At the start of this year, I shared some of the ambitious 2023 goals with Captain CHOO, barring any emergencies.
I was thinking of my Mother's (and Father's) ongoing care needs as I wrote that. Last year we spent considerable time ministering to her/them. I expected more of that this year, but if you saw my last post you know that, after a hard battle, Mom is no longer with us. 😢💕
Her loss has left us reeling, and I don't think any of us have had time to process it yet.
But I still have a business to run, and fans who want to hear the latest regarding this Captain CHOO book venture.
So, much as my heart isn't in it at all right now, here's an update:
As I shared previously, just before Christmas I ordered my PROOF Hard and Soft Print Copies of "The BEAVER with a CLEAVER" from Blurb. Unfortunately, I still found a couple of "niggling" errors that nobody else would probably notice. But, of course, they drove me MAD!😂 Ultimately, my Obsessive Compulsive perfectionism won.
My last act at Christmas was to correct those errors and order New Proofs.
The Pic is of the Second set of Proofs as they arrived.
GOOD NEWS: the Second Proofs DID meet my stringent expectations, so I'm finally releasing the book to the public!
I will need some time to update my website and all the other Marketing links related to this latest book. We left home hastily in complete chaos, and have just returned from Mom & Dad's in Calgary after two weeks Both of us are drained and now playing major "catch-up" with multiple other demands. Please bear with me as I handle those more pressing tasks before switching to "website techie/marketing" mode.
Re; ordering Print Copies for my LOCAL FANS,
I have Not forgotten you!
I'm trying to keep prices economical, so I will wait for a good Blurb coupon code before I order the Print Copies. Blurb has big sales on Black Friday and Christmas/Boxing Week, but then they die down with promos for a bit. Unfortunately, the timeline for completing the book didn't work with those dates, but I am watching for the next big sale. It's the only way I can keep selling the books at the price I do and still stay afloat.
Going Forward:
Mom's loss will have significant ongoing impact re: how our time and energy is spent. Primarily, we need to coordinate with siblings to keep an eye on DAD and ensure he is doing okay. That guarantees more trips and extended stays in Calgary this year, which obviously massively disrupts my ability to work on Captain CHOO.
I have some gear, so I may try to compile a "mobile" drawing setup for my travels, but I'm not there yet. As fellow artists will understand, it's also unclear yet how conducive to artistic "flow" a different environment will be. Even with the right gear, It takes the right frame of mind and a Lot of undisturbed deep concentration to have a productive "creative" session.
I also have a few remaining important RENO projects lined up this summer for this house we bought. Admittedly optimistically, I still hope to complete all of that critical "repair" stuff this year, with the hope that 2024 will finally be Full-out focused on the books.
But...even if I don't get it all done, Every Step Forward is PROGRESS in the right direction, and that keeps me going.
We still hope to put together our costume ensembles for Captain and Mrs CHOO, and book some local Craft fairs to roleplay at, but that will depend on how helping Dad goes. Similarly, I will keep pushing forward with working on illustrating the next books at every available opportunity.
I will do my best to keep up with my goals for the year, but DAD's wellbeing comes First.
Pursuing financial and career goals is important, but looking after the people you love takes precedence.
It's how I was raised, and I hope you all understand.
Blessings,
Dave Chouhan, AKA Captain CHOO💖