I've been writing one thing or another all of my adult life, including academic essays, classic movie reviews, and introductions for editions of classic novels, but at heart I'm a creative writer still hoping to pitch the right novel manuscript to the right agent at the right time. Luckily for me, my incredibly talented artist kid, Sparky, is launching a new snail mail club and has graciously allowed me to contribute the original short stories that will accompany their characters and art in each issue. I'm truly excited to help them bring the whimsical world of Sparkytopia to life!
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| Preview of the Puppystein issue |
If you're not familiar with snail mail clubs, they're a huge trend right now among artists and other creatives looking to reach audiences who hunger for human-made, tangible joy in an increasingly digital and AI-dominated world. Remember when going to the mailbox was exciting? I certainly do. Before social media, I was a prolific letter writer and Christmas card sender, and I miss the pleasure of getting personal mail instead of bills and advertisements. There are hundreds of snail mail clubs catering to different tastes, budgets, and interests, and you can find lists of them on sites like MailClubly. Whether it's art, history, original fiction, recipes, or travel, you'll find your interests represented in someone's club.
The Sparkytopia snail mail club will build on Sparky's original characters and the world they inhabit through monthly issues containing stickers, small prints, and special surprises lovingly created by Sparky as well as short stories contributed by me. You'll get to know three overlapping groups of characters: the cute neighborhood kids of Sparkytopia, the friendly monsters of spooky Sparky Hollow, and the fashionable teens of the Petticoat Party. We've been working together to imagine the adventures of these characters and the stories that bring them to life. I'm especially enjoying writing stories for the Sparky Hollow monsters - Count Catcula, Puppystein and his Bride, and Wilbur the Werebear - and it has been a delight to watch Sparky design all of the new characters whose stories are forthcoming.
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| Sparkytopia mascot Prince Rory |
Sparky's art evokes the joy and whimsy of picture book illustrations with bright colors and bold line work. As an expansion of their work as a full-time freelance illustrator and digital artist, the snail mail club will deliver that nostalgic joy to subscribers' mailboxes every month. Fans of cozy art, cute characters, and sweet, funny stories will find a lot to enjoy in each issue, which is suitable for all ages but intended to appeal to tweens, teens, and adults. Each story will run about 500-600 words.
The launch issue introduces Sparky Hollow's adorable Puppysteins, Godwin and Shelley, and their quest for the perfect wedding cake in the short story, "Puppystein Takes the Cake." The issue includes 2 vinyl stickers (one of each character), a handmade interior envelope, a welcome letter, the story, an exclusive B&W mini print that can also be used as a coloring page, and a short recommendation list of Frankenstein-related fun.
If you're interested in the Sparkytopia snail mail club, you can learn more or sign up here:
https://mailclubly.com/@sparkytopia
I wrote a previous post about how classic movie monsters inspire some of Sparky's art, which you can read here. Wish us both luck as we work to make this collaboration a success!
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