James Burks

Writing a Series-Worthy Character Guest blog by Vicky Fang ​Having a main character that can drive multiple books is a key part of creating a chapter book series. But how do you create a series-worthy character?  ​​I’m...

This week on #24CarrotWriting Vicky Fang shares excellent advice on creating a series-worthy character and tips for developing a book series. www.24carrotwriting.com/-blog/writin... @fangmousbooks.bsky.social @candlewickpress.bsky.social @meganlitwinbooks.bsky.social @kristimahoney.bsky.social

YouTube video by Creative Pep Talk Escape Your Creative Rut with This 5 Part Creative Hygiene Checklist

I've recently been WAY off track creatively. I really connected with this @andyjpizza.bsky.social podcast and the one before it (#528) Best part? I finally got into the zone today! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7Es...

Happy Wednesday! We created a starter pack of ABLA authors & illustrators just for you! We are HUGE fans of these humans.

Note: We’re still adding to this list, which has been created by an enthusiastic assistant and not AI, so if you see that someone’s missing let us know! 😊

go.bsky.app/Rux2YKX

I love this so much.

Box Tales: Grow, Strawberries, Grow! is great for kids and adults. Graphic Progeny approved! Beatrix and Box want to eat a million strawberries! But their only way to do it is to grow their own strawberry garden!

Box Tales: Grow, Strawberries, Grow! is great for kids and adults. Graphic Progeny approved! #graphicnovel #comics #kidlit @jamesburks.bsky.social @01firstsecond.bsky.social @mackidssl.bsky.social

digital illustration of Wisp, a small ghost with big glasses, buying a story from a friendly vampire

digital illustration of two smiling creatures: one is round and green with a small cap, and the other is yellow with fuzzy hair and glasses

digital illustration of a family packing their car for a camping trip, including impractical items like a toaster and a hairdryer

digital illustration of Kat, a yellow striped cat, reading a book in a cross-section view of her house

🎨 Spotlight on James Burks (@jamesburks.bsky.social)!

James’s Illustrator Page

James is represented by Kelly Sonnack (@ksonnack.bsky.social). He is open to picture books and black & white interiors.

I just cancled my Disney/Hulu bundle.

A book cover. The title is Box Tales: Grow, Strawberries, Grow! by James Burks The cover depicts a cardboard box with a face, holding a gardening spade and a little boy with brown hair holding a watering can. They both stand in front of a patch of strawberry bushes.

A page from the graphic novel Box Tales by James Burks. Text reads from left to right, top to bottom: If I were a strawberry... I'd eat me! I could eat.. a MILLION strawberries! I could eat.. a BILLION strawberries! That's it! We have a new goal! Eat a BILLION strawberries!

Happy Book Birthday to Box Tales: Grow, Strawberries, Grow! by @jamesburks.bsky.social. This graphic novel for young readers follows Beatrix and Box as they attempt to grow their own strawberry garden 🍓🪴 bit.ly/4fkJHsR

The full window display. The science books scattered among charts, graphs, jars of animals, baskets of insects, skeletons, and beakers all on a neon yellow fabric with a light blue fabric background.

The left side of the display with a white lab coat hanging on the back behind piles of science themed books. From top to bottom are What About Science, Night Walk, The Super Smart Space Activity Book, Science Comics Solar System, An Immense World, DK Eyewitness Insect, Abby in Orbit Space Race, Birdwatching, Animals of Land, Sea and Air.

The center of the display with the event info. Signage reads “Science Saturday! Facts matter. Calling all inquisitive minds!! Saturday, September 20th 11 am: Kirsten W. Larson. 1 pm: James Burks. 4 pm: Jorge Cham.” On each side of the author information is the author’s photo and the featured book. Below that are the books The Super Smart Space Activity Book, Science Comic Solar System, Abby in Orbit Space Race, Birdwatching, Animals of Land, Sea, and Air, Scientists are Saving the World, ABCs of Science, Origin.

The right hand of the display with piles of science themed books. From top to bottom are Me and My Body, Stay Curious and Keep Exploring Next Level, What’s Inside a Bird’s Nest, Origin, How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up, Say Goodbye to Plastic, Rocks, Gems and Geodes, and Animated Science: Rocks and Minerals.

Science is happening every day and everywhere! We are excited about our Science Saturday celebrations with three authors visiting on September 12th.
11 am: @kirstenwlarson.bsky.social
1 pm: @jamesburks.bsky.social
4 pm: @phdcomics.com
www.shoponceuponatime.com/event/scienc...

🎨 Spotlight on @mikeboldt.bsky.social

Mike's Illustrator Page

Mike is represented by @jenrofe.bsky.social and is interested in picture books and covers.

Some stop-motion to promote my new graphic novel series, Box Tales, that launches in September from First Second.

thanks!

Dance like no one is watching! Some new stop-motion animation with a character I hope to use in a future picture book idea. #stopmotion #animation

Agree!

You got this.

Cover reveal for the second book in my new GN series Box Tales. It'll be out on March, 3, 2026. But book 1 will be out later this year on Sept. 16.

If you're interested in how I make my graphic novels, I share quite a bit of my behind-the-scenes process on my Substack. #graphicnovels

A green sketchbook with a yellow painted tree on the cover.

The first step when doing thumbnails for a graphic novel about camping is to paint a yellow tree on the front of a new sketchbook. This very important step is also called PROCRASTINATION.

I haven’t had much time to post lately, I’ve been in my writing cave working on the story for BoxTales book 3 and revising the outline for my new graphic novel idea, which is going out on sub. I had some free time, so I decided to rig this character in Toonboom and do some simple animation.

I use bridge when working on my graphic novels. I can scroll through all the pages in a folder and then open them with one click into photoshop. I also use it to make pdfs when sending files to publisher. I’ve used it for ages.

Drawing of James Burks wearing a jetpack flying across the sky on the way to Rivervale, NJ.

Another week, another author school visit adventure. This time I'm off to New Jersey to visit two school this coming week. Looking forward to seeing the students and inspiring them to be creative. Onward!

That's how I started.

Every single school should have a school library & a school librarian, to help every single child find the books that will make them readers, and give them all the lifelong benefits of literacy. Libraries & librarians change children's lives FOREVER! #SchoolLibrarianDay #SchoolLibraryMonth

Some highlights from my two Indiana school visits. I was shown so much love and creativity by all the students, teachers, and librarians. Thank you! I'm always amazed that the books I've created have connected with so many people all around the US and the world. I don't take any of it for granted.

Every day. Sigh.

After a day of traveling and hanging out in airports, I made it safely to Indiana for my upcoming author visits. I also had an interesting interaction with the rental car person at the exit gate. I'm not sure what she was talking about because my hair is the same now as it was on my license pic.

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Carmel, IN, for two author visits next week. I had originally scheduled this school visit trip back in 2020, but that pesky pandemic got in the way. Well, 5 yrs later, it's been rescheduled, and I'm looking forward to entertaining the kids with my witty book-making banter.

I love this series. I just finished his jew book “We Solve Murders.” It was fun too.

If you live in or near New Haven, CT, come see me this Saturday at IC3.

A good way to get to know a character is to design their space.