CBC Interview
Well here's something I haven't tried before so we'll see if it works. I had a nice interview with Sheryl MacKay on CBC's North by Northwest for my new book Tug. I'm proud of this book so I'm very happy for it to be getting some attention. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-43/clip/15902371 My segment starts at 16:00 minutes.
Hope you enjoy!
Everybody loves tugboats so I'm very happy to see Tug! A Log Boom's Journey released this month. Thank you Groundwood Books and Rick Smith for your wealth of information. Rick was invaluable in getting the details right because he was a logger and a tugboat operator. The story is about the journey a log boom takes, from start to finish - all under the watchful eye of a little boy who learns there are dangers, and adventure when you're towing tons of logs through open water.
I was also asked to curate a list of books that all, in some way, relate to the beautiful Pacific Northwest coast. https://49thshelf.com/Lists/Members/2022-09/Scot-Ritchie-Pacific-West-Coast
Who knew tea towels would be a sideline business but here we go with a new design. People liked the bird's eye view I did of Vancouver's West End so thought I'd follow it up with Stanley Park. I thought I was just going to be drawing trees and raccoons but there's a surprising amount of things going on there. And an incredible history. I wanted to be sure to acknowledge the ancestral lands that Stanley Park sits on. X̱wáýx̱way (in English it sounds a bit like Whoiwhoi) was a First Nations village site. Before Europeans arrived there were many inhabitants including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tseil-waututh. It's history now but great to see the awareness growing.
Here's the first image that got me started.
On the Line
Nothing like receiving a copy of your new book on hockey, on the hottest day of the year! I was very happy to receive On the Line (Pajama Press) written by my good friend Kari-Lynn Winters. It reminded me of university days where I had a brief period on the hockey team. This story is really about teamwork, stewardship and learning our own way to play.
Summer has started and publishing often slows over this time. This last year has been a challenge for all of us but there are definite signs we're returning to some kind of normal.
I'm hoping to get traveling again. After a year and a half of not going anywhere I'm ready and rarin' to go.
So happy summer and happy trails to all.
Interesting times indeed! Spring is just around the corner and everybody is still masked and secluded. But soon patios will open.
My author/illustrator career has slowed down as publishers learn to navigate their new situations. I am happy to be working with the wonderful Pajama Press in Toronto on two books. I want to thank Kari-Lynn Winters for putting my name forward to illustrate her clever and funny story. It's a special gift to be able to work with such a good friend.
Speaking of people I care about I'm sad and happy to be finishing my book with Groundwood. But all things come to an end and soon the book will be out. I hope to be able to show off the cover art soon.
Finally to my new second career as a purveyor of t-shirts, tea towels and cards. Who knew this would happen but it definitely falls in the category of 'where might you go in a pandemic'. I've had good reactions to images I put out there so I decided to follow through and suddenly I have a second business. Many years ago I co-owned a greeting card company so I'm aware how time consuming that can be when you do it all yourself. Even with a business partner who worked just as hard, I wrote and drew all the cards as well as shipped and ran the warehouse. So suddenly, in my west end apartment, I have a mini warehouse. Still not sure how happy I am about that but there you go. Here's the latest image, (for people not in Canada, this is my take on 'Rosie the Riveter' as Dr. Bonnie Henry - our Provincial Health Officer/Hero) yet to be decided where it will work best - t-shirt, tea towel, greeting card or all the above?
