Boldtman Studios

I can’t believe it’s already been two years since my first book, The Gophers in Farmer Burrows’ Field came out!  It has been such an amazing experience.  For some reason, the first year of the book just blew past me and after I looked back at the fact that I missed celebrating the book turning one, I made a mental note I would not forget again (or at least try not to).

Why worry about a book birthday?  Though I’ve been drawing professionally for about 12 years now, I sort of mark the start of my journey into the picture book world from this book.  I remember the moment I carried all these boxes into my home, opened them up and held the first copy in my hands.  It was a very exciting and proud moment in my life.  And yet it was not very long afterwards when I realized it’s not about me.

It’s about the kids.

This book has brought me into a number of schools over the past 2 years.  Minutes into my first presentation I got it.  As an author and illustrator I want more than anything, to inspire creativity and imagination in these kids.  I don’t know who said it (as I’m sure someone did), but two quotes I often write in the front of books I sign are: “Run after your dreams” and “Your life is a book worth reading”.  I truly believe in these quotes.  I would not be doing this as a career if my own parents had not encouraged me the way they did to chase my own dreams in life.  Every child out there has a story to tell with their life, and each one is worth “reading”.  I also see it in my own children.  As a father of 3, my wife and I enjoy seeing our kids growing up, developing their personalities and abilities that make them unique.  Children are the future and I want to do my best to make them laugh, dream, think, be inspired, and enjoy being a kid, the same way books did that for me.

This is my copy of The Gophers in Farmer Burrows’ Field.  It has a rather embarrassing drawing I did in it, but as soon as I wrote that first school visit in it, I knew this copy had to be the one I brought with me to every school.  It’s getting pretty beat up, but it’s special to me and I love opening it up, reading it to the kids, and writing another school’s name in it.

***

To celebrate this Farmer Burrows Day I want to make a special offer.  Until the end of the month, for every copy of The Gophers in Farmer Burrows’ Field that sells, I would LOVE to DONATE a free copy to a school of the buyers choice.  I know there are a few people who already have a copy of my book, and so if they want to still celebrate this, I will donate a free copy of the book to a school for ANY and EVERY item that is sold in my store until the end of the month! (the book is available elsewhere, but I can only track sales on my own store to do this unfortunately.  So send me a little message with your purchase with the school’s info and I’ll make sure it gets there!

Also, The Gophers in Farmer Burrows’ Field is at a 25% OFF discounted price for the remainder of the month!

You can visit my store here: http://mikeboldt.storenvy.com/

Spread the word!

Happy 2nd Book Birthday Farmer Burrows!

-Mike