Today I went a little mad.

[I. J. Parker]

Things have been all around unsatisfactory. All those years of work. All those books. All of those miserable hours of promoting them. All of the diappointments. And nothing much to show for them.

So I blew the advances for my latest two novels (plus a sizable chunk of savings) on a painting.

[I. J. Parker]

Thanks all. I did a double-take on the size. That seemed abnormal for a scroll. The actual image is 61" x 39", but even that is rather large. Hmm. Maybe centimeters.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

I'm not doing to butter you up with some line about looking on the bright side. Life is a pile of BS that doesn't stop growing until the Reaper gets tired of you crapping in his yard. If a painting gives you some satisfaction, more power to you. Enjoy what makes you happy. So much life is wasted being someone else's painting.

[Benoit AKoa]

It is all about how you get back up. Never had anything to do with how you cope with the perceived failure. Subsequent books may pave way for the first masterpiece.

[Pepper Smith]

Nice, IJ. I like it.

[Benoit AKoa]

You guys should check this out. This guy is really interesting. I am not spamming or anything but he is strange . . .http://joshuadallaire.com/section/111054.html

[B.R.Stateham]

I sure as hell like it.

[I. J. Parker]

Benoit, the symbolism here is much simpler: I was royally pissed off at not making any money with ll that work and decided to blow the ridiculous advances on a luxury that would at least give me lasting pleasure.

[I. J. Parker]

Jon, the artist is unknown, the size is 102" x 45" (that includes the border), the date is early 20th century.
The Ancient Chinese had a saying "Without the arts, men are beasts." I've been thinking that I was living in a pretty beastly world.

[Benoit AKoa]

Okay. Now what? You stare at it and say " . . .Between a red sun, and a tumultuous sea, my writing career lays--in a brown misty atmosphere, my dreams evaporate . . .But I shall rise! Rise! From the sea . . like a leviathan itself! I shall conquer the publishing world! . . .Conquer!”
Ok maybe not but what were you thinking?

[Jon Loomis]

Beautiful, I.J. Who's the artist? What are the dimensions? I'm still relatively new to the game, and still not sure what I hope to get out of it--but turning some of the cash into concrete swag is a first-rate idea, IMO. Enjoy it--you damn well earned it.