This magnificent and intriguing novel by Emily St. John Mandel opens with the line, “The king stood in a pool of blue light, unmoored.” I like catchy and mysterious first lines, and this was one. The setting was, in fact, not a true kingdom, but a stage, and the book character Arthur Leander was playing …
Category: Art
Are Blogging and Writing the Same Thing?
I’ve been wrestling with this question lately. And I’ve known my answer, but I’ve hesitated to post it here. After reading “When Commerical Christian Publishing was Bad for My Soul” by Ed Cyzewski yesterday and reading the post “Art and Fear” by Karen Salyer McElmurray this morning, I feel like the time is right to share these …
The Art of Doing Nothing
Last summer I went away to a cabin by myself. My goal was to complete the memoir I’d been working on for two years. I didn’t realize that my weekend in the middle of the woods would also teach me the art of doing nothing. While I was there, I had no internet access, no …
Artist or Creative Entrepreneur?
I recently read a fascinating article in The Atlantic called “The Death of the Artist – and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur.” The article traced how the definition of “an artist” has changed throughout history, and maintained that “the notion of the artist as a solitary genius—so potent a cultural force, so determinative, still, of …
The Art (or Business?) of Blogging
I’ve been reflecting on the art – or perhaps business – of blogging lately. I love blogging, mostly because it has taken the place of my journaling for the most part, so it’s my way of getting my thoughts “on paper.” (I suppose I must say “onscreen” now.) I also like the fact that it …