Chapter thirty-six, the final chapter and the only divided spread of this entire journey. This project has been one hell of an undertaking, a challenge from the very beginning but I saw it through. Yes, I’ve one more post after this and I’ll be writing a reflective post within the week, but… sigh. This has truly been a learning experience. Striking Balance: The Peculiar Making of Beatrice Benjamin Sophia Scott Schnell Gow is now available for purchase. To celebrate its release and the fact that it is my tenth novel, I have created a one-of-a-kind companion mixed-media art book, the Striking Balance Mixed Media Journey, but creating the book has become been more a personal challenge than anything. That said, I’m sharing the mixed media pages with you because the art created such a direct tie with the author’s, meaning my mind that it can’t help but enrich the reading experience.
Below you’ll find three-four opportunities to interact with the novel. First, you’ll see the chapter number and its corresponding epigraph. Second, you’ll find images including the book open to the chapter page, a digitally enhanced version of the same spread, and 1-2 detail pieces that may or may not be digitally enhanced. Lastly, you’ll see a link to the corresponding song from the Striking Balance playlist on YouTube and get to read First Lines, one or two sentences from the beginning of the chapter.
Today, we’re delving into Chapter Thirty-Six.


Chapter Thirty-Six: Cleanse the Sower



And my final and absolute enhanced detail of the entire mixed media journey…

From the Striking Balance playlist – Chapter Thirty-Six Selection
The Steeldrivers “Burning the Woodshed Down”
First Lines
Ten of diamonds. I keep the card in my trouser pocket should the moment arise, but that is not why I sit in Dane’s chamber now.
Is it over? Is that all? No, not quite. I’ve one more offering in the wings, the epigraph, so you simply must come back tomorrow for that, mustn’t you?