While I sort out the ISBN registries for “The Island and the Plough”, and navigate the intricacies of publishing a picture heavy book to the many eBook formats that are out there, I am busily working on writing and roughing the designs for my next project which I will begin to post about very soon. I am super excited about my next book, as the story is really getting to me. Everything is falling together pretty well. Interestingly, it certainly has, unintentionally, some of the same themes as “The Island and the Plough” but in a very different way. I have a pretty strong outline completed, promising concept sketches, and a few ideas for page spreads that I think will look really great. I have yet to find a title that suits it but I am sure that will come along in time, but for posting purposes I will refer to it as “Salvador.”
The basic concept is a story of a fishing boat captain and his young ship mate, Skip. The two are amidst a sleepy fishing village perched at the rocky cliff’s edge where the land meets the ocean. Their ship is but a small, single sail boat that barely seats two, not to speak of nets full of fish. The captain also has an old tugboat, in severe disrepair, that he wishes to fix up and use because it is larger and could get them to deeper waters and carry more fish. The naysayer villagers laugh at his inability to catch fish as well as his dream of using the tugboat for fishing. Whilst readying themselves to push out one morning, a very unlikely new friend washes ashore. The story unravels into three parts as the Captain and Skip adventure out to include high sea sailing, wrangling/wrestling with nature, and a hunt for an unusual treasure which can only be had with the help of their newly found friend, all while the cynical villagers laugh from afar.
Until then, I leave you with this book page layout-mock up of “The Island and the Plough” until I bring more news of a release date.
SketchbookJack 
Congrats Jack, all sound so interesting and exciting!!
Thanks Jose. And, will you be doing a book of your wonderful watercolor style? ;)
I hope dear Jack, in a few days i´ll travel to Bolonia, children book fair of Bologna, with several importants publishers interviews!!
Great! Can’t wait to hear of the outcome.
I’m excited! My only sister (an illustrator, also) has an only child who turns two this year – would ‘Island’ lend itself to being read aloud? Are you doing a print book also?
Yes, print is most certainly its original target medium, I am just trying to wrangle price points to something I think would be doable. I would say reading aloud is probably best for someone rather young, even if they miss some of the vocabulary meanings. But it is certainly very visual, so much of the meaning/story can be derived without full textual understanding.
Great! I’m a po’ white girl, but some things need to be shared and I believe in you. My neice will be reading by age three in any case, I’m sure, just like her mum and auntie! Make sure to give us links to purchasing when the time comes – as if you’d forget!
Looking forward to getting one!!! Looks enticing enough!
Thanks so much! I will certainly announce one it is available. Thank you for the support.