Uncommon Underwater Animals: A Dive into My Creative Process

Lately, I’ve been revisiting some old friends from my kids’ book Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet and decided to give them a new home in a single, unified design. Enter: Uncommon Underwater Animals. It’s a collection that features the whimsical and wondrous dumbo octopus, narwhal, immortal jellyfish, manatee, and flying fish. Seeing these sea creatures all lined up together is like a colorful parade of the ocean’s most extraordinary inhabitants.

This new design has sparked some interesting revelations for me. There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing all these unique creatures cohabiting in one piece. It’s like the Avengers of the underwater world, only cuter and without the CGI.

The process has also made me realise that there’s so much potential for specialised kids’ books. Why stop at Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet when we could dive deeper? I’m already brainstorming ideas for Uncommon Sea Creatures of the Alphabet or even Uncommon Birds of the Alphabet. The possibilities are as endless as the ocean itself.

Have you ever had surgery? What for?

This brings me to an important lesson I’ve learned: the importance of taking action on ideas without letting them drag on forever. Procrastination is a sneaky beast, much like the anglerfish lurking in the deep. Take my wisdom teeth, for example. It took me 35 years to finally go to the dentist and get those problematic teeth removed. One of them was even lying sideways on the jawbone, just chilling there like it owned the place. I kept putting it off because I knew it would be difficult and uncomfortable. But once it was done, the relief was immense. No more pain, no more nagging worry—just sweet, sweet relief.

This experience has taught me that sometimes the toughest jobs yield the greatest rewards. It’s the same with creative projects. Sure, diving into a new idea can be daunting, and the journey might be uncomfortable. But the outcome? Totally worth it.

So here I am, inspired by my own underwater gallery, ready to tackle new projects head-on. Whether it’s creating a new collection of uncommon creatures or finally tackling those long-postponed tasks, I’m committed to taking action. If a sideways tooth on a jawbone can be dealt with, surely a few more kids’ books are well within reach.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Uncommon Underwater Animals as much as I enjoyed creating it. It’s a celebration of the weird and wonderful, a reminder of the beauty lurking beneath the surface, and a call to action to dive into our ideas without hesitation.

Here’s to more creations, less procrastination, and embracing the unique—both in our art and in our lives. Share your thoughts, ideas, and even your own procrastination tales in the comments below. Let’s inspire each other to take the plunge and create something extraordinary.