Mansfield Park by Jane Austen – My Review

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen – My Review

To judge this book only in comparison to Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility is unjust to Jane Austen. In Mansfield Park, Austen creates an extremely timid, shy, but highly moral character, then places her in a situation in which she must make a choice:...
Fantine by Margaret Bernadine Hall

Fantine by Margaret Bernadine Hall

The painter Margaret Bernadine Hall was so touched by Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables that she painted this image of Fantine, with baby Cosette in her crib. While plump, ruddy cheeked Cosette sleeps peacefully, her mother’s misery is evident. We know from the...
Fairy Tale by Demakov Yevgeniy

Fairy Tale by Demakov Yevgeniy

There is such beauty in this painting. I love the lively colors, but I especially savor the sense of warmth in the painting. The loving mother has her arms protectively around her snuggled-up daughter, and the daughter is smiling safely in her snug cocoon, unperturbed...
The Reader by Bouguereau

The Reader by Bouguereau

One of my top favorite painters is William Bouguereau. Here is one of his version of a young girl reading. Other than the utter beauty and charm of the setting and the girl, my favorite part is her fingers, on the verge of turning a page. As she patiently looks at us,...
Who Is Your Target Audience?

Who Is Your Target Audience?

Much like deciding on a theme and a final climax in advance, I find that remembering the answer to this question helps my writing stay focused. Who am I writing for? First and foremost, I write for myself. I wouldn’t be surprised if that is true for all writers....