01.18

A Lover’s Path Tarot interview … plus other news and links

With all the recent focus on Art and Words Editions, it’s been a while since I’ve updated here in regards to my “author” publications. These days, I’ve been spread between three big projects. I’ve been in deep-and-intense nose-to-the-keyboard mode in an attempt to finalize edits for the first half of THE LILY MAID, my novel set in 1880s London. I have a long-aborning royalty-themed book proposal awaiting my attention. Plus I’ve sworn to finish up those last few details on the Sacred World Oracle as soon as possible.

To say it’s a busy winter—well, I won’t bore you with the obvious. In the meantime, here’s some news and links.

1. Tarotist James Ricklef recently interviewed me about The Lover’s Path Tarot. It’s part of his ongoing Tarot Creator Forum feature on his blog. Check that out here.

2. In other tarot news, our next Tarot Salon at the gallery is set for February 11th from 7 to 9:30pm. Author and urban shaman Mama Donna Henes and I will be reading. Fran Dunston will be offering massages. Plus red wine! Chocolate! Get the details here. (BTW, Art and Words Editions has published the e-book edition of  Mama Donna’s wonderful THE QUEEN OF MY SELF for Kindle, iPad, and Nook. Learn more here.)

3. I’ve decided to attend the Historical Novel Society conference this June in San Diego on the recommendations of my author-friends Mary Sharratt, C. W. Gortner, and Faith L. Justice. I’ve been to many publishing conventions, but never to a writer’s conference. I’m excited. :)

4. Related to the above: Big congratulations to C. W. Gortner on the U.K. publication of THE TUDOR SECRET. It’ll be available in the States on February 1st from St. Martin’s Press. Plus the paperback edition of Mary Sharratt’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful novel DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL is now available. Mary graced us with a reading from it last year at the gallery—a very memorable event! Last but definitely not least, my cousin Vicky Alvear Shecter’s new nonfiction book CLEOPATRA RULES! was recently published. Congrats to all!

5. Besides all of this, I’ve been on a reading jag. I’ve finally dived into the novels of Sarah Waters—FINGERSMITH and AFFINITY—and am looking forward to tearing through the rest. I’m speechless on how good they are! Also finally read WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, ANGELS & INSECTS, and THE LADY AND THE UNICORN. And I’m in the middle of THE REAL MINERVA and THE LAST QUEEN. All very inspiring stuff! I also have a pile of biographies awaiting of Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven and Winnaretta Singer (aka Princess Edmond de Polignac). I’ve also pre-ordered Peggy Orenstein’s CINDERELLA ATE MY DAUGHTER, which comes out later this month.

6. On a non-fiction note, my friend Lucy Raubertas has just released her evocatively written blog Indie Perfume for the Kindle. Indie Perfume offers information about independent perfumers and their transcendent creations, inviting us to connect to nature and beauty through the sense of smell. It’s very calming and centering in a Proustian way—just like the lovely Lucy herself. Learn more or subscribe here.

And that’s the latest! More to come once I get a chance to relax and smell the perfume.


12.17

Creativity Friday: On Your Desk

desk2

Ever wonder what my desk looks like as I work? Terri Windling, the wonderfully inspiring creator of many books and much beautiful artwork, has included my workspace in her “On Your Desk” blog series. Also included: the desk of Jane Yolen and those of many other mythic artists and writers. I love this intimate look at creative working environments!

Terri was also the editor of the late and much lamented Journal of Mythic Arts, which I adored reading on a regular basis. Fortunately, the archives are still available for your perusal.

Terri and I have known each other for longer than I can believe—it makes me feel quite old to think of it. When I was first starting out as a children’s book illustrator over two decades ago, the illustrator Alan Lee suggested I contact Terri for advice regarding my first picture book, Rapunzel. I still remember the first time I met Terri—I was fresh out of art school and totally intimidated by the publishing world. In walked this lovely, fae-like woman who instantly put me at my ease and was so encouraging of my art. It was Terri, by way of author Ellen Kushner, who set me up with a literary agent for my children’s books so I was able to begin earning a living as an artist.

Though many books have passed since then, I have never forgotten Terri’s generous help and pure spirit. Anyone starting out in publishing knows how intimidatingly difficult can be to get that first foot in the door. It is through gestures of faith from people such as Terri Windling that creativity is encouraged to go out into the world and prosper.

You can view my desk here.

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Reminder: Tomorrow is our Holiday Artisan Fair at the gallery. If you live in the NYC area, I hope you’ll stop by for your holiday shopping needs! This is our last event of 2010.


10.06

Doomed Queens: Harrowing Historicals and a review

I have a guest post up on Harrowing Historicals, a month-long celebration of all things spooky and history-oriented. It’s hosted by the lovely Allie (of Hist Fic Chick) and the equally lovely Nicole (Linus’s Blanket). (I was fortunate to have met both of them at Mary Sharratt’s reading  at the gallery earlier this year.) A little about Harrowing Historicals:

Each day of the month at witching hour (12 midnight, EST), Nicole and I will feature a different historical fiction (and a few fun non-fiction!) read that has a Halloween tie-in. Because let’s face it – history is fraught with some scary stuff! Join us for chats on the history of vampires, Queens who died in gruesome ways, what it’s like to consult psychic mediums for historical fiction research, and scary personages like Elizabeth Bathory and Jack the Ripper. It’s going to be an exciting month filled with all things spooky history!”

My guest post is entitled “Let Them Eat … Ectoplasm?” Yup, it’s about the ghost of Marie Antoinette. Thanks to Allie and Nicole for inviting me to participate!

On top of this Allie has also posted a great review of DOOMED QUEENS. Plus there’s a giveaway of sets of Ask the Queens advice cards and Doomed Queens playing cards; info is listed at the bottom of my Harrowing Historicals guest post.


02.09

Holly Tucker guest post: The Facts of Life, 17th Century Style

tristan and isole

Next up for my “Most Romantic Week on the Blogosphere” featuring the Love Tarot app, is a guest post by historian and novelist Holly Tucker, Ph.D. History geeks probably know Holly from her delightful website Wonders and Marvels. Holly is an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University. Her upcoming book Blood Work (under contract with W.W. Norton) is about the politics of early medical experimentation in seventeenth century France and England.

Here, Holly offers us the other side of seventeenth century love to Sandra Gulland’s uber-romantic entry about love letters yesterday. Instead, she writes about the baroque era’s favorite sex manual (complete with a randy illustration from it). On top of that, today we’re giving away a copy of my illustrated novel The Lover’s Path to one blog commenter. Details at the end of this post.

Tomorrow’s post: Ruth Ann Amberstone writes about the sexiest card in the tarot.

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holly tucker

Forget Cosmo. Forget Maxim. Anyone looking for sex advice in the seventeenth- and eighteenth-centuries would head straight to Nicolas Venette’s The Mysteries of Conjugal Love Reveal’d.

Take a look at the two cupids uniting their hot torches to one another. That gives you a sense of the titillating tips that Venette’s books contained–all for the purpose of making babies, of course!

So where did babies come back then?

Until the late seventeenth century, humoralism was the primary way of understanding conception. Humoralism is associated with Galen, a second-century ACE Greek physician who lived in Rome. His work was substantially influenced by his predecessor Hippocrates.

Galen held that the body was governed by a system of fluids, of “humors”: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile. Each body had a “complexion” that was specific to the individual–and reflected a greater tendency toward one of the four humors. This complexion helped determine the overall health of the person, as well as their character. “Sanguine” folks were upbeat and energetic. “Phlegmatic” folks were lethargic and sad. Yellow bile led to “choleric” folks who flew easily off the handle. And depressed “melancolics” suffered from an over-abundance of black bile.

Men and women were very different from one another. Men were hot and dry; women cold and wet. (This helps to explain why men have private parts outside their bodies, more on that another time.)

For Galen, both men and women contributed “seed” in the sex act. The seeds mixed–and their overall quality of the mixture would determine whether a girl or a boy would be born. The birth of a boy was proof of the father’s virility (his seed won the battle). The birth of a girl called the father’s macho-ness into question.

In fact, the birth of a girl was frequently associated with marital sterility in the early-modern era.

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TODAY’S GIVEAWAY: We have a copy of my illustrated novel The Lover’s Path, which inspired the Love Tarot! Set in sixteenth century Venice, The Lover’s Path is based on a true story of two sisters — one of which just happened to be the most famous courtesan of her time. (Learn more about it here or watch the YouTube video.) To enter, simply leave a comment for this post. For a double entry, tell us about your favorite love story from history.

The small print: You have until midnight EST on February 14 to leave your comment. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on this blog Monday, February 15, 2010. Sorry, but the giveaway is limited to U.S. and Canada only.


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Top art: Tristan and Isolde art from the Love Tarot app by Kris Waldherr.

More about the Love Tarot app: Considered to be the most romantic app in the App Store, the Love Tarot app offers gorgeous tarot readings inspired by famous love stories, such as Tristan and Isolde and Cupid and Psyche. This five star-rated app was recently relaunched to include a tarot journal for users to save their readings and other inspirations.

Available in Lite and Full versions, learn more here. Or download the Full version on iTunes now.

appcoverlt


08.06

Only Tarot podcast

The next stop on the Goddess Tarot app blog tour is now live! Check out a podcast with me here at Only Tarot. During this 20 minute interview we talk about everything from my first tarot deck to creating art; from the artists I admire to food porn.

(Yes, food porn! That’s what I call books and movies that glorify food-as-art. One recent example: Julie and Julia. Or the memoirs of Ruth Reichl.)

Only Tarot is hosted by Lucy D. I love that she describes her site as describes as “no magic, no mumbo jumbo -– just the tarot”. Simple and to the point.

I hope you’ll stop by and listen.


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