Thursday, May 23, 2024

TV TIME: All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix)



This was an excellent Netflix mini-series about a young blind French teenage girl during World War II who reads a Jules Verne book over the radio and a code-breaking German soldier, the last of his unit alive, who listens to her illegal broadcasts, both who are trying to survive.

Beautifully written and expertly casts, it still shows the horrors and devastation of war while injecting touching elements, like the girl’s relationship with her father, the way the town’s people stick together, the effect of sound, of the human voice, in times of darkness. 








 











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Wednesday, May 22, 2024

INTERVIEW: “Romcomstery” Author Carla Vergot


Carla Vergot
Northern Virginia
USA


Good morning, Carla. Welcome to Vision and Verse. What have you written? 

Lily Barlow Book One: The Mystery of Jane Dough, Lily Barlow Book Two: The Mystery in the Mangroves



What is your favorite genre to write? 

Romcomstery (equal parts romance, comedy and mystery)



Favorite food. 

Avocado 



Tea or coffee? 

I’ve switched from coffee to green tea



Pizza or ice cream? 

The He**boy pizza at Lampo in Charlottesville, VA



Wine or beer or soda or what? 

These days I drink mostly water.



Where would you like to visit? 

Montana



Favorite musical artist.  

I have a big appetite for all kinds of music, but I’d probably say REO Speedwagon is my comfort food of music.



Do you listen to music when you write?  

Yes



What? 

Spotify curates some great instrumental playlists. I like jazz and blues when I write.


What makes you laugh? 

My husband, my dogs, and Nate Bargatz



Favorite work of art or sculpture. 

Anything by Chihuly



I love Dale Chihuly! His glasswork is fantastic. How old were you when you started writing? 

Fourth grade



Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? 

Or just write? 

I have a general idea in my head, then I just let ‘er rip.



Describe your perfect evening. 

Dinner with friends




Where do you get your inspiration?

 I get a lot of inspiration from nature, but my stories are character driven, so I look for things everywhere—grocery store, library, city street, back alley, country lane.





What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

Trying something different can help break it—an art class, hypnosis, archery, anything new to get yourself out of the rut.



Who is your favorite author?

 I love Janet Evanovich’s humor. I pay homage to her in my series because my main character loves her main character.



Best book you ever read. 

Blessed Are the Cheese Makers



Last book you read. 

Unlikely Animals 



What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer? 

Find a way to become a writer



That is the best answer to that question I have ever had! Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 

My husband. He loves traveling, exploring, and going on adventures. He invited me to take a sabbatical from teaching to write, and when I loved it, he encouraged me to keep doing it.



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 mama. I lost her in 1990, and I’ve missed her every day since.



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

There’s no magic formula. Get comfortable with grinding, because writing is work.





Do you have some social media links so we can follow you?


amazon— 

https://www.amazon.com/Lily-Barlow-Book-One-Mystery/dp/1636981909/ref=sr_1_2?crid=10UO4D0XCGCSJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CgAMVwV6pTcx8WqX1Mim3uoAK4ZofS2-i-HoWSSysTUOIoQkaCg0qT-dtzi5o1iV.3HpXzhmSMpfFIIReCC1U_BtnZqfRvPNfhllnGMkor7U&dib_tag=se&keywords=carla+vergot&qid=1710190269&sprefix=carla+vergot,aps,76&sr=8-2


Facebook—

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarlaVergotsBackPorch 


Instagram— @carla_vergot


Website — https://carlavergot.com













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Tuesday, May 21, 2024

BOOK REVIEW: Donna Leon, A Memoir, Wandering Through Life

I am a great fan of Donna Leon’s Comosario Guido Brunetti series set in Venice. They are not only great stories with terrific plots, but have characters you grow to love. 

This book, her memoir, gives us a more personal look at the well-traveled, well-versed author from New Jersey with the same warmth and humor as her fabulous Brunetti series. 


 







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Monday, May 20, 2024

ART: British Artist Beryl Cook


                         Girls in a Taxi

Dear Gentle Readers,
   While checking by Facebook Author Page for activity, I came across a post from my friend and fellow art enthusiast,
 Elizabeth Monroe, and at first, I was a little taken by surprise.  Was there a photographer following my female family 
members and me around town?  Do I have the dreaded...(gasp)...paparazzi? After all, we are a family of full-sized women. 
Our family reunions look like a Miss Piggy look-alike contest. We are great cooks and we like to have our friends and 
family over for big meals and big laughs.
After I decided this wasn't really us, I found these prints to be delightful and lighthearted.  And fun.  I hope you will enjoy 
these "Ruebens with a sense of humor," Botticellis with a big-bunned sense of humor, Bouchers On Carbos, Montaubans 
Wearing Clothes, I could go on and on...and on. 
Hugs,
Carol  


    The Art Studio































Directly from Wikipedia:
 Beryl Cook,(10 September 1926 – 28 May 2008) was an English artist best known for her original and instantly 
recognizable paintings of people enjoying themselves in pubs, girls shopping or out on a hen night, drag shows or 
a family picnicking by the seaside or abroad – tangoing in Buenos Aires or gambling in Las Vegas. She had no 
formal training and did not take up painting until middle age. She went to Kendrick Grammar School located in 
Reading, Berkshire, England.

Cook was a shy and private person, often depicting the flamboyant and extrovert characters she would like 
to be. She had an almost photographic memory.
Cook started painting when living in Southern Rhodesia with her husband and young son, and     
continued to paint on returning to England during the 60’s, but only began to sell her work in the mid 70’s
She found new material for her work while travelling. Early local scenes expanded those depicting Buenos Aires, 
New York, Cuba, Paris and Barcelona.


The Park
























Cook admired the work of the English visionary artist Stanley Spencer, his influence evident in her compositions 
and bold bulky figures, as well as several of her pictures depicting a similarly religious aspect; e.g. Noah, 
The Virgin and Jonah & The Whale. Another influence was Edward Burra, who painted sleazy cafes, nightclubs,
 gay bars, sailors and prostitutes, although, unlike Burra, she did not paint the sinister aspects of scenes. 
She was described by Victoria Wood as "Rubens with jokes". Beryl Cook's work can be seen in context with 
the British tradition of social realist painters and could be described as a twentieth century Hogarth or Gilray, 
although she had a more sympathetic view of the human race. She was, like them above all a social observer. 
In 1979 a film was made about Beryl Cook for LWT's South Bank Show. The TV company Tiger Aspect made 
two half-hour award winning animated films of Beryl Cook's irrepressible women who meet at Plymouth's
Dolphin Pub. Entitled 'Bosom Pals' had an all star cast of voices with Dawn FrenchRosemary Leach
Alison Steadman andTimothy Spall. They were screened on BBC1 in February 2004.









                                                                                                                          















The Red Umbrella
Beryl Cook was made an O.B.E. in 1995. In 2005 Channel 4 News presented a short film of Beryl and her 
work, she was also the featured artist in The Culture Show in 2006. Beryl Cook's paintings have been acquired 
by Glasgow Museum of Modern Art, Bristol City Art Gallery, Plymouth Art Gallery and Durham Museum. 
The Baltic, Gateshead had a major Beryl Cook Exhibition in 2007, and a full retrospect exhibition was put on 
by Plymouth University after her death in November and December 2008. In 2010 several of Beryl Cook's 
paintings were loaned to Tate Britain for their exhibition 'Rude Britannia – British Comic Art', Bristol City Art 
Gallery and Museum held a retrospective exhibition in 2011.


Cha Cha Cha              
























Publications : '
The Works' ( John Murray 1978   ) 'Private View' ( John Murray 1980 ) 'Seven Years and a Day'
 ( Collins 1980 ) 'One Man Show' ( John Murray 1981 ) 'Bertie and the Big Red Ball' ( John Murray 1982 ) 
'My Granny was a frightful bore' ( Chrysalis Books 1983 ) 'Beryl Cook's New York' ( John Murray 1985 )
 'Beryl Cook's London ( John Murray 1988 ) 'Bouncers' ( Gollancz 1992 )'Happy Days' ( Gollancz 1995 ) 
'Cruising' (Gollancz 2000 ) 'Beryl Cook: ' The Bumper Edition ' ( Gollancz 2000 )'The World of Beryl Cook' 
by Jess Wilder & Jerome Sans ( Prestel 2007 ) revised by Jess Wilder in 2008 ( Prestel ) 'Rude Britannia- 
British Comic Art, Catalogue Tate Britain 2010. www.berylcook.co



None of these photos or background articles are mine; nothing is my own work except for the first paragraph.  
All information is from:
www.wikipedia.com
www.berylcook.com
www.amazon.com
www.cheap-r.com
www.berylcookprints.com











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Note:

Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. 

We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.