HAIRPHABET

Hear ye!  Hear ye!  I published a book!  I came up with the idea for "Hairphabet" nearly two years ago while doodling out the alphabet one day.  "Why not make an alphabet of hairstyles?", younger Nicole asked herself.  I initially thought that the alphabet might make a good t-shirt design, but when Threadless turned me down I decided to think bigger.. why not a book?  I submitted the idea to a few publishers, but no one was interested in publishing it.  

About a year ago, I got hired to do some freelance work for a wonderful lady named Lauren who was starting up her own publishing company.  I pitched the idea for "Hairphabet" to her randomly one day and to my extreme elation and surprise she agreed to let me publish it!  It's so hard to believe in an idea or dream when no one else seems to.  It makes it hard to trust that you've got anything worthwhile in your hands.  Thanks so much to Paradisiac Publishing for giving me a shot and for reminding me that dreams can and do come true (cue Disney princess song).  I'm so grateful!Get your copy here!

february 8, 2011 // snowmobile

This is my last week in Helena, Montana. I'll be sad to say goodbye to Sarah. We've had so much fun together! It's been nearly two years since we've been in the same place at the same time for more than two weeks, which made this time all the more special. I'm excited to take everything that I've learned in this past month back to California with me. I feel like I've grown so much creatively...and even emotionally. It's hard to express the difference I see in myself, but it's there.

My Volvo is about ready to get back to warmer weather. I've only seen a handful of older Volvo cars in Montana...probably because they've all died fiery deaths. My car is not in her finest shape at the moment. The cold and snow has definitely worn her down. On Friday, Sarah and I are going to to buy new tires for our cars! Making this plan made us both feel pretty old.. and I feel even older because I'm actually looking forward to it...Yikes.

I'll be leaving Saturday morning and taking two or three days to get down to Las Vegas where I'll meet up with Bobby Craig Grandville (more on him to come...!) Until then, I'll be enjoying the rest of my time in Helena. Today I'm sending my book proposal to Chronicle Books (!!!!)... Getting excited!

january 29, 2011 // i just don't understand why you went to montana

I've gotten this a lot. People wondering why I had to go all the way to Montana to do what I'm doing. I don't know why, but since graduating from college I've done a lot of things that.. well, frankly seem weird to people. I got a job driving a 34 foot RV around the country when I was 23 and again when I was 24.. not really what the majority of people my age are doing. It's just that the idea of a cubicle and someone controlling my time makes me want to pull my hair out.. so I end up doing things that will let me avoid this lifestyle at all cost.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I've come to the conclusion that I'm like an unbroken horse (I learned this term while in Montana.. so it seems appropriate!).. I've been living this carefree life, going where I please.. doing what I want to do and yes, supporting myself along the way (odd jobs are a good friend of mine), but I feel the pressure to give in and live a "normal" life. I get it from my parents (they're very supportive, but I think they get pressure from the rest of my family and their friends and as a result, doubt what I'm doing) and a few friends here and there who are genuinely concerned when I seem concerned.. Oddly enough, the person I seem to get it from the most is myself.

This realization is surprising, seeing as I'm the one who takes myself on these wild journeys. It's like I have two sides of myself constantly arguing about what's best for me. Part of me so wants to settle down and conform. This side wears a business suit and has a planner.. she also has an iPhone on which she constantly get's e-mails. In response to some of her messages, she exclaims things out loud like, "Uh! He would!" and "That's absurd!". The other half looks like a hippy gypsy. She's totally fine with going where the metaphorical wind of the future takes her. She's boisterous and social... she also seems to "win" more often when told to battle against her responsible counterpart. I need to find a balance between the two. A vagabond, free-spirited lifestyle that I can support financially with dedicated work that I enjoy. I know such a balance exists because I've seen other people achieve it.

While people (as well as myself) may doubt the reason why I came all the way to Montana for a month to follow this dream, this month has been so important. I've really proved to myself that when I focus my creative energy, I can get things done. While no one is throwing money at me (..yet) to doodle things.. I know that it's possible to make a living with art. Yesterday I finished the first of two packages that I'll be sending to my publisher of choice - Chronicle Books. I knew that I wanted to see if they'd publish my work as soon as I saw that they were the publishing house behind All My Friends Are Dead. I love that the books they publish are quirky and fun.. I hope they like my work enough to publish it! I'm going to send them a few designs for journal covers and a possible novelty picture book on this go around... and then as soon as I finish my yeti book, I'll send it their way too!

I'm still working on the "feature" book I originally came out here to write.. the one about the yeti. Hopefully I'll get it done before I leave in a few weeks. If not, I still feel accomplished. It feels good to put my mind to something and achieve it. Even if I don't get published, I still feel like I did something that I can be proud of.

january 26, 2011 // the yeti abides.

I'm deep in children's book mode.. I've been in Montana for twelve days, making it almost the halfway point of my quest to author-hood. I've been writing, illustrating, writing some more.. So far, I've illustrated a picture only alphabet book and some designs for a t-shirt company that I'm hoping to work for.

I have fifteen days to finish this project. It's time to become one with the yeti. That's right, my "feature" book (feature meaning the book that I came here primarily to write ) is about a yeti. I'm super excited about this project. What better place to write about a yeti than in the blustery winter weather of Montana?!

january 10, 2011 // the plan

I'm taking one month - that's it - to do something that I've wanted to do for years. Since middle school, I've had this dream of writing and illustrating a children's book. I've come up with idea after idea in my mind, but I've never put any of them down on paper. That's about to change. I have a goal of writing, illustrating and (hopefully) publishing a children's book by the time I'm 25. Well, here I am.. a little over a week into my 25th year.. it's time to get this ball rolling. I'm going to give myself a thirty day challenge. I'll be driving up to Montana (where my good friend Sarah lives) to work on the book. Why? Well.. why not? I originally wanted to take my trailer up there with me to sleep in, but snow is preventing that from happening. I have no heat, and I'll end up a children's-book-writing-sicle if I do that. Instead, I'll be renting a room and spending most of my days at local coffee shops. There's something powerful about deadlines.. especially for a procrastinator such as myself. I have the story for my book all plotted out in my mind.. now it's just a matter of getting it out of my head and into the world. Here's my route:

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I don't know what it is, but something is spurring me on to go do this thing. A lot of it probably has to do with all of the awesome inspiration I've digested from my time with Roadtrip Nation. How could I not pursue my dreams when I've heard interviews like these?!

Also, I'm kind of crazy about this interview: RTN Interviews Christian Jacobs.. but I can't figure out how to embed it on my blog! It's definitely worth the watch. Christian Jacobs is AWESOME.. he might be my next "Neckache of the Month"!

..and.. oh my YES... if nothing else, please, please, please watch this interview with sneaker artist, Van Taylor Monroe. I get goosebumps every time that I watch it.. Uh! So good!

Besides loving everyone that works at Roadtrip Nation, I love all that being a part of the movement has taught me. There are millions of people in this world who aren't doing something with their life that they enjoy. Of course, we all need money to survive.. and sometimes that means doing things that we don't love in order to pay the bill.. but there are also millions of people who are pursing their passions in life. I think the difference between the two groups is a matter of being brave enough to try to do that thing that makes you.. you. Sometimes following a dream means putting it all on the line.. maybe surviving on peanut butter and jelly for a while in order to get that thing.. that gift that only you can give to the world.. out there.

I'm out of work right now. I'll be dipping into my savings in order to make this thing happen.. but if I never do it, I'll always wonder, you know? Getting a book published seems like a long shot from where I'm standing right now, but I'm hopeful. The unexpected happens. People who paint sneakers get in the Wall Street Journal.. and then The Smithsonian (I'm telling you.. watch that Van Taylor Monroe interview!) I've always loved art and storytelling. That picture up there? That's me (as you probably guessed).. happy as a clam with a paintbrush in hand. I totally believe that we know from a young age what we love, but somehow some of us lose that along the way. All the noise gets in the way and we buy into the lie that in order to be successful we must do this or be that. I'm going to put it all out there.. I'm going to be purely myself and see what happens. Here we go!