Hello, there!

In just a few days, I'm off to Denver to tape a series of seven on-line drawing classes. I'm looking forward to the trip. It will mark the turning point on my calendar after which I can focus exclusively on my second illustrated memoir, the sequel to Now Where Was I?

If you'd like a copy of Now Where Was I?, the first printing has sold out but I will be reprinting a second edition along with the new book this summer through Kickstarter. I'll be offering an early bird special for either book, and/or both, so stay tuned for that. If you haven't yet entered your email to receive my members-only newsletters, that would be a good way to stay up to date on the Kickstarter thing.

Today the structure of the new book fell into place. I was curious how I would organize the disparate elements: Urban Sketches, still-lives, narrative comics, text-based anecdotes, graphic musings. Over coffee this morning, it all came together like a pile of Tetris blocks, linking up but for a few connecting sequences I'll add to clarify the continuity. From the beginning I've been following my instincts - trusting that there was a hidden structure to all the pieces I was creating seemingly at random. And now it's all coming together, revealing the unconscious plan that was there all along.

It was important to me in writing both books, to not follow any traditional sketch booker's memoirs. I didn't want to write another "how-to" or spend a lot of word count on the peaceful joy of tuning in to your environment. Though true, any number of other sketchbook memoirs cover that area. Instead, I wanted to write the kind of books I'd like to read but haven't yet seen in any bookstore, and I'm happy with the way the books turned out.

I already have the skeletal idea for the third one. A new book every two years. I think that's sustainable. We'll see!

Thanks for tuning in, now, back to work,

Steve