In his twenties and thirties, Leonardo created his share of masterpieces (including the Adoration of the Magi and Virgin of the Rocks), but it was after forty when he designed many of his most famous inventions and painted The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa. So, forget aging gracefully. Let Leonardo teach you how to age creatively.
I’ve never had writer’s block, but ever since my debut novel Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo has come out (and become a bestseller and received great reviews), a voice in my head has grown louder: “What if that is the best book you ever write? What if the next one sucks? What if readers are disappointed?” I have no choice but to ignore that voice and keep writing, but the voice still haunts me.
I’m an art-historical novelist, so I’m very familiar with the on-going debate at the center of historical fiction: Is it the novelist’s duty to serve the HISTORY or the FICTION? Readers expect to learn something from historical fiction — to …
If you enjoyed Oil and Marble or any other book you’ve read, please review it on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub.
Every review helps every artist thrive!
Sign up for my Substack newsletter!
