Lakota and I went to school together and I always thought he was one cool cat. ^_^ Later, when I found out he was this amazing, quirky internet presence and incredible, spook-tastic artist, I knew we both have this passion for creativity. He has been a blessing in helping me with my crowdfunding video (his work and efforts are note-worthy,) and he even drew three pictures of monstrum for my The Hunter and The Bringer Fanbook (Before and After.) I added two of them here. 😉
And he has been so supportive of my books as well. ^_^ He is a great guy and rad through and through, with a talent and soul that cannot be stopped! 🙂 So please learn more and check out this wonderful guy, artist, and first-time author!
Creative to Creative Q and A:
1. Where did you grow up? Did your childhood have any impact on your writing/art?
“I grew up in Farmington, MO until I was 17 and yes my childhood definitely had an impact on my creativity all the way around. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was young and I think that forced me to have to be more creative.”
2. Tell us about the first piece of art you recall ever doing?
“Oh man, that’s pretty far back. I can tell you that the one that got me started on my journey as a working artist was kind of interesting. I was probably 18 going on 19 and living in my fiance’s (Now wife’s) parents’ basement.
“I had just left my job as a summer camp counselor and really didnt know what I wanted to do with my life. I was a bit depressed to be honest.
“My wife was cleaning up an area in the basement and she found a three-pack of small canvases which she handed to me and asked me to do something with them.
“I believe she wanted me to just find somewhere else to put them but I started painting. The subject matter for my first painting was a bit dark but it all blossomed from there.”
3. What are you currently working on?
“I’m currently working on Halloween designs and preparing to launch my online shirt store. After that, I will be going dark for a bit to work on my first novel.”
4. What is your favorite original character and piece you have ever created and why?
“I think the titular character from my book ‘The Liverwurst Tree’ is probably my favorite…at least in my top five. as far as why? He just makes me smile and reminds me that even a silly one-off doodle can turn into something much bigger.”
5. Do you have to write/draw in order or do your ideas just come to you and you put them in order later?
“It can go both ways. ‘The Liverwurst Tree’ started as a drawing…I would say half of them started as drawings but the rest started as poetry and stories.”
6. What was your path like until you found art?
“When I was growing up I wanted to make movies. As I got older I wanted to go into music and I really tried that route a few times but bands are messy and not the greatest for people starting a family. Art, illustration, and writing are fantastic because you get to decide how much you want to interact with the world outside of your own daily life. Sure there are deadlines and things like that but it’s better than being on the road all the time and trying to work around everyone in the band’s schedule.”
7. What materials do you use for your artwork?
“I use mostly either Watercolor or ink for my physical stuff and I do a lot of digital illustration.”
8. Tell us about your book and its pictures and cover.
“So, ‘The Liverwurst Tree’ is my first book. It started out as one little illustration in 2016 or 17 just for fun and someone suggested that I should make a gross kids book along the lines of ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ or ‘The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy.’
“I started working on the book pretty seriously around 2019 and finished it up pretty quickly but I wanted cleaner illustrations and I didn’t know anything about formatting a book yadda yadda, excuses, excuses.
“So it sat on my desk unpublished for a long time. Then I got into digital art and in 2022 redid all of the original drawings in digital, formatted the book in Procreate on an iPad and then released it in 2023.
“Self-publishing through Amazon was a dream come true.”
9. What inspires you to write and do art?
“I’m not sure what inspires me. I just have to create. It’s a drive. Whether it be art, writing, or music I just have to make things. If I don’t I start to get weird.”
10. How do you get book reviews and followers for your social medias? Any tips and tricks?
“TikTok surprisingly helps a lot. Way More than Instagram. I would say most of my sales come from Facebook or Tiktok now.
“Mailing lists and finding book groups on Facebook to be a part of.
“As far as reviews…be ready to beg for them lol. Here’s a fun little bit of info: on Amazon alone, 1 in 100 people will leave a good review on average. That’s for books and products. People are not fast to leave good reviews. Ask yourself, when’s the last time you left a good review for a restaurant or store? You may be an angel and do it every week but most likely if you don’t know the people you haven’t left many. but people LOVE leaving bad reviews.
“The average reader may love books, but since they aren’t authors they don’t think about how much that means to someone or how much it helps. Their brain just isn’t wired in that direction.
“So to those of you about to write your first book: Be prepared to bug, badger and beg people for reviews because you will have to.”
11. What is harder: writing, editing, or marketing?
“Marketing. I thought I would love it but it makes me want to gouge my eyes out.”
12. If you could publish every book and art idea you’ve ever had, how many would you have out right now?
“I have ADHD so I could have filled libraries and galleries with my nonsense lol. It’s good our lives are only so long and time is precious; it makes us have to stop and consider what’s worth putting out into the world. There are things I cobbled together when I was younger that I look back on and think…boy I’m glad I didn’t finish that.”
13. Have you ever considered co-writing a book/series or piece with another author or artist?
“It’s come up. As far as literature goes I’ve been asked to illustrate graphic novels before but I would get bored working on something like that for so long. I’m not opposed to the idea but it would have to be a very special project.
“As far as art collaborations I actually do them fairly often. I usually have a great time doing them.”
14. What do you do to relax?
“I very much enjoy gaming with my family and friends. Going to the family lake. Hiking. We love to travel.”
15. If you could tell your 14-year-old self one thing, what would it be?
“Oof, it’s hard to pick only one but I’ll say: Stay away from drugs and alcohol. It doesn’t make you more creative and it will hurt you in the long run.”
16. What advice would you have for this upcoming generation?
“Just because the internet people are doing it doesn’t mean you have to.
“Stay healthy, you only get one body. You’re worthy of love. Don’t give up. And whether you believe in it or not Jesus loves you.”
17. Have you ever read a book that changed your outlook on life?
“‘Boys Life’ by Robert McCammon.”
18. Do you have a classic piece of literature or a classic author you are fond of? How about one that is overrated?
“I enjoy the works of Poe and Mark Twain quite a bit. Not sure who I would consider overrated…I find a lot of musicians overrated, but not many authors.”
19. Is there any type of music that gets your writing juices flowing?
“Classical, 80s Synthwave, and etheric moody ambient music…”
20. If you could pick three people who are your heroes or role models, who would they be and why?
“Stephen King, Alex Pardee and Stephen King.”
21. Dog or cat person?
“I love them both but I lean more toward dogs.”
22. What do you want to eat right now?
“Steak or sushi sounds fantastic.”
23. If you could be in any movie that has already been made, which one would it be?
“That is a great question…I’m just going to say Jurassic Park as a raptor. Preferably the one that gets called clever…”
24. What is your favorite holiday or time of year?
“Christmas. There is just magic in the air.”
25. Anything else you would like to add?
“Folks, if you want to do something, start doing it. there is no reason not to. Talent is just the desire to do something and the ability to enjoy the process of learning that thing.
“Also, always choose to be kind.”
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Click the picture to take you to the Amazon link to purchase Lakota’s book.
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