#if you love backgrounds it depicts new york city in a fantastic way

[cbcdiversity]

Industry Q&A with Trisha de Guzman, Associate Editor at Farrar, Straus, Giroux BFYR

Please tell us about the most recent diverse book you published.

I’m still at the very early stages of building my list, but I was fortunate enough to edit two books with diverse characters recently:

The Fantastic Body is a nonfiction, illustrated guide to the human body for kids. Because the book would be so heavily illustrated, we wanted the children depicted to be multifaceted and diverse. The book is nonfiction and prescriptive, so the text doesn’t actually address race in a direct way. It’s important to address serious issues of race, culture, and identity in diverse books, but it’s also important to show that children are children, no matter their background, and that there are more things that unite them than divide them. I firmly believe in publishing books featuring diverse characters without making race the main issue, so I’m proud of that book.  

I was also the developmental editor for a middle grade series of novels called Shred Girls. The first book, Lindsay’s Joyride, is about young girls who befriend each other through their shared love of BMX. What I loved about the book was how multifaceted every main character was. Lindsay likes comic books, but she also, it turned out, loves riding bikes. And she likes many other things: her new friends. Her Mexican grandmother’s cooking. The cute boy who rides at the same park. Kombucha. Mariana Pajón, Colombian cyclist and two-time Olympic gold medalist and BMX World Champion. No one thing defined her, nor any other character. While Lindsay is Latina and proud, her heritage informs the novel but isn’t its sole focus.

What is one factor holding you back from publishing more diverse books OR what’s the biggest challenge for publishing companies who want to feature more diverse titles?

One challenge for publishing companies is that they simply don’t have as much access to diverse perspectives. Because the industry has largely been homogenous, it isn’t always easy to be exposed to different views or frames of reference. The business has made leaps and bounds when it comes to creating a more diverse workforce, but the fact remains that publishing professionals don’t always reflect the audiences they serve. Having fewer people of color in the industry is a factor in the number of diverse books that exist, as people naturally gravitate toward stories that reflect their own experiences. They acquire books that speak to their lives. And say an editor wanted to acquire a book about a person of color—editing cross-culturally brings a host of factors to consider: Can they represent the author’s vision authentically and sensitively? Will they be able to edit the book authoritatively, and understand the nuances of the characters’ voices, perspectives, lives? Opening the doors to publishing professionals of color as well as authors and illustrators is valuable. It adds textures to the books we produce, and helps all of us be more thoughtful, sensitive, and authentic.

Tell us about your editing process. When you edit cross-culturally, how do you ensure that the book gets a culture with which you might not be as familiar “right”?

I ask a lot of questions. I’d rather ask than assume that I understand something that I don’t know much about. I want to ensure that I understand the story that the author is trying to tell. And know whether the details within the book are coming from their own experiences or from research. If they’re writing from within their own background, then I want to be sure that they are speaking from their own truths, and have trusted readers who can bring their own perspectives to the table. And while authors often have their own readers giving them feedback, I try to consult additional readers with insight on the subject matter to ensure that there is at least a second set of eyes to help us.

If you could receive a manuscript about one culture or subculture that you don’t normally see, what would it be?

It’s difficult for me to distill what I’m looking for. Because I’m at the very early stages of building my list, there are innumerable stories that I want to publish. What I’m looking for across all age ranges and formats are funny, empathic, and empowering stories by and about underrepresented populations.

I admit that as an immigrant from the Philippines, I am eager to find a manuscript that incorporates Filipino culture in an engaging way. Whether that is a contemporary YA about a Filipino American child struggling to reconcile their cultural identity, or a chilling retelling of a Filipino legend, I would dearly love to feature its beauty and complexity. And I’m a huge fan of anything spooky!

I am also eager to find more thoughtful and nuanced depictions of the ways that children and young adults experience mental illness, as well as differently abled children of all stripes. I volunteered at a school for children with neurodevelopmental disorders as a student, and it was an unforgettable experience that I think back on often. It definitely helped me become more patient and emphatic. It’s important to me that the books I publish help children foster empathy, and I always want to expose young readers to the richness and diversity of the human experience.

Trisha de Guzman is an Associate Editor at Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books for Young Readers / Macmillan. She is actively building her list, and is open to a wide range of material ranging from picture books to young adult novels. Before joining FSG, she worked in editorial and subsidiary rights at Rodale Books, where she edited The Fantastic Body by Dr. Howard Bennett, Lindsay's Joyride (Shred Girls #1) by Molly Hurford, and Runner's World-branded books. Born in Manila, Philippines, she moved to New York City when she was seven and has lived there ever since.

[whisperandmantra]

My Favourite Shows of 2017

Happy New Year! It’s time again for my list of favourite shows of the year. Here’s to another year of good anime. Thank you for following and I hope you are enjoying the good anime we had this year. I present the list, in no particular order.

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka

Political intrigue, double crossing, and a secret coup. This show was excellent at world building and making the world seem like a real and interesting place. It’s rare to find a nicely wrapped up show in one cour especially when there were so many different plot lines going on with the characters.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen

Continuing off a few years after the first season ended we get to hear the rest of the story. Focusing more on Konatsu and Yotaro, we see the story of Yakumo taking on an apprentice and trying to keep rakugo alive. The second season was a roller coaster of emotions and had some of the most beautiful scenes.

Little Witch Academia

Trigger back to save anime again! This time making a series out of an OVA. This show is charming and adorable. Akko is a genki girl with so much spunk and the supporting cast is just as awesome. In typical Trigger fashion the show amps up the stakes in the final arc and we get a grand finale that is both wonderful and sweet. The animation is great as expected in a Trigger production, and the various little Easter Eggs always make me smile.

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon / Miss Kobayashi’s Maid Dragon

An otherworldly creature takes up residence in a office worker’s home and decides to live with her. Hi-jinx ensue. This show is full of warm fuzzies and Kana is the cutest. Plenty of jokes to be had here and the animation is very smooth, as expected of Kyo Ani.

Re:Creators

Take the isekai trope and reverse it, that’s what you get with Re:Creators. Fictional protagonists get transported to the real world.Add a dash of Sawano and you have an entertaining series with quite a few twists and turns. I enjoyed that they pulled in different types of protagonists from different genres of shows as well. A mech pilot, a chivalrous knight, a magical girl, and a mage to name a few. I was thoroughly amused by this series and it was good fun. The antagonist was a little too much for me at times with their over powered abilities. But just a minor annoyance in an otherwise great show.

Uchouten Kazoku 2 / The Eccentric Family 2

The long awaited sequel to a show I never thought would get a sequel, but I am so glad that it did. Rejoining the antics of Shimagomo family we get introduced to a few new characters. I love the colours in this show and how vibrant everything looks. Yasaburo is also a babe <3.

Made in Abyss

Wow, this show took me by surprise having heard virtually nothing about it before watching the first episode. The world building is fantastic, and the character designs are so unique. The creatures living in the abyss are also terrifying. Also the soundtrack is PHENOMENAL and inspired. Do yourself a favour and watch this show. The suffering depicted throughout their journey into the abyss was pretty gut-wrenching as well.

Mahoujin Guru Guru

Where do I even begin with this show. I think it was one of the most consistently funny shows that I watched this year. Every episode has me laughing out loud at one joke or another. The gags don’t get stale even when re-used. Kukuri is so precious and her smile must be protected. The animation is really smooth and consistent and they occasionally use 16 bit animation. It actually feels like I’m watching an RPG, they even have status bars that show up throughout the show that sometimes show their levels. It’s really quite hilarious.

Princess Principal

Female spies in an alternate universe steampunk-London. If you can handle a non-linear story progression then you should take a look at this show. The soundtrack is done by one of my favourites, Yuki Kajiura. The episodic nature of the show allows some of the side characters to really shine and I actually like a side character as my favourite character because of their backstory. It’s rare that an original show like this manages to be so captivating so early on in it’s run.The artwork and character designs are nice and Victorian England makes for an exciting setting for spies.

Garo Vanishing Line

I know this show is 2 cour and will spill into 2018, but the first cour was excellent and warrants it’s inclusion on my list of faves. I really am getting into the Garo franchise and Mappa is doing an incredible job of showing their strengths with this franchise. It’s got plenty of action and an interesting plot line. The first cour was mostly episodic in nature, introducing the characters of the series and now the second cour I think will delve into more lengthy story arcs. But so far it has me entertained.

Houseki no Kuni / Land of the Lustrous

OMG this SHOW!!! I think I can say that it is my number 1 favourite show of 2017. Everything about it is so stunning and gorgeous. The choice of using CG has some people divided, but I love it. I’ve been a fan of CG shows since Knights of Sidonia and Ajin, and Houseki no Kuni demonstrates the epitome of awesome things you can do with CG. The camerawork is stunning for fight scenes and you can do things that you’d never see in 2D animation. I think CG is the perfect format for a show like this. The colours are gorgeous and the characters are so endearing and full of life. The show’s universe is mysterious and I desperately want a season 2. I could literally talk about how much I love this show for hours, but I’ll just tell you that you have to watch it. It’s criminally under-watched in my opinion. Story wise, you have these genderless gemstone characters who fight against the Lunarians who are trying to kidnap them, break them into fragments and use them as weapons to capture the remaining gemstone characters. There is also an air of mystery going on and you barely scratch the surface of the truth behind this universe. I love this show it’s a masterpiece of art.

Inuyashiki

Well this show was a pleasant surprise. Not only does it have a complete adaptation, but it’s a pretty badass show. So this old man and teenager get turned into super powered robots. Then you see how different they react with their new found powers. They mix a little CG in when they use their robot powers. It’s a bit clunky at times but the story is compelling enough to make me not notice it. Also the OP is sung by Man With A Mission, one of my favourite Japanese groups so that’s a bonus.

Kekkai Sensen & Beyond / Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond

I didn’t think it was possible to top the first season of Kekkai Sensen because it was so cool. But this second season is WAY better. Now you have to be a fan of the episodic format as each episode is pretty much standalone except two two-part arcs. We get a lot more time with side characters and learn more about the background of my favourite character, Chain. <3 <3 Also Steven (total DILF) gets a lot more screen time which is great. It has the same humour and upbeat zany atmosphere as the first season but it really feels more like a labour of love where the characters are given time to shine. And the characters are the strong point of this show. The OST is also really great as it mixes jazz, RnB, rap, hip hop style songs as it’s supposed to be a take on New York. It also has some amazing sakuga scenes because it’s got the BONES people working their magic.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou / Girls’ Last Tour

This show really surprised me. It was so comfy, yet melancholy. Two girls are just travelling around in a tank in what appears to be a post-nuclear/apocalyptic Earth. The background and atmosphere is really great, it reminds me of Blame or the city of Sidonia with layered city structures and industrial almost steampunk type environment. It’s kind of a lonely show with just snippits of their lives together roaming the wasteland. The OST is glorious and relaxing though. I’d say it’s kind of like a slice of life except not heavy handed with the jokes. You really feel that they are the last few remaining people on Earth. The voice actors also have excellent chemistry as it’s just those two girls talking to each other essentially the entire episode, yet the show remains engaging.

[discogs]

bringing life to the should-be-alive: the best covers of classic songs - a list

 in some's musical careers, an artists first and sometimes only hit will be a cover. for the dexys midnight runners, one of their first hits was a magnificent cover of van morrison's 1972 track 'jackie wilson said (i'm in heaven when you smile),' for others they don't get such a fantastic rep (see alien ant farm's dismal cover of michael jackson's 1987 hit 'smooth criminal').  a cover version should be a new take, a different take on a classic or lesser known track. it should revive what it's covering and bring to the table what the song had initially lacked. the main key to a good cover is revival and creativity, something that a lot of artists fall short on. 

 below is a short list of covers that do exactly this, therefore making them not only unique to the artist but also giving the songs a new kind of life.

1. robyn hitchcock: the ghost in you (2014) the psychedelic furs: the ghost in you (1984)

 robyn hitchcock, the eclectic uplifting ex-frontman of the legendary proto-punk band 'the soft boys' has often left followers of his floored by his innovative music and bursts of uniqueness. as one of the most distinguished vocalists of his time (standing along side the likes of jonathan richman and tom verlaine within his genre), he has brought more than enough to the table than we could have ever asked for.  however, in his recent 2014 record 'the man upstairs,' hitchcock opted for an all-cover, all-acoustic album. this record has many brilliant covers on it including a slightly more erotic version of roxy music's 'to turn you on,' and a lighter version of the doors' 'the crystal ship.'   yet the most outstanding track on this album is the opening track, a soft, careful cover of the psychedelic furs' 1984 single 'the ghost in you.' while the original is riddled with a quaint main synth riff and choir-like backing vocals in the chorus, is it contrasted heavily by richard butler's almost monotonous bowie-esque vocals. it's a beautiful sweeping song of love and confusion that is very much of it time. but at many times it seems as though it comes on too strong for such a sad topic. some times contrasts like that can be good, but in this song - despite its undeniable genius - it almost feels as though the sentiment is lost in the power of the execution.   in hitchcock's version, the gentle guitar immediately strikes a sense of concern. it plays almost idle, as though the notes themselves are twiddling their thumbs. not soon after the initial impression we are kindly met by robyn's iconic voice gently brushing over iconic lyrics such as 'falling over you is the news of the day,' 'stars come down in you,' 'ain't it just like rain?' and potentially the most impactful his loving delivery of the repetition of the word 'love' in the latter half of the second verse. robyn's voice suits the cotton-soft emotion of the lyrics and gives them the life they deserve. his version is very much like the first chirping of birds in the morning, like sunshine warming your face after a long winter, which is exactly what the song needed - some love.

2. bauhaus: ziggy stardust (1982) david bowie: ziggy stardust (1972)

  i have no need to tell you of the grand impact of david bowie's 1972 record 'rise and fall of ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars.' if you're reading this, you know. in the context of the conceptual album, the song sings sadly. it is a tale of a being who lost his head in the midst of fame and fortune with allusions to abandonment by friends, very similar to the exile and death of rolling stone's founder brian jones. it chronicles the career of well endowed superstar from mars, who falls victim to the human ego he had been trying to dismantle by starting a musical career to begin with.   perhaps its due to the deficiency of proper effects for the time that the song lacks a certain passion that you swear oughta be there. the genius guitar of mick ronson has all the indications of a grand performance, however it stays trapped in mono. even bowie's vocals feel muted, where's the hype? where's the chaos of ziggy's career? has the beer light gone out?   it wasn't until bowie devotee peter murphy came along in 1982 with his ground breaking band of bauhaus that the song was given the life it deserved. murphy has a knack for impersonating bowie, but in his time to completely replicate bowie, he instead displays his own personally unique voice. daniel ash's constant stream of guitar is relentless, we are never released from the excitement of this track. even the verses, which were originally quiet, have the same electric energy in them. every beginning of a chorus is kicked off with kevin haskin's quick and powerful drumming, and murphy's vocals split through the revolutionary song of demise like a knife.   the beer light has been switched on, the triumph of a hero has been brought to life. the cover gives the original all that bowie had been aiming for - excitement, energy, chaos, rile, all of it. it transforms the song into the true anthem it was meant to be, filled with spinning turmoil and a constant 'in your face' attitude, the song ends with the last cry of '... ziggy played guitar' as a drum roll and screeching guitar leaves us breathless in the midst of it's product.

3. marching church: dark end of the street (2015) percy sledge: dark end of the street (1967)

  percy sledge's 'dark end of the street' is the exact kind of forbidden love song you can imagine your high school sweetheart and you dancing to haphazardly with faces flushed red with love. it echoes of 'earth angel,' in many ways, making the aspect of the love the two shared being wrong even more powerful. throughout the entire track, the wedding-like backing vocals and instrumentation remind us that this is a doomed romance. and though sledge's voice conveys a level of longing that is necessary for the subject, the darkness of the street the two lovers meet on is lost on the track.  the mentioned darkness that hides their wrongs is not expressed in the sorrow filled song, a love that is described as a sin seems too sweet still. in a way, the impending end is polished over by sentimentality.   danish lead singer of well known bands such as iceage and vår, however, does not let the grim fate of this love affair slip from his grips. book ending a triumphant debut record, elias rønnenfelt whispers the lyrics once belted as though speaking directly to his lover through a vinyl record. the version is quiet, the depth of the blackness of shadows conveys through a bass line that is every present in the song. the background samples of cars passing, faint doors closing, subtle drums, percussion that reminds one of footsteps from a rickety second story. the covers conveys all the forbidden mischief of two unfortunately lovestruck individuals. you can picture yourself at the end of the street, whimpering cries of adoration to your lover in secret.   rønnenfelt sounds pained, worried, paranoid, even, about the potential to be caught. and the hum of the saxaphone through the rain near the end of the song brings about a flood of remorse for two lovers caught in an inescapable situation. all the once glossed over despair is on full, withering display here, for all the ear to heard.

4. rowland s. howard + lydia lunch: some velvet morning (1982) lee hazelwood + nancy sinatra: some velvet morning (1969)

 perhaps one of the most renowned lyricists of all time, lee hazelwood meets one of the most iconic faces and voices of all time - nancy sinatra. in a violin ridden song he sings of phaedra, a love, perhaps a vice. the music itself strings together the twos contrasting vocals like velvet, the song is smooth in its polarities.  while sinatra sings her part with a voice like a fairy, hazelwood delivers his end with a heavy western-like atmosphere similar to many of his previous works. a thick, heavy bass follows him, while the chiming of bells trails behind sinatra like a long wedding dress.   the song shifts from one side to the other wise ease, missing a mark that should have been met with the spontaneity of the shifts in vocals. though it does swing you from side to side, it does so with the casualness of a rocking chair outside on your front porch. at times, you wonder if these voices are too sophisticated for this task. there is a pleasant glaze over the song which diminishes the contrast. and much like david bowie's 'ziggy stardust,' we don't properly experience the chaos that is meant to be depicted.   now, when this track is tossed over to life-long hazelwood lover and notorious wielder of uncontrollable guitar rowland s. howard and new york city's own queen of no wave and dismantlement lydia lunch - we get a very, very different take. instead of a rocking chair being moved by the wind, we get a madly swinging pendulumn unsure of which fate is to come. though we are introduced with similar heavy bass, the speed immediately picks up and howard's snarling vocals tear into the song with a sense of sarcasm - very different from the original sense of genuineness. lunch's end is met with the sound of an out of tune music box, with a voice that compliments the unconventionality of the music.   as howard drawls on his verses, he delivers the name of 'phaedra' with a sense of animosity for the pain she causes him. and though lunch maintains the innocent sound, the underlying trickery is evident in her voice. here, all is revealed. there are no closed doors.   the shift from one end to the other is abrupt, startling, and begins to feel like a direct argument unfolding before your eyes. the aladdin sane like piano near the end of the track takes us into a rabbit hole of confusion and emotional turmoil; a logical conclusion to a disagreement we had the misfortune of stumbling upon. the conflict between the two narrators is very evident in this version, as to where in the original it seemed much more like an innocent misunderstanding, here we see the raw bones of it. this wasn't a simple mistake, this was a downright shoot-em-up, and who better to depict this but two musicians with the same rawness and ferocity of a blood and guts western?

- LM

[kmalexander]

Prose Palaver with J. Rushing

So, funny enough, despite being friends with a lot of fantastic authors, I’ve never once used this blog as a platform to interview them and pick their brains about fiction, stories, and writing in general. A great big missed opportunity, right? After all, whether you’re a reader or a writer getting insight into an author’s approach can be really eye-opening. Plus, it’s always a great way to discover new writers and, of course, new books. Today I’m going to fix that!

Welcome to Prose Palaver, my new series where I’ll be interviewing fiction authors who I personally know. The goal is to do something a bit different from the standard author interview. These won’t be canned “where do you get your ideas” sort of questions. I’m hoping the tone within is more conversational, allowing us to open up and talk craft on a deeper level.

In this first interview, I’m interviewing my friend and travel buddy J. Rushing who’s debut historical fantasy novel RADIO just launched in ebook on April 4th. Jim and I have known each other over a decade now, we come from a similar background, and we’ve spent many hours drinking scotch and talking stories in those years. A former elementary teacher from Seattle, Jim now finding himself living and writing in Baden, Switzerland.

[!] Quick Note: The intent of this article was to try to regain some sense of normality as we’re all sheltering-in-place and working to flatten the curve in our communities. Because of that I specifically avoided discussion about the virus or related topics. Enjoy!

K. M. Alexander: Hi, Jim. Thanks for coming to my blog. You get the dubious distinction of being the first Prose Palaver interviewee—no pressure.

J. Rushing: Thanks for having me. You know I’d never pass up an opportunity to talk shop with you, and it’s an honor to get to be here while you smash the champagne against this new ship.

Thanks! I’m excited to launch. So, let’s talk about you. Congrats on the launch of RADIO! I bet you’re eager to get it out in the world. Tell us about it. Give us a short pitch.

Thanks. It’s been a long time coming and I’m so happy to finally give readers the opportunity to discover this world I’ve been living in for the past few years. While RADIO has a strong plot, it’s really focused on the characters. If there was one core theme for RADIO it would be struggle. The struggle against addiction, a struggle to save one’s livelihood and legacy, the struggle to work with people who are at odds philosophically but share a common goal, struggle with feelings of loss and betrayal, every character struggles with something. As for a pitch, I’m pretty happy with my back cover copy so I’ll go with that:  

Amid the music, lights and energy of 1928’s Paris, something sinister pulses through the æther. The Radio of the Gods manipulates minds across the continent and its creator, the arrogant god Marduk, will sacrifice everything to keep his kind from perverting his masterpiece.

Attempted treason and bitter betrayal force Marduk to escape into a new, unknown body. Worse still, the previous owner, an opium-addicted jazz guitarist, is still inside.

Desperate, drug-addled and fighting for control, Marduk is forced to rely on the few friends he has left – and one terrifying enemy — to see his mission to fruition. If Marduk and company fail, the gods’ vain machinations will destroy everything they’ve built, including civilization itself, all made possible by his RADIO.

You’re an ex-pat living abroad, and you lived in Paris when you started writing this book. I remember you talking about the idea’s gestalt when we were coming back from a trip out to the Olympic Peninsula. How much did the city influence and inspire the world and the writing?

I remember that day vividly. RADIO started out with two basic ideas. Well, one question and one challenge to myself. The question was, What if consciousness behaved like a radio signal? As in, what if it’s external to the body rather than intrinsic? That one small question started an avalanche of ideas and concepts. As I was setting out to turn those concepts into a story, I set a challenge for myself. 

Human beings are complex. No one is evil or good 100% of the time. Evil people still pet kittens and good people still wish others dead. I love it when a writer can make me truly like a truly bad character. The challenge I gave myself was, could I write a protagonist that is more than just an anti-hero, but a true asshole, and still have people like them? So far, the feedback I’ve been receiving is that yes, I can. That has been both a huge compliment and a huge relief. 

As for Paris, everything about RADIO is dripping with Parisian influence. Aside from merely setting the story in Paris, I wanted to capture the true atmosphere of the city. Paris is a million things at once. So much of the media surrounding Paris only focuses on its place as a city of light and love. Paris is viewed as a gleaming jewel or a fairytale city full of beauty and wonder. The trouble is that these images are absolutely true yet only ever show half the picture. Paris is a gorgeous, romantic city from the knees up but look down and the streets are filthy and trash-strewn. It’s a city full of art, science, and literature, but it’s also a city of excess, vanity, and selfishness. It’s a city that is both fuelled and hobbled by its history. Living in Paris is as much a non-stop struggle as it is a non-stop joy. It’s the hardest place I’ve ever lived yet the most vibrant. I wanted to build a story set in the darker, dingier half of the Parisian mystique. There’s so much to explore there and it’s so often ignored.

That’s a fair point. Paris, as a character, tends to get polished up and viewed through rose-colored lenses—overly romanticized. In many instances, it’s almost more of a fantasy setting rather than a living and breathing city. How much of the Parisian culture crept into RADIO—in particular, the characters and how they behave and interact with one another?

That’s a tricky question since most characters aren’t specifically Parisian but I think there are aspects of Parisian culture present. Paris is a funny place. Most of the French stereotypes people hold in the U.S. are actually only Parisian stereotypes and a lot of those aren’t even true. For a classic example, I only had one rude waiter in almost three years of living there. Seattle or New York are much worse. But there are quite a few that do still hold up. One thing that struck me as unique and a bit odd when I moved to Paris was how survivalistic people in public all seem to be. Day to day life always seemed to be about carving out your own space and not yielding to others. Population density likely has a lot to do with that and Paris has been dense for centuries. In a city like Seattle, or Tokyo, or Edinburgh, if two people approach each other on a sidewalk, they’d each take a small step to the side to allow each other to easily pass but in Paris, pedestrians will shoulder check each other to maintain their own path. On the flip side, if you ask almost any Parisian for help, if you make your interaction at all personal, it’s like a social switch flips and they are more than willing to make time for you. I think the brusque streets yet willingness to help when called upon definitely found their way into RADIO. 

Living in the city already gives one a unique perspective. How much research did you have to pour into this work? The clubs from that era really only exist as records, right? Any books you’d like to recommend that helped you out?

I tend to be very open and willing to experiment in my writing but there are a few aspects where I refuse to compromise. Most of my writing is set in worlds that are a take on our own. I only like to ask my readers to suspend disbelief over a few core details. In the case of RADIO, it’s mind control, gods, semi-immortality, and consciousness being external to the body. Past these few asks, it’s very difficult to allow myself to just make things up. 

RADIO was as well researched as I could manage. At one point I swore to myself that I’d never write anything historical ever again because the self-induced pressure to be accurate was so great. I’ve calmed down since then. Everything from the music of the era, to street names, trains, and clubs, all were present in January of 1928. I can’t and won’t promise perfection but I can say that to my knowledge there are no anachronisms and all of the details are as period-accurate as I could make them. While the research was difficult and often tedious, it often yielded some amazing fruit. For instance, I discovered that the grocery store I shopped at most often while living in Paris turned out to be the site of what was probably the most terrifying nightclub in the city. If you get a chance, look up pictures of L’Enfer. It was right across the street from the Moulin Rouge in Montmartre. Trust me, the effort is worth it.

As for books and resources, the internet was my best friend. I would try to find the same information from as many sources as possible to help determine accuracy. It wasn’t a perfect system but being an ex-pat makes finding more official English language reference materials a little bit challenging. I do want to mention one book, however. In researching opium and opium addiction, it became very clear just how biased and inaccurate the various available resources were. Then I found a book called Opium Fiend: A 21st Century Slave to a 19th Century Addiction by Steven Martin. Basically, he was an opium antique enthusiast who also realized the shortcomings of the available material and decided to gather accurate, modern data by documenting his own experiences. Those experiments turned into a full-blown addiction and his book covers everything from his first antique pipes to his detoxing and withdrawals. It was important to me to make my depiction of opium use and how it affects the body as accurate and respectful as I could and this book was invaluable to me. It’s wonderfully written and I recommend it to everyone, whether or not you’re doing research.

You recommended it to me as well, and I have a copy in my TBR pile. You talk about being careful around anachronisms, and it’s funny how many writers don’t think about that stuff. But it really goes a long way toward making a place feel like a place and an era feel like an era. Paying attention to little nuances like that are essential, don’t you think? Otherwise, you risk pulling readers out of a story.

I totally agree. It’s really all about building trust. When your readers trust that you as an author, have full command over the world and characters you’ve built, they are a lot more willing to follow your lead and focus where you want them to focus. Sometimes you want them to doubt what they’re reading and when it’s by design, it can be really powerful and engaging but inaccuracies breed mistrust and when that happens, readers start to spend more time looking for other mistakes rather than enjoying the ride. 

Trust is a good word for it. Along with living abroad, you’re also an extensive traveler. I’ve lost count of how many countries you’ve been to at this point—what from your travels finds its way into your work?

The last seven years have been an absolutely wild ride. When my wife was able to transfer to Paris, we sold almost everything we owned, I quit my job as a teacher, and we made a pact to explore the world as much as we could for as long as we could. We haven’t looked back. 

When I travel, I often take a notebook with me (or just take notes on my phone) and I devote a little time to scene scouting as I explore both new locations and old favorites. I write down the sounds, smells, flavors, mood, and any other specific details that seem to make a given place unique. Sometimes it’s a matter of just taking mental notes but I always keep myself open. Even if I don’t plan on using the location in any current projects, I try to capture something that may prove useful. In RADIO, and really all my work, the atmosphere of a scene matters as much as any character and my research while traveling has been so helpful. Sometimes being able to describe the right smell or sound can really make a scene pop and help readers immerse themselves. 

All that said, one of the most important writing lessons I’ve learned from traveling is that the world is much more similar from place to place than one might assume. I’m so lucky that I get to travel but I don’t think it’s a necessity to be able to write nuanced scenes set in far off places. We often hear the phrase “write what you know” and for a lot of topics, that can be sound advice, but I don’t think it’s very applicable to setting. The thing is, we all know a lot more about the world than we think. For instance, where I live now in Switzerland is very similar to the Pacific Northwest where I grew up and first adulted. Sure we have castles here and you have volcanoes there but seasons, weather (generally), greenery, large bodies of water, mountains, even social interaction styles, all are close enough to be easily understood and described by someone from either location. Lazy writing is always going to be bad writing but if a writer is willing to do the research, a rich setting can be built using a combination of our own experiences and a healthy dose of new learning. Everyone’s mileage will vary (pun intended) but I don’t think writers should feel limited to only their personal travel map. The world and the internet are big places, explore them.

I’ve done a more in-depth write up on the subject over at my own blog.

That’s a great point. I mean, how many people write novels set during specific periods of the past and never live during that era, you know? Research matters. Did you find that your research happened en masse, or was it something that you would dive into as you wrote?

Almost entirely as I wrote. Big picture items like opium, jazz, 1920’s slang, the city of Paris, these were always going to be important areas of study so they were researched in large chunks though I still supplemented that research as I went along. Everything else happened on a scene by scene or character by character basis. I won’t pretend that a strategy like this doesn’t slow my writing down but it just works better for me. It forces me to find the right details while I’m in the moment and inspired rather than just settling on the available details I have from past notes. 

I also tend to research as I write. Especially since I’ve become more exploratory in my writing rather than sticking to a strict outline. Research is one angle, but stories—all art, really—aren’t created in a vacuum. Is there a specific set of authors or creators who have influenced your writing? I know a few just from our discussions, but let’s get specific to RADIO.

Absolutely. A lot of influences made their way into RADIO from Agatha Christie to Cormac McCarthy but the most obvious influence pertaining directly to RADIO is probably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The dynamic between M (Marduk) the protagonist and Bernie, or Bernard as M calls him, is built off of the framework of Holmes and Watson. I say framework because I wanted Bernie to be more assertive and challenging toward M and more active in the story than Watson is with Homes. That said, I really enjoy Watson’s role as the reader’s proxy in the story and I tried to emulate that. Bernie is the moral hero of RADIO and as such, readers can attach themselves to him more than any other character. He’s the anchor just as Watson always was.   

Another big influence for me is Chuck Palahniuk, specifically for both tone and his ability to make unlikeable characters likable, or at least sympathetic. A prime example of this is Victor Mancini from Choke. The bleak, stained atmosphere of Fight Club was also a big influence however The Cypher by Kathe Koja does this even better. There’s a beauty to the dark, dirty negativity in that book that really resonated with me. The Cypher has that mid-90’s David Fincher vibe, but on steroids. That aesthetic is all over RADIO to varying degrees. Fincher meets Poirot. 

Hunter S.Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a clear influence for the drug scenes but not for the reasons one might expect. While his descriptions of drug trips are wild and fun, they lean toward an Alice in Wonderland-esque rabbit hole. I was more influenced by how immersive his descriptions were. You can’t read them without feeling the disorientation. My depictions are meant to be accurate but strive to be as enveloping as Thompson’s. I will add that in one early scene in RADIO, I take a few liberties with the effects of opium but there are other, fantastical circumstances involved that heighten the experience.

Lastly, I’d like to mention Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love. That book is so good for so many reasons. She did such an amazing job creating characters and a culture (in her case, a family culture) that is totally closed off to the outside world while operating in plain sight. It’s also a culture filled with humans who are unique and who fill every role from hero to villain. It’s a culture that is different, and vile, and follows its own rules. All of these elements helped inspire the Mentium, the clandestine group of gods Marduk is both a part of, and who he is his fighting to stop in RADIO.

I still need to read The Cypher. It sounds right up my alley. I’m glad you mentioned Marduk. There’re a lot of interesting choices for the gods that make up the Mentium, some obscure others less so, what made you settle on Babylon’s Marduk as the choice for the main character? I have to admit I found it a refreshing alternative over the tired Odin and Loki archetypes.

Marduk is one of the most important ancient gods in a pantheon that nobody knows about or at least pays attention to. Mesopotamian religion and others from the Fertile Crescent are the source of many of the stories from the Abrahamic religions. Eden, the flood, most of the Old Testament stories are repurposed versions from the Torah which in turn drew heavily from Mesopotamian sources. Western religions trace their roots back to Mesopotamia so it felt fitting that the central god in RADIO should come from there as well.

In many ways, that connection through history is another sub-theme that runs throughout the narrative. Music is a big part of this book, and we wouldn’t have the “pantheon” of music we see today without the explosion of jazz and the use of radio to spread it throughout the world. You’re a musician yourself and have gone as far as building your own guitars, how did that knowledge help you when you approached the musical elements of RADIO?

Music is a huge part of my life. I’ve been playing guitar since I was eleven years old and spent many years playing saxophone in middle and high school concert and jazz bands. It just made sense to have the two jazz musicians in the book follow suit and play guitar and sax. One of the most beautiful aspects of music is how, no matter how deep your understanding, you can feel it and move to it, and appreciate it. If all you understand is that you enjoyed it, wonderful. If you’re waiting on the edge of your seat for that Ab7 to finally resolve, wonderful. Both people are having a great time together. In RADIO, I tried to build the musical scenes in such a way that a layperson can still feel immersed in the music while those with more musical knowledge can dive a little deeper. 

I also spent years in college playing on stage in a local rock band so the interactions between the musicians in front of a crowd and under the lights is something I have first-hand experience with. Most people have no idea what being on stage would even feel like. I made it a point to try and make those scenes as vivid as possible to give readers the chance to see what it’s like looking out at the crowd vs. up at the stage. 

I think you did an excellent job, as you know I’m a jazz fan but a non-musician. That said, I thought the music scenes were evocative—you captured that frenetic energy that lives within jazz. You know, I realize he didn’t make a name for himself until about 30 years after RADIO, but you really should have referenced a Jimmy Rushing song in the book. I feel like that was a missed opportunity.

I actually have a story about him. When I was in high school, a friend of mine worked at a framing and poster shop at the mall. One day he came by my house with probably a three by four-foot poster board of Jimmy Rushing. At that time, I hadn’t seen him before and my friend was hiding the name on the poster so I was confused why I was being gifted a massive picture of a sweaty guy pouring his soul out into a microphone. I love Jimmy Rushing’s voice. He has this syrupy transition technique from phrase to phrase that is just so satisfying to listen to. I wish I still had that poster. Actually, I should check some of the closets at my parent’s house. 

He’s an incredible vocalist. I’ve always dug his work with Count Basie, but I really enjoy the album he made with Dave Brubeck. Brubeck’s cool jazz piano and Rushing’s rich vocals work so well in tandem. Okay, enough jazz talk. We’ve certainly covered a lot: RADIO, Paris, research techniques, ancient religions, and so much more. I hope our discussion got my readers excited about your book and writing. I don’t want to keep you too much longer, but why not share what’s next for you?

In the near future, my focus is on getting the paperback edition of RADIO to market and continuing trying to navigate the intricacies of launching a book in the middle of a pandemic. A lot of people have a very doom and gloom outlook about publishing right now but I see our current situation as both a challenge and an opportunity. I will mention just how glad I am that I chose to self publish. I can be so much more dynamic and responsive with marketing than any big publishing house. Right now, I think that’s a huge advantage.  

In the coming months I’ll be settling into a new project. While the idea of RADIO being the first of a series is a possibility, it was written as a stand-alone novel. I have ideas for sequels but they’re in their infancy and I want to wait until they mature enough to start those endeavors. In the meantime, I have a few open projects and I’m trying to decide which will fit best as my next WIP. One is a near-future post-apocalyptic series that involves both bio and eco themes. It’s more than fitting for our current state of affairs but also a bit serious. The other is a contemporary urban fantasy which, while still dark, is a lot more fun. Once I make up my mind, I’ll dive in headfirst.

I’m excited to see where you go next. I started rereading RADIO a few days ago [Disclosure: I was an early beta reader for Jim], and I can’t wait to continue. Knowing what I know, the possibility of a sequel is an interesting one. (Maybe Jimmy Rushing can still make an appearance.) Thanks for participating in the first Prose Palaver and giving us a little more insight into your process and RADIO. Good luck with the launch!

Thanks. There’s still a lot to do but I’m really excited for the work. This was a lot of fun. Thanks for having me.

Purchase RADIO

J. Rushing’s RADIO launched April 4th and is available as an eBook for any of the platforms I’ve linked below. (Paperback is coming soon, I’ve seen it and it’s real pretty.)

Kindle • Nook • Kobo

More about J. Rushing

J. Rushing is an American writer whose work blends elements of adventure, fantasy, science fiction, and horror to create worlds that feel as familiar as they do foreign.

He is a musician, amateur luthier, and former teacher who first traded the microbreweries and Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest for the bustle and beauty of Paris. After nearly three years in the City of Light he and his wife settled near Zürich, Switzerland where they spend much of their time traveling and immersing themselves in the outdoors.

Jim is active all over the internet and I recommend connecting with him. You can find all the pertinent links below. Give him a follow.

Website • Goodreads

Twitter • Instagram

Thanks for reading Prose Palaver!

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The WOW Factor | 10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye

It’s no surprise that an art juror is going to begin his or her task by studying a painting for certain expected attributes: strong design, solid draftsmanship, a skilled handling of value and color. But once an entry has met criteria like these, what is it in a painting that catches and holds a juror’s attention all the way through to the winner’s circle? What is the secret to that intangible “wow factor”?

At Pastel Journal, we ask this question of all of our Pastel 100 Competition jurors, and they’ve offered some truly great advice over the years. Here are 10 tips for improving the odds that your painting will be one of the stand-outs:

10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye

1. To decide which painting to submit, view your images on a computer at a rate of about one every 10 seconds. Choose the painting that catches your attention in that short time. If you consider the number of entries and time involved, 10 seconds may be all the time you have with a juror. — Doug Dawson

2. Push yourself to go beyond the expected portrayal of your subject matter. Determine a clear visual message for your subject and use that to drive the execution of the painting. — Barbara Jaenicke

  Barbara Jaenicke, Landscape + Interior Juror in the 18th Pastel 100, found Jeri Greenberg’s painting Moving On/Change is Good (pastel, 24×18), winner of the Richeson Pastel Silver Award, to be “a delightful example of masterful editing” saying, “This piece reveals no more and no less than what’s needed to feature an exquisite display of light and shadow on fabric. The value and temperature shifts (both subtle and high contrast) are perfectly handled, and the closely cropped composition gives us an intimate view of this interior, which is adeptly balanced with a well-proportioned variety of shapes. The suitcase in the corner, where the viewer is led, displays the ideal amount of edited detail for its role in the painting; it’s not the first thing we want to notice, but it’s where we want to end up. Create work that’s personal. And strive to go beyond.” —Debora L. Stewart

  3. Take risks. Create work that’s personal. And strive to go beyond. — Debora L. Stewart

4. Be sure your painting accomplishes what you set out to do. I tend to be drawn to paintings that feel complete. Whether loose or tight, impressionistic or realistic, colorful or monochromatic, paintings that say it all and nothing more are the ones that stand out. — Terri Ford

  Animal + Wildlife Juror Elizabeth Ganji spoke of Yael Maimon’s design skills in her second-place finisher “The Breakfast Club #5 (pastel, 16×21-1/2): “This artist exhibits an exceptional rhythm and energy in her mark making and playful use of color. The painting exhibits a strong design with great flow… as my eye circles around the bowl and down to the bottom cat, his placement leads me back in again. It is obvious this artist knows her subject matter well based on her skilled use of line, ability to leave in what is important and exclude what is not and the overall life this painting emanates.”

  5. Paint the essence of a subject. Paint the idea, not just what you see.  — Stephanie Birdsall

6. Consider what you want your painting to be about and how you can simplify the visual story. Limit the detail to areas where you want the viewer to focus. Take chances. Interpret your subject rather than copy it. You have a voice, so paint to tell your story. — Vianna Szabo

  Portrait + Figure Juror Vianna Szabo called Lipstick (pastel, 291/2×211/2), the winner of the Pastel Journal Award of Excellence, “a masterful study in the power of limiting detail in a painting. The artist makes the viewer focus on what is important by employing more finished areas against areas that are suggested. Letting the arm fade into the rhythmic drawing of the hand holding the mirror keeps us focused on the face and gesture of the woman. The splash of pink in the background suggests atmosphere and light without placing her anywhere in particular. The artist skillfully used suggestion to involve the viewer in the interpretation of the scene.”

  7. Follow your heart in terms of both content and artistic treatment. Be true to yourself as an artist; it’s the only way to achieve fulfillment in your work. — Brian Bailey

8. Paint a subject you love—one that speaks to you, challenges you and gives you an I-can’t-wait-to-paint-it feeling.  — Stephanie Birdsall

  Abstract + Non-Objective Juror Marcia Holmes describes Village Boys #43 (pastel, 28×20) by Isabelle V. Lim, which took second place winner in the Abstract & Non-Objective category, as a “fantastically pleasing painting with the primary use of complementary colors.” The design is “a strong point,” she says, “with the vertical format enhanced by the two-toned blue. The movement is sublime, carrying viewers throughout the painting.”

  9. Don’t try to mimic another artist; allow your own personal style to emerge.  — Barbara Jaenicke

10. Paint. Paint. Paint. Every day, if you can.  — Elizabeth Ganji

Meet This Year’s Pastel 100 Jurors

Read about the five artists who’ll be seeking out the “wow factor” in the 19th Pastel 100 Competition, which is open for entries now. Find more entry information here.

Rita Kirkman | Animal + Landscape Juror has won a number of major awards in national and international competitions and is rapidly becoming a popular workshop instructor. Kirkman is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA) and a Master Circle artist with the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS). Her work has been featured in a number of art publications, including Pastel Journal. Although she’s well known for her depictions of ranch animals, and her adventurous use of color, the artist says that she enjoys painting “almost anything” and finds resonance in a quote by Claude Monet, who said, “The subject matter, my dear good fellow, is the light.”

Nancie King Mertz | Landscape + Interior Juror is an IAPS Master Circle artist, and a master artist in the PSA and Chicago Pastel Painters. Her work was featured in the 2015 February issue of Pastel Journal and has been included many times in Pastel 100 competitions. She teaches across the United States and internationally, and is on the faculty for the Plein Air Convention and the IAPS Convention in 2017. Mertz has traveled the country and to nearly 20 countries abroad for painting inspiration, but her hometown of Chicago remains her favorite city to explore and paint.

William A. Schneider | Portrait + Figure Juror sharpened his skills during eight years of study at the American Academy of Art’s Saturday Program in Chicago, and through workshops with artists Dan Gerhartz, Harley Brown and Richard Schmid, among others. His work has been featured in such publications as Southwest Art, Fine Art Connoisseur, The Artists’ Magazine and Pastel Journal, among others. His work has received awards in a number of exhibitions including those of the American Impressionist Society (in which he’s a master signature member), the Oil Painters of America, the Portrait Society of America and the PSA (in which he is a master pastelist).

Arlene Richman | Abstract + Non-Objective Juror is a native New Yorker and an award-winning abstract pastelist. Her work has been widely exhibited in the U.S., and internationally. Richman is a PSA master pastelist and serves on the executive committee of the PSA board of governors. She’s also a signature member of the Connecticut Pastel Society and the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, and is an artist member of the Salmagundi Club. She has been featured in Pastel Journal and The Artist’s Magazine. Her pastel work is part of the permanent collection of the National Arts Club in New York City and in numerous private collections.

Sarah Blumenschein | Still Life + Floral Juror is a pastel artist living in Albuquerque, N.M. Her work has been part of many local, national and international art competitions, earning a number of awards, including First Place in the Still Life category of The Artist Magazine’s 2009 Annual Art competition; The Grand Prize in the Pastel Journal’s 2010 Pastel 100 competition; Best of Show in the 2014 New Mexico Masterworks competition; and Best of Show in the 2015 Pastel Society of New Mexico National exhibition. Blumenschein is a signature member of the PSA and a distinguished pastelist of the Pastel Society of the West Coast.

The post The WOW Factor | 10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye appeared first on Artist's Network.

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The WOW Factor | 10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye

It’s no surprise that an art juror is going to begin his or her task by studying a painting for certain expected attributes: strong design, solid draftsmanship, a skilled handling of value and color. But once an entry has met criteria like these, what is it in a painting that catches and holds a juror’s attention all the way through to the winner’s circle? What is the secret to that intangible “wow factor”?

At Pastel Journal, we ask this question of all of our Pastel 100 Competition jurors, and they’ve offered some truly great advice over the years. Here are 10 tips for improving the odds that your painting will be one of the stand-outs:

10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye

1. To decide which painting to submit, view your images on a computer at a rate of about one every 10 seconds. Choose the painting that catches your attention in that short time. If you consider the number of entries and time involved, 10 seconds may be all the time you have with a juror. — Doug Dawson

2. Push yourself to go beyond the expected portrayal of your subject matter. Determine a clear visual message for your subject and use that to drive the execution of the painting. — Barbara Jaenicke

  Barbara Jaenicke, Landscape + Interior Juror in the 18th Pastel 100, found Jeri Greenberg’s painting Moving On/Change is Good (pastel, 24×18), winner of the Richeson Pastel Silver Award, to be “a delightful example of masterful editing” saying, “This piece reveals no more and no less than what’s needed to feature an exquisite display of light and shadow on fabric. The value and temperature shifts (both subtle and high contrast) are perfectly handled, and the closely cropped composition gives us an intimate view of this interior, which is adeptly balanced with a well-proportioned variety of shapes. The suitcase in the corner, where the viewer is led, displays the ideal amount of edited detail for its role in the painting; it’s not the first thing we want to notice, but it’s where we want to end up. Create work that’s personal. And strive to go beyond.” —Debora L. Stewart

  3. Take risks. Create work that’s personal. And strive to go beyond. — Debora L. Stewart

4. Be sure your painting accomplishes what you set out to do. I tend to be drawn to paintings that feel complete. Whether loose or tight, impressionistic or realistic, colorful or monochromatic, paintings that say it all and nothing more are the ones that stand out. — Terri Ford

  Animal + Wildlife Juror Elizabeth Ganji spoke of Yael Maimon’s design skills in her second-place finisher “The Breakfast Club #5 (pastel, 16×21-1/2): “This artist exhibits an exceptional rhythm and energy in her mark making and playful use of color. The painting exhibits a strong design with great flow… as my eye circles around the bowl and down to the bottom cat, his placement leads me back in again. It is obvious this artist knows her subject matter well based on her skilled use of line, ability to leave in what is important and exclude what is not and the overall life this painting emanates.”

  5. Paint the essence of a subject. Paint the idea, not just what you see.  — Stephanie Birdsall

6. Consider what you want your painting to be about and how you can simplify the visual story. Limit the detail to areas where you want the viewer to focus. Take chances. Interpret your subject rather than copy it. You have a voice, so paint to tell your story. — Vianna Szabo

  Portrait + Figure Juror Vianna Szabo called Lipstick (pastel, 291/2×211/2), the winner of the Pastel Journal Award of Excellence, “a masterful study in the power of limiting detail in a painting. The artist makes the viewer focus on what is important by employing more finished areas against areas that are suggested. Letting the arm fade into the rhythmic drawing of the hand holding the mirror keeps us focused on the face and gesture of the woman. The splash of pink in the background suggests atmosphere and light without placing her anywhere in particular. The artist skillfully used suggestion to involve the viewer in the interpretation of the scene.”

  7. Follow your heart in terms of both content and artistic treatment. Be true to yourself as an artist; it’s the only way to achieve fulfillment in your work. — Brian Bailey

8. Paint a subject you love—one that speaks to you, challenges you and gives you an I-can’t-wait-to-paint-it feeling.  — Stephanie Birdsall

  Abstract + Non-Objective Juror Marcia Holmes describes Village Boys #43 (pastel, 28×20) by Isabelle V. Lim, which took second place winner in the Abstract & Non-Objective category, as a “fantastically pleasing painting with the primary use of complementary colors.” The design is “a strong point,” she says, “with the vertical format enhanced by the two-toned blue. The movement is sublime, carrying viewers throughout the painting.”

  9. Don’t try to mimic another artist; allow your own personal style to emerge.  — Barbara Jaenicke

10. Paint. Paint. Paint. Every day, if you can.  — Elizabeth Ganji

Meet This Year’s Pastel 100 Jurors

Read about the five artists who’ll be seeking out the “wow factor” in the 19th Pastel 100 Competition, which is open for entries now. Find more entry information here.

Rita Kirkman | Animal + Landscape Juror has won a number of major awards in national and international competitions and is rapidly becoming a popular workshop instructor. Kirkman is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA) and a Master Circle artist with the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS). Her work has been featured in a number of art publications, including Pastel Journal. Although she’s well known for her depictions of ranch animals, and her adventurous use of color, the artist says that she enjoys painting “almost anything” and finds resonance in a quote by Claude Monet, who said, “The subject matter, my dear good fellow, is the light.”

Nancie King Mertz | Landscape + Interior Juror is an IAPS Master Circle artist, and a master artist in the PSA and Chicago Pastel Painters. Her work was featured in the 2015 February issue of Pastel Journal and has been included many times in Pastel 100 competitions. She teaches across the United States and internationally, and is on the faculty for the Plein Air Convention and the IAPS Convention in 2017. Mertz has traveled the country and to nearly 20 countries abroad for painting inspiration, but her hometown of Chicago remains her favorite city to explore and paint.

William A. Schneider | Portrait + Figure Juror sharpened his skills during eight years of study at the American Academy of Art’s Saturday Program in Chicago, and through workshops with artists Dan Gerhartz, Harley Brown and Richard Schmid, among others. His work has been featured in such publications as Southwest Art, Fine Art Connoisseur, The Artists’ Magazine and Pastel Journal, among others. His work has received awards in a number of exhibitions including those of the American Impressionist Society (in which he’s a master signature member), the Oil Painters of America, the Portrait Society of America and the PSA (in which he is a master pastelist).

Arlene Richman | Abstract + Non-Objective Juror is a native New Yorker and an award-winning abstract pastelist. Her work has been widely exhibited in the U.S., and internationally. Richman is a PSA master pastelist and serves on the executive committee of the PSA board of governors. She’s also a signature member of the Connecticut Pastel Society and the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod, and is an artist member of the Salmagundi Club. She has been featured in Pastel Journal and The Artist’s Magazine. Her pastel work is part of the permanent collection of the National Arts Club in New York City and in numerous private collections.

Sarah Blumenschein | Still Life + Floral Juror is a pastel artist living in Albuquerque, N.M. Her work has been part of many local, national and international art competitions, earning a number of awards, including First Place in the Still Life category of The Artist Magazine’s 2009 Annual Art competition; The Grand Prize in the Pastel Journal’s 2010 Pastel 100 competition; Best of Show in the 2014 New Mexico Masterworks competition; and Best of Show in the 2015 Pastel Society of New Mexico National exhibition. Blumenschein is a signature member of the PSA and a distinguished pastelist of the Pastel Society of the West Coast.

The post The WOW Factor | 10 Ways to Catch a Juror’s Eye appeared first on Artist's Network.

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