The dragon that haunted me

My tour began with a very special appearance from the most adorable shark!

I’m half way through my Shark Party tour. I visit a lot of schools and I present about my books and my path to becoming an artist. I take requests from the kids and draw live.

A series of sharks I drew live, including one upside down!

At my first school I drew a dragon. At the end of my presentation a child came up and asked to take it home. Without thinking, I said yes. I was wrong. The teachers corrected me (I should know better!) because the dragon would stay at the school for all the kids to enjoy. He wanted to color it in. I told him there *might* be a dragon coloring page on my website.

I checked later. I was wrong (again).

He emailed requesting a dragon coloring page. I told the hubbahubba about the kid and the dragon. He replied “Awww he really wants it! It’s so sweet.”

Thus began my haunting.

I wanted to draw a coloring page for him but I had days of events ahead of me.

I went on to Portland.

Jenny, a librarian in Portland with lots of *sharkle*

Kids in their colored in shark princess crowns!

Signing stacks of shark books, thinking about dragons

Portland was wonderful. I love the soft and lush scenery of the pacific northwest. I visited schools that were kind and welcoming. Most of the kids had colored their own shark princess crowns and were excited to learn about sharks, books and art.

I also had the opportunity to meet cartoonist friends that I made in the pandemic. It was our first time meeting in person and it was joyous! Aron Nels Steinke, Jonathan Hill and Breena Bard all make wonderful, award-winning books (and they’re fabulous people too!) It was a lovely visit.

Still no time to draw a dragon.

I did a set of local school visits in the East Bay. Then I went on to LA.

The perfect school for a SHARK PARTY. I mean c’mon!

After a great event at the Palisades library with librarian Gail

After a quick two days in LA, I came home late last night. This morning I woke up, took my daughter to school and sat in my studio for the first time in 2 weeks.

There are piles of email, copy edits and two very love-starved cats asking me for attention.

But first, the dragon.

A dragon coloring page, no longer haunted

I am no longer haunted! It is here for the kid at my first school and now, everyone.

I’ll be in San Francisco tonight for Vashti Harrison’s Big book tour. Then on to Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta.

Hopefully the rest of my tour will be haunt-free.