Gather's novel focus

Last year or longer ago when Gather performed another upgrade, I arrived one day to find that fiction had become the primary focus of the site. And since I've read astrological, psychological, and political subjects for a over dozen years now almost exclusively, fictional tales don't seem to have my number as they once did.

Yet like most Americans of a certain age, I had read The Classics all through the public school systems to which I had been subjected in my impressionable years.

You know the ones: Dickens, Hardy, Burroughs, Verne, Huxley, Dreiser, Burroughs, Mitchener, Orwell, Baudelaire, Shakespeare...the gang was all there, along with Greek and Roman mythology and a few no-nos stashed in the reading pile as well - certainly 'Lolita' must stand out for its under-the-cover flashlight quality, instructively sophisticated though it may have been at and for the times.

Well, I don't have to tell you that my reading list was long and primarily of a fictional nature which suited me well through the years. Then later adulthood hit, and novels seemed somehow insufficiently related to 'real' life, or perhaps films and TV plots had so taken novels' verbose place in my imagination and bedraggled schedule that the effort of reading fictional works often seemed too much for these pc-screen-addled eyes.

Not Just a Temporary Phase

As Gather continued focusing on fictional writing, I became somewhat disgruntled that photos and art images were not featured as they once had been. Yet coming to Gather today it's quite upsetting to report to you that the situation (which has been on my mind for a while now) has resulted in my succumbing to a bad poetry muse alighting upon my brow, and so she must be propitiated or who knows what will occur next in the fiction - or worse, the Art - department?

Yes, any dreary novels lurking within my squishy brain must be headed off at all costs, for your sake, dear Gatherer.

So here in rhyme is most of what I just typed in a two-stanza condensed form, the brevity of which you should be very grateful and from which, it is to be hoped, you will not dart off in all directions in a vane attempt to avoid the arrow of poetry before I am done...

When Gather left me far behind

at first i pouted never mind

the site put fiction in the light

while tucking artwork out of sight

no novels do i write and so

my drawings off to Zazzle go

you'll find it but a skip and hop

to browse Jude Cowell's Zazzle Shop!

http://www.zazzle.com.cowelljude

The real scoop, sans fiction: there are five Dreamyfish Art portraits appearing in the shop so far, but more images will be added as time permits; plus, any images offered as Wall Art Posters may be morphed into whatever you wish by clicking on Zazzle's cool Customize It! button...T-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, mousepads, greeting cards, and more. 

Why, then we'd be design partners if you're game! And so the Three-spotted rabbitfish (pictured above) joins me in cordially inviting you to drop by at your leisure for a brief Art Break from all that fictional writing and reading you've been up to. 

Actually, my Dreamyfish drawings blend real (botanical portraits) with visionary (imagined dream scenarios because fish dream, too) so both fictional and non-fictional creative forms may be honored and/or insulted simultaneously, as you may so decide.

If you're familiar with X-RAY Magazine, you may wish to keep your eyes peeled for a Dreamyfish Art feature coming up on their website for October at http://xray-mag.com, an International Diving and Lifestyle Magazine that I've been proud and privileged to work with, and I can't say enough good things about the talents of its Art Director, Gunild Symes!

Plus, if you're interested in Ocean Conservancy News delivered along with your botanical fish portraits, please try my http://dreamyfishart.blogspot.com  gallery where Save Our Oceans! is a regular theme and my sincere plea...because things are getting desperate for the fishes, Y'all. No kidding.