2008 holiday gift guide

In preparation for my new book about queens, I will be completely relaunching my website next year. In the meantime, with the holiday season upon us I thought it would be fun to feature some currently available products*, most of which cost less than $20. Want a bigger selection? You can also browse through over a hundred additional gift choices here:
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\ To inspire a creative friend . . . \ Like The Artist’s Way? Seeking creative inspiration? The Goddess Inspiration Oracle was especially created by Kris to get your artistry flowing. It’s great for creative work as well as personal queries. Includes 120 page book, 80 full color cards and gift storage box and bag. Learn more or purchase for $14.93 \ \ other gift suggestions: \ The Goddess Tarot deck \ Goddess blank journal

For those who adore romance . . . \ Some have called The Lover’s Path the most beautifully romantic book ever published. Like the bestselling Griffin and Sabine, The Lover’s Path includes tucked away love letters, hidden maps and tarot cards, all incorporated within a mysteriously illustrated love story. Full color cover and interior, with gold gilt binding. Learn more or purchase for $19.57 \ \ \ other gift suggestions: \ The Lover’s Path Tarot gift set \ Tristan and Isolde art poster

For a cold winter night. . . \ Hot cocoa or coffee? Maybe some earl grey instead? Whatever your decision, your beverage will be beautifully presented in this Muses oversized mug. Learn more or purchase for $14.99 \   \ \ other gift suggestions: \ Inanna throw pillow \ Cat Goddess sweatshirt

For a goddess-in-training . . . \ This baby onesie gets right to the point: This girl is a goddess, so treat her right! Also available as a tee shirt for toddler and older kids. Learn more or purchase for $12.99 \ \ other gift suggestions: \ Creeping Turtle framed print \ Bless the Beasts cocoa mug

\ To invite beauty . . . \ “Persephone in the Moonlight” is one of my most popular images. This oil painting was originally reproduced in Persephone and the Pomegranate. 16 x 20″ poster on heavy weight semi-gloss paper. Learn more or purchase for $20.00 \ \ other gift suggestions: \ The Book of Goddesses anniversary edition \ A Celebration of the Divine Feminine book

For anyone . . . \ The 2008 Goddess Inspiration Calendar is available in two formats, oversized deluxe and regular. Both editions feature twelve goddesses from around the world printed in glorious full color on high quality heavy stock. \ \ 11 x 17″ Deluxe Edition - $23.95 \ 8.5 x 11″ Regular Edition - $19.95

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*Because of my book deadline, I won’t be producing gicl\uc0\u8730 \’a9e prints or any limited editions this holiday season. However, I’m happy to send you an autographed bookplate for any book, calendar or deck set purchased from this site. Simply e-mail me your inscription and mailing address to e-comment at artandwords dot com.

• Filed under art and words, retail therapy | No Comments

a brief history of children’s books

Slate has posted a slideshow about the origins of children’s books entitled “How Children’s Books Became Wild.” It is inspired by Timothy Young’s new book Drawn to Enchant, which looks fascinating. It includes children’s book illustrations from the Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection.
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Enjoy!
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Technorati Tags: children’s books, children’s book illustrations, history of children’s books, Timothy Young, Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection

• Filed under be-mused, publishing, the art world | No Comments

just keep writing, just keep writing . . .

Thea is obsessed with the movie Finding Nemo — I don’t know how many times she’s watched it. (We fast forward through the part where Nemo’s mommy dies for obvious reasons.) Anyone who’s ever seen it probably knows the little melody that Dorie sings as they look for Nemo: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming . . . ”
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Good advice, especially if you’re trying to reach a goal — just keep swimming/keep moving/don’t stagnate. Or, in my case, just keep writing.
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Last week, I spent most of my time on research for the New Book. Between that and having a bad head cold, it feels like I did not get much accomplished that was tangible. This week, I’m hoping that all of those facts which I poured into my head will spill on to the page easily.
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Right now, I’m writing about queens of medieval Europe, and it’s been tricky to locate source material — it’s not like writing about the queens of Henry VIII where there are a gazillion books, movies and more published. (Yup, they’re in my book too). I do have a subscription service for academic research and books, which is helping tremendously. What makes this needle-in-a-haystack process so rewarding is when I come across some fact that is so outright bizarre and colorful that I’m reminded that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
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For example, I’ve just written about Joan I of Naples. As countess of Provence, she set up a large brothel in Avignon for the nobles, effectively grabbing economic control of that industry. I’m not sure what her motives were exactly — still researching this — but a few years later when she gave Avignon to the church as part of a complicated payback scheme, all of the area prostitutes were unemployed. One wonders whether they moved shop or found a new profession.
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I’m starting to think about the art for the book. It’s going to be illustrated in black and white, and a bit Victorian in style — think Dante Rossetti’s early pen-and-ink drawings.
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I’m already lining up models for the queens. I’ll be starting the art in the new year. I can’t wait!
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Technorati Tags: queens, Doomed Queens, Kris Waldherr, writing advice, dealing with deadlines, Joan I of Naples

• Filed under be-mused, new projects, publishing, queens | 2 Responses