Emerging Book: What "sells": what is read?

"No. 1 Best Seller": as we know, that's down to promotion & what book shop s buy... and "seller" doesn't mean "most read, appreciated, profound book". 

How come a book that initially (1st 50 pages especially) strikes one as "the guy can't write" becomes a bestseller?  I've read several of these - The da Vinci Code for one.  Seems what we want (to buy? or to read?) is a good story, despite style, language, skill... 

Yes: someone lent me "The Shack", supposedly a No 1 bestseller not only in Canada, USA, England, but various far-flung places like China and Brazil, and I read it - all of it (don't stop reading here!).  

I made a host of inward notes about can't write, should've started with the crisis, using too much predictable PC thought to play to the times, innocent beyond belief...

My feelings didn't engage.  It's Narnia, but more embarrassing. 

I certainly didn't cry!  (on-line  bloggers and forums claim they did all the time)

Why's it so popular (if it really is, being read all through, not simply bought?)

Someone has pushed  out onto the market, (however they did it) an innocent book about forgiveness.

Hum. 

Why are we mostly all so cynical?  

At least my reading of it proceeded to in-depth dialogue, delving deeper into How do we cope with those feelings which remain long after a bad situation should be "in the past"?

Hum.

Epiphany

Have almost reached a point of "this can be left for now -" with my "Epiphany " painting, which takes Klimt's Mother & Child and places them as "Mary" protecting the Child from the intrusions of the "Magi" and their incomprehensible gifts.  It is maybe a dream, a vision, a flashback.

Whatever, the Magi are creepy.  They make life complicated, by bringing this saviour thing into the equation, and they cause problems for everyone else.  Maybe they represent people who want to make faith into organised religion with doctrines, hierarchies, musts and shoulds.

Maybe they are just the kinds of people you don't want to have visit.  Or bureaucracy.  

Hi after All This Time!

Hi after a busy winter!

This blog has suffered from the amount of work I'm doing, and also, because posting photos wasn't working all that well.

I've had an exhibition at Manos's cafe (Walton Street for those who know it) and am currently working on a series "Pilgrimage" in response to a lecture series.  This is pushing my boundaries as I try to come up with original slants on the theme and I've moved into "mixed media" to try and create more spontaneous visual images of abstract ideas.  Though there is also at least one oil painting.

For now, I'll try to post a photo of the first work - still "in progress" which is about the Walk to Compostella.

It doesn't look very impressive here but it's about the hardship of the long road, the sleeping in public, shared dormitories provided (200 people in bunks in one room!) and here they all are, the pilgrims, stacked up in their bunks, dreaming the legend of St James!  The lower figures (in dark or silver tissue) represent the medieval pilgrims, the brighter ones further up are today's (in coloured card).

The media is  paper on board, with muslin forming the road.  The dream is painted in acrylic on black polyester muslin, with a layer more muslin over to increase the dream-like quality.   Pilgrimage is about the walk, rather than the arrival, and the spiritual gain is very much in the "now" of the experience: or that is what the lecture seemed to say!

Plus ca change - 2 "Moving On"

The old Works : the  new apartments .... with smart inner courtyard... 

Plus ca change!

Images of the old iron works by the Canal, 2005.  By 2008, svelt commuter apartment blocks have replaced it.   

Autumn Garden

After a wet summer, the gardens in autumn are glowing emerald. And the violas are fed up... 

Garden Beasts: Today's visitor wore a flying helmet...