It's a new year, and the transition from 2016 to 2017 is well on its way. The next release from Best Friend Books focuses on transitions and the fact that things are constantly changing. It's a difficult reality to accept. Especially now, when things are so contrary. Nothing we see or hear from long-trusted sources can be believed with 100% certainty. As an adult, it's, at best, unnerving — at worse terrifying and not conducive to sleep. We can only hope that our "better angels" will triumph. Many days, it feels exactly the opposite.

I been thinking that our existence has become one opposite day after the other. Whatever you hear, you should immediately assume the opposite is true. Hard enough for adults, even more confusing for the youngest among us.

Our latest title, "Is, Was, Will Be" (brilliantly written by Lisa Combs), focuses on transitions and change. This particular book has been a challenge to my artistic style, as we wanted a more natural look rather than the whimsical approach of our previous books. One of the spreads in the book talks about a shout becoming an echo. This illustration stopped me dead in my tracks for nearly a week. How do you illustrate a sound wave becoming an echo, that is accurate, yet uncomplicated? I finally figured it out. Once that illustration was complete, I finished the rest of the drawings in just over a week. Here's the finished spread:

Today, Lisa and I reviewed a hard copy of the book, made changes and uploaded the latest files to CreateSpace. We ordered an actual proof copy of the book. This will arrive Thursday. Once we've proofed this version and are satisfied that all is as it should be, the book will become available for purchase through Amazon.

During our meeting we also planned what books were to come next—Lisa has completed manuscripts for four others. Here are the titles: "Small Things," "Home," "Next Day Better," and "Patch of Sky." Our deadline to have these complete is April of this year. Please check out our website (http://www.bestfriendbooks.com) for upcoming release dates and events.