Happy New Year! It’s a little later than the end of 2022, but I finally “finished” the Tic Tac Toe Chicken book dummy. By “finished” I mean that it’s good enough for now to send out and start pitching. I’m still going to improve it and keep working at it, but at some point it is important to just declare something done and get it out into the world. And out to agents it is.
To celebrate this milestone, I treated myself to this adorable art piece of faux taxidermy by Jen Gubicza:
It’s going to go right above my computer. Freaking hysterical. I encourage you to check out her shop and support this artist. I mean, these critters are so much better than a talking plastic bass, right?
So what’s next? I’d certainly like to work on another children’s book manuscript, but I don’t control the timeline of ideas and their development. In fact, an idea I had about four years ago is finally ripe. I’m committing the next three months to a drawing project I’m tentatively calling the Biodiversity Bestiary. The Biodiversity Bestiary is inspired by what I’ve learned about how the rapid loss of animal species is reducing our planet’s biodiversity and along with it the prospects for the survival of everyone (good recent podcast about it here). Listening to that podcast connected me back to a “rabbit” I chased a couple of years ago when I wanted to create a bestiary, a illustrated catalog of beasts and creatures real and imaginary that was popular in Medieval times. Back then, I had a sense that my bestiary idea was connected to climate change, but I couldn’t make it work in my head. Suddenly it all does. Plus, I understand it better now as how to use it as a container for one of my art goals this year: to establish a daily art habit. The idea finally feels mature enough to act upon as a personal art project.
My next post will introduce the Biodiversity Bestiary in more detail. Stick around if you want to watch that journey.
Congrats on getting a book dummy ready to send out! I wish you lots of luck! Thanks for the shout-out and I hope your new chicken will bring you lots of laughs. Looking forward to following along on your next project as well. :)
What an intriguing idea, your Biodiversity Bestiary! Looking forward to what that will look like! AND a huge congrats on finishing your book dummy! That is a major milestone...YAY!!!