Award-Winning Author/Artist Steve Shear!
Metaphorically Speaking by Steve Shear.
The Human Condition from the Beginning of Time.
I believe that poetry is the doorway into all fiction, the pillars that underpin all fiction, the dictionary and thesaurus that encompass all fiction. It requires the poet to seriously consider the language being put forward and every work counts. No “ifs, ands, and buts” just solid language that describes a feeling, that makes a point, that paints a scene. It is not so much what we say but how we say it using imagery, metaphors, similes, musical cadence, rhyme, and any other linguistic tool that makes what we writes come alive within a unique mansion containing our unique choice of words.
If you want to write fiction (or even non-fiction for that matter), consider starting with poetry. Consider reading the great dead white English poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelly, as well as the very great women poets like Emily Dickenson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Mary Oliver. I love Mary Oliver. She has the ability to play a symphony with words. Also, read the Poet Laureates like Ted Kooser and Billy Collins. Ted Kooser is one of my favorites. Check out his Delights and Shadows. It will blow you away. It did me. I hope you take a look at my eclectic collection, Metaphorically Speaking. It is unusual in two ways. I have combined a bit of my prosaic wanderings adjacent each of the poems explaining what I happened to be thinking when I wrote them, either about the poem or a bigger issue. I also include my own artwork accompanying the poems, not necessarily because they are all appropriate but because it was fun to do. I guess I have that right. Thank you for your time. Steve
Review by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Innovative Poetry. Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021. What a remarkable collection of innovative thoughts and poetry in Metaphorically Speaking: The Human Condition from the Beginning of Time by Steve Shear. I am a big fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I read. I found his “Poet’s Note” most interesting, which is the perfect beginning for this collection. “I have purposely not grouped these poems by subject matter, in part because it is difficult to do, and in part because I think they are more fun to read the way they are. Also, accompanying each poem you will find a bit of prose including my thought process and what I thought the poem was all about when I put pen to paper, or more precisely when I put fingertips to keys. I refer to this process as “prosetry in action” … A bit corny but what can I say? I made it up.” The book has the poems and thoughts of the poet, which in itself is wonderful, but I also found the graphics or images enchanting. I liked this so much, I read many of the poems twice. One of my favorites was written by Shear’s character in his Confronting Religious Fanaticism, Ira Neebest. I’m familiar with Ira Neebest, and I especially like the poem The Righteous Path. Part of the poem that really touched me, was “…Or read about the very same issues wrapped in fine literature, penned with imagery, plots, and subplots involving everyday people, characters resonating with the faithful and faithless, as flesh and blood drips from the pages into your lap, flesh and blood you can touch, feel, and smell.” I look forward to reading more by this author. Metaphorically Speaking: The Human Condition from the Beginning of Time is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews. I received this book to read and give my honest and unbiased review. ~Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews
Product Details:
Paperback: 81 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published (June 24, 2020)
Language: English
Fiction (Literary)
Customer Ratings:
https://www.amazon.com/Metaphorically-Speaking-Human-Condition-Beginning/dp/B08BWFWSDS/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
*****
Message From Author Steve Shear: My early paintings (1986 – 2013) can best be described as expressionistic and surreal portraiture/figure, often larger than life. Most are from live models and from my sculptures, but others come from my imagination. My objective was to elicit an emotional response through composition, color, shapes, and the application of paint, while at the same time retaining the correct anatomy, either realistically or through purposeful exaggeration. In the latter part of that earlier period, I pushed the envelope by combining abstraction with these real and surreal approaches to the figure in order to create a synergistic result. One example of combining these approaches is the Sisters of Baghdad.
Many of my ideas came from my drawings (virtually thousands of them) which were created out of my head on almost a daily basis. An example of this is The Chess Queen. In 2013 I put the paint brushes and sculpting tools aside and began writing fiction, first poetry then novels, screenplays, and stage plays. Six of my novels have been published and two of my stage plays. See below.
In 2020 I began painting again. This time I turned to color and shapes rather than portraiture and figure. My paint is applied in thick layers exaggerated even more so by multiple layers of glue serving as an underpinning. The glue not only adds thickness to the paint but also runs in ways which produces unique shapes that take on lives of their own. Several examples are shown on this website.
Two of my more recent paintings (immediately below) are truly larger than life depictions of a ‘Vase of many Colors’ and of the Greek mythological bad lady Medea. Each painting is 32×48 and relies heavily on multiple layers of glue to add ‘serious’ thickness to the paint.
In the past, my work was exhibited at a number of galleries in Boulder, Denver, Tucson, and here in Brentwood California. I spent five years painting under the watchful eyes of Jean Packard, a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute, two summers at the Charles Cecil Art Studio in Florence, Italy, and several years at the Boulder Art Academy in Boulder, Colorado. I also trained in sculpting under Valentin Okorokov, an accomplished Russian trained painter and sculptor.
The Trials of Adrian Wheeler was my first published novel (L&L Dreamspell, 2011). It was awarded runner-up in the San Francisco Book Festival 2015. I am happy to say that The Trials of Adrian Wheeler has been optioned as a movie by EVW Entertainment (producer of the movie Break the Stage), and the screenplay has been written by Erik Wolter and me. EVWE is now looking for partners to produce the movie.
The Wild Rose Press published The Fountain of Youth, my second published novel, in May of 2017. It has received exceptional reviews, some of which appear on Amazon and Goodreads. Also, the stage play has just been completed. The screenplay has also been written by Erik Wolter and me. EVWE is now looking for partners to produce the movie. The Click, my third novel, was published by The Wild Rose Press in September of 2019, again the screenplay has been written by Erik Wolter and me. EVWE is now looking for partners to produce the movie.
All three books of my trilogy, Confronting Religious Fanaticism – An Eye for an Eye, Black Hearts & Hungry Bears, and Ira Neebest and The First Coming have been published. In addition, my first book of poetry, Metaphorically Speaking was just published.
My wife, Susan, and I collaborated on The State vs. Max Cooper and The Steele Deal (published by ArtAge Publications), courtroom plays in which the audience serves as the jury. Both are being produced around the country.
I have been writing poetry for over fifteen years (some of which has been published) and am also a portrait and figure artist and sculptor, having been represented by a number of galleries in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. I am presently represented by the Delta Gallery in Brentwood, California and online by Vango Art. I spent two summers at the Charles Cecil Art Studio in Florence Italy and several years at the Boulder Art Academy.
I practiced patent, trademark, copyright and other forms of intellectual property law for over 40 years, and I was the executive director and founder of Silicon Valley Seminars. We conducted intellectual Property workshops throughout this country, Israel, Germany, and Canada since 1984.
Amazon Author’s Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Shear/e/B006ACALH4/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Professional Website:
http://www.steveshear.net/
https://www.steveshear.net/contact
Paintings-Drawings and Sculpture For Sale by Artist Steve Shear
https://www.steveshear.net/paintings
https://www.steveshear.net/sculptures
https://www.steveshear.net/drawings
https://www.steveshear.net/contact
Facebook:
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Twitter: @steveshearbooks
Author’s Page At Book Marketing Global Network:
https://bookmarketingglobalnetwork.com/book-marketing-global-network/steve-shear
Individual Paintings For Sale In Room One by Steve Shear!
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Individual Paintings For Sale In Room Two by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/paintings
Individual Paintings For Sale In Room Three by Steve Shear!
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Individual Paintings For Sale In Room Four by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/paintings
Individual Drawings For Sale In Room One by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/drawings
Individual Drawings For Sale In Room Two by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/drawings
Individual Drawings For Sale In Room Three by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/drawings
Individual Sculpture For Sale by Steve Shear!
https://www.steveshear.net/sculptures
