SleepyTown

I am excited to announce that my picture book SleepyTown will be released on Friday, April 25th.

This picture book is a great bed-time story for children. Every night Zander goes to bed saying, "I'm going to beat you to SleepyTown, Domey." He calls me "Gomey," but he can not say "Gs." I do not care. He can call me almost anything and I would not mind. Zander is two years old and loves SleepyTown.

I visited my wife's first grade class and read SleppyTown to them. They loved it. In fact, she had them do a drawing of something they believe would be in SleepyTown. She asked them for something that is not in the book. They had a blast drawing pictures.

I visited the entire first grade on March 3rd, for Read Across America. There were around 120 students in the room. I showed them the illustrations and read the story. Then, I talked about how I drew the illustrations for the story. They loved seeing some examples of things that I changed for the book. It showed that artist and writers make changes and the changes are better than the first idea.

I will never forget the reaction of the class, when I showed them this illustration. The words that go with the picture say, "Flowers grow big, as big as a house." When I read this and clicked the picture, they all gasped. It was wonderful. Just the connection of words and illustration was "magic." For that moment, time almost stood still. It was amazing.


It is really something when someone reads something or has something read to them and they see it come to life in the illustrations.


I do not claim to be the greatest writer. I do not claim to be the greatest illustrator. I just hope that I am the greatest that I can be. This is a dream come true. I get to see something of mine in print and it means something to me. It might mean more to me than it ever means to anyone else, but I want people to fall in love with SleepyTown. I want the book to become a favorite to children. I guess we all wish that.



This is one of my favorite illustrations. Notice that Zander is on the playground with two other children. They are forming a chain. Notice that I left an empty space on the right. That was intentional. I wanted children everywhere to know that they are accepted in SleepyTown. The words say that in SleepyTown no one gets left out.


I remember, as a child in elementary school, getting left out on the playground. I knew why I was picked last for kick ball. Who wanted the kid in the brace with polio? I also understood the look in the eyes of the "class jock" as he had to pick me. I was the only one left.


I just wanted to play on the team. I wanted to be a team player. People that are always first never know how it feels to be last. They do not know the times that I just wanted to be normal.

I want kids to know that SleepyTown is a place where everyone is accepted. I want them to know that they are important in SleepyTown.


After all, in SleepyTown there are no frowns. Everyone is happy in SleepyTown.

It might not be the real world that we live in, but books take us to other places. They are a way of escape. That is why we write. We want people to choose to go on our journey.


Please! Do all of us a favor. Ask for the book at your local book store. Let those know that only care about how much money they can make on a book that some things are more important. The story is important. The meaning is important. The book, the writer, the illustrator and those who support us by purchasing our books are important. We are not just a number. We love reading! We love to see children love books. SleepyTown is a book for children and parents to love and enjoy.


Thanks for reading my stuff. Please, support it. Get the book. (Release date: April 25th)