Proposed Cover for: "I'm Samson," said Sydney

Here's the front cover mock-up for "I'm Samson," said Sydney, due out this fall. 

The illustration is by April M. Bullard, type design by me. The overall layout (by April and I) is designed to carry over throughout the (potential) series.

So the next one (?) might say "I'm Solomon," at the top and the picture in the circle would be different.

You like?

Also, seven of the twelve inside illustrations are now complete, so we're right on schedule..

EXCITING BREAKING NEWS: New Contract Signed

It was Saturday, April 19.

I'd just spent the day with my friend and fellow writer, Will Glessner, knocking around ideas, hopes, dreams, and random talk about movies, music and general mayhem. Over a couple of games of Pass the Pigs we discussed our writing projects. I lamented that I was having trouble finding an illustrator for "'I'm Samson,' said Sydney" a children's picture book I'd written several years back and had recently renewed interest in publishing.

We wrapped up our day and on the way home I stopped into one of my favorite local indie bookstores, Cover to Cover Books & Espresso, to check on a book I wanted. A local author/illustrator was just finishing up a Launch Party for her new book "The Sock Thief." I loved the art on the easel and struck up a brief conversation. I bought her book and we exchanged contact info.

After studying the beautiful and detailed work in her book I sent her an email pitching my own book and asked if we might work together. We met last week and discussed the project for which she was excited. After throwing ideas around and talking terms we came to a "gentleman's agreement"--we would work together and I drew up the formal contract.

Today, we signed that contract! And she had done twelve preliminary sketches for our meeting. Let me just say that I was more than pleased and they are amazing! I will be sharing one of them with you very soon. You can look forward to seeing other illustrations as we move along with the project. The book will be published before Thanksgiving this year and be available for the Christmas gift-giving season. This is going to be a great book for the toddlers in your life.

Also, and this is even weirder. My books are available in Jacobsen's Books & Gifts in Hillsboro, Ore. and I'm scheduled to appear there on July 26 (which I have been for nearly a month). All during the summer, every Saturday, they have a table outside of their store featuring local authors. There are a couple dozen appearing over the summer in pairs each week. Now here's the weird thing: I have been paired with April Bullard and no one knew we were collaborating!

I think that's a God thing.

Local Author Writes Girls' Books About Little Dog, Too

During the last month three local authors have shared booth space with me at a couple local events. One of those authors is Susie Slanina, author of the Metro the Little Dog series of books. The colorful covers and whimsical tales about adventures with Metro (based on a rescue dog once owned by Susie) appeal to young girls.

Author Susie Slanina with several of her loves.

Susie was recently interviewed by Couv.com, so rather than interview her for this blog, I include that interview in video form. You can find it at the bottom of this post. Or visit the original story at Couv.com.

Two things are clear: Susie loves animals and Susie loves to write. She is available to share with school groups.

There are several beautiful books in the Metro series and you can preview them all on Susie's website. You can also learn more about her and her (or is it Metro's) illustrators. [Ellen Satra was Metro's FIRST illustrator (for the 'first editions'), but artist Paul Bunch did all the illustrations in the video. And two twins, Shane and Ariel Kwiatkowski did the illustrations for METRO GOES RETRO (Disneyland book).]

And here's an interesting factoid: In Metro's newest adventure the little dog visits Disneyland in 1958; that was when Susie's father worked there at the at the Carnation Company on Main Street (which is no longer there). Her dad started working on opening day 1955 and the family visited the park nearly every weekend.  [Do you think that being a big Disney fan and having been born in 1958 might make this my favorite Metro read?]

Susie's Metro books are available on Amazon.com or can be purchased directly on her website using PayPal.



Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with James L. Rubart, bestselling Christy Award winning author. Subscribe to or otherwise follow this blog by clicking the JOIN THIS SITE button at the right and you could win a copy of his newest book.