Amazon Link: January Black Ice http://tinyurl.com/zmv3jeq
Friday, February 9, 2018
Thursday, February 8, 2018
The Art of Jon Whitcomb
Jon Whitcomb
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jon Whitcomb (1906–1988) was an American illustrator. He was well known for his pictures of glamorous young women. He was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma and grew up in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University and graduated from Ohio State University with a major in English. He is the brother of fashion designer and inventor Merry Hull.[1]
Whitcomb started drawing illustrations for student publications while a student at Ohio State, and worked summers painting posters for a theater in Cleveland, Ohio. After he graduated, Jon found work making travel and theater posters and advertising illustrations. In 1934 he moved to New York City and joined with Al Cooper to found the Cooper Studio. Whitcomb was a pioneer in the switch from oil to gouache for illustrations. The different qualities of gouache compared to oil led to changes in the design of Whitcomb's illustrations. He zoomed in on people, usually pretty, young city women, and reduced the background to simple design elements. His new style of illustrations soon appeared in Collier's Weekly, Good Housekeeping and other magazines.
During World War II Whitcomb was commissioned a Lieutenant, Junior Grade in the United States Navy. After a variety of duties, he was assigned as a combat artist for the invasions of Tinian, Saipan, and Peleliu.
After the war Whitcomb produced a series of articles and sketches about Hollywood stars for Cosmopolitan, called "On Location with Jon Whitcomb". He continued to produce story illustrations and covers for magazines, including McCall's and Playboy. He wrote some short stories, two children's books, Coco, and Pom Pom's Christmas, and a book on glamour, All About Girls. He was one of the founding faculty of the Famous Artists School.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Interview with Western Romance Author Davalynn Spencer
Davalynn Spencer
Colorado’s Front Range
Good morning, Davalynn, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the place for Art and Authors. What have you written?
Nine published titles including five novels and four novellas in
collections. Most historical/Western, two contemporary.
collections. Most historical/Western, two contemporary.
What is your favorite genre to write?
Inspirational Western Romance
Favorite food.
Chocolate mint chip ice cream. And bacon. Just not together.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee.
Pizza or ice cream?
Ice cream, of course.
Wine or beer?
Not a beer fan.
Me, either. Where would you like to visit?
Ireland, Scotland, Vermont
Scotland is on my bucket list. Vermont is wonderful. Do you listen to music when you write? What?
The soundtrack for Last of the Mohicans underscores many a scene when I’m writing. Almost every emotion is musically generated in that collection. I’ve also used ocean waves
when working on stories set by the sea.
What makes you laugh?
People and pets.
This is an Art AND Author site, so I'm obliged to ask, what is your favorite work of art or sculpture.
Art: Anything by CM Russell.
Sculpture: A “bronze” of a bullfighter turning a rodeo bull by slapping it on the head. Title: “Tag, you’re it!” It’s the trophy myson received two years in a row for
winning the Colorado State Freestyle
Bull Fighting Competition.
winning the Colorado State Freestyle
Bull Fighting Competition.
How old were you when you started writing?
Twelve.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I just write and after I’m in about fifty pages, I start throwing sticky notes on a whiteboard indicating scenes and characters and where
I want to go when.
I want to go when.
Describe your perfect evening.
Late fall, dinner by the wood stove with a warming fire inside and a
good book on my lap.
good book on my lap.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Inspiration usually strikes when I’m least expecting it. One story came as I pulled into a parking spot at the local diner/quick-stop/gas station. Another – my last novel – arrived one wintry night while I sat in front of the aforementioned wood stove.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I go for a walk with Blue the Cowdog.
Blue is a beauty. Who is your favorite author?
Not fair. If you want just one name it would be Laura Frantz,
Louis L’Amour, Joanne Bischof, Tamara Alexander, Lynn Austin, Stan Lynde.
Best book you ever read.
Best book this year, The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof.
Last book you read.
Saving Miss Julie by Stan Lynde
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
Edit
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
That would have to be my mother
who became increasingly wise asI grew older.
who became increasingly wise asI grew older.
There is wisdom in that last sentence, Davalynn. If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
Will Rogers. He was a talented, clever, clear-thinking, and funny man.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Read good writing and never give up on your dream.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/xa81D
Website: http://www.davalynnspencer.com
Recent re-lease as complete collection: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764LS41J/
Monday, February 5, 2018
February White Lies by Carol Ann Kauffman
Join Cat Collier from January Black Ice as she starts her own detective agency, Red Cat Investigations, inside the gorgeous old Palazzo Castellano Hotel and solves her first real paid case, the case of Shotzie, the missing French poodle.
Just when she feels she is destined to find lost pets and missing luggage for the rest of her life in her beautiful new office, complete with business cards, magazines in the waiting room, and her Red Cat logo painted on the frosted glass door, a lovely, mysterious woman named Ms. White hires her to find out who is stalking her.
A dead rat on her car. Being run off the road. A car bombing. Someone wants her frightened or maybe…dead. The trail of graft and corruption leads Cat into danger as she hides the mystery woman with the old, reclusive lawyer Detrick Bittmor for safe keeping.
Cat’s relationship with the handsome Erick “Carter” Larsen is put in jeopardy when she teams up with Officer Kiernan Scott from the Heaton Valley Police Department to unravel the mystery in February White Lies.
Amazon Link:
February White Lies http://tinyurl.com/z6qn8kg
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Schedule for Feb. 5-9, 2018
Schedule
Mon., Feb. 5 - February White Lies
by Carol Ann Kauffman
Tues., Feb. 6 - Artist Adair Payne
He Speaks for the Landscape
He Speaks for the Landscape
Wed., Feb. 7 - An Interview with Western Romance
Author Davalynn Spencer
Author Davalynn Spencer
Thurs., Feb. 8- The Art of
Jon Whitcomb
Jon Whitcomb
Fri., Feb. 9 - The Cat Collier Mystery Short Story Series
by Carol Ann Kauffman
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