Through the years Mona has been speculated over, stolen, recovered, splashed with acid, warped, cracked, stoned, mugged, passed around, spoofed, and always adored. Needless to say, she has quite a backstory. This is what makes her so special and an irresistable stop in the Louvre. She is not a larger than life painting like some in the same museum. She could easily be displayed in the average home.
She can teach every writer a good lesson. Your characters don't need to be larger than life. They don't need to be perfect. They take time to develop. They need a good backstory and some mystery. When properly developed your characters will not only be irresistable and adored, but they will also be spoofed and hated by some. They will be real to the readers.
I couldn't find the history of this piece. When I passed it in the Louvre I instantly loved it. Recently I have felt a particular connection with it. My husband has been away since March. When we are apart I miss him like crazy. My daughter misses him. Our house, our lives are incomplete without him in our home. Yesterday, we were reunited once again.
On our way back to the train station in Versailles, our group passed El Rancho. We all laughed at the thought of the French having a Tex-Mex bar and grill. I realized later that it isn't such a bad idea. In a market that is saturated with French cuisine (it is France after all), Tex-Mex would really stand out. Of course not everyone if going to be dying to eat at a Tex-Mex grill in France. However, the is a market for it: those who have moved and want a taste of home, those who want to try something new, those who really love tex-mex,...etc.
Yet I think that our initial reaction says something about many aspects of life. No matter how you decorate your house; write your book; drive your car; or wear your clothes you will always have some people who just don't get it. I think it is when you stop trying to please everyone and start trying to be true to yourself that you learn to be truly happy.
Is your book like a Tex-Mex restaurant in the middle of France?
Globe found in the Dauphin’s large study at Versailles
In 1781 Louis XVI commissioned Mancelle to make the celestial and terrestrial globe, enclosing a second globe featuring land and underwater reliefs, for his son’s education. This is a very fascinating piece to me for a few reasons. Firstly, it is interesting to see how much they knew about geography of the world. Secondly, this globe is huge... I keep expecting it to be one of those furniture pieces with a minibar inside.
Like most things it gets me thinking. Whenever I see a globe I always enjoy searching out for my current location, the places I have been, and the places I long to be. As I spin a globe, I can hear the song It's a Small World After All. Walt really had something with that ride he designed. While at times our world seems so huge other times we each have had those moments when we realize just how small it is. No matter your geography we all havebasic human needs and wants. One of the wants I constantly see in myself and others is the need for acceptance.
I can admit that being a person who has always enjoyed participating in and partaking of the arts has made it sometimes hard to find my niche. And since I have started my writing journey finding those I connect with has been done in the blogosphere. Well during my unannounced/unplanned absence from my blog I got to live in my niche. I attended LDStorymakers. I felt at home with people who have a passion for the same things as myself. It may have been my first writer's conference but it will certainly will not be my last. My only regret is that I didn't get to attend both days and meet more people.
