Just Like That, A SKWATCH is Born!

Meet the Skwatch Family! Rosco, his baby sister Skwink, Poppa and Ma. The Krypti-Kid Chronicles, is a new series that's been brewing in my north woods brain and after having sasqustches pop up in a few of my books, it seems the time is ripe. In fact, this year during a school assembly I had a young lad request a squatch puppet. Hmm. The kids were intrigued at spotting the squatch in my The Young GeEK's Guide to Getting Outside book as we read it together. The big guy is popular with the little ones!

I've always loved the idea of a Yeti or Sasquatch running around out there. My young son thought he saw one in southeast Michigan once, their presence was reported in the Mio area along the AuSable river and more. Even HOLLY WILD wears a Bigfoot Convention shirt, an event I noticed in being held in Christmas, MI in 2006.

Who doesn't love a good mystery, and even better, deep in the heart of the thick, dark forests of Michigan and other places. Who knows, maybe I'ill set up a Squatch cam here! But until then, this quirky, angsty, pre-teen character has appeared on my sketchbook page and iPad. I will occassionally add his other cryptic pals and videos for you enjoyment as I develop the cast.

Finally, Rosco breathes! It takes illustrators making lotsa, lotsa sketches to develop a hero.

Here is a video of Rosco and family being developed. Fun stuff to watch his face change and become an awesome character. I have been drawing and redrawing him trying to find the look I want and with my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, it worked! I love the big lunk. And just like that, a skwatch is born! Note: next time I will record the drawing so you don't have to dislocate your neck.

Bears, Trees, Books, OUR MOVE--OH MY!

CLICK and download a FREE super secret book!

It has been one WILD RIDE for me and the rest of the ladies at Bear Track Studios! In mid-February of this year our lives and business in Pinckney was uprooted and we took up new residence in the MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST, Bitely, Michigan!

The home to bears, and bogs, and many, many trees! And we all LOVE it here!

"March is Reading Month" was a fun and wild ride for us! Books sold out, flu happened to two Bear Track girls, and top all of this with boxes and BOXES of books and lives scattered about our new, amazing home.

NOW we are settled and we are ready to roll! To celebrate our move we will be offering contests and promotions. So be on the look out for those--we are cooking up a heaping helping of fun summer reading stuff.