Saturday, August 21, 2010

A new book of editorial cartoons?


Do people still read books? Not the iPad, Kindle or Kaboodle kind - I mean the type of relaxing and short term appendage that eventually gains a dog-ear or frayed edge.

As some readers may know I have been creating editorial cartoons for the Fresno Bee newspaper for more than 10 years - it being a labor of love. During that time I have compiled a number of funny, notso funny, poignant and provocative scribbles of commentary covering issues of local, state and national concern. My reward has come by virtue of being recognized as one of the state's top editorial cartoonists by the California Newspaper's Publishers Association. Of course the highest honor has come when a reader has responded to any one of my published works.

About a year ago during a visit to Allards Art Supply the clerk recognized my name then asked when was I going to have a book published? At that moment I began to wonder, Do people still read books? Editorial Cartoon books? Certainly, the only way to find out was to build one and offer it. SO, I began to sort through all of my rough sketches and final drawings from more than 10 years ago - wow - it turns out I have quite a body of work.

Now. This is going to take some time to accomplish. The book will constantly be on the back-burner to more pressing and timely projects I have cooking and ready to serve. Maybe by the time I have sorted and categorized, scanned and edited, uploaded and downloaded, imaged, placed and self-published I will have an answer. Do people still read books?
~SWP