Battlepug Volume 1 by Mike Norton

I had the privilege of being introduced to Mike Norton’s work when I read The Curse (due out in October).  The work was so funny, over the top and featured a pug which made the story complete.  When I had the opportunity to read his Battlepug, I knew I had to.

I was not disappointed.  Mike Norton has a dark sense of humor.  Battlepug is sexy, funny and full of action.  No zombies in this one but it’s filled with man-eating oversized animals and a very evil Santa Claus.

I lied – I was disappointed.  The book ended far too soon.  I hate volumes.  I want to devour a story and not have to stop and wait just as it’s getting good.  Mike Norton is a name that will haunt me as I scour comic book stores.  I don’t want your basic superhero – I want Battlepug.

Sidewalk Canvas by Julie Kirk

Sidewalk art began in 16th century Italy. Artists at that time used the surface to illustrate religious icons and expressions. Over time the artists became known as Madonnari after their images of Christ and the Madonna. These themes have remained though the artists have changed. Today street painting is often filled with copies of Renaissance art. This particular art is more about the creation of the piece than the piece its self. The masterpieces are not meant to remain. Street painting or sidewalk art is becoming a growing phenomenon. Julie Kirk invites the reader into this transient world and has captured some amazing images while instructing the reader on how to create their own.
I can’t help but think of my own experiences with sidewalk art. The first image that popped into my mind was from Mary Poppins. The street art was magical but untouchable for me. I got to experience sidewalk chalk and dream about those artists who make art. I never thought that I could be such an artist. However, Julie Kirk just might convince me.
The book walks through all the information needed to create sidewalk art including a recipe to make your own pastels. It’s quite informative and doesn’t lose the reader like some art books can.
Even if you are not interested in creating sidewalk art, the pictures provided are worth your time to read this book.

Do You See What I See? by James Sallie

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was entertaining but I don't think it's worth the price. According to amazon you can get this for Kindle for $9.99 and in hardback for $70. It not worth $70 and I'm not sure it's worth $10.
It's interesting and I do recommend picking up a copy from the library but it lacks that something that would get me to come back to it time and time again. The humor is very juvenile, which is okay and some of the pictures are clever but it's not the sort that really catches your eye.
In places, I found the book confusing and rather frustrating. I believe that James Sallie has some great talent but many pictures just looked thrown together. I have set this aside for my husband and son to look at and I will share their opinion which may differ from mine.

In The Flesh by Koren Shadmi

Every now and again I think I should upgrade my reading and read something more adult oriented. Koren Shadmi's In The Flesh seemed to be something of interest and the themes of the graphic novel were more adult in nature. I have to admit that many adult oriented books disappoint me. I'm not talking erotic here, I'm talking about books that cater to those over the age of 18. You will note that I read a fair amount of YA and juvenile literature. It's not because I am incapable of reading at an adult level but there's something less complicated about a book geared towards younger readers.
Sex or not doesn't really matter to me but I hate when sex becomes the plot. Koren Shadmi's book centered more around sex than I would have believed. I can get over a good smutty book but this was not it. The series of short stories left me puzzled. I feel like there's a joke that I missed the punchline. The saddest part is if someone cared to explain it to me - it still wouldn't be funny.
This book is quite artsy and I don't mind artsy but I like to be able to follow a plot. I can't even explain what this was about which just goes to show you that it was just weird.
I do have to say there were things I liked about this work. One story centered around a young woman who was hit by a pastry truck which left her with a craving for all things baked. At the end, her best friend (a boy) didn't want to be her friend anymore but decided to have sex with her. While he was kissing her neck, she bit a chunk out of his shoulder. I felt he deserved it because he was a jerk.
I'm sure someone thinks Koren Shadmi is brilliant but not me. His art is well created - I just didn't get his stories.

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

I picked up this book from the library when a friend of mine asked a group of us to go through the book with her. The Artist's Way is designed to be worked through over 12 weeks. Because it was a library book, I did it in six. My friends had started the book a few weeks before me but I still think I finished first.
The concept is to learn how to nurture your creative side and avoid creative blocks. I had picked up the book years ago but it didn't make an impression. I don't think I took it seriously. This time, I found I wanted to recommend it to everyone I know. Even though I did it in half the time and didn't quite do everything, I gave it a lot of effort. It's a great book but it's not perfect.
I did notice that it had a way of bringing to light the weirdest issues. The first time I read it, I had a real problem with Julia Cameron's use of God. Looking back, that was a time I was working through my own issues of faith. A friend of mine has the same issue but she also took issue with Julia Cameron's use of twelve step programs. This was something that no one else noticed making us wonder where the issue for her lies.
For me, I struggled with some of the more old fashioned wording. I am a woman in my thirties with a lot of future left. I struggled with Julia Cameron's questions like "If it wasn't too late, I would...." For me, it's not too late. I want to live in the now - not the past or the future. There's an issue there but I can't say what it is but it gives me something to explore.
I read a number of reviews of this book and find that you really have to be in the right place for this book to be helpful and, sadly, it's a place of recovery. The book is designed to help those recover from their blocks but it's a hard place to pull out of. I can understand why - Julia Cameron wrote this as a substitute to her workshops. The problem is that a workshop is more supportive than a book. I can picture that people use the book alone without support of others. You need a sounding board and someone to hold your hand when it gets too tough. You need accountibility that just doesn't come with a book.
I do recommend this book and have been contemplating using it to start my own workshops in my area but I don't recommend going it alone. Find other creative beings who want to work through it as well. It doesn't matter if they have blocks or not - there's still things to be learned.
I start this book over (I bought a copy for my husband) next week and plan on working through it with my husband so that he can discover the tools to prevent creative blocks as he starts his own blogs and persues his own dreams.