Many of us have a birthday coming up and I thought we could find another way of celebrating it. Hot dogs and fireworks are tons of fun but I thought we could look a little deeper into the USA’s Independence Day holiday. Today’s prompt is:
INDEPENDENCE
For today’s poem, try writing about independence in any of its many forms: national independence, personal independence (from parents, a lover), the City of Independence… It’s up to you.
OF HISTORY AND HOPE
by Miller Williams
We have memorized America,
how it was born and who we have been and where.
In ceremonies and silence we say the words,
telling the stories, singing the old songs.
We like the places they take us. Mostly we do.
The great and all the anonymous dead are there.
We know the sound of all the sounds we brought.
The rich taste of it is on our tongues.
But where are we going to be, and why, and who?
The disenfranchised dead want to know.
We mean to be the people we meant to be,
to keep on going where we meant to go.
But how do we fashion the future? Who can say how
except in the minds of those who will call it Now?
The children. The children. And how does our garden grow?
With waving hands—oh, rarely in a row—
and flowering faces. And brambles, that we can no longer allow.
Who were many people coming together
cannot become one people falling apart.
Who dreamed for every child an even chance
cannot let luck alone turn doorknobs or not.
Whose law was never so much of the hand as the head
cannot let chaos make its way to the heart.
Who have seen learning struggle from teacher to child
cannot let ignorance spread itself like rot.
We know what we have done and what we have said,
and how we have grown, degree by slow degree,
believing ourselves toward all we have tried to become—
just and compassionate, equal, able, and free.
All this in the hands of children, eyes already set
on a land we never can visit—it isn’t there yet—
but looking through their eyes, we can see
what our long gift to them may come to be.
If we can truly remember, they will not forget.
I do hope you’ll share your poem, or a link to the poem, in our comments. Have a spirited 4th of July weekend!
All I need you to do is post, in four hundred words or less, a story, song, or poem based on the picture below. You can post your work in comments or leave a link to where you’ve posted it so everyone can check it out.
Our guest at Texty Ladies today is Delilah Marvel, author of wickedly humorous historical romances. She has quite a story to tell and I’m happy she wanted to share with us. So here she is!
When I was in high school, I had a dream. I was going to be the next Stephen King. Heh. Yeah. Stay with me. Please. I knew my ideas were fabulous and I knew all it would take is for an editor to look at it and they would offer me up the moon and the stars and best of all, a contract. I had my girlfriends read everything I wrote. And they kept telling me, “This is fabulous! It’s SO funny! Hilarious!” Seeing it really wasn’t supposed to BE funny, I immediately changed course realizing I actually had a better handle on being funny than scary. I also figured adding a romance into it would even make it better since that is what I loved to read.
I then entered college as an English major. I was going to be teacher and write during the summers. Even then I was a smart girl who knew I wasn’t going to make jack and that I needed a job to support the “creative” one. Throughout all of college I wrote historical romances. One right after another. And kept submitting. And submitting. And submitting. And kept getting rejected and rejected and rejected. In the meantime, I got married. I had two kids. I joined RWA. I got critique partners. I did honed and honed and honed the crap out of my writing. And kept writing and getting rejected. I eventually racked up over 200 rejections and had written over 40 books in those 11 years of trying to get published.
When I finally sold my first historical romance, Mistress of Pleasure, and my second book, Lord of Pleasure, I was beside myself. It didn’t feel real. To FINALLY arrive at a destination I had been traveling toward for 11 long years seemed like a mirage. Which fortunately, I quickly snapped out of. Because after all, most of my friends are all published and unpublished writers and the stories they all have told me throughout the years made me realize I had to fight with fists up for myself every step of the way. I knew publishers did little to no promotion for their authors, so I spearheaded my own promo, ready to be more than just an author. And even though I was budgeting very well and spending countless hours networking and promoting on websites and blogs, doing tons for free, I still ended up spending $7,000 on my first book. Which was way more than my advance. But hey, every business starts in the red. Right?
Then the reviews started coming in about my series set in 1830 London England about a school that educates men on the topic of love and seduction. People loved it! Wow. It got nominated for awards. Wow. Readers are e-mailing me raving. Wow. Readers from France, Austria, Poland, South Africa and from all over the U.S and the world. Wow. It just kept getting better and better. I was beginning to feel as if every penny I spent was all worth it (even though my family and I weren’t going on any vacations and were eating out of cans). Because all that mattered was that my publisher loved me and my readers loved my series.
Come contract time, I’m ready for whatever they wanna throw at me. Or so I thought. Mistress of Pleasure, though completely sold out and unavailable anywhere (unless it’s a used copy, some going for a ridiculous amount of $40.00), hadn’t done as well as my publisher had hoped. So without waiting for the second book to come out to see if the series was even worth saving, I get a rejection from my own editor citing lack of sales.
I have to say this rejection felt more personal than any of the other two hundred and some rejections I’d received. Because it was no longer “Your book isn’t good enough” it became “Your sales aren’t good enough.” Since when is an author supposed to be a market guru AND a fabulous writer? Eck.
I love this series. The men in it make me laugh and it broke my heart to think that my readers will never get a chance to read about Lord Brayton, my glorious male virgin. The only alpha virgin I’ve ever written about. Then I realized something, why I am letting a publisher decide what is worth holding on to? Shouldn’t that be a reader’s job?
Ah. Herein lies the purpose of my post. I am challenging everyone, be they readers or writers to help me do something that’s never been done before. Save a series from a death sentence given by a publisher. Can it be done? Who knows. But I eat challenges for breakfast and I hope you do to. Please join me in saving my series. Come August 4th, tell everyone you know (yes, even you’re 72 year old grandfather) to buy the book, Lord of Pleasure. In doing so, you’ll have a chance to win one of three $50 Visa Gift Cards. How? Check out my website for details.
That said, thank you for all the support and love everyone has already shown me by allowing me to blog about this. Feel free to post and repost this to everyone under the moon and the stars. To all you readers out there, thank you for supporting us writers. To all you writers out there, don’t ever give up on your writing. The moment you do, you give up on yourself. Which is why I’m not giving up on my series.
Cheers and much love,
Delilah Marvelle
Thanks for joining us today, Delilah, and we at Texty Ladies wish you the best of luck!
Contests, you ask? Only three:
One lucky subscriber to Keely’s Contest and News group (My group, although Princess Keely thinks otherwise) will win a Faery Special Baseball Cap.
1st Turning Point is having a subscription drive as well. Gobs of prizes–take a look at them on the home page! And while you’re there, read Shelli Stevens’ touching article called Share the Love.
“Koontz’s most likable creation.” — New York Times
Odd Hours is the most recent book in a four book series starring a young man named Odd Thomas whohas the ability to see the dead as well as having prophetic dreams. Odd Thomas is drawn for reasons unknown, to the city of Magic Beach and a myserious young woman named Annamarie, who is the woman that he has seen in his dreams. During the course of the day, Odd Thomas discovers an evil plot hatched by locals to smuggle in nuclear weapons which are set to destroy four major cities. In typical Odd Thomas form, Odd uses his psychic abilities to thwart the evil doers and save not only Magic Beach, but thousands of lives as well.
I am a huge fan of the Odd Thomas books. I know that the Odd series may not be for everyone but if you like quirky characters and the unexpected, than you’ll like Odd Thomas. I found myself literally laughing out loud at times when reading the book, but mostly when one of the spirits that has been seeking Odd out goes poltergeist and helps him out of a tough spot. I read this book in the series first and then went back and read the first 3 books, Odd Thomas, Forever Odd and Brother Odd. I wanted to make that I didn’t miss anything before I wrote this review, so I read the book again and am glad that I did. There is a flow to the reading that requires the reader to slow down and take their time to absorb just how strange a young man Odd Thomas really is.
I am very biased because I love all the books in this series and it’s because of that I give this book Three Cocktails.
“A unique and magical urban paranormal with dragons, witches, and demons.”– Cheyenne McCray, USA Today bestselling author of Seduced by Magic
“Sweet, funny, and deliciously erotic.”–Romance Reviews Today
“Hot and steamy…just the kind of story I love to read.” Coffee Time Romance
From the back cover: Lisa Singleton has an unusual roommate–a fifty-foot dragon named Caleb who has glittering scales and a bad attitude. Little does she know that Caleb is actually a powerful warrior sent to protect her from those out to steal her magic and destroy the world. Lisa never knew she had any magic worth stealing…
Then Lisa’s life is threatened by a black dragon and an evil witch–and she suddenly finds herself in the arms of a tall, naked, sexy stranger with rippling muscles. Turns out the hunk is Caleb–in human form–and if he doesn’t stop distracting her with those gorgeous bedroom eyes, they may not have time to stop their enemies before all of existence is wiped out.
At least Lisa and Caleb will have savored every last minute…
This book was very different from anything I’ve ever read. This is the first I’ve heard of Dragonspace. It’s about a young woman who doesn’t know she’s very special. All the women in her family are special and her grandmother Li Na passes her gifts to her granddaughter, Lisa, when she passes away. Lisa was just a regular woman working for a living when her life totally changed. Once she moves into Li Na’s apartment, there is nothing regular about her life any more. Witches had sent a golden dragon, Caleb, to protect Lisa from an evil black dragon, Malcolm. The dragons can take on human form (and they do…take on really HOT human form). Caleb lives in Lisa’s spare bedroom which has a portal to Dragonspace–a whole other world. I didn’t think this book was really my “cup of tea” at first, but I quickly changed my mind and got totally engrossed in the storyline. Lisa and Caleb the dragon become best friends at first, then something more. Once he takes on human form to protect her outside of her apartment, they fall in love. Caleb is to protect Lisa until she is safe from the black dragon…which means he will be returning to Dragonspace. It breaks her heart to think she’ll lose him, so they make the best of the time they have together. Malcolm is the black dragon in human form–where Caleb is a tall, tan, gorgeous blond–Malcolm is a tall, blackhaired gorgeous man. This very detailed story includes good witches, bad witches, demons, dragons and lots of humor. There are two love stories in this book which are very, very erotic. I think you’ll be surprised by the detail and great storyline. To enjoy this book you would have to have an open mind and like fantasy!
Because this very erotic and unique storyline caught my interest–I give this story 3 cocktails! You’re going to want a dragon of your very own…YUM!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind! I must apologize for not having a Poetry Play Thursday prompt prepared for today. Please return next Thursday for more poetry fun!
I wanted to do something a little different today, so for today’s exercise, I’d like you to do any or all of the following:
Write a story or poem using the following words. It can be any length you like:
Broom
Sky
Stone
Star
Innocent
Trade
Dream
The second thing I’d like you to do is take a memory from the past and change it. Embellish it, turn it into a new memory. Maybe change the events so that, if it’s a bad memory, it becomes a good one.
And last in our TT writing exercise, I’d like you to remember a path you chose at some point in your life, and instead of going down that path, take a different path. What would be different in your life right now if you’d chosen a different path?
For instance, what if you’d chosen a different career? What if you’d married your childhood sweetheart? What if you’d moved away, or if you did move away, what if you’d stayed in your home town? Or it can be as simple as, what if you’d taken the day off work? What if you’d taken a road trip last weekend instead of hanging out at home? What might have happened? Tell us a story!
Feel free to do any or all of the above exercises. And have fun!
Marion Webb-De Sisto has held a keen interest in Women’s Spirituality, Crystal Therapy and the Celestial Hierarchy for the past twenty-five years. She is a graduate member and former tutor of the International College of Crystal Healing, a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner and a Reiki Master. Although born in England, Marion lived and worked for many years in the USA.
She was a Grade School teacher in England, a director of two separate child care centers in Massachusetts and the director of a private school in California. After returning home, she became a local government officer for registering and inspecting all types of education and child care facilities for children under the age of 8. During many of her working years, Marion’s attention was given to servicing and protecting abused and neglected children.
This author describes herself as a people watcher. She sees the human experience as one that is filled with possibilities and continuous change. The duality that exists within each person fascinates Marion and she uses her many years of working and communicating with people as a blueprint for ‘fleshing out’ the characters in her novels.
Jacquie: What’s the first book you ever read that inspired you to become a writer yourself?
Marion: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.
Jacquie: How has your work with crystal skulls influenced your fiction works?
Marion: My long-term work with crystals rather than crystal skulls has had some influence on my fiction works. My characters have crystal wands that can be used as weapons or as a means of transportation, also for helping them to easily do difficult tasks.
Jacquie: Are you able to switch from fiction to non-fiction writing easily? Or do you have a process?
Marion: No process, I seem to be well-able to make the switch I just feel drawn to write one or the other.
Jacquie: Do you have a writing schedule? If so, are you able to stick to it? If not, how do you avoid procrastination?
Marion: I usually write in the mornings because my brain is more active then, but there have been occasions when I’ve written late at night, as well. I just think I “blank out” in the afternoons. I never procrastinate. If I’m unable to stick to my schedule, I just beat myself up until I can get back to it.
Jacquie: Are you involved in activities other than writing? If so, please tell us about them.
Marion: Due to an illness I had eleven years ago I’m not as physically active as I used to be, but I have given training courses, workshops and lectures about complementary therapies and spirituality at an Adult Education college in London, as well as at Holistic Festivals and Health Shows. I’m an avid collector of crystals and crystal skulls and I’ve always been a fan of movies. I also love to read books about the paranormal and stories of romance and adventure.
Jacquie: Why did you want to write books for sale? I understand the compulsion to create stories, but I’m always curious as to why someone would have a goal to sell them.
Marion: My motivation to write is, I think, much more about sharing with others rather than selling the books. I frequently give free copies of them to people in competitions or as gifts. However, we live in a world that runs on money and, having always been of an independent nature, I like to be able to pay my way in life. So the money I earn from my books is rewarding, but not the overall goal.
Jacquie: Tell us about your current release and any special circumstances that inspired you to write it.
Marion: My most recent book, Turning to Nature, is presently in the publishing process. It’s a little non-fiction handbook about the Bach Flower Remedies, which help us with our well-being. I became qualified as a Bach Centre Registered Practitioner some fourteen years ago and I’ve always wanted to tell people just how amazing these therapeutic essences are.
Jacquie: What criteria did you use for choosing the publishers to whom you submitted stories?
Marion: I self-publish my books, I’ve never submitted them to traditional publishers, but not because I’m afraid of rejection. I guess I’m a rebel who doesn’t like her work to be changed in any way by other folk. But you can find some of my writings featured in traditionally published books by Diane Stein and Dick Sutphen.
Jacquie: What’s next? Tell us your publishing schedule for the next year.
Marion: Within the past week I’ve started writing Book Three of The Angelic Chronicles trilogy. These books take a contemporary look at the Celestial Hierarchy. They tell a story of adventure, romance, sibling rivalry and treachery and they give the reader a controversial look at the angelic realms.
When that book is complete, I would like to write one about my own and other people’s experiences of hauntings and/or paranormal events.
Jacquie: What did I not ask that you’d like to say to the Texty Lady readers?
Marion: I am always happy to have readers email me with any questions or thoughts they may have about the subjects covered in my books. For me other people’s ideas and viewpoints are very interesting They can read more about me and my work at: http://www.marionwebb-desisto.com
Jacquie: Please let us know how to contact you, and give us the links to your social networks.
Thank you, Marion! What an interesting life and career. Thanks for all the good work you do, as well as the wonderful books you write.
So what all good stuff can you win? I’m participating in a couple of contests right now:
Summer Treasure Hunt: 30 prizes in 30 days!
Dig for Treasure and Win. :) On June 24, enter to win Faery Special Romances! Subscribers to Keely’s Contest & News Group will be entered in a drawing for a Faery Special Baseball Cap. Winner will be drawn July 1.
Fabulous prizes contributed by Gerri Russell, Rowena Cherry, John Klawitter, Carol North, Rebecca J. Vickery, and moi are part of a contest at 1st Turning Point. All you have to do is Meet the Parrots! Become a 1st Turning Point Parrot (subscriber) and you’re automatically entered to win. It’s that easy. Plus, you can have your Good News posted on our site, receive informative articles on promotion and marketing, and it’s all for FREE.
Infinite Words of Fantasy Writers is holding a HUGE contest with dozens of authors! Don’t miss it. Find out what you need to do to win terrific prizes at the IWOFA Contest page.
Rita J. here and I wanted to say hello to everyone. I’ll be writing weekly reviews on books that I find most enjoyable – murder, mystery, suspense, oh my. Some of my favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman, Dean R. Koontz, and John Sanford to name a few. I don’t always deviate from my favorite authors, sometimes being resistant to change and the unknown. This week’s review is a walk on the wild side, a new author for me.
Peter Crane, a Navy doctor, is hired to investigate several illnesses that are occurring on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean. When he arrives, Crane discovers that it’s not the workers on the oil rig suffering bizarre illnesses, but workers on a research facility 12,000 feet beneath the Atlantic. Sworn to secrecy, he descends to Deep Storm, the science research facility on the ocean floor. Deep Storm is excavating what they believe to be the remains of Atlantis. Since the excavation has begun, workers have been complaining of various illnesses. In trying to discover the cause of the mysterious illnesses, Crane realizes that the remains of the legendary Atlantis is not the archaeological discovery of a lifetime, but something far more deadly.
This is the first book I’ve read written by Lincoln Child and was not disappointed. It had all my requirements for a good read. I like the main character, Peter Crane, because he’s tough, smart, excellent problem solver and someone I want on my side when doom is imminent. I was drawn into the story within the first few chapters and was able to sit back and settle in for a good read in no time at all. The story was reminiscent of the movie The Abyss, so if you enjoyed that movie, you’ll love the book. Overall, I liked the book and the author and would definitely like to read more from him or the duo, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Because I enjoyed the book and it kept me guessing, I give this book 3 Cocktails!!
Out-of-the ordinary love stories from today’s most enchanting authors…
From the inside cover: Bridal Jitters by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle
In the distant future, an official marriage-of-convenience between paranormal business partners is almost called off–because of love…
Man in the Mirror by Julie Beard
Gazing into an antique mirror, a romance-shy young woman comes face-to face with the right man from the wrong time: a courageous knight of King Arthur’s court…
Tangled Dreams by Lori Foster
To uncover a family heirloom, two ghosts orchestrate a most passionate tryst between a demure lady and the sexy bartender she can’t get out of her mind…
Pandora’s Bottle by Eileen Wilks
A conservative stockbroker harbors a magical secret–one that unbottles his fiance’s wildest desires….
I read each of the four paranormal romance stories and loved them all! They cover everything from futuristic marriage contracts, to stepping through a mirror into the past (I guess not only Alice gets to go through a looking glass), to ghosts, to a genie . I can’t give you more detail because they are four short great stories which are very different. The paperback has a total of 339 pages…so, it’s a quick read. Great for on the way to work and back or during your break at work (which I do both!). Would also be great for on the plane or in the car if you’re lucky enough to go on a vacation (which I’m not…dang!).
Because I really loved all four very different short story lines, I give this book 3 cocktails!
Some time ago, while surfing through blogs and looking at links for artists, writers and other creatives, I came across a link to the website of artist Camille Boggs. I’m so thankful I decided to check it out because it was definitely a treat! Camille’s work is simply breathtaking and her ability to create such beauty in detail blows my mind. I’m just tickled that she granted me an interview! I do hope you’ll head over to her website after reading this feature so you can view her art in a larger scale.
Camille, will you please tell us a little about your work?
I work in hand cut paper. I developed the technique I use to cut paper over many years as a vinyl sign manufacturer. I became very adept with an x-acto knife. I had seen cut paper art before, mainly from China and Mexico, and found that special tools and small scissors were used to create them. More recently lasers are used, especially for mass production. I loved the look of the cuts, but wanted more. I first began layering the cut paper and noticed that if I use a certain thickness of paper, it could hold its own weight after being cut. Then I added space between the layers and began folding to form 3D shapes (an example of this would be in the upper right corner of Winter Memories). The drawings of dolls I added to my cut paper layers paved the way for my cut paper marionettes. I now add fabric, wood, drawing, and origami to some of my pieces.
Who has more power, the marionette or the manipulator?
Throughout history, marionettes have been used to say and perform acts that humans could not due to laws, propriety, and fear. My marionettes are stronger than I feel. Each one, though captured by her strings, rules her domain. Without fear of exposure, embarrassment, or condemnation she tells the story she has been given. The literal translation of marionette is “little Mary” named for the Virgin Mary puppets used in churches during the Middle Ages. Just as their namesake, my “little Marys” are chosen by me, their creator, to immaculately conceive an idea that has the potential to change perspectives.
What tools and materials do you use?
I use a #11 x-acto blade for all my cutting, and a large range of archival papers. Depending on the piece, I will at times use graphite and pastel on wood and beautiful fabrics (ranging from upholstery to silk brocades). I also use minimal pastel on my marionettes, mainly to give them just a little “life”. I like playing with the line between over idealized puppet/doll and beautifully imperfect real. All the details of the eyes, lips, hair…anything with a black outline…is cut paper. The pastel is the blush, freckles, bruises, eye makeup, etc. I use needle and thread for the joints.
Do you work (or have you worked) in any other medium?
I have worked in many medium; everything from carved wood to lithography, pulp casting to fresco, ceramics to book binding, digital photography to oil paint. I have been very lucky to have had opportunities to try many different techniques and products. I love learning because even if I don’t turn to that medium as a focus medium I may be able to incorporate it into a piece, or perhaps I will see my own medium in a new way.
Were you creative as a child?
Yes, I loved coloring, on everything, and making little models out of whatever I found in the yard. I had a great many “imaginary” friends. I really don’t believe in calling my friends “imaginary.” I use “imaginary” so that people understand what I’m speaking about…but to a child, friends are just that…friends. Back on subject…My favorite friend was Pablo. He was a tiny fisherman about five inches tall and I would build him little boats for his adventures on our pond. I would often talk to and for Pablo. I would change my voice and speak as he would to me. My Mom tells me the first time she heard this I was doing something in the kitchen and she kept hearing me talking to someone, so she peaked in to see that I was alone. She listened for a while and realized it was Pablo, and she was perfectly supportive of our friendship. I also had a clan of tiny lions I would play with in the yard…they didn’t like being inside and preferred the wild.
I always loved to look through art history books. I would pour through Janson’s Art History with the same amount of joy and excitement as I did Dr. Seuss. College level Art History books were kept where my siblings and I could get to them. We would play make believe together and form elaborate histories for the characters we were playing.
What type of schooling or training have you had?
I graduated top of my class, Summa Cum Laude, from Memphis College of Art May of 2004, I was the poster child for overachiever in school. In four years I earned a double emphasis (Papermaking/Book Arts and Sculpture) Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Art History Minor with a focus on Renaissance and Baroque. What I learned most in school was how to pull all nighters, have no life, and always stay focused on that “A+”.
This was my life until I was a junior (2003) studying in Italy. I lived and studied predominately in Cortona. I was with the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art study abroad program. I fell in love with every part of Italian life and culture and truly found who I was. In many ways, I both became an adult and rediscovered the power of my inner child. As a student in the program I studied painting, ceramics, printmaking, and art history. The most important lesson Italy taught me was that the journey, experiences, people, and life were more meaningful than a letter on a piece of paper. I went back to MCA, albeit reluctantly…it seems somehow, mysteriously, my return ticket from Rome disappeared. I thought I was going to stay in Italy forever. The ticket reappeared and one year later I received my degree and began my journey to seriously find my place in the world.
Your art is so intricate, do you ever mess up and get completely frustrated? If so, what do you do to turn things around?
I am completely human and have learned to accept failure. I don’t like it, but I accept it. Oddly enough, most of my big frustrations come from the preliminary/drawing phase or after the paper is cut. I really don’t screw up the cutting that often and when I do it is small slips of the blade that I have learned to fix with the right application of glue and mending paper. When a drawing does not turn out the way I want it to look or after I’ve completed multiple layers of cut paper just to put them together and they don’t fit the way I wanted them to…that is when I get completely distraught. I have a nice long, very adult, hissy fit leading into completely convincing myself that I’m a fool for trying to continue as an artist which leads to depression and by the time I’ve convinced myself I’m going to become a dermatologist, my husband has braved my space, looked at my piece, and gets me working through the problems verbally. We critique and brainstorm all the time. Usually after speaking with him and stepping away for a while I can find a way to start over or fix what I thought was complete rubbish. I really have to remind myself that when I wasn’t doing art, I was miserable, and that I am doing what I am meant to do. Also, I am ultimately in control of my mood, so I can become happy and confident again as soon as I’m ready to be.
Spending time with friends over a glass of wine and laughter is also a great way to relax.
Which piece was the most challenging for you? Easiest?
By far the most physically demanding piece I’ve done to date was Phoenix. She is a 5ft marionette with an 8ft wingspan. Her base is book board that I hand cut with a blade and everything else is hand cut paper with pastel and some watercolor for her tattoo. I plan to do more of these large scale installation pieces, but I will be using different tools to cut the dense base in hopes to save my hands and body from the torture of cutting 1/8” book board into shapes by hand.
The easiest, surprisingly, was probably Seraphim or If I could. Those two both came to me quickly and the images flowed from my hands without a hitch. They were both very time consuming and I had to work out many problems dealing with multiple appendages, but they were ready to be made the moment they entered my mind.
Where do you get your ideas and inspiration?
Everywhere, Fairy tales, Catholicism, pop up books, other artists, music, friends, and family all inspire my creations. The most direct influence in every piece is my own life and emotions. Each creation has come from a story in me, a moment, a time, a feeling I had for something, someone, or some place. When I was little I always wore my heart on my sleeve. I was in touch with everyone’s feelings. If someone was sad, I was sad. When I got older others started noticing and using this to their advantage, they saw me as gullible and easily manipulated. Perhaps I was a little gullible but did not like people being unhappy, sad, or hurt. I thought everyone’s happiness was my personal responsibility. That’s a lot of responsibility. I tried to build a wall around my heart and all that did was make me forget who I was. I have taken my heart back out and placed where it is meant to be…on my sleeve. That is what has allowed most of my art to be made. I am older now, and not as gullible. I no longer believe that everyone’s happiness is my responsibility…but I will still be the one to listen and always have a shoulder if you need it and I will do what I can to let you know someone cares. That is my inspiration.
On average, how long does it take you to complete a project?
From first thoughts, research, drawings, cutting, to completion…it can take months. Sometimes, however, a piece is just dying to come out and in a matter of 3 or 4 very long, tiresome days I can have a finished product.
What is your favorite part of the entire process?
It has to be when the marionette is complete. At that moment she comes to life and the entire story is behind her eyes, in her pose, and on her body. I create the marionette before any of her environment, often before the environment is even drawn. I let her tell me the rest of the story.
What is a typical day like for you?
Many of my days have the same elements; they just may not all happen in the same order. I spend time with my husband, work on any graphic design projects my clients need, work out, and then head to my studio to work on any one of my many projects I have going on at the moment.
Which work of art do you feel the strongest connection to?
I feel an enormous connection to all my pieces, but I do have one that I will never sell. It was the first piece I finished 18 months after hurricane Katrina. We lost all our art and art supplies along with everything else and I had no interest in looking at, much less doing art for a little over a year. One day a clay character came to me, Twitchy. She reminded me that I still wanted to be an artist. It was what I was born to do. Months later I finished a mixed media painting titled I was Wearing a Pink Dress. This piece helped pave the way for my Devotional Series which ultimately led to the marionettes and shadowboxes I am doing today. The piece is about Katrina and the loss of my memories and items but being reminded that I am still here and so is my family. I was born in New Orleans and my family was blown all over after the storm, but we did not loose anybody. The figure is obviously not wearing a pink dress, but she is also not me. The title refers to a photograph that was destroyed of my mother and I in the French Quarter. I was about three and standing next to one of my “orses,” as I pronounced it (the old horse head shaped horse ties found all over the Quarter) and I was wearing a pink sailor dress. I titled it that because I wanted to remember, my memory became very bad and this piece was to give me something solid to look at and remember, like a photograph. There are many small things throughout the painting, each a memory that I don’t want washed away.
Will you tell us about your first sale and what that was like?
I had sold a few pieces in college and such, but I don’t really count any of my sales until after Hurricane Katrina (when my art became what it is now.) My first sale was actually quite big. I sold all seven of my Devotional Series to a collector in Birmingham, AL. She had wanted them for a while but her husband kept telling her they could not afford them, and then one day I received a phone call from him. He wanted to buy the entire series as a surprise Christmas present for her. She was completely shocked and so excited…she was crying she was so happy, and that made me happy. It was an odd mix of happiness and sadness. I guess it could be like when your child goes off to college… you are proud of them, but will miss having them where you can keep them safe. It is hard to say goodbye to my pieces, but I know I’m hear to create a work of art to be sold…bottom-line, it is a business.
Since then, they have purchased one of my self portraits and continually stay supportive of my art. I thank them for that.
Do you have any hobbies?
Thank you for asking this question. I feel too many people believe that art is a hobby and that is all it can ever be. Art is my career and passion, and yes I do have a hobby.
I love to bake. I have always loved sweets, but about 3 years ago I started baking and I’m hooked. Everything from scratch and many are old recipes I grew up on. I change some around and try new things, but my favorite is chocolate. I bake lots of brownies and chocolate chip cookies. My most recent creation was the birthday cake for a dear friend of mine’s 30th. He loves chocolate, so I was challenged to make a chocolate cake that we would serve with chocolate ice cream. I made a devil’s food crust with a layer of cream cheese fudge, then a layer of chocolate custard followed by a layer of flourless chocolate cake, then another layer of chocolate custard with a layer of old fashion buttermilk chocolate cake topped with Kaluha and dark chocolate glaze. It was a hit. I love sharing my baked goods with people around me including my husband’s coworkers, friends, our hairdresser, and all the people at our favorite coffee house. It always brings a smile to their face.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
So many, it really depends on the day. A few examples are; Jean-Jacques Gaudel (painter, sculpture, everthing), Megan Kimber (painter), Marina Bychkova (doll artist), Lesley Reppeteaux (painter), Matthew Reinhart & Robert Sabuda (pop-up book artists), James Christensen (drawer/painter), Charles De Lint (writer), Melissa Etheridge (singer/songwriter), and many from history such as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Sofonisba Anguissola, Carravagio, Luca Signorelli, and Artemisia Gentileschi…to name a few. There are just so many talented artists in the world (past and present); it feels wrong to only name 16! And my husband knows I love his art!
Since your husband is also an artist, do you ever collaborate on projects?
We have collaborated in the past for portraits, children’s book illustration, and charity works, but nothing recently. Our work is very different as is the way we work, so at times it is difficult to work together. We are always there for each other with advice, support, and constructive criticism.
Do you have any advice for artists just starting out?
If you are serious about art as your career…then be serious. Be professional with collectors, galleries, and the public. I’m not saying not to be you, by all means that is what people will love, but be prepared for the business end of the art world. Research galleries before you allow your work to be seen in them and do not get sucked into “vanity galleries.” A vanity gallery will try to charge you to be in their gallery…don’t do it. Galleries take a commission off of the sale of the piece, which is how it should be done. Be sure you pick galleries that are worth that often 50% commission. Do they have a nice overhead/storefront? Do they advertise? Is the gallery Director personable and an aggressive seller?
Do not give up. I had scholarships to college for math and science. Many were pushing me to get a real career as a chemist or mathematician and quit looking at art schools…art was to be my hobby according to them. I do not regret my decision. A wonderful artist friend of mine, Michi Meko, is having a show in Atlanta, GA called “Fear kills Pursuit.” He is right. If you are truly going to have a career in art, be prepared not to listen to all the negatives you will hear. So many people will be lining up to find out what your “real” job is, to let you know that making it as an artist means starving, to tell you it can’t be done. I’m not saying it’s easy, and it has gotten tougher during these economic times, but if it is your passion and you are prepared to treat it with the same respect and dignity that every doctor, lawyer, teacher, or CEO treats their career…do it and never look back.
I always have multiple projects going on at once. Right now I have three marionettes complete, two of them have their environments drawn, and one set of conjoined twins cut and ready for their joints to be sewn. My newest form of displaying my marionettes is in found containers. I think of these as specimens and am very excited of adding these to my family of art as I find more containers. The first of this type is silens totus illa annus, the translation is “Silent all These Years” from a Tori Amos song.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If anyone would like to see more of my work, please visit my site www.camillemboggs.com and feel free to contact me on facebook. I’m always interested in meeting new people.
Camille! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful art with us, and your thoughts, ideas and passion behind it! I’m so happy to have learned more about you and would love to see your work in person some day! Please keep us posted on any upcoming shows!
Some people think I am silly. But usually, I don’t care. I love silly songs. I love singing anytime. Anywhere. And I really do mean anywhere. I was standing in line at cafeteria singing songs in Portuguese from my Capoeira class. Yeah, I get funny looks. But I feel good.
I can’t dance, but I wish I could. I try to. I make others laugh at me just because it makes them feel good.
I’m an entertainer.
Of course, I want to entertain in print too. Is that so wrong? But more than that, I want to evoke. I want you to take the journey with me. I want you to enjoy yourself and get wrapped up in the trip that you didn’t notice you were falling in love/hate with the characters. It would be devastating to me if you didn’t react at all. If it’s a laugh or groan at my expense, it’s okay. I’d love it if you cried when she finally kisses him. I would be thrilled if the surprise was on you, as well.
It really goes to show that the kid in all of us wants our picture on the fridge. We just want to be noticed. Right?
Hi everyone. I’ve been a bit under the weather, and actually just remembered I should post today!
All I need you to do is post, in four hundred words or less, a story, song, or poem based on the picture below. You can post your work in comments or leave a link to where you’ve posted it so everyone can check it out.
On this Magical Monday, we’re pleased to feature Rebecca J. Vickery, romance author. She and I have been on several email groups together and over the last year, become friends. While we live on opposite coasts, I have the feeling that if we were next door neighbors, there’d be a lot of sugar-borrowing going on because we can always find something to talk about.
RJV: I am a true romantic at heart with an interest in the paranormal and a love of mystery and adventure. I have been married for 33 years and I have one son and three wonderful grandchildren. I began reading and writing at an early age and thought I had died and gone to Heaven when I started school and found the library. Since then it has been my pleasure to entertain and inform others with the written word.
JR: What’s the first book you ever read that inspired you to become a writer yourself?
RJV: That would have been Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow. It combined sweet romance with a dash of adventure and suspense. I was hooked and began to pen my own tales of daring romance. I was all of ten and the long looks between the hero and heroine and the hand-holding were very exciting.
JR: How has your background influenced your stories?
RJV: I grew up as a tomboy and was always around horses and animals. You’ll often find them mixed in my stories and my heroines usually have some back-bone and independence. I also did a lot of camping and fishing in the early years of my marriage and I used those experiences in Surviving With Love. Many of my adventures and embarrassing moments are immortalized in my work. Now you’ll have to guess which scenes I actually experienced first hand.
JR: How do you cope with writing and children? And husband?
RJV: My husband, Robby, and I are currently caring for our youngest grandchild, Taylor, who is two and a half. My mother, Patsy, also lives with us so we have a full house. Robby is one of the most patient men on the planet. He has to be to put up with me and our wacky schedule. I write at night while everything is quiet and toss laundry into the washer and dryer during breaks. I’ve even been known to toss a meal in the crock pot and have it ready for the next day. Robby and my mom watch Taylor for several hours in the morning so I can sleep a bit. Then I sneak in editing in the afternoon when the rest of the family is out and about doing errands or playing outside. If I have a contract research job or it’s tax season, it throws the entire schedule out of kilter. I’m hoping my writing will eventually let me give up the tax and research work.
JR: Do you have a writing schedule? If so, are you able to stick to it? If not, how do you avoid procrastination?
RJV: I am a “by the seat of the pants” writer and I work best when a deadline is pushing me. I stay more focused and avoid distractions that way. I tried a schedule, I tried forcing myself to write a certain number of chapters in a week, and I also tried daily word counts; but none of that was practical or manageable for my lifestyle. As soon as Robby, Taylor, or mom got sick the schedule flew out the window. When a contract job came in, out went the chapter or word count. I do try to write some everyday, even if it just notes on my settings or characters or doing my own research.
JR: Why did you want to write books for sale? I understand the compulsion to create stories, but I’m always curious as to why someone would have a goal to sell them.
RJV: First of all I love to create stories that help us escape from the mundane day-to-day chores we all get bogged down in. Second thing is I have to work as my husband is disabled and anyone on disability pay knows you can’t survive solely on that. Then my third big reason came when I started having health problems and had to limit my outside activities. Add to that Mom and Taylor joining our household and I definitely couldn’t work outside the home anymore. So by selling the stories I create and would be writing anyway, I hope to be able to supplement our income while cutting down on contract jobs.
JR: Tell us about your current release and what inspired you to write it.
RJV: Surviving With Love, a full-length contemporary romance, was released May 1 in e-book format and more recently in print from Class Act Books. It was actually conceived several years ago from a “what if” moment. I heard a bit on the TV news about the theft of some unusual bearer bonds. Later in that same evening, there was a plane crash. My brain went to work with the “what ifs.” What if the thieves of the bearer bonds had been on the plane? What if they kidnapped hostages? What if the plane went down in the wilderness? What if the only one who could find them was a female tracker? And what if a man was sent to free the hostages? And on and on. By the time I answered all my questions, I had the basic storyline for Surviving. To find out more about it please watch the book video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZrvw76qjNo
JR: What criteria did you use for choosing the publishers to whom you wished to submit stories?
RJV: That took quite a bit of homework and time. I wrote down every publisher’s name I could find. Then I ruled out any publisher who charged fees for editing or set-ups. I also required both e-book and print, which ruled out quite a few more on my list. The next thing was the publisher had to be open to submissions from new authors. My list was getting slimmer. Then it had to be a publisher who wanted the type of books I was writing which so far are contemporary romance. And finally the publisher had to have a good reputation and no complaints listed with Writers Beware or Preditors & Editors. That cut out a few more. Then came the round of submissions and rejections until I finally met the publishers at Class Act Books.
JR: And your upcoming release-what’s that about?
RJV: Looking Through The Mist, to be released in July, is also a contemporary romance but with a psychic element. This full-length novel begins in my hometown of Easley, S.C. It’s about a female psychic who has visions of crimes that always involve children. She ‘sees’ the kidnapping of a little girl from a nearby town and meets a disbelieving detective when she goes to report what she knows. Another child is also kidnapped and the psychic and the detective have to work together to try to find them. You can find out more about Looking Through the Mist by watching the new video just out for it at:
My third release of the year, Following Destiny, will be coming out in October. It also has a paranormal element but more of a medium/channeling type of talent is involved. We’re just now beginning to talk about the cover and such for it.
I’ve also had two proposals accepted for the early part of 2010 and now I just have to get those finished and sent in by the deadlines.
JR: Tell us about the online readers’ and writers’ group you started, Sweet and Sensual Romances. Why, with all the groups out there, did you decide to invest a major chunk of precious time starting a new group?
RJV: Well, I actually was only a small part of starting Sweet and Sensual Romances. Four other ladies and I saw a need for a place where the more traditional side of romance would be appreciated and showcased. Everywhere we looked there were plenty of groups for writers of erotica, GL/BDSM and Menage, paranormal, and even sci-fi stories. Then there were the Christian and Inspirational groups. But there weren’t many groups available for the authors like us who write less explicit, male/female, plot and character driven romances with happy ever after endings. Thankfully, the five of us seemed to have different areas of expertise and we fell into our little niches within the group. You actually see me a lot as I’m the chatter of the group. I can talk about anything to anybody. (LOL) And I truly am interested in others and what they are doing. As for the time invested, I think our group has already helped a few new authors get motivated and another new group or two have also sprung up since ours was founded. We all learn from sharing our experiences and ideas in the group. I totally believe in the pay-it-forward premise and everything I do to help someone else always comes back to me ten-fold when I need it most.
JR: What did I not ask that you’d like to say to the Texty Lady readers?
RJV: If you love reading, let the authors know you support them. Always be willing to help someone else and try to provide constructive rather than destructive criticism. And remember to pay-it-forward.
JR: Please tell us how to contact you, and give us the links to your social networks.
And on June 21st, the IWOFA Summer Contest will launch. (No link yet, because it’s not live. Don’t be impatient. :) Will have a link for you next Monday.)
I am thrilled to announce that amazing artist Camille Boggs has granted me an interview which I’ll be posting this Thursday, June 18th. If you haven’t checked out her work yet, you’ll be blown away by her talent!
I’ve got another interview in the works but will let the details be a mystery for now.
My other exciting news is that we are welcoming a sixth Texty Lady to our site (name to be disclosed later). She will join BB in reviewing print and ebooks. We believe that this will give us, and you, a more varied selection in book reviews. Our new Texty Lady will post her reviews every Saturday beginning June 20th. Please stop by and give her a warm welcome! ~ Pamela
Dragon Heat by 
Who has more power, the marionette or the manipulator?
I always loved to look through art history books. I would pour through Janson’s Art History with the same amount of joy and excitement as I did Dr. Seuss. College level Art History books were kept where my siblings and I could get to them. We would play make believe together and form elaborate histories for the characters we were playing.
Everywhere, Fairy tales, Catholicism, pop up books, other artists, music, friends, and family all inspire my creations. The most direct influence in every piece is my own life and emotions. Each creation has come from a story in me, a moment, a time, a feeling I had for something, someone, or some place. When I was little I always wore my heart on my sleeve. I was in touch with everyone’s feelings. If someone was sad, I was sad. When I got older others started noticing and using this to their advantage, they saw me as gullible and easily manipulated. Perhaps I was a little gullible but did not like people being unhappy, sad, or hurt. I thought everyone’s happiness was my personal responsibility. That’s a lot of responsibility. I tried to build a wall around my heart and all that did was make me forget who I was. I have taken my heart back out and placed where it is meant to be…on my sleeve. That is what has allowed most of my art to be made. I am older now, and not as gullible. I no longer believe that everyone’s happiness is my responsibility…but I will still be the one to listen and always have a shoulder if you need it and I will do what I can to let you know someone cares. That is my inspiration.
I feel an enormous connection to all my pieces, but I do have one that I will never sell. It was the first piece I finished 18 months after hurricane Katrina. We lost all our art and art supplies along with everything else and I had no interest in looking at, much less doing art for a little over a year. One day a clay character came to me, Twitchy. She reminded me that I still wanted to be an artist. It was what I was born to do. Months later I finished a mixed media painting titled I was Wearing a Pink Dress. This piece helped pave the way for my Devotional Series which ultimately led to the marionettes and shadowboxes I am doing today. The piece is about Katrina and the loss of my memories and items but being reminded that I am still here and so is my family. I was born in New Orleans and my family was blown all over after the storm, but we did not loose anybody. The figure is obviously not wearing a pink dress, but she is also not me. The title refers to a photograph that was destroyed of my mother and I in the French Quarter. I was about three and standing next to one of my “orses,” as I pronounced it (the old horse head shaped horse ties found all over the Quarter) and I was wearing a pink sailor dress. I titled it that because I wanted to remember, my memory became very bad and this piece was to give me something solid to look at and remember, like a photograph. There are many small things throughout the painting, each a memory that I don’t want washed away.
Thank you for asking this question. I feel too many people believe that art is a hobby and that is all it can ever be. Art is my career and passion, and yes I do have a hobby.
hat making it as an artist means starving, to tell you it can’t be done. I’m not saying it’s easy, and it has gotten tougher during these economic times, but if it is your passion and you are prepared to treat it with the same respect and dignity that every doctor, lawyer, teacher, or CEO treats their career…do it and never look back.
