Q:  How do you make your illustrations?

A:  I always start my drawings as a sketch in pencil. I carry a sketchbook everywhere I go so I have a place to write and draw my ideas. I also love to draw the people, places, and things I see out in the world. I believe drawing is the best way to observe and understand something. Once I have a good drawing, I take a picture of it with my phone, import the image into Photoshop, and revise and paint the image with digital brushes. I use natural-looking brushes so it looks like traditional media (pencils, pastels, paints).

Q:  How long does it take to make a book?

A:  The writing part usually takes me a month. The illustrations take another 6 months. I work with a publisher, so they spend time giving me notes on each step and I do a lot of edits and revising before they tell me I can paint the final images. Most books are published two years after a publisher gives the writer and/or illustrator a book deal.

Q:  What does your average day look like?

A:  I get up around 6:30 every morning and make coffee. I like working on something new, fun, and creative first thing in the morning to warm my brain and hands up. Once I get my kids to school, I’ll answer e-mails, take care of business items, and then spend the afternoon painting illustrations on my computer. I take a break for meals and make dinner, then usually spend a few hours in the evening painting, too. I’m generally in bed by 9pm.

Q:  What is harder, drawing or writing?

A:  I consider myself an artist first, and writing is more challenging for me, although illustrations are more time and labor. I’ve always thought how words and pictures go together in a book is magical. I like writing because it’s a lot like solving a word puzzle. This is especially true when I’m writing rhyming books. The artwork takes much longer, but once my publisher says I can paint the finished illustrations, I can watch (or listen to) TV shows and movies while working, which is fun and relaxing.

Q: What were your favorite books when you were a kid?

A: I loved “The Little Red Hen,” and I would make my mom read it over and over. I also loved “Lyle the Crocodile” and that is a big reason why I wrote “Swim, Jim!” The author and illustrator that inspired me to become and author and illustrator is Maurice Sendak. “Where the Wild Things Are” has been my favorite book the longest.

Q: Do you ever make mistakes?

A: All the time. All my stories and drawings start as very messy ideas. The most important thing is being brave and getting all those messy ideas out onto a piece of paper. You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. Once my ideas are out, I can see what is good about them, then erase, change, and improve the rest until it’s good enough. All my books have mistakes in them. I’ve never made anything that is perfect. I’m not trying for perfect. I’m trying for intentional and good enough. My mistakes are part of what makes me special.

Q: What’s up next? What are you working on? What is publishing soon?

A: As of this post (December 2023), I am illustrating the second Bitsy Bat book. It is called “Bitsy Bat, Team Star” and has a new student, Enzo Owl, who is non-speaking. I have three books coming out in 2024: “When you Love a Book” written by me and illustrated by Heather Brockman-Lee, “Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea” written by Andrew Hacket and illustrated by me, and “GO! GO! Dino!” a level 1 reader written and illustrated by me.

Q: Are you ever afraid when you write or draw? (this is in the Bitsy Bat school visit presentation)

A: All the time. Being an artist and writer is about being vulnerable and sharing all the messy and difficult things inside of you. Sharing the stuff that scares me has helped me become braver. It also helps my readers know that they are not alone. I repeat this phrase to myself, and you can, too: Be afraid and do it anyway.