All the print that's fit for news

Hello!

Welcome to the latest edition of the Saturday update, hot off the presses of my only somewhat-credible brain.

After what must have seemed like two years of torpor, things are moving and moving fast. In actuality, I've been working fairly diligently all along. It's just that some phases were interesting and engaging (both to work on and to share) and some were pretty comparable to re-runs of "Empty Nest"; you'd watch it, but only if there were absolutely nothing else on. And even then you'd only be half-watching while you looked around the room for something better, like a Highlights magazine word search.

For instance, the search for agents and publishers has been about as interesting as a brochure on congressional bylaws. After a sending out a whole heap of cordial letters in an attempt to find one or both and getting rejected or ignored, I've pretty much thrown in the towel on the traditional route. It turns out that Saturday isn't a traditional book and is, as such, unattractive to traditional publishers.

Which brings us to Item No. 1:  I've signed a contract with a company to print Saturday on my own. It's official. They're a company with reputation for creating high-quality, beautiful books and I'm excited to have them working on Saturday.

Item no. 2: What's that other part of the process that has about as much sex appeal as a hair-clogged drain? Editing. Trust me, I know how boring it probably is to read that I'm still editing. It's important, of course, but sometimes "Empty Nest" reruns sound engaging in comparison. Well, good news: I have to have all the editing done by August 1st. Yeah, the one coming up in the not-too-distant-future. Meaning that's the point where edits, talking about edits and thinking about edits stops.

Item No. 3: I gave that printing company with the good reputation all the moneys I had up front. It was a fairly painful process considering that I buy off-brand ketchup. But it turns out they still need more of the moneys. So I'll be running a new Kickstarter campaign to pay for the other half. I'll probably be kicking off the campaign in early July. It will be for quite a bit less than the first one. If it doesn't work, I have a backup plan that involves selling one of my lesser-used organs.

The new Kickstarter campaign will actually let you get your hands on the book. It will also let me actually get my hands on the book. Which is pretty exciting. After feeling like the process has been out of my hands for some time (what with the cordial letter campaign and all), it's nice to have some agency back.

 This whole process has been a pretty interesting one. And not "interesting" like detached scientist looking at cells under a microscope interesting. "Interesting" like you've just gotten back to your car after being chased down by a herd of angry, rabid vampire llamas and the car won't turn over interesting.

So, just to recap: In between now and you having a copy of Saturday in your hands for your very own are:

1.) Me, feverishly working to finish the edits before August 1st.
2.) A Kickstarter campaign to pay for the second half of the printing so they don't take my thumbs.
3.) 2-3 months for printing and shipping after I have the edits done.

Not too bad, really. But I'll need your help to make it happen. And if we can make it happen, I hereby solemnly swear never to talk to you about editing again.

That having been said, here are some edits:

And, regardless of what happens, thanks for sticking with me for so long.

Cheers.

Happy Money's Day. Mother's Day. I meant Mother's Day.

Howdy!

Welcome to a very special Mother's Day edition of the "Saturday" update. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, "Saturday" is this illustrated book I've been working on for, like, forever.  Entire universes have flared into existence and been snuffed out while I was working on this book. When I first started, readers were young and wild and carefree and now they think earnestly about insurance premiums and have grown to like PBS shows set in the Elizabethan era.

 If you're a mother you might well be gagging your way through a plate of congealed scrambled eggs and burned toast while you beam at a hand made card replete with yarn and glitter accoutrements and poor spelling. I know my mom always loves the poorly-spelled yarn disasters I give her every year. At least, she says she does. She's less thrilled that I also pack the envelope with scrambled eggs before I mail it to her. Well anyway, think of this update as your second present! I can see your probably grateful face as you say, "Oh...thank you. No, it's...uh...great. Really."

Progress Report: I'm editing page 12 right now. The pace of the edits is picking up and there's maybe only one or two more pages that require moderate editing (character models, etc.). The rest of the pages will need very light editing or none at all (some grammer and typose but nothing too extensive). I've received a couple more rejection letters since the last post (don't worry: I was fine after a good cry and some peach schnapps). I've also started talking with a printer. There's a company in California that prints beautiful, quality books and I'm super excited to work with them.

I will probably run another Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing. I still feel mixed about asking for money again, but if I wait until I have the all the money saved up, those of you who were around from the beginning will probably either riot or die of old age. It's going to be like Walter Donovan at the end of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" after he drinks from the wrong cup and turns to dust. And then that old knight guy will kind of smugly say, "He chose...poorly."

A couple of things to think about the campaign for printing:

-An actual, totally real (and hopefully beautiful) copy of the book will be one of the rewards that you can actually really totally have in your hands to look at and smell (I smell books sometimes for reasons that are beyond my understanding).
-I'll be putting a painful amount of my own money into this right along with you.
-The goal amount will be less than the first campaign.
-If you already have a book coming to you, it's still coming. But if you want more than one, that's totally cool. You can buy as many as you want, he said with desperation on his breath like garlic from lunch.

 I don't know exactly when I'll start the campaign. I have to get more information from the printer about the total cost and the timeline and then I have to start assembling stuff for the new campaign. But I'm pretty excited about it and I'll keep you updated. Whether you like it or not.

In the meantime, here's a recently edited panel from page 12:

Original:

New Sketch:

New Final:

Anyway, if you made it this far, thank you. Seriously.

Cheers.

Yakkity-yak, please talk back.

Oh, hi.

Welcome to this edition of the "Saturday" update. If you've inadvertently stumbled on this page after searching the vast, savage jungles of the interwebs whilst looking for something else, here's the skinny: This is a weekly update of "Saturday", which is an illustrated book about an imaginative little girl named India McGreevy, her equally imaginative and somewhat neurotic parents, and a crummy week wherein everyone's patience and imagination is tested.

And speaking of everyone's patience being sorely tested, if you're one of the saintly people who not only helped the Kickstarter campaign to succeed but also stuck around for this long, thank you. I'm going to do something a little different this week: I'm going to invert the proportion of yakkity-yak to drawing. Usually, it's lots of the former and a smidgen of the latter. Not so much this week.

A quick update: The editing process is starting to pick up steam and I'm working on the last few pages that will need moderate editing (as I get deeper into the book, the pages need fewer edits). Which means the editing is getting close to being done. As far as publishing goes: I heard from another agent who said what I had heard from several other sources: "Saturday" doesn't exactly fit neatly into any particular category and as such, can't be easily sold by publishers.

So it looks like I'll be printing and selling the book all by my lonesome. I'm still considering running another Kickstarter campaign. Only this one would be for a lot less money and the book would be one of the rewards. I don't know yet, though. I feel weird about asking people for money again. It's a pride thing. Everyone was already so generous. But another campaign would theoretically (if it succeeded) speed up the printing process exponentially because you wouldn't have to wait for me to save the Benjamins. So, if you have an opinion, please chime in and let me know. If enough people want me to move ahead, I'll do it.

Ok. Even that was too much yakkity-yak. How about an entire page to wash out the taste of all that chatter:

Penny-wise and everything-else-foolish.

Hiya.

Welcome to the latest update of "Saturday" the book. If you're just joining us, "Saturday" is the story of an odd little girl named India McGreevy, her parents Fred and Elizabeth, a rotten week and the wild ride back to almost normal.

Progress report: I'm editing page 11 at the moment. That doesn't seem like much progress, seeing as how the book itself is 35 pages long. But not all the pages need editing and all the pages that needed major editing are finished. So I'd guesstimate the edits are maybe 75% complete. Which is awesome.

As for the publishing arena, things are pretty much the way they were last time we talked. I haven't found an agent or a publisher who wants to represent "Saturday" and it's looking more and more like I'll be doing this thing without commercial backing. But I'm not actually all that disappointed. It will take a little time to save the money to print these, but I'm still excited to share it with you. So no bigs.

In the meantime, here's a good example of what the editing process looks like. This panel is from page 10, which I just finished up:

In this scene, India's mom Elizabeth has just signed a school citation India received for drawing in class and not using her time wisely. It may surprise you to know that I was once (and by "once", I mean on multiple occasions) similarly accused of not using my time "wisely".

These days, of course, I'm a grown man who draws comics and cartoons and other goofy things for a living. I spend a decent amount of my free time daydreaming about what crazy or goofy thing I'm going to draw next. I also write and illustrate books that, apparently, no self-respecting publishing company would touch with a ten-foot pointy stick. It seems like any rational person would, upon reflection, decide to make better use of their time.

I, on the other hand, can't believe how lucky I am to describe my job and my life in that way. And I can't wait to share this lunacy with you.

Cheers.

Dishful Thinking.

Hullo.

Welcome to the latest update on "Saturday" the book. It's kind of like the hot sheets for this book I'm working on. That is, if the hot sheets only came out once every two weeks and contained almost no useful information.

Anyhoo, how are ya? I'm still chipping away at the edits. I've actually hit kind of an uninteresting part of the editing process. The work is just a little tedious at the moment. But, to be fair, I'm still working on a comic book, so the lowered interest level is relative. Saying I'm at an uninteresting part of drawing my dream project is like saying I've hit a boring part of eating birthday cake with a unicorn. In the back of a dune buggy. Flying through space. It's still fun on a bun.

As for the search for an agent and publisher, well...there's been a bit of a development, but don't get your hopes up just yet. I received some feedback from an agent who was kind enough to take time to read the book. He liked the artwork and the story, but said he thought most publishers probably wouldn't be interested for a couple of reasons. Foremost among them was that "Saturday" doesn't exactly fit neatly into any category.

It's somewhere between a children's book and a graphic novel. It's also somewhere between age groups. When you write a book, publishers want it to be for a specific age group. Publishing is the business of selling books. When books don't fit nicely into a category, it makes it hard to market them. Which makes it hard to sell them. I understand this. And if this ends up being the reason "Saturday" is never picked up by a publisher, no big deal.

Ok, maybe it would be kind of a big deal. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't entertained fantasies of "Saturday" being a big commercial success and me rolling in caviar. Except that would smell terrible and feel creepy, so I'd probably choose to roll in something else comparably expensive, like stamps or Gruyere cheese or something (money is out of the question; it's filthy). The point is that, although I'd be disappointed, I wouldn't have any hard feelings. Publishing is a business, not an art gallery (which are also actually businesses).

But I had a reason for the way I wrote and drew "Saturday". I always knew some of the humor and some of the references and some parts of the story would be a little advanced for kids. There's a reference to "Yentl", for Pete's sake. But that's what I wanted. When I was a kid, my favorite books and movies always had elements I didn't understand (and wouldn't until I got older). But I actually liked that. I love it when you can revisit a book or a movie as you get older and constantly find new things and have your understanding of it change over time. I also think that it's condescending to give young readers material that's easy to understand. It's a disservice to assume they won't get it and to censor in advance.

Long story long: at this point, it looks like I'll be going this alone.

I've compared drawing "Saturday" to making a big meal in the past. It does feel a lot like that. It was fun. And now I want to share it. But making a big meal means using a lot of dishes. Looks like I'll be spending some quality time in front of the sink as a result. I'm not sure if that's a clear metaphor. In this case, the "dishes" are printing, distribution, marketing, shipping, and all the other stuff a publishing company would have done.

No big deal. I'm used to hard work. I kind of like it.

Hey, speaking of dishes, here's one of the panels I recently re-drew (from page 10):

Original:

New:

If you made it through all that, it probably felt like doing a stack of dishes. As always, thanks.


Cheers.

Short Post: Taking the "Pal" Out of Principal.

Please come in.

Do you know why you're here? Well, we're here to discuss your behavior recently. Oh, never mind. That's my next appointment.  You're here about the "Saturday" update. Well, good news! Here it is. And, even better news: I won't be flapping my keyboard gums nearly as much this week. I happen to be sick and tired (literally), so I just don't have the energy to talk your ears off. Because I'm sick, you might want to rub your eyes with some of that antibacterial goop after you read this.

(That was a joke. DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES WITH ANTIBACTERIAL GOOP.)

Update: Still editing, but making great progress and having fun. There's no real hurry. I'm still eager to get the book to you, but the agent/publisher search isn't exactly a fast process. If it turns out I have to print and distribute it myself, I'll need to save money. I've already started this process, but that's going to be glacial as well. But we'll get there, damn it. We'll get there if it kills you. I meant me. If it kills me. Yes, that's what I meant.

In the meantime, here's a recent edit from page 9. It's of India's principal, Principal Flummox. He's an uptight man. Here's the original:

And here's the new version:

I didn't think the original looked uptight enough. In "The Simpsons", Superintendent Chalmers says of Principal Skinner: "The rod up his butt must have a rod up its butt!" I wanted him to be THAT uptight. Hence the edits.

Ok, Noah needs to go sleep for a little while.

Thank you for reading and for being cool.

Cheers.

Introductions all around.

Hello!

Welcome to the latest edition of the "Saturday" update, wherein you'll get all the news that's fit to print about the graphic novel/illustrated book of the same name. It's usually a brisk stroll through a forest of metaphors and colloquialisms. It's also pretty much straight from the horse's mouth.

If you're just joining us, having stumbled onto this page accidentally whilst combing the internet for articles about the band "The Saturdays", covers of "The Saturday Evening Post", or clips of Saturday morning cartoons (and you haven't immediately left after furiously screaming, "This ain't the $#@&% 'Thundercats'!"), let me lay it on you:

"Saturday" is a book about a creative, sarcastic little girl named India McGreevy. When India's creativity is poked, prodded and taunted into submission by a dismal week, it takes her parents, a tattooed mechanic with a prosthetic leg, and the world's largest crocodile to put things back into perspective.

Actually, you know what? I drew an introduction that probably says it just as well:

This will go right at the beginning of the book. Originally, I just jumped right in to the story, but I thought this page would be a good primer on India. Also it's fun to look at, which is a big part of the show here. My favorite part is probably the panel with India and the evil robot, which has been manufactured by Powell and Sons Quality Evil Robots Company.

So, moving right along to the Progress Report:

I've just started what is probably the last page that will need major edits. Many pages after this one (page 10 for those of you keeping track at home) will need small edits here and there, but nothing as substantial as this one. So the subtext here is that the pace of edits should move at a good clip after this page is wrapped up.

As for the agent and publisher search: Well, it continues. I've sent out a lot of query letters at this point and the response (when there's been one at all), has been brief and "no". I think part of the problem is that "Saturday" doesn't fit neatly into any category. It's kind of a combination of a kids' book and a graphic novel. It's also more complex than most children's books. There's humor and references in it that some (maybe most) kids wouldn't understand right away. I always thought of that as a positive. My favorite kind of art (books, movies, music) is the kind that I can revisit as I age and take new meaning away every time. I'm not sure if "Saturday" succeeds in this respect, but it was an aspirational goal.

All of that was on purpose. And I figured these elements would make the book more attractive. But publishing is a business, not an art gallery. And, again based on my limited understanding of the publishing world, publishers like books that fit nicely into categories. That way they know whom to market to and how to market to them.

Long story long, I may end up printing this myself after all. And the cost will be...um, an amount that makes an illustrator like myself reach for his bottle of Tums (well, his bottle of "Off Brand Val-U Antacids", anyway). I'm considering running another Kickstarter campaign for the printing costs, but I don't know yet. Honestly, I would feel bad about asking for money again. I already did it once and I was astonished and humbled that you supported the book. The original campaign allowed me to work on the book nearly full time for several years. God only knows how long it would have taken otherwise. But saving the money for printing on my own may take a while, and I'm impatient to get the book to you. I haven't made any decisions yet.

Suffice it to say, I'mma get you this book.

And once again, thank you for being awesome.

Cheers.

P.S.: I redesigned the "Saturday" website: http://www.saturdaythebook.com/. Take a look around if you're up for it.