Take a Picture

The thing I find so intriguing about Josh Malerman's writing is that you never know where he will take you. I was first an artist and came to writing much later in life, so this story hit home for me. It didn't quite hit it out of the park, like his previous novel did. Hoo boy, that was a fun read. Pictures of You was a little slow in the action, but it is there. Like oil paint, it is rich and layered and takes time to finish. 

Pictures of You is more of a psychological horror. There are no weird monsters (unless you put Helen there) or supernatural entities. There are just two people on vacation in a small lakeside Michigan village who get the attention of the wrong people. A night of fun becomes a night of terror when one wakes up in their hotel room, and the other is gone. The night before is fuzzy, and we are brought along as witnesses for what is next. It is slow and there is little actual violence. It is much more cerebral. Great concept, and I loved the end story. I just wished the writer had pushed this story a little harder. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Pictures of You

by Josh Malerman

Published by Del Rey Books
Sep 08, 2026

ISBN  : ‎ 9780593723159

288 pages

#PicturesofYou #NetGalley

As always. I encourage you to buy from independent bookstores. If you are in the North Florida area, try Happy Medium Books Café or Chamblin Bookmine. If you've never visited Chamblin's, plan to spend some time there. It is the largest bookstore in Florida, with about 60,000 square feet of space housing over 3 million books, both used and new. They have a great Florida author's collection, too.

He's No Angel

 

Free Maps & Art from Public Domain Books and Copyright Free Sources

I have been working on a new project at work and came across a few great resources. Of course this is always FLICKR and now Pinterest but there are still a lot of great sites out there with the old and arcane.

Old Book Art is a great website to browse. It is filled with old engravings and illustrations as well as old maps--the reason I first visited. It's a great resource for illustrators looking for reference. I'm certain that I'll be back when I finally get started on the children's book that my wife has written. And speaking of maps, this one shouldn't be missed. While not all maps found  on Map Collection--Collection of Interesting and Artistic Maps are free or in the public domain, it is a great reference site. Decline and Fall Resources, like the aforementioned, is also a great resource.

These are just a few based upon what I was looking for. You could get lost in these sites for a very long time!

Storytelling in Art

I have never been a huge fan of Abstract Expressionism. Even after 6+ years as the designer for the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, I still feel that way… mostly. I do have a much greater appreciation for the artists themselves but I still like many of the more popular artists that many in the art world itself, dismiss, people like Andrew Wyeth and Norman Rockwell. Their art tells a story without having to know the background. It invites you to use your imagination as to what the back story is. It HAS a back story that is easily attainable. It speaks to me. Perhaps it's just the illustrator in me or perhaps it is something inside me that wants to play it safe.

What moves you and why?

REDNECK ART made with BBQ RIBS - Speed Painting

I'll miss IF this week. I'm taking a much needed vacation with my lovely wife for our anniversary. I may get around to it later next week but I didn't want to leave everyone without a taste of art.

Happy Friday!