1989

When it comes to stories, no subject is original. I’ve even heard it said that there are only seven basic storylines in the world but I think this is a bit of an exaggeration. However, when I began this sheet of sketches for NAT THE CAT back in 1989, I remember having to put away my concerns that books with rhymes about cats had been done before. What you have to remember is that you haven’t done your version of the story and, as we are all unique, your version won’t be like anyone else’s. (This presupposes you are not a ‘copy cat!*’) I’m sure even the great Dr Suess wasn’t the first person to rhyme the word ‘cat’ with ‘hat’, but he was the first one who did it well and became famous from it. So, here is my first ever thumbnail idea sketches for Nat the Cat (double-click on it to zoom in and read the words).

* Typing the phrase COPY CAT kick-started a storyline idea for Nat. You may find it in a book one day. You see how ideas can come from anywhere?