HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I have SO much to be thankful for this year. Looking back on my hard work, I am very content with where I am right now. Granted, financially, this year was a bust, but I knew going in that I would lose money. I charted waters in demographics where I am vertually unknown. The fact that I broke even at Bell County floored me and was beyond my expectations.

EXPANDED READERSHIP

I have quadrupled my online readership after expanding my show appearances. I added a signup sheet for my blog which rests on my table. At first, I figured no one would sign up because they would want to read my strip first. I was surprised that so many people signed up for my website! The numbers just keep growing too!!! I think THIS is what I am most thankful for in 2017.

TWO NEW NEWSPAPERS

My goal for 2017 was to add three new newspapers carrying Charmy’s Army. I ended up with two and I could not be more proud of myself. I actually had another paper who had promised to run Charmy’s Army back in February… but changes took place right after I began sending in strips and I never received payment. After my phones calls went to voicemail and ended up never being returned, I stopped sending in comic strips and actually became pretty depressed over the situation. Getting picked up months later by Zenith City Weekly and the Idaho World News refreshed my faith and now I know I will make a living at cartooning one day very soon!

COMIC CON FAMILY

I am very thankful for my new family at the many comic cons I have appeared at. I am humbled to be in the same presence as artists like Brian Salinas, Rosel Rodriguez and Vo Nguyen AND to call them my friends!!! And speaking of friends, to believe I am friends with Commander Mark Kistler, Guy Gilchrist and Sam De La Rosa ( I am not talking Facebook friends – I mean REAL friends) is simply mind-blowing. Then to consider myself in the same league as up and coming cartoonists like Richard Brooks is still inconceivable… not sure if I will ever be as popular or as good as Rick.

Beyond all the talent at the shows I have become family with, there are the promoters, the volunteers and the attendees. I cannot begin to tell you how all of the organizers and their attendees have opened up their arms this year to make me feel like family. Remember, this was my first year to do road shows. I was a nobody to these shows and they all treated me like I was a world famous cartoonist… which I intend to be one day soon. My biggest thanks goes out to George Jones (no relation to me nor the amazing country singer) for being the kindest and most personable promoter I have yet to meet. That dude really cares about everyone who works his show. I truly have never enjoyed being at a show more than I did when I appeared at East Texas Rose Comic Con. I hope I can make it back there in 2018!

YOU!

I could go on and on about everything I am thankful for, but most of all I am thankful for YOU! I especially love COMMENTS. Your feedback is key to my success. YOU keep me motivated. During INKtober, YOU kept me busy with some of the most amazing sketch card mashups I have ever created. Thanks to YOU, I have some great merchandise to sell at my shows!!! YOU are why I do this. I am a cartoonist because I want to make YOU and the entire world laugh, smile and enjoy a brief moment in time where you can escape reality and enjoy the ANTics of a troop of army ants and a very silly monkey.

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