2007 August | the blog of author, illustrator and designer Kris Waldherr

08.13

Goddess Inspiration Oracle: the Muses

I’m away on vacation these next two weeks. For this period, I’ve banked up a few Goddess Inspiration Oracle posts. More interestingly, I’ve arranged for several guest bloggers to visit to share their wisdom.

I’ve long wanted to feature some of the talented people whom I’ve linked to on the sidebar of this blog. If all goes as planned (thank you, Wordpress!), you’ll be reading some wonderfully inspiring posts from writers Elizabeth Genco and Ellen Dreyer, and artists Lisa Hunt and Karen Zuegner during my absence.

I’ll be back from my travels on August 27th. This year, we’re visiting New England and Montreal - not as exciting as last year’s trip to Greece, Turkey and Italy, but probably less stressful for a toddler and her parents.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

KEYWORDS:
the arts
science
creativity

Invoked by poets, artists, and musicians, these nine nymph-like goddesses presided over the arts and sciences in the world of the ancient Greeks. The Muses offered their supplicants the purest form of inspiration—literally infusing spirit into creative works to animate them.

Though their parentage is uncertain, most stories hold that the Muses were the daughters of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, and Zeus. Originally there was only one Muse. Over time, they grew to number nine goddesses, suggesting the expansion of their powers. Each of the nine Muses concerned herself with an area of art. The power of the Muses still exists today, though mainly in our language. When we are amused, we are reminded of the charms wielded by these graceful goddesses.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Draw strength from Diana, the beloved Roman huntress. Channel your anger wisely with help from the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele. Consult Anuket for prosperity. The Goddess Inspiration Oracle makes it easy for women to tap into the sacred wisdom of these powerful deities.

From Abeona to Zhinu, eighty goddesses from across the globe are represented in this deck. Each card features a striking portrait of a deity, her attributes, and a message inspired by her unique story. It’s an ideal instrument for creating affirmations, sparking creativity, gaining fresh perspectives, and uncovering insights related to health, love, creativity, motherhood, and other issues specific to women. The guidebook offers in-depth descriptions of each goddess, keywords associated with her, and practical suggestions for working with the cards.

Purchase now.
Learn more or try a free reading.

Filed under be-mused, goddesses, recent publications, tarot and oracles, the art world, the world around me, travels | No Comments

08.11

publishing 101: how to find a publisher

We’re getting ready to take off for places north. But before I leave, I received a comment and a question on one of my older publishing 101 posts. I think it has pertinent information which might be helpful. So I’m including it here.

The question:

Do you know of a comprehensive list (even if I have to buy it) that lists the publishers that will accept children’s nonfiction book proposals? I have Children’s Market and Writer’s Market, but I thought there might be another source.

My answer:

Yup, there’s Children’s Market, Writers Market and the LMP (Literary Marketplace). However, I find them useful only as a backup to my own market research. Generally speaking, by the time these books are in print, they are already dated — the market moves quickly. I also find that they’re often inaccurate. For example, when I worked as a children’s book designer, we’d often get proposals which were obviously addressed from the Children’s Market. How did I know? The editor-in-chief’s name was spelled incorrectly in it. It was a tip off to us that this was someone who relied on a book rather than industry knowledge.

There’s no substitute for going to a bookstore and seeing who’s publishing what. Once you find a publisher you think would be receptive to your proposal, then go check out Children’s Market. Better yet, skip the books and go directly to the publisher’s website for submission information and doublecheck it against the Literary Marketplace.

Another good resource: Harold Underdown’s site at the Purple Crayon. He keeps a page which lists what editors are moving where and why.

Good luck!

————–
Have a question about publishing, writing or illustrating books you’d like answered on Publishing 101? Send it to Kris: e-comment at artandwords dot com.

Technorati Tags: publishing, how to sell a book to a publisher, children’s book publishers

Filed under art and words, publishing, publishing 101 | No Comments

08.08

a year of storms

I was awakened at 6am this morning by a thunderstorm — or so I thought. Turns out it was a tornado! From the New York Times:

Powerful thunderstorms swept through the New York metropolitan area this morning, tearing up trees and damaging cars and homes, and creating havoc during the morning commute. . . . “It looked like tornado activity, a very dense black wall, almost like a heavy velvet fog,” said J. R. Thomason, a fundraiser for the New York Philharmonic, who watched the storm from an attic room in a three-story house in the Kensington district of Brooklyn between 6 and 7 a.m. . . .

In the Kensington area of Brooklyn, leaves and other debris littered the street, trash cans were knocked over, and awnings on stores were ripped. On the corner of Dahill Road and Church Avenue, trees blocked road lanes, and a 30 foot long pizzeria sign was down on the sidewalk.

Pete Chiaramonte, 41, who was on his way to work at a towing company, said he saw what he thought was the storm touching down at around 5.30 a.m. near the corner of 37th Street and 13th Avenue. “It was a funnel shape,” he said. “It looked kind of black and blue,” adding, “it was way up high and came right down on the roof of” a department store. “Pieces of the roof were all over the place. It was a big bang.”

At 370 East Second St. in Kensington, Carol Perri DeSimone, a sales representative, stood amid the remains of her porch. “I’m heartbroken, my roof landed three doors away,” she said. “I was scared to death.”

We live in the Kensington/Ditmas Park area of Brooklyn. Reports are now saying that the epicenter of the storm was two blocks from my house. Miraculously, there was no damage in our yard.

Some of you may remember my encounter with a twister in Nebraska, which brought my exhibition to a premature end. So continues my year of close calls with storms. Strangely enough, I have a fond respect for such chaos, though of course, I feel badly for those affected by it. It’s Mother Nature’s way of reminding us that she bats last.

Filed under be-mused, the world around me | No Comments

08.06

Goddess Inspiration Oracle: Aditi

KEYWORDS:
creation
universe
nurturance

In India, Aditi is honored as the creator of life. For it was Aditi who gave birth to the gods and goddesses; they in turn brought everything into consciousness, thus creating what we consider reality.

This benign goddess is addressed as Mother Space because she gave birth to the planets and stars. Some associate her with the endless sky—appropriately, her name translates as “limitless.” Her children, known collectively as the Adityas, were connected with the twelve months of the year. They also symbolized the twelve signs of the zodiac, whom some believe control fate.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Purchase now.
Learn more or try a free reading.

Filed under goddesses, recent publications, tarot and oracles | No Comments

08.05

8 random facts about kris waldherr

Diane at Thriving and Transcribing tagged me on this meme to share eight random facts about myself. So I guess I’ll pony up . . .

1. My first job was working in a library as a page. What did a library page do? Put books away. Sounds fascinating, right? Nope — but it was a great way to browse the stacks and see which publisher was publishing what. I remember discovering Stephen King’s Carrie in a first edition, way before anyone knew who he was.

2. My weirdest job was restoring a spookhouse in an amusement park. It must have been World War II era, since there one of the gags was a soldier in German uniform popping up from behind a gravestone. When we finished, a short article in the New Yorker was writen about the restoration.

3. The zip code I live in is the most ethnically diverse in the United States.

4. When I was a child, my favorite novel was Jane Eyre. Or maybe it was Little Women? In any event, I was obsessed with finding as many illustrated editions of both books as I could and comparing the different artistic responses. Oh, and guess which March sister I identified with? It wasn’t Meg.
5. David Palladini, the artist who created the Aquarian Tarot and the Palladini Tarot, was one of my professors at SVA. He seemed very bitter and liked to insult his students, though I got along with him okay. His favorite quote was “Either you’re an artist or you’re a butcher.” Our class eventually revolted and jumped ship. I hope he’s happier now!

6. During art school, I worked as a graphic designer for anarchist socialists on the lam from the FBI. I learned this several years after the fact. I never found out the full story, but they were incredibly pleasant people to work for and always paid me on time.

7. I once restored a sixteenth century English cottage. On one of the walls that I replastered, I engraved a short quote from E.M Foster’s A Room With a View in a hidden place.

8. My not-so-secret dreams include taking ballet class again, learning to fence, and how to dance the flamenco. Ha cha!

I tag Joanna.

Filed under art and words, be-mused, the world around me | No Comments

Goddess Inspiration Oracle: the Muses

publishing 101: how to find a publisher

a year of storms

Goddess Inspiration Oracle: Aditi

8 random facts about kris waldherr

Kris's Recent Updates

Archives

Categories

Links