One of the people I have met is also a fellow artist and writer, Neeka Allsup (http://neekaallsup.com/home.html). Her brain has very similar workings of mine, and it has been fantastic to work with her on a current book project I am going to share a little bit about with you all titled, The Bear and His Catch.
I used to be really hesitant on collaborating with others. I felt that I would clash too much with someone else's vision or maybe even just the way they went about it. This isn't an alien feeling, though. I think many of us feel this way. On the other hand, when you find someone who meshes well with you, it is well worth diving in and taking the opportunity. I feel very lucky to have made such a connection and I can say that it has been a really enjoyable experience.
Her story is a beautifully haunting allegorical tale that I feel explores emotional dualities and the nature of ownership. It is so wonderfully written and multidimensional that it is relatable not only for children, but readers of all ages. What is love and what is abuse? It would seem as though this is an easy question to answer, but often it isn't. It can be verbal, psychological, emotional, physical and so forth. What is addressed in this story, is that we can all become enraptured in the stronghold of something disguised as love and endure harmful relationships. It is, however, important to begin to distinguish the two and recognize our self-worth and intrinsic value as an individual. Although easier said than done in some cases, it is equally important to draw the line and cut ties with such toxic associations. I think that her story is an excellent parable of those relationships - knowing and recognizing the nature of abuse and walking away. Like many great stories, it holds a moral and lesson that one can only discern through their personal experiences and relationships. It will surely be a treasure to have once it is completed.
It has been really wonderful to work alongside Neeka, and I cannot wait to share more as this project comes to a close in the future. Please refer to the link above to see her work. You definitely will not regret it :)
And now, I leave you with a sneak peek at the progress of one of the pages we have worked on:
