Thank you to Picked by Poison for inviting me over today!
I am celebrating the release of my fun, paranormal romance, LUCK OF THE DRAGON, and detailing the true story of how I went off-track in my hunt through the remote Ozark Hills for an eight-foot tall metal dragon sculpture.
I’m touching on the age-old question today: what constitutes art?
In my last serial blog post, my husband and I had encountered what we judged to be both amazing art, and the down-right profane…
“I love the dragons,” I rubbed the elegant line, where the wing of the metal sculpture branched from the creature’s powerful chest. “But the other stuff, is just awful.”
“Yep.” My husband agreed.
Now, I feel I should defend our judgment of “art” here. We are not small-minded, culturally-depraved hillbillies. We’ve been around a bit. But, trust me when I say, except for the amazing dragons, the yard sculptures really were misogynistic, crassly sexual, and just plain icky.
Take for example the shudder-worthy monstrosity behind my husband. “She” was cast nude with Medusa hair and forward grasping arms. Barbed wire criss-crossed her mutilated breasts, and between her legs, her vulva was painted bright red and over-sized, so that it swelled outward. The lips were pierced through with a pitch-fork.
See what I mean? It’s difficult to capture that much loathing in iron.
My head buzzed. What had been a muted-out sense of apprehension grew to a strong urge to flee. Artist Bob emerged from the house with a more alert swagger and used car salesman look on his face. He all but rubbed his hands together in glee as he approached us, but he couldn’t of course, because he carried his topped-off alcoholic coffee on the bulge of his belly.
“What do you think about my ex-wife here?” Bob gestured to Medusa.
“Your ex-wife?” I asked.
“Well I guess technically she is one of my ex-wives. I’ve had five, but “her” I married twice. Stupid. Both times. She sent her father after me, sayin’ I abused her or something… You’d think a pastor woulda seen through her, but I guess she was his kid and all. That’s why I used the pitch fork. It is supposed to show religious zeal.”
Honestly, I was too shocked to comment. The information he had just spewed shouldn’t have been surprising, but it was. “The dragons are amazing.” I managed.
He frowned, drank deeply, and looked pensive. “You like how I grouped them? I put then chain on their necks and the knight holding them down.”
Silly man, you can’t hold a dragon with a chain, my muse whispered in my brain. I pointed to my favorite. “I especially love this one.”
Again, Bob frowned. “You can’t afford these. Let me show you what I have in my garage.”
Alarm bells went off in my head. Enclosed spaces, even with my husband at my back seemed risky…
So, what defines art for you?
I’ll give it a stab. For me it is a sensory judgment—how a piece makes me feel—the zing of singing celestial angels. In whatever form: word, music, paint, sculpted iron... Give me your thoughts on art. Thank you for following my release tour.
All my best,
Susannah Scott
P.S. You can check my website (link below), for the next stop on my blog tour, wherein I will continue my tale, and give out excerpts from my upcoming release, LUCK OF THE DRAGON.
Luck of the Dragon
by Susannah Scott
Entangled Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 2013
Imprint: Covet
Luciana de Luca has a PhD in sass and gemology—and a problem. Her twin brother’s gambling debts have gotten out of hand, and a mob enforcer is blackmailing her to rob the latest, greatest mega-casino on the Strip. Although Lucy has worked her whole life to get away from her family’s grifter past, to save her brother, she dons three-inch heels and a sluts-r-us dress and struts into Alec’s Gerald’s casino, determined to put her long-forgotten thieving ways to the test again.
Alec Gerald, a shape-shifting dragon, has built the Crown Jewel casino to provide sanctuary for his people amongst the flash and awe of Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the sexy little thief trying to rob his gem exhibit turns out to be his mate, and he must woo her before he loses his dragon form forever. With enemies in every corner, and the all-important mating ceremony looming, Alec and Lucy must learn to trust each other, before time runs out for Alec and the rest of the dragons.
where to Buy Luck of the Dragon
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
About Susannah Scott
Susannah Scott lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is the lone female in a very loud household of males ranging in age from 4 to 40. While she jokes that the extreme levels of testosterone inspired her to write romance, it is really the love of creating an excellent story, and the occasional dreams of twenty-foot dragons, that wake her and send her to the laptop before the chaos of daily life ensues. Susannah loves to hear from her readers. Please visit her website or follow her as Susannah Scott on Facebook and on Twitter
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So honored to be here today. Thank you Sara! Tell me what you think makes something "art" vs "not" ?
ReplyDeleteI think that there are various degrees of "art" the things that some people call art can get me sometimes... I lived in Italy when i was younger and spent 4 years going to museums, looking at renaissance paintings, sculptures,churches and just being in awe... When i see something that makes me feel, takes so much thought and time and is made for an artistic purpose that is what i think art is. There are so many different mediums photography, jewelry, sculpture, painting, music... My favorite artist of all time is Van Gogh,And just because i might not "get" something doesn't mean it isn't art. I like to think books are like that there are so many different kinds and just because I love a Great Romance be it (Erotic,Paranormal, Historical, Western) Doesn't mean someone will appreciate the same books and authors i love :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true Jeanette! I am jealous of your early exposure to the classics, wow! Thank you so much for sharing, Susannah
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Thanks for sharing Luck of the Dragon. I enjoyed the book very much and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do. evamillien at gmail dot com
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