I suppose the best way to tell you about the book and my art is to provide the backstory on how I came up with “Sometimes Sleep”, and how the project came to fruition. So here goes…
Roughly three and a half years ago I had a dream… Corny, I know, but bear with me… This dream entailed an elderly grandmother, enveloped in black robes that spread far, far around her. The black robes swaddled, warmed, encircled and soothed children to sleep. There is the basis for the book, right? The problem was, my dreams rarely, if ever, are what some would call pleasant. The grandmother in my dream resembled Medusa in the movie “Clash of the Titans”, and I am pretty sure the old hag was not exactly soothing children to sleep. Nevertheless, a seed was planted with the idea of soothing children to sleep, and the various ways sleep could appear to be delivered. I wrote down some ideas, sputtered and stumbled working with them, drawing a couple of illustrations, and calling it good. I would give anything to prevent what happens next.
October 31st, 2010. My family had a normal Halloween, with the exception of having truck issues I had to work with. We went trick or treating in grandpas neighborhood, and had a genuinely pleasant evening, seeing many friends and hanging with family. We finished a bit early and headed home for the evening. I adjourned to my shed to fix the issue I was having with my truck, when I heard a cry from my back porch. I will never, ever forget this moment, as heartbreaking as it is, and as I write this I need to fight back tears. My wife was on the phone outside, sobbing hysterically. I could not figure out what was happening, and could not get a coherent answer. I took the phone from her, and talked to my father in law on the other end. Our 11 year old nephew, Nathan, had been killed in a car crash. My heart dropped to the floor. He was the apple of my wife’s eye, my daughters best friend, the son I will never have, and my sister in laws only child. The news was devastating. The following weeks are such a blur, so awful, I have a hard time remembering them, nor do I feel the urge to try. I write this not to bring sympathy to us, but to explain how the worst thing that can happen can have a profound effect on life, and how our darkest hour has turned into a project of joy.
For months after his death, I struggled to find a way to cope with his death. Work as a firefighter was becoming harder and harder, with run of the mill sick children calls bringing my heart into my throat. If we had an accident with injury call, his memory flooded back. I needed a way to calm my nerves and immersed myself in drawing while on my down time at work. I came to the conclusion I HAD to memorialize this young man, and the only way I could do that was with my book. His illustration pushed the rock down the hill, and ideas and illustrations started flowing out of thin air. The months stretched on, and I finished the project. I sometimes think I felt little hands pushing me and giggling when I was getting stuck, and I know he was there. Thank you, buddy.
We have sold more than six hundred books since we began. In my eyes, even if we sell no more books, I have succeeded, Nathan has been immortalized, and that has been the goal. We have been able to take what was meant to be a tribute to an amazing little man, and turn it into quite a successful endeavor. We are able to donate to some of Nathan's favorite charities, and we make an effort to find a new charity to help whenever we can.
Finally, a little about me… My qualifications as a children's book author begin with being the proud father of two beautiful daughters, and a goofball uncle to some really great kids. I am married to what can only be described as the light of my life, and she has pushed me in this project and forced me to stay on track. I love being able to share my art with the world, and it is such a great feeling to have my wife work hand in hand with me to spread the word.
Thank you for checking us out!
