OPENBOOK

the first "MYTHLES" 1958

One night in Bozeman Montana, instead of doing his homework, an 11 year old woolgatherer drew his first group of storybook characters. In time this group became, Mythles. And the young woolgatherer ...

... became an old woolgatherer.

Mythles have been tagging along ever since. In 1964 the St. Louis Magazine was first to publish my cartoons and continued to do so until its demise two years later (an obvious coincidence). Mythles carried me through Art School and the Draft. My Viet Nam era was spent in Istanbul Turkey serving in the U. S. Coast Guard (don’t ask) … For years after, I worked in the Phoenix Post Office Graphics Department. When the budget dried up and I had to do real postal work, I eventually retired to heed the voices of those persistent Mythles—"Write!"

Ever since my first Little Golden Book, illustrated tales of King Arthur and Brothers Grimm led me to faraway realms of imagination. Moreover, they led me to believe dreams can come true. Sadly, woolgathering doesn’t equip one in the craft of writing. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Without the invaluable experience shared by members of SCBWI over the years, my stories could not have been written. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney said that. He worked in the Post Office too … and later heeded the voice of his own cartoons.

The stories are done. After traveling from Bozeman to Istanbul to Cornville, Arizona (that’s where my wife, Shana, and I, and my Mythles live) each character has their own tale to tell. I call my stories 'Fairly' Tales. They're not Fairy Tales in the traditional sense. They're more grin than Grimm. I hope you find them to your liking.