Pitchfest!

With the Kids Comics Studio Anthology obligations consuming most of my time and energy, I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull off a submission for the 2025 Kids Comics Unite Pitchfest.

After the holiday break, our Anthology edits were due January 15th. That was a rough. Partially due to the holidays themselves, but we also spent a week with family in Las Vegas with a pit stop in Disneyland. Also, I was also actively working on my cover concept for the Anthology with our first presentation at the end of January to the Publication Committee - you know the one with several talented illustrators along with the founder of Kids Comics Unite and literary agent Janna Morishima... no pressure!

*When I was nominated to join the Cover Committee, I was shocked and honored. Then I found out the two other members shared years of experience and education. One is currently teaching college level illustration classes. And I'm a newb! My brain shouted, "You are not worthy! You don't belong!" But I figured it would be a wonderful learning experience and a collaborative process. It was less collaborative than I envisioned, because they are both pros and didn't sign-up to teach or mentor. Early on, one of them pushed for each of us to create our own concept and take those to completion as something to add to our portfolios. Um... I don't really have an actual portfolio because I'm a newb. This will be the endeavor that pushes me to curate one and I'll now have a focus piece. I have spent the better part of the last 4 months trying to create something that reaches their level of work. It's impossible. But the cover I created is pretty dang cool. No spoilers!

On February 21st, my anthology 8-page comic had an important due date requiring all inks and lettering complete. Additionally, my cover concept was due for the next round Publication Committee review on February 25th with a Cover Committe meeting to review their feedback and decide next steps on March 3rd.

So, when Pitchfest tickets opened up on February 21st, all or my creative energy, time, and resources were spread thin. I had the story and sketches. The story has been nagging to be told, but with the Anthology (and that pesky day job that pays the bills... and my kids too) I haven't had a chance to illustrate the story beyond sketches. The dream is that someday, the writing and illustrating will be the day job that pays the bills. Someday.

By Sunday night, I decided I had enough of the pitch together that I would regret not participating - afterall, there were about 100 hours left to complete my pitch minus the 20 hours of Interpreting work. Totally possible, right?

Technically... yes.

Meet Kip and Azula!

After a week of drawing furiously, and my first all-nighter since college, I was able to complete and submit my pitch!

Hopefully, I won't regret this week of chaos and lost sleep. Now that it's done, I worry I'll regret not waiting until next year to polish the pitch. Naturally. At the very least, I can say the progress between my first Pitchfest pitch in fall of 2023 to this year's shows huge improvement! Between the Pitchfest cover and the Anthology cover, I'm really finding a grove in title treatments and proud of what I've created. Most importantly, Kip and Azula are now immortalized.

In my "Why Statement" for the pitch I mentioned writing this specific story in hopes that it will be the kind of story that will change my toddler into a book lover. He hates reading and actively refuses to sit and share in story time. It's blasphemy. Our house is full of books. His brothers love reading. I love reading. How do I have a kid that hates books?! While working on one of the pages, he crawled up into my lap, looked at the page, pointed, made his body move in a dizzy circle like Kip, and broke out into a giggle. For that moment, it was all worth it.

Sketch vs. Final Page