank you. I appreciate each and every one of you and I promise you some new and exciting posts, just as soon as hubby's surgery and jury duty are done. Hospitals and courtrooms are not conducive to mobile posting! So, be patient with me, lovely readers.

Hugs,
Carol




Tuesday, April 28, 2015

An Excerpt from BELTERRA

Dear Gentle Readers,

This morning I have for you an excerpt from BELTERRA, the sci-fi romantic adventure I wrote in 2011 and published in 2012. Thousands of people downloaded BELTERRA, which held the # 1 spot for a while in 2012.


While Neeka was busy with her class, Braedon had some time alone with his mother.

“Neeka and I went to see Spirit Lord Jamit.  Did you ever meet him?”
“No, but those spirit types are creepy, with their humming and chanting and rocking.”
“He told me you were in danger.”
“From what?”
“Seth, the Scientist Lord of Northford.  He is a nasty man.  I met him.  He threw a knife at me on neutral ground.  Remember?  He would have killed me if not for Neeka’s armor.  He was behind the poison wine.  Remember Mother?  He stole Neeka and kept her prisoner for months as his slave.”  Betta said nothing.
“Have you ever met Seth, Mother?”
“No”
“Have you known any Scientists, Mother?”
“What is this?  What’s going on?  Why are you questioning me?”
“I need to know what your connection to Lord Seth.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants to hurt Neeka.  You better tell me.  I plan to kill him.  I will kill anyone who tries to harm her.”
“No.  Do not kill him.”
“Why?  Why, Mother?  What are you not telling me?”
“Braedon, I hate to be the one to bring this to your attention, but there are things about your beloved Neeka that simply do not add up.  You come home with a woman you never met before, claiming she is the love of your life.  She tells you she is a medicine woman and the daughter of the Warrior Lord, but neglects to tell you she is Seth’s wife.  She claims to have been his slave for a month, treated viciously and brutally.  But there is not a mark on her body, and we have all seen her body because she wears very little clothing.  Now she wants you to kill Seth.  You are being manipulated.  I think you need to open your eyes, Son.”
“My eyes ARE open.  Pack your things and return to your own house.  Do not be here when I return.”

Monday, April 27, 2015

MORE of the Art of Beryl Cook

MORE of the Art of Beryl Cook


                                                                           

The distinctive art of Beryl Cook is as instantly recognizable as my relatives at a family reunion. In this society where thinness is praised next to godliness, Beryl Cook's paintings celebrate the life of the happy, socially active, healthy, chubby woman, having the time of her life.

She is not a unhealthy, ugly mass of jingly flesh. Oh, no! She's out dancing, bowling, having concerts in the park, and so on. She is comfortable in fancy and tiny outfits, and is pursued as a desirous companion.  






Of course, as fashionably comfortable  as the Beryl Cook woman is in disco outfits and fancy clothes, she is equally comfortable cavorting in her birthday suit.


Beryl Cook was a publicly shy woman, and for as popular as her artwork was in her lifetime, she was not recognized in public. She used this advantage to sit in coffee shops and parks and dance clubs and bowling alleys to sketch and make notes for her paintings.







At the age of 81, Britain's unofficial favorite painter passed away on May 28, 2008, leaving a giant hole in the world of humorous art, as only Beryl could do, almost thumbing her nose at the elitism "you can't be too rich or too thin" mindset, who dismissed Beryl's work. But the public loves her work, finding it amusing, humorous, and "freeing" the chubby public from the notion that fat is ugly.

Meanness  is ugly.  Cruelty is ugly. Harshness is ugly.  A society that starves children and abuses women and children and men who are different is ugly.  An ample bosom and butt are not.

I remember distinctly a physical examination with my family doctor before an overseas trip, when I expressed a weight issue with my very wise family doctor.

He  said, "Chihuahuas have chihuahuas. And  Great Danes have Great Danes.  And no matter what you do, you are never going to be a chihuahua. I just want you to be healthy."

So, to the other Great Danes out there, enjoy the work of Beryl Cook, where she shows us dynamic, healthy, fun-loving full-size women.




All information for this article came from Wikipedia and the following link:
Link:
http://www.berylcookprints.co.uk/addToCart.asp?id=39

Friday, April 24, 2015

54,000 Pageview Milestone for Vision and Verse



Dear Gentle Readers,

I returned from a harrowing day at the vet with my sweet dachshund, KC, to happily discover Vision and Verse had surpassed the 54,000 Pageview Milestone.

For all of you all over the world who stop in daily to see what's happening, I thank you. The idea that you found a book, an author, or an artist who piqued your interest through Vision and Verse is very satisfying to me.

Vision and Verse, begun two years ago on April 15, has no illusions of grandeur. Simple is our format. Simple is our mission. If we move you occasionally by content, we have done our job.

May scheduling is shaky at best, so bear with me. My husband is having some repair work surgery and I am facing jury duty. Neither one of those events follow a timeline. I will do my best to post, but hospitals and courtrooms are not conducive to mobile posting and electronics are banned in most instances. 

Again, thank you for showing up. You are appreciated. 

Hugs,
Carol


Thursday, April 23, 2015

World Book Day Celebration


Dear Gentle Readers,

In honor of World Book Day, Vision and Verse is giving away a digital copy of Waiting for Richard by some unknown Ohio author named Carol Ann Kauffman.

To be eligible, leave a comment in the comment section.

I think it was Mark Twain who said, "The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read." So... read something you normally would not. Open your world a bit, expand your horizon.

And, if you are a daddy, it's even MORE important that your children see you read for information and enjoyment. In my thirty-five years as a first grade and reading teacher, I noticed our little boys view reading as a female pursuit. Do your part to change that misconception. Today. 

Happy World Book Day!

Hugs,
Carol 

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Art of Edward Hopper





Edward Hopper 
American Realist Painter
Born July 22, 1882 
Died May 15, 1967

Edward Hopper was born in Upper 
Nyack, New York, a yacht-building
center on the Hudson River. He dreamed of ships and coastal
settings and wanted to be a naval 
architect when he was in high school.

He grew up in a strict Baptist setting.
His father was a mild-mannered 
intellectual with a love of French and
Russian cultures. The house was
dominated by the women in the 
family; mother, grandmother, sister,
and the maid.

His favorite artist was Rembrandt, saying Rembrandt's Night Watch was "the most wonderful thing of his I have ever seen; it's past belief in its reality."

He studied at the New York School of Art and Design. Although he wanted to follow his heart and paint, his parents insisted he get a job where he could support himself. Getting a job with an advertising agency soon made him hate illustration and graphic art, but the economic times forced him to stay at the agency until the mid-1920s, when he made three trips to Paris to study the new methods coming out of France.




Edward thought of himself as an
only averagely talented, tall, skinny,
awkward, unattractive man and spent 
much time alone, perfecting his craft. 

Then in 1923, he reconnected with a
woman he met in art school, Josephine
Nivison, on a summer painting excursion in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She was short, happy,
open, friendly, social, and liberal, and the tall, quiet, shy, secretive, introspective conservative Edward fell
madly in love. 



They were married a year later and Josephine abandoned her career to 
nurture his, and lived his reclusive lifestyle.

She managed his career and interviews, was his primary model, his constant cheerleader, and his life
companion. 



Edward Hopper died in his art studio near Washington Square in New York City. His wife
Josephine died ten months later. She bequeathed
all their paintings, about 3,000 works, to the
Whitney Museum of American Art.

His birthplace and boyhood home are listed in the National Registry of Historic Places in 2000, listed as the Edward Hopper House Art Center, a
non-profit community cultural center serving the area with exhibits, lectures, workshops, and 
special events.

All of the images and information in this articles are from the following sites and are only for the information of my readers. I claim nothing as my own. More information can be found at:

Edward Hopper - Wikipedia
www.edwardhopper.net
americanart.si.edu/hopper/
www.art.com/gallery/id--a50/edward-hopper-posters.ht,
www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hopp/hd_hopp.htm 

Monday, April 20, 2015

The Right Kiss by Giulietta Spudich

Dear Gentle Readers,

Book Two in the Monday Mystery Society is out!  The Right Kiss by Giulietta Spudich is a sweet love story about one woman's personal journey into love. Janie is a successful professional editor in her thirties who has conformed to the idea that she has no love life. She joined the Monday Mystery Society to enjoy a good Victorian mystery and meet some likeminded people. Soon she finds herself with two love interests and must decide whether to let someone into her life or not, and which one of these men was worth the wait. 

Buy Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Right-Kiss-Monday-Mystery-Society-ebook/dp/B00W47YVLG/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429489929&sr=1-2&keywords=Monday+Mystery+Society

Book Description:
Janie is a confident, professional editor in her thirties … when she’s not around men. The opposite sex sends her into frazzled and tongue-tied states of being. She prefers the company of her best friend Sharon Hall, or no company at all, and is largely alone. 
When she joins the Monday Mystery Society book club, she hopes to make connections with other Oakville residents through literature, especially Victorian mysteries. Little does she know that at the book club, there is a tendency to find love in unexpected places … 
Will she let go of her cool personality and let love in? Or will she run from the sudden affection of two different men and disappear into her favorite stories, alone and lonely? 



Friday, April 17, 2015

Interview with British Author Claire Upton



Claire Upton
Norfolk/Cambridgeshire UK


Good morning, Claire. Welcome to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors. Tell us what have you written.
My debut novel was Twisted Fate, Ups-a-Daisy was out last year & last month (March 2015) Double Thinking Girl. I also have two children’s book that my daughter illustrated called, Nanny Pam Takes the Children to Feed the Ducks & Nanny Pam joins a Band.


What is your favorite genre to write?
I enjoy writing romantic comedy that also includes some difficulties that the main character needs to overcome. I once tried writing a crime thriller but I scared myself!


That's funny. Favorite food.
Difficult, I am gluten intolerant so my food choices have been reduced. But still has to be chocolate. Luckily, most of which is gluten free!


Tea or coffee?
Coffee. No question.


Pizza or ice cream?
Ice-cream


Where would you like to visit?
New York & France & ultimately Rome.


Oh, Claire...Rome first! It is fabulous. Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?
I am loving Sia at the moment. Sometimes I listen to music but mostly I listen to motivational stuff.




What makes you laugh?
Many things. Mostly things my children say.


Favorite work of art or sculpture.
It all depends on my mood but I have many different pictures & ornaments around the house. The Double Thinking book cover actually has two of my favourites on.


How old were you when you started writing?
I think I have always written little stories but the one that I remember most was Rachel Rabbit book that I did at school when I was about 10. The teacher made them all into stapled books & probably at that point I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Describe your perfect evening.
Probably just a quiet evening with candles burning, a snuggly blanket & a good book.


Where do you get your inspiration?
From anywhere. Most of my books come from a first line that I just get in my head & I know I need to start writing.


What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I get busy doing other things. I don’t just sit & wait because I find that blocks your mind more. If I go & potter about the house or go out for coffee, soon enough I am scribbling on scrap bits of paper & racing back to the laptop to write it all down.


Who is your favorite author?
My top five are Katie Fforde (the main character in my new book finds comfort in her books) Adele Parks, Cathy Kelly, Sue Welfare & Erica James.


Best book you ever read.
The only boy for me by Gil McNeil. It is one of the few books I have read over & over & I don’t think I have read any of hers since. It just stuck with me.


Last book you read.
To catch a Butterfly by T M Payne. I was lucky enough to attend a speaking event with her a couple of weeks ago & she is a fabulous person. I downloaded her book & wow! It blew my mind, she is extremely talented.


What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
I was previously an Accounts Assistant, but got laid off from my job three weeks before Christmas 2014. So am now writing full-time.


Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My ex mother-in-law (aka Nanny Pam). She is one of the hardest working, most positive & enthusiastic people I have ever known. She has a real love of life, even though she has had a very stressful life. I am honoured to know her & have her in our lives.


If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
My Grandad Bill. He died when I was 24, the last of my grandparents. We were very close & he was always an honest & positive person in my life. I miss our conversations & mostly his jolly laugh.


What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

Just to write. There is a lot of advice out there on the technical side, how to plot, etc. But all that aside, just write the story down. Don’t worry about who might read it just write because you need to get your story out of your head & down on paper.


Do you have some links for us to follow you?