I am writing a whole series of scruffy, rude, bad-tempered mystery adventures involving Wullie-The-Mahaar-Gome, Finn, Hadley and various other more unsavory characters. These are being published by Orchard House Press, a wonderful publisher with a great philosophy. They publish wonderful, original, quirky, interesting books for people of all ages. You can check them out at http://www.orchardhousepress.com/ .
The first series of Wullie-The-Mahaar-Gome stories is called The Blackhope Scaur Trilogy. The first story in the trilogy is called The Rusty Pelican. When I was asked to help design the cover here is what it looked like in my imagination:
Hmmmmm, my imagination is a bit too hazy and pale. I can hardly see it. I wanted to show Wullie in the background as a "larger-than-life" character" and also show the rusting barge catching fire out on the water of Puget Sound. I think you will agree that the design that the Windstorm artists came up with is much more dramatic and easy to spot.
Here is a summary of what it is about:
For Finnley McDougall Sixth Grade homework is boring and dumb. He is having enough trouble impressing his mom, hiding from his Latin teacher, and surviving Alex Drivelson, the school bully. The last thing Finn needs is more essays on Mesopotamia. What he wants is more action and adventure than his quiet neighborhood in Seattle can provide. But when Great Uncle Hugh McDougall arrives from Scotland, he gives Finn a most unsual gift - a scruffy, rude, bad-tempered Scottish rock creature called Wullie who brings danger and disaster with him wherever he goes. From French snobs in fancy hotels to urine-soaked alleys and rusting barges on the Seattle waterfront Finn is drawn into an evil plot that threatens to destroy everything he loves. The only person who thinks that Finn is smart enough or brave enough to make a difference is his best friend and next door neighbor, Hadley Kobayashi, a girl who is wiser and tougher than Finn is. If only they can survive being choked by Lavender perfume, drowned in Elliott Bay, or burned alive in a coal furnace, Finn and Hadley might just prove everyone else wrong.
Here I am reading the first chapter of the story. Chapter One is called, The Dark Watcher.
Now here is the second chapter of the story. Chapter Two is called, Sixth Grade Homework.
