I'm delighted to announce the release on December 3rd of the first book that I illustrated for Morning Dove Press, The House The Captain Built written by Jim Sutherland.

A story about finding what you didn’t know was missing in the most unusual of places. Set in a rugged and long-forgotten area, where the shore meets the tide, The House the Captian Built spins an inviting world that time passes by.  Dealing with loss and finding hope in the acceptance of others, this short story touches on difficult topics which both children and adults find hard to explain. Talks of loneliness, searching, and finding connection in a difficult world, are things we all struggle with at times. 

The House the Captain Built is a character-driven, fast-paced, and engaging story that will connect with readers regardless of age. Follow the journey of a boy searching for someone he lost, and along the way finds he is not alone in experiencing loss.

According to the brief, the boy's face was never to be seen by the reader. This meant that every emotion had to be depicted solely by body language. It was an interesting challenge, but enabled me to connect with the character rather than simply draw him. One of the fundamental things that I was taught in animation school was "just don't draw the character - be the character." This was a great help as I set about creating each illustration. 
 

I wanted the reader to always view the boy from a distance to deliberately convey that sense of isolation and loneliness, but to also depict how the relationship between the boy and the house develops throughout the story. Having the illustrations being in black & white also adds to the drama.

I thoroughly enjoy enjoyed working on The House The Captain Built and can't wait for the sequel - so hurry up Jim!

The book is available for pre-order now via Morning Dove Press and will be available in both paperback and digital from December 3rd.

"Something is only lost because it has not yet been found."