An art sample from The Great Mouse Escape

Work progresses nicely on the children’s story and for the first time in a while I’m hitting my quota. There’s rarely a worry that I’ll go under my estimates for each chapter’s length, but usually I end up exceeding my estimates. When it’s a sci-fi or horror book, I’m fine with it, but I look back on the latter two Chumpty Dumpty books (especially the second) and I wish I could have told them with fewer pages.

Then again, I couldn’t even begin to tell you what to cut.

As for The Great Mouse Escape, I just finished chapter 9, and that’s about the halfway point. The story is in full swing so any samples would probably spoil things too much. Instead here’s a piece of art that I just finished, based on the character of Clara.

She is described in the book as “everybody’s everything.” Depending on who you are in the cage, she’s either a lover, a mother, or a big sister. All the other mice see her differently, but they all agree that she’s the glue that holds it all together.

She’s also (mild spoiler here) very sick and that’s a running theme throughout the book as she sympathizes with her companions’ fervent desire to break free of their prison, while also seeing the value in enjoying the time they have together, while they’re still (all) together.

Like I said in an earlier post, I’m not afraid to let this story be sad. Prepare yourselves.

All that said, the book’s going well. I’m not over the moon about it; it’s no Chumpty 2, but I’m liking it, and more importantly, I’m liking the characters.

I’m still on schedule and I hope to have it done before Thanksgiving.