How I got my first book contract

Of the 40 or so illustrators I when to college and grad school with that had real passion and/or talent. About 10 -15 of us are working in the field. Others gave up, some others chose different directions in the art field. It's not an easy career choice, Illustration is just about the hardest career path I could have chosen for myself. So far though, I'm glad I did. Sometimes though it's all about being in the right place at the right time.

It took me 5 years to get one book contract. This is because it seems like no one will publish you without being published by someone else." I constantly asked myself, how do I get published if I'm not already published? How does anyone new, get work? Well, it's all about timing and connections.

I got my first book deal because of an artist being flaky, this is more common in the commercial art world than you would think. I was friends with someone who also worked for the same publisher, but who had accepted a contract with DC so could no longer freelance. This friend called me, because he knew I was trying to get a book, I was not a flake and could work pretty fast. I had a 3 month deadline, start to finish. I worked on that book every night, even while I had the stomach flu for 3 weeks. I got it done by the target deadline, and my second book sort of fell into my lap because of who my teacher in grad school was.

So it really is who you know in life and being in the right place at the right time. I've made it a point to try not to burn bridges with anyone, because you never know if you might need them in some different way in the future.