Muraling Part One - For Fun and Profit

Introduction

From crude cave depictions, to twenty-first century can-art, murals decorate our lives and expound our culture. Because practically everyone on earth is familiar with pictures painted on walls, what could be a more natural decoration? Have you thought about painting a wall someday? Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? And if the painting doesn’t reach your expectations, you try again because it’s only paint!

I encourage you to envision, research and eventually paint a mural. Let go of any “must be perfect” hang-ups you might be harboring, and enjoy your own artistic creativity. If the project goes well and you enjoy the process, I will show you how to turn muraling into a profitable business.

I want to share with you some information about myself. I grew up drawing and painting and eventually turned that love of art into a career. During the last thirty years I have completed hundreds of murals, dozens of paintings, many illustrations, portraits, landscapes, seascapes, plus insignias on the side of a small airplane, a VW bug and a tow truck. If it holds still, I paint it.

Hopefully, you too, will discover the joy of painting on a grand scale, turning walls into wonderful room enhancements. A house is a house is a house, unless it has a mural in it. When a house or business has a mural, it becomes distinctive, novel, memorable and personal. People will think you were brave to attempt such a project, when in reality, you were having fun. If your first attempt didn’t work, you knew that all you needed to do was paint over it and start again.

Why decorate with a mural instead of a framed painting? Why paint a wall celery green or plum purple instead of white? Why eat a brownie when you can have a cracker? Life is what we make it, so give it the highest octane you have. Personalize your rooms. Let them speak about you and the extravagance of your imagination. Give the walls flavor and attitude and let them shine with the special creativity only you have at your disposal.

Author Joyce Oroz

"Secure the Ranch"

Secure the Ranch is available in both Paperback and Kindle Format

Book Review for Secure the Ranch

**** Stars

By Robert "Dimndbangr" Hicks (Honolulu, HI)
This review is from: Secure the Ranch (Paperback)

Secure the Ranch is the first book by debut author Joyce Oroz.

Secure the Ranch follows a mystery surrounding Josephine Stuart, an artist who is hired to paint some murals for a wealthy client high in the mountains of California. After strange accidents, occurrences, and the death of a wildlife ranger, Josephine finds she is unable to set aside her curiosity and delves deep into a mystery best left alone. Some subplots involve her friendship with one of her neighbors, visits with her mom and dad, and others that would lead to spoilers.

I will have to admit that the writing in this book is well done. Even though I may have found myself hesitant at times to pick the book back up from other things I was doing, once I did, I was engrossed and read chapter after chapter. The characters were also better than I imagined they would be at the beginning. I had a vision of the wealthy clients to be the snobbish type and they turned out to be much better than that and I was thankful. There was some nice depth to the characters and they were easy to connect with.

Some criticisms:

1. The dialogue, though done well enough throughout the majority of the book had some abrupt endings to it. It just felt like there was more to be said, but the next thing I know, the story moves on to something else. Mostly this happens while Josephine is searching for answers of what is going on.

2. There were a couple of inconsistencies in this book. The main one is at the beginning when Josephine is getting ready for bed; she sets the alarm for 7:30. In the next chapter, she is woken to music coming from the clock radio at 7.

Some Positives

1. I really did enjoy the characters in this novel. Everyone had their own voice and was easy to distinguish from the other characters. The reader can easily connect with the characters.

2. In just about every chapter, something happens to keep the reader engaged in the story. Ms. Oroz really knows how to keep a mystery going and giving just enough tidbits for the reader to try to figure out what is going on and who is involved.

3. The imagery is nicely detailed without overbearing the reader with all the details. It is a nice mix of giving the author's vision while at the same time leaving out enough so the reader can fill in the rest.

There are reviewers who compare this with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Aside from having a pet, bill collectors calling constantly, and an overactive sense of curiosity, that is about where the comparison ends. I will say I did enjoy this book and if there are to be more books from this author, I will definitely buy them. I know most of Janet Evanovich's fans are getting tired of the stale trail the plum books have been following, so I would recommend this one to them for a refreshing view away from the every day.

Happy reading

Get your copy of Secure the Ranch

Available in Paperback and Kindle

Secure the Ranch - A Josephine Stuart Mystery

Josephine Stuart, a fifty-year-old widow, is blessed and cursed with an overactive curiosity, a strong sense of right and wrong and a willingness to put herself on the line for her friends. Josephine has been hired to paint murals in the secluded Munger mansion, located at the top of a wooded mountain. Certain local reprobates have their reasons for wanting the Mungers to leave. Accidents, fires and the death of a forest ranger have everyone on edge. Josephine's curiosity drives her down the mountain, into the world of illegal activities and nefarious characters. Her situation becomes dire - no way to escape. One captor has a knife, the other has a rifle. Can she save herself and her friends?

Available on Amazon & Kindle