For Catholics, the month of May is associated with special devotions to the Virgin Mary and I have been waiting to share these beautiful Marian emblems I found a while back, painted in 1654 by Kaspar Meglinger. Melinger is perhaps more noted for his paintings of The Dance of Death, but these emblems — all […]
The Marian Month of May: Emblems of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Read More »
Ok…trust me…don't even wait for the reviews which will be lavish and praising (including my own when it comes). Go out now and buy this book, or order this book, or get that someone who owes you something to give you this book in exchange for the debt. I have been waiting for over a
The Tiger’s Wife and Shopping in the Renaissance Read More »
I received my reversion of rights letter on Saturday for my young adult novel Hannah's Garden and am now very excited. I have sent to this place, to have the novel returned into a file that I use to upload to an e-reader. I am also working with a couple of local artists to get
Hannah Comes Home and I Encounter Svetla Dorosheva Read More »
I would like to thank Katherine Langrish, young adult author and literature blogger supreme (Seven Miles of Steel Thistles), for inviting me to participate in her Fairytale Reflections Series — a collection of wonderful posts on fantasy authors, their work, and then a short essay by the authors on their favorite fairy tales. It’s a
Here is the small mural in the old kitchen — over the stove no less! I love the charming look of the either Franciscan or Dominican style monk — pan and spoon in hand. Pierre was himself quite a good cook, sharing in the cooking duties when he was with Rosalie Murphy of Santa Fe's
Pierre Menager’s Murals Painted in 1937 Joesler House: The Kitchen Read More »
audio files of Flannery O’Connor :Here's an for an audio file of Flannery O'Connor giving a lecture on "A Good Man is Hard to Find." It's absolutely wonderful (thanks Hank foor giving me the new link!) — and I am so happy for the chance to hear her voice — a combination of girlish
The Voice of Flannery O’Connor…Literally Read More »
love calligraphy that serves to do more than to write words — but rather, playfully suggests visual puns and curious designs. Letters can be either re-constructed to resemble an object (and a sentiment suggested by the object) as in the lovely piece of Arabic calligraphy below creating a coffee pot out of the Arabic phrase,
"Children hear them, see them, know them; See the things the fairies show themHarlequin in magic poses." From the 1923 Commedia play: The Harlequinade, by Dion Clayton Caltrop and Granville Barker. The painting is "Carnevale di Arlecchino" by Joan Miro. Both seem to be kicking up some new ideas for the new novel…which fairly soon must
Harlequin in Magic Poses Read More »
Really, I think the Japanese are hands down the best illustrators of weird and wonderful monsters. Pink Tentacle — one of my favorite sites for all things Japanese-bizarre — continues to offer smashing posts on Monster Scrolls from the 18th and 19th century. Many of the monsters are not just part of traditional folk lore, but more urban myths created
Japanese Monster Scrolls: Something to Creep Out Almost Everyone Read More »
Lately, I have been reading a lot of Italian fairy tales as a kind of inspiration and preparation for the new novel I am working on, a companion to The Innamorati. As the plot is a renaissance road trip with a young woman in search of herself and her trickster companion (to create a little drama along
Return to Sender: The Rejected Brides of Fairy Tales Read More »
