Alex de Campi: Gojira!

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14.12.06 Ah, Christmas. Time for seasonal depression, strong liquor and Nick Drake LPs.

I've been so blue these past seven days, I've been indigo. But a few things are happening to cheer me up. One of which was my friend John Dunning, who sat me down last night and said "for heavens sake, Alex, stop focusing on what you haven't done this year, and just be amazed for a moment at all the things you have done."

He is right. It's been a great (if dramatic) year in so many ways, from filmmaking to writing to my personal life. But I still don't rule the world yet. And I still can't pay my rent. This is the greatest drag on my soul: the Russian-roulette pause of the ATM machine deciding if today I will be lucky.

But, as Ella sang, things are looking up. In less than a month, Agent Boo 2 and Kat & Mouse 2 will be out. I've managed to make Agent Boo 2 even more lunatic and absurdist than the first volume, and am still proud of the part where I manage to reference Caryl Churchill, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Lord of the Flies in the same sentence. In a book for 6-8 year olds. Here's the lovely cover, by Edo Fuijkschot:

While the second volume of Agent Boo is very much in the same vein as the first volume, Kat & Mouse 2 grows from its original concept in interesting directions. The kids go on a school trip to a Boston art museum (based on the madcap and wonderful Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum) where a painting is lost, and a mysteriously familiar statue of a falcon is found. We learn a little more about Kat's classmates, too. If Kat & Mouse 1 was "CSI meets Heathers", this is more "The Big Sleep meets Heathers". And here's what it looks like:

I've also started getting coloured pages of my French kids' book Adam in Chromaland from the colourist (who is one of the most talented in the world), and sweet zombie Elvis are they gorgeous. It's a perfect Europeanisation of the feeling of wonder Miyazaki creates.

Also, mark your calendars for Friday the 13th of April, 2007. Mr Toby Slater and I are throwing a party, and oh what a party it shall be. Four bands, magicians, jugglers, fire-breathers, aerial performers, and much more.

Now I have a music video pitch to finish, so I must be off. May you find a few moments of peace during the holidays.