Meet the Illustrator

Although I felt it necessary to explain the motive behind our book, I admit my last post was pretty heavy. Thank you for walking through that with me as I unpacked that leg of our journey. My posts will not always be that intense, I promise!

In accordance with that promise, it’s my pleasure to introduce our daughter, Penelope. The 11 year old illustrator of Always With Us. She has been diligently sketching, then inking the pictures. I then paint them with watercolor, scan them into our computer, touch them up, and piece them together using Photoshop. We have learned a lot throughout this process.

I thought we’d take a break from illustrating and have a little fun. I proudly introduce to you: Penelope Chau.

What’s your favorite color?
I have a lot of colors I like. But my favorite is teal.

How about your favorite real animal?
Cats.

Your favorite mythical animal?
Dragons.

Do you like to read?
Yes, definitely.

How many books would you say that you read each month?
Probably 35. [Mom interjection: I assure you, she is not padding this stat!]

What’s your favorite book series?
I have three: Wings of Fire, Warrior Cats, and Keeper of the Lost Cities.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
An artist and writer.

What have you enjoyed about illustrating this book so far?
It has been therapeutic. I have enjoyed designing the main character.

Has anything been sad about this project?
I miss my sister.

What keeps you motivated throughout this project?
Uh, my Mom. And wanting to help other kids who have also lost a sister or brother. At first, I thought I was the only one in this pain. But, it’s good to know that there are others. And we can comfort each other.

Would you consider illustrating other books?
Yes, definitely. It’s a dream I want to pursue.

What’s your favorite medium?
Pencil and pen. Definitely.

What’s your favorite joke?
You’re in a box without openings. All you have is a hand mirror. How do you escape? Answer: Look in the mirror. See what you saw. Use the saw to cut the mirror in half. Two halves make a hole. Jump through the hole to get out.

What’s your favorite quote?
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

Have you enjoyed working with your Mom during this project?
Yeah, she’s my Mom. She has definitely kept me working. Even when I wanted to stop.

What is the inspiration behind your drawings in general (not just this project)?
It’s just the gift that God gave me. It comes from everywhere, but mostly my imagination. I am also inspired by cats and dragons.

Are you working on any other projects right now?
I am currently working on creating a book series called Dragon Island. It is aimed at ages 9-12, and it’s a story about a community that bonds young teen humans and dragons as best buddies. When an American fisherman discovers them, the community has to work fast to save all of the dragons–and the people–before it’s too late.

I am also working on a project called The Rose Candle. It is aimed at ages 10-13 and is a story about teenagers (yet again) who have been cut off from the rest of the world because they’ve developed supernatural powers. These teens live in a huge cave they carved themselves, and their only bridge to the surface is a tiny, rose-colored candle. I know all this might sound really ambitious, but if my mom can work on a million books at once, so can I.

What’s it like being the oldest of four earthly children?
It’s got a lot of responsibility. But, it’s also a great experience with mentoring and teaching. And sometimes you get to be the leader, which is fun.

What’s it like living with three younger brothers?
Living with three brothers is like living with mutant spicy jalapeno peppers mixed with some kind of rambunctious puppy and fire breathing dragons. Also, they’re probably part tornado. But, I love them anyways. They’re too crazy not to love.

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Well, that’s a wrap. I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Penelope!