My my my… I haven’t written much in my blog on this website for a while.
Well, since leaving Japan I haven’t had too much motivation to talk to about my life in Vancouver. It’s been good but there’s a limit to how much info I want to disclose about myself.
As you may have noticed, I enjoy drawing/illustrating (somebody tell me the difference) and for a while I was reviewing quite a few children’s books (you’re actually supposed to call them “picture books” cuz even adults read them… I don’t care which one you use though). Now why was I reading so many pictures books?
Well, about a year and a half ago I bought a big thick and easy book to read called “Writing Children’s Books for Dummies” (I can’t remember the exact title) and I was curious about whether I would be able to enter this industry. The book mentioned that in order to find the right company to work with I would have to “study” the market.
During this time I studied the market in some ways… I took a children’s book writing course at UBC which was taught by a grumpy and stressed out man, who basically told us that our chances of being successful were so low that we probably shouldn’t bother trying (basically that’s what he was getting at). What an uninspiring man… and then I read a few hundred children’s books.
Now my brain is going in different directions and I don’t think I’ll be getting into this industry in the next while, unless some kind of miracle happens. I haven’t been reading too many children’s books of recent because I’ve been occupied with other activities such as going to school and playing free jazz music (see my previous blog write ups).
Mmm… this blog write up sounds like it’s about to hit a low point so I’m going to change the mood.
I’m currently on winter break from school so I’ve had a bit of free time. My buddy Whim Weaver (pseudonym) wrote a story about four months ago. I procrastinated and in some ways I was blank with ideas until… a week ago.
I sat at my desk and drew and drew… the ideas came out smoothly and without any real stress. After a few days of colouring the story was done. To see the story please click on the link below.
http://www.markquigley.com/my-drawings-2014/stories/
Okay, I’m assuming you just went to the link and have read it. This story is a weird one… probably that’s why it took me a while to put it onto paper. The main character, Tim, goes to the moon without any real difficulties… so in some ways I’m not sure if this would be the best children’s book but never-the-less it’s a nicely written.
Me and Whim will be making stories for years to come. I’m just waiting for his next one which will be finished… someday.
What was the point of this blog write-up? Hmm… trying to write children’s books… just illustrated a story. I guess that’s it.
