To have and to hold

This past week I finally received the backer copies of the book, and it was good to have them, to hold them, smell them and feel their weight. I was able to sit down with my children and read it to them, see their reaction, and hear them shout out the letters on each page. Being a digital artist, I am seldom left with any sort of physical result, and this felt different. To not only see what I had done, but the beautiful handiwork of Iain, Chris and Nina who designed and printed the book, was amazing. I think I'm hooked.

Writing and illustrating a children's book has been on my bucket list for a long time but I could never imagine just how it would come to be. The campaign, a publisher reaching out, trips to California and lots of waiting. It's been a journey. Will the book be well reviewed? Will it sell? I really have no idea, and the answer matters, for the present and future of what I am doing and will do, yet I think I need to take a moment and pause. Since I started this thing I've been waiting for the next step before celebrating, reflecting or exhaling. I needed to finish the book. I needed to edit the book. I needed to print the book. I needed to see the book, ship it, now see how it does in the wild. But tonight, even if it's almost 1am, and tomorrow will bring a new round of anxiety, I'm going to let out a little sigh of relief. Of course, there is still that one book downstairs with the missing address....

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