Crayola has launched a new line of adult coloring books for their All Grown Up series. I'm one of the artists involved in this project. Not only did I get credit for illustrating this book, I also got my photo printed on the back cover! The whole thing came as a surprise to me, when halfway through designing this book I was asked if I would like to have my photo and bio included on it. Of course I said, "Yes!" In a world where AI art is saturating people's social media feed, it's great to see that Crayola truly appreciates the artists and designers who work so hard to put high-quality products on store shelves.

There are several books in this series, all illustrated and designed by different artists. My book is called Stay Hydrated and features 32 unique beverage‑inspired illustrations. The book also includes a QR code linked to artist interviews and creative coloring tips.

Each page is printed on premium 80# paper, making it ideal for use with alcohol markers. It's a very high-quality book and even includes a protective blotting sheet to reduce bleed‑through. The alcohol-based markers have fine and bold dual tips plus a clear marker for blending. 

​You can read my Featured Artist Interview HERE.

Check out the full product line of Dual-Tip Alcohol-Based Markers and Adult Coloring Books and meet the artists who helped create these coloring books at Crayola All Grown Up.

​As of this writing, the Stay Hydrated book is available on Amazon, and I believe that very soon it will be in Wal-Mart, possibly in a deluxe package teamed with markers.

I’ve done something I thought I’d never be able to do. I’ve written a science fiction book. It started off as a short story, but as I worked on it, I discovered I had more to say than I had thought. In fact, it’s a novel since it meets all the criteria. 

Novel: an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose. The average word count typically falls between 70,000 and 100,000 words.

The book is  Try My Machines.  It tells the story of an average guy, Rob, in the year 2265, who finds himself struggling to fit into a society whose rules work for everyone but him. And that’s not easy when everyone is super stoked about the latest gadgets and gizmos. But he has some good friends to help him out, even if other people think they're losers. In the end, Rob must make some tough decisions that will change his life forever.

The book started out as a very serious, no-laughs story of government intervention and war. But humor kept creeping in and became an integral part of the story. The blend of seriousness and absurdity reflect how I view the world today.

So, where can you buy this book? It will be available on Amazon in both print and digital. The story was completed two years ago, but one of those years was spent creating the book's 40 illustrations. Now, all that’s left is the cover. However, due to deadlines with my commercial work, Try My Machines has been put on hold. I'm hoping to finish the cover soon and have the book published this fall.

Follow me on Facebook, YouTube and X for updates.

Here’s an excerpt along with a few interior illustrations. All hand drawn using vintage-style digital newsprint brushes for a cool retro look.

Rob meets 2Silas9 for the first time as he and JaQ stand in line at Liftoff, the hippest club in the city. . .

Just then a face pops in between the two of them. In a high pitched voice, he shouts, “Electric b’zectric my quazlo pals! Who’s ready to get all wired up?!”

It is 2Silas9, grinning wide and dressed like a circuit board dipped in marbleized paint. He is wearing a brim. Not a hat. Just a small, round brim of a hat. It is hard to tell the PBIs implanted up and down his arms apart from the psychedelic-colored suit. It all seems to be one. Surprisingly, he has only one small PBI visible on his temple above his right eye. His hair is slicked down in parts and jutting out wildly in others. He is wearing a pair of boots with suspenders attached to their outer sides, running through loops in his pants, connected to a copper-colored tubular belt. You would have to be blind not to see him.

“Looking roticulous, 2Silas9!” JaQ exclaims. “Almost as roticulous as me and Rob here!”

Pointing at himself and then to Liftoff, 2Silas9 proclaims, “I am here to be there! Time to get wired and plugged in!” 

He inhales a large drag of energy vapor through a PBI-STRAW, then turning to Rob, he shouts, “Robby-lectric! How’s it charging? First time, first time, always the best time!”

Rob does not quite know what to make of 2Silas9. He has met his share of peculiar characters, but 2Silas9 may be the most peculiar. Before he can reply, 2Silas9 looks him up and down, smirks, makes double pointy fingers at Rob, and declares in an unnaturally low voice, “Looky at you, dressed to overload!”

“I dress to impress,” Rob says with a smile.

“And that you do. That you do. Be your own man. I can download that!”

Rob suddenly feels the night may end up all right after all. Despite the first impression, 2Silas9 seems like an ok guy.
​
​JaQ turns his collar down, revealing a shiny new PBI. “Hey, Si-9! Check out my new ‘66!”

Below are some sample pages from both books, along with some of the characters you'll find inside. And of course the books are square. They have to be! They're 8-bit!

Here's two videos I made for the books. They're narrated by some very friendly computer voices, which makes sense being these are 8-bit books. Besides, if you watched my first video, you've heard me talk enough already!

I had a lot fun designing the backs of the books, especially playing around with the bar codes. I think this is the first time I actually enjoy seeing bar codes on the backs of my books!