
I like Mer and I like art. I like Mer art. My favorite piece hangs above my desk. Ethan, my youngest nephew, brought it with him on the Amtrac ride across the US with his family (they visited "The West" this past July). The happy Mer seem to have nothing better to do than pose for the artist. Ethan expressed pride in drawing the bikini completely on his own (and my niece, Sasha, Ethan's older sister, confessed she helped by drawing the "six pack" on the merman's belly); I didn't tell him I prefer bare-breasted mermaids.
I've had a splash of interest in my Merworld Fantasy Beul Nam Beinn this past week. A local book club have selected it as their read for the month (and they will visit my home with "wine, cheese and all sorts of food" in January so they might ask me questions related to the novel). Owners of Mr. Happy's, a Cortez establishment of fine food, drink and live performances, asked if I'd be interested in having a reading. Cortez being in the high desert of Colorado's western slope, we need a little Mer to liven up our lives.
As I was jogging this morning an idea floated to the surface- why not a Mer Art contest? It is unlikely anyone can create a piece as fine as Ethan's Mer, but someone might come close. The winner will be selected early in the new year and given a signed copy of Beul Nam Bienn along with a post on my website. It's all about having fun and being creative. Why not give it a try?