Indie's First! at Trail's End Bookstore

In honor of Small Business Saturday, I'll be taking a cue from Sherman Alexie and will send several hours (11-2) today as a volunteer bookseller at my local independent here in Winthrop, WA. I'll be sticking close to home in the children's section, but there are SO MANY great books to recommend and I look forward to seeing you there!

Harts Pass No. 178

Out for a morning run on Saturday and it was COLD! I warmed up eventually, but something about the start made me wish that I was a mouse, or a bird... or somewhere closer to eight years old :)

Harts Pass No. 177

Nothing against the iPad -- but I think its true that a wolverine would find one a little dull -- even if it did work with claws! On a separate, albeit slightly ironic note, a huge THANK YOU to everyone that has been using their iPad/smartphone/laptop/desktop technologies to help fund the HARTS PASS KICKSTARTER!

The Harts Pass Kickstarter!

Hey Harts Pass fans,

HELP ME PUBLISH A BOOK! 

After LOTS of planning I've finally pulled together my Kickstarter Campaign and hope to self-publish a comprehensive collection - 3 YEARS! - of Harts Pass Comics. HOORAY!

I released a smaller version through lulu.com several years ago, but this is the real deal. 100+ pages and 170+ comics in a larger (9" x 7") high-quality perfect-bound softcover book. And for those of you familiar with the "Team Harts Pass" performance tees, or the GRRR! GEAR polar fleece hats from last winter, check out the rewards tiers to soothe your savage beast.

This won't be my last update/announcement about this, but thanks in advance for supporting it at any level that you can :)

Harts Pass No. 176

My crutch tendency with these comics is to get all introspective and melancholy. Apologies people, I may not be inherently funny -- but I do stand firmly behind my occasional sentimental drift. Enjoy as always!

Harts Pass No. 175

I forgot to post this last week, so you're about to get two doses of Harts Pass in a row. Number 175 and 176 coming at you in close succession... Hold on to your seats!

Harts Pass No. 174

After another week of pure and utter chaos, we're back on task here at Harts Pass Comics. Proud as she is of the LBHS Mountain Lions recent League Championship performance, Kit can't help but wonder what a team of wolverines might accomplish if given the chance :)

"I'm Thinking of an Animal..." A new video series by the AMAZING Billy Kelly!

Musician, designer, and troubadour extraordinaire, Billy Kelly, has graced these humble pages before...
But as the most excellent designer of my first book -- now moved on to fancier things like rock bands and animation -- I like to check out what he's up to now and again. And so behold! A new series of 1min videos soon to air on a PBS station near you. Totally hooked! Sweet work Billy!

Harts Pass No. 173

'Tis the season for football fans and hunters. This one's for you :)

Author's Ahoy!

Liberty Bell Mountain is a excellent autumnal blur at around 6pm this eve as I finally hit the road for the 2013 Humbolt County Author Festival. This biennial gig is simply wonderful, and I look forward to meeting/sharing stories with all of the kids at Dow's Prairie and Coastal Grove Elementary schools -- not to mention the incredible staff and host of volunteers that make this all happen every two years! See you soon :)

Harts Pass No. 172

The spirit of Congressional cooperation is contagious!

The Illustrator's Exhibit at the Washington State Convention Center

Check it out! One of my favorite illustrations from Totem Tale is on display at the Washington State Convention Center Oct 10 to January (something) 2014. Schools and eastern WA folks, with the work of 67 illustrators on display, you should definitely add this to your list of "big city" things to do over the coming holiday visits to Seattle and beyond!

Harts Pass No. 171

And comics are educational too!

Harts Pass No. 170

Simple confirmation that growing up is hard! Well intended parental efforts aside, its pretty much a muddled mess of misinformation and misdirection... But don't worry kids, someday down the road the tables will be turned :)

The Literary Cannon!

Dear Mr. Brooks, 

I know this isn't anywhere near the grandeur of accomplishments you've earned before, but I think that if I was an author-illustrator I'd want to know these little things too! 

I'm a senior at Northfield High School in Northfield, Minnesota, and I'm a part of the AP World Literature class. We were discussing the literary cannon, and as a part of this we were given the task of creating our literary cannon of ten children's books. It was extremely difficult, and the "oldies" made it on of course- Good Night Moon, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Giving Tree, etc., but so did The Practically Perfect Pajamas! I brought that book in in an attempt to make it on the list, and my classmates quickly supported the idea. When my grade was in kindergarten you visited our school, so the great majority of my peers all have a signed copy, meaning we all grew up with Percy and his pajamas! We're just a small town in Minnesota, but I thought you ought to know that your work has had a lasting influence on us! 

Thanks for all you do,  

Sasha

Last week I received this email -- which is pretty much the best kind of "accomplishment" that an author/illustrator like myself can achieve :) And while I don't necessarily aspire to be included in the official "cannon" of any sort, it is truly great for anyone to hear that their work is appreciated -- and to know that a picture book about a pajama-wearing polar bear shared at a school visit nearly 13 years ago is still on the shelf - and in the mindset of a high school senior :)

Thank you so much Sasha and go Northfield Raiders!

Harts Pass No. 169

One hundred sixty nine of these. Really? And so it goes :) I really enjoy doing these almost wordless ones where the expression and a few minor seasonal or setting details fill things in. And then there's the occasional diversions into poetry... in this case, a nod to mix of calm and storm that have been driving my dog and (I would imagine) the local fauna a little mad.

Harts Pass No. 168

Although posts in this network do go viral, its a whole different thing I'm pretty sure.

Harts Pass No. 167

Tired. Lots to do. Could use an extra hand or more time in the week... Hey!

Harts Pass No. 166

Nothing say funny like scientific taxonomy humor! And there IS a plan afoot to reintroduce 80 Canadian fishers to the Cascades -- Mt. Rainier and North Cascades National Parks -- just in case your concerned about the factual origins of said "humor" :)

Harts Pass No. 165

After a week off from the strip I am back in action and ready to rumble! Unfortunately, this also means that summer break is near its end...

Mahalo!