It's a book birthday for Footer Davis Probably is Crazy!

Today is release day for a wonderful middle grade book written by Susan Vaught and illustrated by me.

I didn't do that fabulous cover, but I did do 11 interior spot illustrations.

This was a really fun project and also a bit of a challenge. One of the best parts of the job was that I got to work with Mr. Laurent Linn, art director extraordinaire at Simon & Schuster.

When Laurent wrote to ask me about taking on this project, he mentioned that this story deals with some very difficult issues that are not typically found in a middle grade novel.

 Mental illness, murder, gun rights, child abuse, physical handicaps, etc.. 

He then supplied a list of needed illustrations which included;

A severed foot

Footer wiping snake guts off the bird feeder

A scary clown guy holding a knife dripping blood

Me? illustrate this?

Ahhhhh, 

but the illustrations were to look like Footer, an eleven year old girl, had drawn them herself.  

The project was a lot of fun. I just fell in love with Footer and her friends. Susan has written a very clever mystery with characters who navigate through some very difficult challenges. It's done with humor, tenderness, and keeps you guessing until the very end.

I am thrilled to be even a small part of such a poignant, funny, well crafted story.

Happy Book Birthday, Footer Davis!