Author/Illustrator Interview with Frank W. Dormer (Or: SOCKSQUATCH will rock your socks!)
If you're looking for a fun, charming Halloween read full of delightfully kooky monsters...look no further than SOCKSQUATCH, written and illustrated by Frank W. Dormer. (Two notes: 1) Doesn't the title just hook you in itself? and 2) Frank is a member of my local SCBWI group, and is just as cool a guy in person as he is in writing. I am so excited to have him join us for a crazy Halloween interview!)
Socksquatch may be big and furry--but he has a heartwrenching problem: he's missing a sock and his toes are cold! The story's humorous text and even more humorous illustrations follow him on a quest through a medieval castle full of monsters to find his foot's one desire....
So, are you ready for a great interview? Enjoy!
HI, FRANK, AND WELCOME! LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING I LOVED SOCKSQUATCH; I WAS PRIVELEGED TO SEE IT IN ITS PRE-SUBMISSION STAGE, AND I FEEL A LITTLE PROUD OF THE NICE, LITTLE (OR MAYBE, MONSTROUS, LITTLE) BOOK IT GREW UP TO BE. IT IS ONE OF THOSE RARE BOOKS THAT KIDS AND ADULTS BOTH ENJOY...IN MY HOUSE, EVERYBODY GATHERS AROUND WHEN IT GETS PULLED OFF THE SHELF.
SO, QUESTION #1 (I'M STARTING WITH THE IMPORTANT ONES, YOU SEE...): WHAT DOES YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF SOCKS LOOK LIKE?
FWD: Unfortunately my tootsies are a bit sensitive. I spent all summer at the doctors solving a long overdue foot problem. So I am primarily a white sock guy. It’s simple and easy. Unless of course I dress up, then It’s argyle all the way.
#2: WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT ILLUSTRATING YOUR OWN STORY/WRITING FOR YOUR OWN PICTURES? AND WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART?
FWD: The best thing is that I have complete control over the stage. I can place the words in the actor’s mouths; decide what the actors look like, and where they dwell. I can also break rules and type new words.
#3: HOW MANY REVISIONS OF SOCKSQUATCH DID YOU ILLUSTRATE? WHAT FORMAT DO YOUR DRAFTS TAKE?
FWD: The original idea had Socksquatch as a mutant tree that grabbed socks at random. Then I realized trees can’t move and aren’t great leading characters. That version never left the sketchbook. The next draft transferred closely to the final book. That one went to the editor. The proposal took the form of drawings scanned in with a basic text added. I usually create one color illustration for the editor to view.
#4: ARE THERE ANY ILLUSTRATORS YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE, OR ANY PICTURE BOOKS YOU'VE BOUGHT RECENTLY JUST BECAUSE THE ILLUSTRATIONS WERE SO GREAT?
I buy any book illustrated by Serge Bloch. I love his loose, drippy line. I also like the illustrations of Russell Ayto. My all-time favorites are Norman Rockwell, Edmund Dulac, and Arthur Rackham.
Incidentally, when I was about 5 or 6 my Dad took me to this small gallery over a grocery store, and a white haired man was sitting behind the cash register smoking a pipe. Later my father told me he was the artist for the paintings in the gallery. I realized later it was Norman Rockwell. I still remember him sitting there watching the people walk around.
(OK, THAT IS SO COOL. ALSO, WE APPARENTLY HAVE VERY SIMILAR TASTES IN ILLUSTRATION...I HAVE A SHELF IN MY HOUSE DEDICATED TO NORMAN ROCKWELL, ARTHUR RACKHAM, AND A FEW OTHER GOLDEN AGE ILLUSTRATORS...)
#5: WHAT'S ONE ART TOOL YOU COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
FWD: I like to draw with just about anything. Sticks dipped in ink, a brush, or even a ball point pen. But the one that feels the most like an extension of my hand is a nib I purchased back in college that I still use for my final illustrations. I have about 70 of them, so I hopefully won’t run out too soon.
#6: IF THERE WAS ONE STORY (BY SOMEONE ELSE) YOU COULD BE/COULD HAVE BEEN THE ILLUSTRATOR FOR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Anything by Roald Dahl. His characters were so dirty and wrinkly. Of course that could be me projecting based on Quentin Blake’s illustrations. When I read these books to my kids I enjoy the language, especially when the author uses so-called ‘profanity.’ Kids love it when an adult is subversive. They see the child in the adult and I feel a greater connection to that author. That’s just my opinion..
(AND I AGREE...)
#6 (GETTING BACK TO THE CRUCIAL THINGS...): DO YOU THINK MONSTERS, AND NOT HUNGRY DRYERS, COULD BE AT THE ROOT OF THE GREAT SOCK-VANISHING MYSTERY? PERHAPS WE COULD DONATE OUR LONERS TO SOME POOR MONSTER WITH COLD FEET?
FWD: I never set out to solve that problem. I’m happy to see that those who have read it aren’t trying to solve that particular riddle. Of course Socky is getting all sorts of sock ransom notes. Just today he received a photo of one of his favorite socks, with the individual toes. He went round the twist after that one. We had to pay for that one, I tell ya.
THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW, FRANK, AND ENJOY ALL YOUR RELEASE-TIME FUN! TO EVERYONE ELSE: FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN VISIT/HAUNT FRANK AND SEE MORE OF HIS ARTWORK AT http://frankwdormer.com. AND READ HIS BLOG AT http://frankwdormer.blogspot.com. SECONDLY, GO BUY SOCKSQUATCH NOW...OR LIVE TO REGRET IT. YOUR FOOTWEAR MAY NEVER BE SAFE AGAIN...JUST SAYIN'.
Socksquatch may be big and furry--but he has a heartwrenching problem: he's missing a sock and his toes are cold! The story's humorous text and even more humorous illustrations follow him on a quest through a medieval castle full of monsters to find his foot's one desire....
HI, FRANK, AND WELCOME! LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING I LOVED SOCKSQUATCH; I WAS PRIVELEGED TO SEE IT IN ITS PRE-SUBMISSION STAGE, AND I FEEL A LITTLE PROUD OF THE NICE, LITTLE (OR MAYBE, MONSTROUS, LITTLE) BOOK IT GREW UP TO BE. IT IS ONE OF THOSE RARE BOOKS THAT KIDS AND ADULTS BOTH ENJOY...IN MY HOUSE, EVERYBODY GATHERS AROUND WHEN IT GETS PULLED OFF THE SHELF.
SO, QUESTION #1 (I'M STARTING WITH THE IMPORTANT ONES, YOU SEE...): WHAT DOES YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF SOCKS LOOK LIKE?
FWD: Unfortunately my tootsies are a bit sensitive. I spent all summer at the doctors solving a long overdue foot problem. So I am primarily a white sock guy. It’s simple and easy. Unless of course I dress up, then It’s argyle all the way.
#2: WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT ILLUSTRATING YOUR OWN STORY/WRITING FOR YOUR OWN PICTURES? AND WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART?
FWD: The best thing is that I have complete control over the stage. I can place the words in the actor’s mouths; decide what the actors look like, and where they dwell. I can also break rules and type new words.
#3: HOW MANY REVISIONS OF SOCKSQUATCH DID YOU ILLUSTRATE? WHAT FORMAT DO YOUR DRAFTS TAKE?
FWD: The original idea had Socksquatch as a mutant tree that grabbed socks at random. Then I realized trees can’t move and aren’t great leading characters. That version never left the sketchbook. The next draft transferred closely to the final book. That one went to the editor. The proposal took the form of drawings scanned in with a basic text added. I usually create one color illustration for the editor to view.
#4: ARE THERE ANY ILLUSTRATORS YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE, OR ANY PICTURE BOOKS YOU'VE BOUGHT RECENTLY JUST BECAUSE THE ILLUSTRATIONS WERE SO GREAT?
I buy any book illustrated by Serge Bloch. I love his loose, drippy line. I also like the illustrations of Russell Ayto. My all-time favorites are Norman Rockwell, Edmund Dulac, and Arthur Rackham.
Incidentally, when I was about 5 or 6 my Dad took me to this small gallery over a grocery store, and a white haired man was sitting behind the cash register smoking a pipe. Later my father told me he was the artist for the paintings in the gallery. I realized later it was Norman Rockwell. I still remember him sitting there watching the people walk around.
(OK, THAT IS SO COOL. ALSO, WE APPARENTLY HAVE VERY SIMILAR TASTES IN ILLUSTRATION...I HAVE A SHELF IN MY HOUSE DEDICATED TO NORMAN ROCKWELL, ARTHUR RACKHAM, AND A FEW OTHER GOLDEN AGE ILLUSTRATORS...)
#5: WHAT'S ONE ART TOOL YOU COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
FWD: I like to draw with just about anything. Sticks dipped in ink, a brush, or even a ball point pen. But the one that feels the most like an extension of my hand is a nib I purchased back in college that I still use for my final illustrations. I have about 70 of them, so I hopefully won’t run out too soon.
#6: IF THERE WAS ONE STORY (BY SOMEONE ELSE) YOU COULD BE/COULD HAVE BEEN THE ILLUSTRATOR FOR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Anything by Roald Dahl. His characters were so dirty and wrinkly. Of course that could be me projecting based on Quentin Blake’s illustrations. When I read these books to my kids I enjoy the language, especially when the author uses so-called ‘profanity.’ Kids love it when an adult is subversive. They see the child in the adult and I feel a greater connection to that author. That’s just my opinion..
(AND I AGREE...)
#6 (GETTING BACK TO THE CRUCIAL THINGS...): DO YOU THINK MONSTERS, AND NOT HUNGRY DRYERS, COULD BE AT THE ROOT OF THE GREAT SOCK-VANISHING MYSTERY? PERHAPS WE COULD DONATE OUR LONERS TO SOME POOR MONSTER WITH COLD FEET?
FWD: I never set out to solve that problem. I’m happy to see that those who have read it aren’t trying to solve that particular riddle. Of course Socky is getting all sorts of sock ransom notes. Just today he received a photo of one of his favorite socks, with the individual toes. He went round the twist after that one. We had to pay for that one, I tell ya.
THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW, FRANK, AND ENJOY ALL YOUR RELEASE-TIME FUN! TO EVERYONE ELSE: FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN VISIT/HAUNT FRANK AND SEE MORE OF HIS ARTWORK AT http://frankwdormer.com. AND READ HIS BLOG AT http://frankwdormer.blogspot.com. SECONDLY, GO BUY SOCKSQUATCH NOW...OR LIVE TO REGRET IT. YOUR FOOTWEAR MAY NEVER BE SAFE AGAIN...JUST SAYIN'.
Now I know what to do with all of those orphaned socks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Faith and Frank.
-Debbie