Hilda and Richie launch next week on Kickstarter!

 Hilda & Richie is nearly ready to go.  In about one week from now on Wednesday January 6, the Kickstarter will launch!

A shortened link for me to use (courtesy of Bit.ly) is ready and I'll be sharing this with fans, contacts, the press and my inner circle.

Go to the Hilda & Richie Kickstarter page now and sign up to be notified of our launch on Jan. 6!

Second Draft Page 28

 

And so we come to the final page of the second draft of Hilda and Richie!  That's all!

Watch for our Kickstarter launch on January 6!

The Funding Game of Kickstarter

 

The pre-launch Kickstarter page for Hilda & Richie is up so make sure you sign up to be notified when we launch.

Anyway, as I've established before, the goal of the Kickstarter is to raise a sum of US$3,000 to print and distribute copies of Hilda & Richie, my first picture book.  From the launch in the early morning hours of Wednesday January 6, 2021 to its end late Friday night on February 5, 2021, we must meet or beat that goal.

There are some milestones that need to be achieved in order to increase the success rate of getting the Kickstarter funded.

By about 10PM Central Time on launch day January 6, it is imperative that we hit at least 5% funded, which is $150.

By about 10PM Central Time on Friday January 8, it is vital to hit at least 10% funded, which is $300.

By about 10PM Central Time on Saturday January 16 (about ten days into the campaign), we must get to one-third funding, about 33%, which would be roughly $990.

According to my Kickstarter notes, the higher the funding we get, the higher the chances are of meeting our final goal of $3,000.

To that end, I've got a number of rewards planned to entice backers as well as a strategy I'm still outlining to promote the Kickstarter heavily.  Again, that is starting now with these blog posts and the sharing of the project's pre-launch link.

Stay tuned to this blog for more news.

Sign up for the pre-launch page on Kickstarter to be notified when we launch Hilda & Richie!  We kick off Wednesday morning January 6, 2021!

Kickstarter is go!

 I have excellent news!  Just this morning, the Hilda & Richie Kickstarter was approved by the Kickstarter staff.  This means we are set to go!

The pre-launch page is up.  By tomorrow, I will have a shortened link (courtesy of Bit.ly) and Google Analytics information running on the page.

Make sure you subscribe to the pre-launch page now so you can be notified upon the project launch.

We are set to launch early Wednesday morning on January 6, 2021!  Get ready!

Kickstarter is nearly done!

 I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

While all of you were sitting around the Christmas tree, opening your presents, enjoying your Christmas dinners and indulging in cheer, I was working to get the planned Hilda & Richie picture book Kickstarter finished.

That picture you see is of the core pledge to the campaign.  For a pledge of US$15, you (the backer) get a paperback copy of Hilda & Richie shipped out to you anywhere in the world!  Plus you get a digital PDF copy of the book AND you'll be getting bonus material!  I'll share early drafts, concept sketches and various notes.

Anyway, all that remains (at the time of this writing) is to hammer out the timeline, finish the project image and then submit it for approval to the Kickstarter staff.  I expect to do this by tomorrow but if all goes well, I may even submit it tonight!

Approval shouldn't take long.  While the website claims it takes from 1 to 3 business days to approve, I've had mine only take a few hours at most.

I will discuss more of the Kickstarter rewards later and my plans for funding too.  Stay tuned!

Second Draft Page 27

 

Hilda has to lay down the law as Richie's legal guardian.  But she can be more understanding too than a parent.

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I like how this turned out!  I felt with the body language, I genuinely made Richie look sad.

Second Draft page 25

 

It was around here that I was advised by an editor to make some changes to the ending.  You'll find out about those later.

Meet Richie Sutter

 

Richard Sutter, known better as "Richie", is the co-star of my picture book.

He is a red fox, 8 years old and lives with Hilda in her mansion.  Richie is just like any other little boy; he plays sports, goes to school, loves video games and just being rambunctious.

Hilda is Richie's legal guardian.  Because Hilda has so much money, Richie can (theoretically) have anything he wants like all kinds of toys, the latest electronic gadgets, the best clothes, luxury vacations and so on.  Of course, Hilda makes sure he isn't spoiled and will lay down the law if Richie gets too greedy or if he breaks any rules.

Being a fox pup, Richie is the audience surrogate as the 5-8 year old demographic (the target of my picture book).  Young readers are meant to identify with him.

Watch for more posts soon.  I aim to show more of the second draft, talk about the characters' homeland and discuss my Kickstarter more in detail.

Meet Hilda Breckendorf

I think it is time we meet our protagonists.  So without further ado...

This is Hilda Breckendorf, one of our two protagonists.  She is a red fox, 20 years old and resides in a luxurious mansion in Foxburgh, the capital and largest city of the European microstate known as Foxland.

Hilda comes from an old family that can trace their lineage back to the 1500s; they were once a well-respected clan of knights serving Medieval Europe.  While their knight status has largely faded away, their name and money is still very present in the minds of the Foxland populace.

Speaking of money, this is what Hilda is really known for.  Hilda Breckendorf is a very rich woman.  How rich is she?  While I don't know the exact details of her fortune, she has a lot of money!  She has investments in stocks, bonds, and so on, making her independently wealthy and not needing any job.

As you may have noticed, Hilda is Richie's legal guardian.  While she is technically an adult and holds authority over Richie, her youth still gives her a sense of fun and adventure.  Hilda's personality is more like a big sister or even a friend to Richie as opposed to a mother or an aunt.  In spite of this, she will pull rank on Richie and does have to be a disciplinarian sometimes.

Her mansion is big and has all kinds of amenities...but that is a topic for another day.

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I introduce Richie! 

Kickstarter Progress Report 12/11/2020

 As it currently stands, progress continues on the construction of the Hilda & Richie Kickstarter.

The video is being put together for the Kickstarter and I expect to finish it tomorrow.

The goal is to finish the Kickstarter project, complete with page, project image and video by Tuesday night December 15 and to submit it for approval to the Kickstarter staff.  Given the fact that the holidays are upon us, I don't want to get stuck waiting for a project approval.

Tomorrow on Saturday and Sunday, there will be more posts as well as pages next week to more of the second draft.

Stay tuned!

Second Draft Page 23 and 24

 Play it again!  Onto our next pages!  

My, my...Hilda and Richie have to get all cleaned up from that bubble gum mess.

Wonder what'll happen now?  Watch for more pages and updates!

Second Draft Page 22

 

Yikes!  Hilda and Richie got themselves into a quite a mess, didn't they?

Watch for more pages on Thursday!

Hilda and Richie Official Trailer!

This is it!  The official trailer for Hilda & Richie!  Watch for us on Jan. 6, 2021 on Kickstarter!!

https://youtu.be/QhNsP8HYNw8

Why am I creating a children's book?

 So I'll bet a lot of you out there are wondering why am I doing this.  Why in the world would I create, draw and write a picture book for children?

First, I have two qualities from the cartoons I draw (my comics) that make me PERFECT for doing a children's book - I communicate an idea instantly and I draw funny.  Children's literature have always required that drawings be "read" and understood quickly plus they need to hold the children's interest.  I know I can do this; my simple line art lends itself well to children's books and I feel it can work.

Second, this is a personal mission - I have something I want to share with the world plus it is important for children to learn how to read.  In fact, tomorrow, I want to talk more about the importance of children learning how to read.

Most importantly...this could be my big break.  While I am making some money from my comics, producing a children's book could be the stepping stone I need to a full-time paying livelihood.

Before anyone starts accusing me of delusions of grandeur, I will make something clear - I am being realistic.  Short of a miracle, I will NOT become rich off one picture book, let alone make a living wage.

My point is that I'm not betting the farm on just one book.  More books with Hilda & Richie are planned!  At the time of this writing, story treatments exist for two more books with these two foxes.  Notes have been written for at least four more books.  Plus if all goes well, there's also foreign markets, licensing (toys, bedsheets, clothes, etc) and even an adaptation to another medium such as animation!

This very well could be the big one for me.  And I aim to make this happen.

Don't forget that Hilda & Richie launches on Kickstarter on January 6, 2021!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 21

 

This was what we were building up to - sooner or later, Richie learns the hard way that bubble gum bubbles burst!

Don't forget that Hilda & Richie launches on Kickstarter on January 6, 2021!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

About myself and my creation

 Today, I thought I'd talk about myself some more.

As you know, I draw under the professional name of Max West.  My focus has been on comics.  My creations include Sunnyville Stories; its spin-off Dominic & Claire; the webcomic Tiffany & Corey; and more recently, the webcomic Poison Ivy Gulch.

I was born and raised in New York City but now live in North Dakota.

Besides having a lot of drawing experience under my belt (as I've been drawing comics for a long time), I've had many successes on Kickstarter before.  I've raised over US$2,000 on past Kickstarters, counting my two recent ones - Dominic & Claire Fun Size and Dominic & Claire Circus.

This upcoming Kickstarter I'm organizing is going to have a larger goal than those.  The projected goal is US$3,000.  While that is three times the amount from last time, I am confident I can do this.

Maybe you are wondering why I am doing this - why am I creating a children's book?  That answer will have to wait until next time.

Don't forget that Hilda & Richie launches on Kickstarter on January 6, 2021!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 20

 

Hilda and Richie's bubble gum blowing contest is getting intense.  

Richie caught on quickly and has become good at bubble gum blowing.  Maybe too good...

Remember that the Hilda & Richie Kickstarter launches on JANUARY 6, 2021!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

December: Countdown to January!

 It is December!  It is not only the end of the year but the FINAL MONTH BEFORE THE LAUNCH OF THE HILDA & RICHIE KICKSTARTER!!!!

As a reminder, the Hilda & Richie picture book Kickstarter officially launches in the early morning hours of Wednesday January 6, 2021.  This month, my mailing list will get regular weekly updates on Friday mornings about the Kickstarter and its progress.  (Sign up please for my mailing list if you didn't already.)

Besides the last pages of the second draft, I will share a handful of art from the third draft as well as my plans for the Kickstarter such as my strategy, promotion tactics and outreach to help get it noticed.

I have a tool kit ready to get this Kickstarter promoted and to ultimately get it funded.  But I can't do that alone - I will need your help.  Mark your calendars for the planned launch date of January 6, 2021 and make sure you tell many people out there.  Hilda and Richie is a very cute, entertaining children's book and I aim to share it with the world.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 19

 

Hilda keeps blowing and blowing...

She's blowing a very big bubble.  I wonder what will happen if she keeps on blowing.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 18

 Sometimes...

Sometimes, it is best to leave out the words and let the pictures do the talking.

Richie blows and Hilda blows, each one trying to make a bigger bubble than the other.  The suspense is killing me.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 17

 Onto our next page!

This was fun to draw.  Hilda and Richie decide to have a duel to see who can blow a bigger bubble gum bubble.  I love the staring match I gave them there.  

It's on!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 15 and 16

 We are back with more updates!  Onto the next pages!

This page is all text but for the later draft and the final cut, I was told to forgo this.  A picture book needs to have it text and its pictures work together in order to achieve maximum effect, not unlike its brother medium of comics.

This drawing is one I'm proud of.  Both foxes are eager to see who can blow a bigger bubble.  This also further established Hilda's character; while technically an adult, she has her sense of fun as she is eager to demonstrate how good of a bubble blower she can be.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Hilda and Richie Kick into High Gear!

 It is October 31.  In a little more than 60 days from now, the Kickstarter to fund the Hilda & Richie picture book will launch.

From now through the planned launch in January 2021, this blog will get regular updates as I share more pages of the second draft as well as notes, sketches and sneak peeks at my book.

I will also be outlining my plans for the Kickstarter.  As this post goes live, the Kickstarter page is already being assembled.  As the planned goal for this one is higher than my past works (the projection is US$3000), it will take careful planning, a good strategy and potent tactics to get this work funded.

That is why this blog will be used to help drum up interest.  

Watch for more updates all through November and December!

Second Draft Page 14

 Continuing now with the pages of the rough second draft...

I love how I drew Hilda being amused at Richie blowing up and then popping his bubble.  It's meant to be a very cute moment.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Hilda and Richie Status Report September 2020

 Today, I wanted to share a quick update on the progress with the final version of Hilda & Richie.

At this time, I am working on the final two illustrations for the book itself.  When that is done, the book will be officially 75% completed.

So what will the other 25% of the work be?  I have to come up with a few additional illustrations, both for the book and to help promote it.  Plus I need to design the cover and typeset the interior text.

There also remains the Kickstarter to plan as well as how to sell the book once it is printed up.

This is where we stand.  Watch for more updates this week!

Hilda and Richie: What Happens Next

 Hello again!  It's been sometime since I last updated but I do have news to share tonight.

First, Hilda & Richie's Sticky Adventure will be the title of the book and I've already gotten an ISBN for it.  (In the publishing industry, that stands for an International Standard Book Number.  All books must have it to be sold to bookstores, libraries, etc.)

Second, this picture book of mine will be funded through a Kickstarter that will launch on January 6, 2021.  The goal will be a higher one than my earlier comic book Kickstarters; while the final numbers need to be hammered out, I'm looking at a goal of US$3,000.

Now to the book itself:  the artwork is nearing completion.  I have finished the front cover art and about 23 out of 29 pages.  My projection is that the book is 60% completed.  Once all 29 pages are done, I'm not out of the woods yet.  There still remains the text and typesetting, creating digital files and the cover design.  And that's not counting any fine-tuning and retouching.  

Here are some photos from the work in progress.

As I said before, Hilda & Richie is getting illustrated traditionally as I'm using a combination of design markers, ink pen and colored pencil.

From now until the planned launch date of the Kickstarter, I intend to make more use of this blog, sharing regular updates of the second draft as well as my progress on the book itself and my strategies for the Kickstarter.

Stay tuned here for more news and get ready for Hilda & Richie on Kickstarter this January!

The Plan So Far 8/14/2020

 Again, readers, I need to apologize for not having any recent updates with the second draft of Hilda & Richie.

Right now, I am very busy.  Besides working on the final art, I'm also at work on other things like my comic strip Poison Ivy Gulch as well as thinking over the Kickstarter.

Work on the Kickstarter to fund Hilda & Richie will kick into high gear next month in September.  I intend to promote it on a daily basis and want to finalize the numbers of how much funding I will need.  (As a reminder, the funding goal may be as high as US$3,000.)

I also debated during my picture book master plan on having a "Quickstarter" to help promote Hilda & Richie but that will have to be scrapped.  I do NOT have the time or resources for that.

This is where we stand at this point.  Watch for more news soon!

Second Draft Page 13

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 12

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 11

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 10

Everyone - I am sorry I didn't update here for a while.  I have been busy and in fact, the book doctor has finished editing the work.  But that's enough of that; more on that will be coming this weekend.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 9

I love the expression I gave Richie.  After seeing Hilda blowing bubbles, he is eager to try it too.

That's it for now.  Watch next week for more!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Announcing the Hilda and Richie Kickstarter!

I have a major announcement to make.

On Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021, a Kickstarter will launch to fund Hilda & Richie's first picture book.  It will run for 30 days.

So just how serious am I about making this book real?  I've actually assigned it an ISBN!  (That's an International Standard Book Number, used as an identifier for a book.)

The Kickstarter will have a goal of US$2,000 to 3,000; the final numbers are still being calculated.  We aim to have a print run of 1,000 to 1,250 copies.

There are some changes too.  A third draft is still being reviewed by a book doctor and is significantly different from the first and second drafts currently on this page.  After this final review, this third draft will be what I work from.  Another significant change will be the size.  Originally, the planned size was 5.5 by 5 inches but I've decided to go with the size of 8 by 8 inches.  This is actually considered a standard size in the book industry.

See the above title from the Berenstain Bears books?  This is an example of an eight-by-eight inch book on the market.  These are common, especially for series, and not just in bookstores.  You'll see display racks elsewhere with these sized books such as supermarkets, department stores, gift shops and so on.

At the time of this writing, I'm getting quotes from various printers so I can properly calculate the costs.

There'll be more news as it develops.  Be sure to mark your calendars for January 6, 2021!

Second Draft Page 8

This page is simple.  Hilda explains to Richie what she has in her mouth.

Watch for more next week!

Second Draft Page 7

After fighting for a while with Blogger, I got another page up to the Hilda & Richie draft!

Second Draft Page 6

This was fun to draw.  Richie's scared expression and Hilda's cross-eyed shock at her bubble breaking really work here.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Hilda and Richie Video Teaser

An official teaser trailer is now up on YouTube for Hilda & Richie!

Second Draft Page 5

I like how this came out.  This is meant to be Hilda's establishing character moment.  She's a proper lady who wears fancy dresses, lives in a mansion and is incredibly rich (we're talking Scrooge McDuck rich)...and she blows bubble gum bubbles.

This is meant to show that Hilda, while a proper lady, still has a sense of fun and youth.  After all, she is only 20 years old.  I envisioned the relationship between Hilda and Richie as more like siblings or cousins as opposed to parent and offspring or aunt and nephew.

Watch for more next week!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 3 and 4

Today, I figured that we should have two pages up as one is completely text.

It looks like Richie found Hilda.  But whatever is she up to?  And what does she have in her mouth?  Alas, we'll have to wait until next week!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Poison Ivy Gulch: Launching on June 1!

My next creation (developed concurrently with this Hilda & Richie picture book) is ready to launch.

It's titled Poison Ivy Gulch.

Poison Ivy Gulch is a webcomic that I will officially launch on Monday June 1.  It will be updated twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Set in the old West sometime in the 1870s, the story is set in a frontier town with an eccentric cast of characters.  The two you see in the above color mockup are the main characters:  the redhead woman is Lotta Doler, a professional gambler.  The boy there (with the snakes on him) is Ace, her sidekick.

If you liked Blazing Saddles, you'll love this comic. 

Be sure to read Poison Ivy Gulch when it launches on June 1!

Second Draft Page 2

And we go on with our second page.  As with the first page, this thumbnail art for the second draft was done with both pencils and colored pencils.

I wanted to avoid what I did in the first draft by doing unnecessary exposition and cut right to the story.  I just may explore more of Hilda & Richie's home and setting in the future.  Watch next week for more.

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

Second Draft Page 1

Well, we're back, everyone!  From now and every Wednesday following until we reach the last page, I will be sharing the thumbnail art for the second draft of my picture book, Hilda & Richie.

So let's get on with the show.

This draft and thumbnail uses my revised script, which I've dubbed the second draft.

It was drawn all in pencil and colored pencil.  It was important that I have a rough color study as I will be working with markers on the final art.  I want a general idea of what the colors will look like.

As you remember, the first couple of pages from the original draft acted as exposition to set up the characters.  I decided to cut right to the chase here and jump right into things.  Watch next week for more!

If you like my work, buy me a Ko-Fi!

New script and news ideas on their way

I have some news today to share.

First, on another note, I am releasing a new webcomic which launches on June 1, 2020.  It's called Poison Ivy Gulch and takes place in the old West.  Check it out when it launches.

Moving on, work is continuing on the newer draft of the Hilda & Richie script.  In addition to those, I will be producing new thumbnail drawings for the interior art.  I will share those with you as they get made. 

On top of that, I've made contact with a book doctor who will help me review everything and make my planned Hilda & Richie picture book more presentable.

Besides this story, this will not be the end of Hilda & Richie.  In fact, it's only the beginning.  I have ideas for other adventures with the two foxes.  What's more is that two more books exist as notes following this one.

The first idea delves more into the realm of the fantastic with Hilda & Richie encountering a wizard.  The second one has Hilda & Richie meeting new friends.  But that is a whole other discussion for another day.

Stay tuned for more news and more art.  I plan to share my draft with thumbnails in the coming weeks.

April 2020 Updates

Welcome back!  I do apologize for not updating this blog any sooner.

The Kickstarter for Dominic & Claire Circus is officially over as all rewards have been sent out; since that is now out of the way, I can get to full work on the Hilda & Richie picture book for 2021.

The new script for Hilda & Richie is being typed at this time and will be going through some revisions to make it presentable to the reading public.  I've also had to think ahead to printing such as the costs, the format and the size.

I know for a fact that eight inches by eight inches (called "eight-by-eights" in book industry terms) is a popular format.  Many children's book series like Little Critter and the Berenstain Bears are printed in this size.  Besides bookstores, you can see these sold in spinner racks in locations such as supermarkets, department stores, gift shops and other places.

While tempting, I made a choice on the size of Hilda & Richie.  It will be printed in a size of 5.5 x 5 inches.  This is quite a small size.  After investigation, I concluded this size would be best for a small press creator like me. 

Why is that?  The small size makes it economical to print, affordable for customers to buy and portable for the small hands of 3 to 8-year-olds (my intended target audience). 

Plus there is a picture book franchise out there that has had success with this size.  Do you know that that is?

The Mr. Men and Little Miss book series!  This creation, originated by Roger Hargreaves, has sold millions of copies all around the world and has been translated into many languages.

The 5.5 by 5 inch paperback book (paperbacks are also known as softcovers) is a proven format & size given the success of Mr. Men books.  So I will emulate this size in producing my book.

It is my goal to finish the script by the end of today.  I am already looking to some book doctors to review the script I've devised.

Another note on the script:  while it is similar to the dummy pages I posted a few years ago, there will be some changes, mainly consisting of tightening up the story.

Stay tuned here for more news!

Back the Dominic and Claire Circus Kickstarter!

If all goes according to plan, regular updates will start this month, meant to chart my progress in bringing my first picture book to life.  But before that happens, I need to get my current comic book Kickstarter out of the way.

Dominic & Claire is a spin-off of my art house comic book series, Sunnyville Stories.  Whereas Sunnyville is more artsy, Dominic & Claire is more about humor. 

Besides a warm-up for the planned Kickstarter next year, Hilda and Richie DO EXIST in the Sunnyville universe.  In fact, I am planning a little crossover with the characters later this year...but that's a whole other post.

Make sure you back Dominic & Claire Circus today!

January 2020 News and February 2020 Updates

Greetings, fans!

Some news here - first, I am launching a Kickstarter on January 29 for Dominic & Claire Circus; this is a digest sized comic with a goal of $1000.  Dominic & Claire is a spin-off of my comic book Sunnyville Stories.  I will share the link here once it launches.

You are probably wondering why I'm bringing this up here.  As a reminder, Hilda & Richie exist in the same universe that the Sunnyville Stories cast plus Dominic & Claire do.  In fact, I am planning a Kickstarter in the fall with a crossover involving the characters.

The major point I want to make is that in January 2021, I will be crowdfunding Hilda & Richie's FIRST picture book.  This Kickstarter will be a test to see if I have the potential to raise the funds for a picture book print run.

Starting in February, this blog will get updates every Wednesday about Hilda & Richie with sketches, completed drawings, news and even sample work from the planned picture book.

Stay tuned for more news and get ready for my Dominic & Claire Kickstarter launching on 1/29/2020!