The idea followed from the title, and the title was inspired by my fabulous sister Judy's love of hippos, combined with a Johnny Hart B.C. comic strip I had loved years before. It was something like this: Two ant parents are explaining to their two children that they are going out for the evening. The kids want to come, and the dad explains it’s an Art Film.
I almost always start with a title and a cover design. This way I can fool myself into believing that the book already exists. I then work steadily day and night until I finish the book. My books tend to be quite short, so my guess is it takes me on average two weeks to get a book 90% of the way to finished, and then the editor and I work together to fine-tune it. Publication is then between six months and a year later.
is my final book with Workman Publishing, and more importantly with my impossibly great editor, the legendary Suzanne Rafer. Suzanne retired four years ago, but I ignored her when she told me that. I told her Congratulations! and Good Luck! and You're still my Workman editor! So, being an agreeable sort, Suzanne has continued on with me from her semi-retirement. We've worked together now for forty years; our first book came out in 1982.
After working in children’s books for almost 45 years, what keeps you motivated to continue in the genre?Music has played a big role in your career, from the six children’s music albums you’ve produced, including the Grammy-nominated, which also has an accompanying children's book, and directing 12 music videos of your songs.
You got your start designing greeting cards and have since designed a large range of products from balloons to boxer shorts to baby toys to puzzles, mugs, jewelry, clothing and more, with many items sold on.