Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!
Where we celebrate new books by Michigan's children's book authors and illustrators
Congratulations to Jim Benton on the release of his new book, Catwad, Me, Three!
Congratulations on the release of Catwad, Me, Three! What inspired the Catwad series, and its newest addition?
Thanks! He began years ago, and I designed him as a licensed property, similar to how I created It’s Happy Bunny. Scholastic had some interest in him, but it wasn’t until I came up with Blurmp, his friend and polar opposite, that it suddenly made sense to me as a narrative I wanted to do.
This is your first time on the Book Birthday blog! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started writing and illustrating?
I’ll try to make this quick---Like all artists, I’ve always drawn, but my first job as a full time pro was in a t-shirt shop. I was also freelancing for newspapers and magazines and greeting cards, and eventually learned about licensing. That led to bigger projects like the Misters and It’s Happy Bunny. I also was a joke writer on Whose line Is It Anyway, and I created and produced a tv series for Fox Kids. After my daughter was born, I decided to write books for her, and that led to me selling Franny K. Stein and Dear Dumb Diary, which I co-developed and produced into a made for TV movie musical.
What inspires your sense of humor? Do you have any favorite comedians, writers, or artists that have influenced you?
I think I’m inspired by the absurdity of existence, so there’s never any shortage of inspiration. One of my favorite writers is PG Wodehouse, but I really like to read a pretty wide variety—both treasures and trash.
What does your process for writing a book look like? Do you generally come up with the words or the visuals first?
I almost always think up the narrative thread first…long book or short comic, I like to have an idea where I start and where I stop. Then the words, then the visuals, but on occasion it’s the reverse.
In addition to your books, you’ve had a lot of success with licensing characters. Your property, It’s Happy Bunny, has generated more than ¾ of a billion dollars at retail! Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with licensing and how that came about?
That came about as an extension of my experience with screen printed apparel, which is a core product category in licensing. The character began as a little sketch that was pinned up in my studio (which is littered with little sketches). Over time, the sketch continued to make me laugh, so I developed it and started showing it at the Licensing Expo (a big convention). It took about 3 years for anybody to take a chance on it, and Hot Topic was the first to really give it a go. It sold well on shirts, so stickers, buttons, and lunch boxes followed. Eventually more and more items were licensed, and more and more retailers got on board. I did a few books and a couple were ALA top picks for reluctant teen readers. I’m rolling it out again for it’s anniversary, which, like everything else in the world, needs to be postponed while science races to keep us all healthy again.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author/illustrator?
Don’t be afraid of bad ideas. Bad ideas have a way of evolving into good ideas in unpredictable ways.
What’s next for you, do you have any new ideas in the works? How can readers learn more about you and your work?
More CATWADS, A graphic novel called ATTACK OF THE STUFF, a christmas picture book called COMET THE UNSTOPPABLE REINDEER, and a graphic novel called CLYDE. You can see more at JimBenton.com.
A little bit about the book:
From tricycles, to rock-paper-scissors, to the three little pigs, the best things come in trios...Catwad included! Everyone's favorite big blue grump and his best friend, Blurmp, are here with more comics stories full of cat-tastic surprises. See Catwad try yoga! GASP as terribly hilarious things befall their unlucky friend Pigmichael! Meet Blurmp's grandmother! It's a laugh-out-loud collection that even the crankiest kitten would love.
A little bit about the author:
Jim Benton is the award-winning creator of more than thirty books, including the New York Times best-selling series Dear Dumb Diary, the series Franny K. Stein, the series Catwad as well as the international licensing hit, It’s Happy Bunny. His books have sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide, been translated into more than fifteen languages (and Braille), and have garnered numerous honors (like LIMA awards, Addy awards, Eisner nominations, Reuben divisional awards, an Eleanor Cameron award, and a NAPPA award to name a few). Benton is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators, the National Cartoonists Society and The Society of Illustrators. He has also contributed to The Licensing Book, Writer's Digest Magazine, Reader's Digest Magazine, Kidscreen Magazine, Dark Horse Presents, MAD Magazine, and The New Yorker. Learn more about him at www.jimbenton.com.
Thanks! He began years ago, and I designed him as a licensed property, similar to how I created It’s Happy Bunny. Scholastic had some interest in him, but it wasn’t until I came up with Blurmp, his friend and polar opposite, that it suddenly made sense to me as a narrative I wanted to do.
This is your first time on the Book Birthday blog! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started writing and illustrating?
I’ll try to make this quick---Like all artists, I’ve always drawn, but my first job as a full time pro was in a t-shirt shop. I was also freelancing for newspapers and magazines and greeting cards, and eventually learned about licensing. That led to bigger projects like the Misters and It’s Happy Bunny. I also was a joke writer on Whose line Is It Anyway, and I created and produced a tv series for Fox Kids. After my daughter was born, I decided to write books for her, and that led to me selling Franny K. Stein and Dear Dumb Diary, which I co-developed and produced into a made for TV movie musical.
What inspires your sense of humor? Do you have any favorite comedians, writers, or artists that have influenced you?
I think I’m inspired by the absurdity of existence, so there’s never any shortage of inspiration. One of my favorite writers is PG Wodehouse, but I really like to read a pretty wide variety—both treasures and trash.
What does your process for writing a book look like? Do you generally come up with the words or the visuals first?
I almost always think up the narrative thread first…long book or short comic, I like to have an idea where I start and where I stop. Then the words, then the visuals, but on occasion it’s the reverse.
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| One of Catwad's pages from draft to finish |
In addition to your books, you’ve had a lot of success with licensing characters. Your property, It’s Happy Bunny, has generated more than ¾ of a billion dollars at retail! Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with licensing and how that came about?
That came about as an extension of my experience with screen printed apparel, which is a core product category in licensing. The character began as a little sketch that was pinned up in my studio (which is littered with little sketches). Over time, the sketch continued to make me laugh, so I developed it and started showing it at the Licensing Expo (a big convention). It took about 3 years for anybody to take a chance on it, and Hot Topic was the first to really give it a go. It sold well on shirts, so stickers, buttons, and lunch boxes followed. Eventually more and more items were licensed, and more and more retailers got on board. I did a few books and a couple were ALA top picks for reluctant teen readers. I’m rolling it out again for it’s anniversary, which, like everything else in the world, needs to be postponed while science races to keep us all healthy again.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author/illustrator?
Don’t be afraid of bad ideas. Bad ideas have a way of evolving into good ideas in unpredictable ways.
What’s next for you, do you have any new ideas in the works? How can readers learn more about you and your work?
More CATWADS, A graphic novel called ATTACK OF THE STUFF, a christmas picture book called COMET THE UNSTOPPABLE REINDEER, and a graphic novel called CLYDE. You can see more at JimBenton.com.
A little bit about the book:
From tricycles, to rock-paper-scissors, to the three little pigs, the best things come in trios...Catwad included! Everyone's favorite big blue grump and his best friend, Blurmp, are here with more comics stories full of cat-tastic surprises. See Catwad try yoga! GASP as terribly hilarious things befall their unlucky friend Pigmichael! Meet Blurmp's grandmother! It's a laugh-out-loud collection that even the crankiest kitten would love.
A little bit about the author:
Jim Benton is the award-winning creator of more than thirty books, including the New York Times best-selling series Dear Dumb Diary, the series Franny K. Stein, the series Catwad as well as the international licensing hit, It’s Happy Bunny. His books have sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide, been translated into more than fifteen languages (and Braille), and have garnered numerous honors (like LIMA awards, Addy awards, Eisner nominations, Reuben divisional awards, an Eleanor Cameron award, and a NAPPA award to name a few). Benton is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators, the National Cartoonists Society and The Society of Illustrators. He has also contributed to The Licensing Book, Writer's Digest Magazine, Reader's Digest Magazine, Kidscreen Magazine, Dark Horse Presents, MAD Magazine, and The New Yorker. Learn more about him at www.jimbenton.com.
I love seeing your process- seeing the draft and then the finish is really cool. Happy Book Birthday!
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