ARTHUR ZARR'S AMAZING ART CAR: Guest Post by Cathey Graham Nickell

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ARTHUR ZARR'S AMAZING ART CAR

by Cathey Graham Nickell

illustrated by Bill Megenhardt

Genre: Children's Picture Book/Outsider Art

Publisher: Twenty-Eight Creative

Date of Publication: November, 2015

# of pages: 40

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Arthur Zarr is a quiet man with few friends. His life is rather plain, and his car is plain, too. But not for long! When Arthur gets a creative idea to add everyday objects to his car�s plain exterior, he�s noticed for the first time. Neighbors and other bystanders add their own artistic flair to the car, too. What happens when he enters his bedazzled vehicle in the town�s art car parade? Mr. Zarr finds happiness and makes friends by building an amazing art car. In this whimsical story, children learn about recycling, community, friendship building, and the power of imagination. The book includes a �History of Art Cars� page for readers who�ve never heard of this creative form of artistic expression. It also has a subtle ABC theme, as Arthur Zarr adds objects to his art car in alphabetical order! This is the first�and so far, the only�children�s book published about an art car. Suitable for all ages but especially ages 4-8. Illustrated by Houston graphic artist, Bill Megenhardt.

Guest Post from Author Cathey Graham Nickell

My Old SUV Inspired a Picture Book

I remember the playful statement I made to my teenage son last year on the way to his school. �Will, I need to be a polite driver and obey the laws of the road, because my car is so incredibly recognizable. Other drivers notice me, you know.� Will�s response? Eye roll, wrapped in a deadpan reaction, surrounded by mockery. �Uh, no, Mom, no one evernotices you. No one. And they definitely don�t pay attention your car.� We both laughed and went back to listening to our favorite morning drive radio show.

See, I�ve spent many years braving the freeways of Houston during rush hour while chauffeuring my kids to school. What you don�t know about me is that I like to cover the back of my SUV with meaningful bumper stickers. There�s one from my alma mater, Baylor University. Will�s school, Bellaire High. Katie�s college, Southern Methodist in Dallas. Pamela�s law school at the University of Texas in Austin. Mason�s college, University of St. Thomas. Then there are my declarative stickers: I ? Telluride, I ? My Havanese, and Do What You Like/Like What You Do! The bumper stickers have become a running joke with my friends and family. But you can�t blame me for trying to make my car seem a little less ordinary than the plain, whitish-bronze, 2003 SUV that it is.

I teased Will that morning about having a memorable car that everyone notices. He bantered back that no one would ever notice me. It was a simple joke, but it got me thinking. What else�besides bumper stickers�makes a vehicle stand out? What makes a car memorable? My own questions triggered me to contemplate art cars. Art cars are pretty darn memorable, I thought. By the time I had finished my morning carpool, the idea for Arthur Zarr�s Amazing Art Car was born. And even though I�m not an illustrator, I knew it would somehow become a picture book.

Do A Bit of Research. I wondered. Has anyone already written a story like this? Are there books available for children that describe art cars? I visited bookstores and libraries, and I researched the topic. I found several interesting photographic art car books for adults. But no colorful children�s books. No imaginative made-up stories. I asked around, and I was surprised that many people don�t even know what art cars are.

It seems that most residents in and around Houston know about art cars, because Houston is home of the country�s first and largest annual art car parade (now in it�s 29^th year). But most of my friends and relatives outside of Houston have never seen or heard of an art car. This discovery made me want to write and publish my story even more. I couldn�t wait to see the Arthur Zarr of my imagination come to life.

I rushed home from my library/bookstore quest to write. The story is set in a small, imaginary town, where Arthur Zarr is a quiet man with few friends. His life is rather plain, and his car is plain, too. But not for long! Arthur gets a creative idea to add everyday objects to his car�s exterior. People in his community start noticing him for the first time. Neighbors and other bystanders join Arthur by adding their own artistic flair to his car. Soon, he becomes a contender in the town�s Art Car Parade. Arthur Zarr finds happiness and makes friends by building an amazing art car.

Be Sure to Collaborate: All this, just from a silly conversation about my bumper stickers! My husband read the manuscript first, and he liked it. His enthusiasm gave me the confidence to continue to pursue the project. Friends and family encouraged me to self-publish, but I needed objective advice. A local advertising guru agreed to a gratis consult. He listened to my idea, and he said the same thing: go home and self-publish your book. He said something else that stuck with me: �Start talking about your book, Cathey. I�ve seen ideas die on the vine simply because someone was afraid to talk about it. Start talking about your book. Start collaborating.�

I had already written and self-published a nonfiction history book, but never a picture book. I asked around and made a few calls, which led me to a handful of illustrator options. I narrowed the list down to Bill Megenhardt, an experienced Houston children�s book illustrator with great references. His services weren�t exactly inexpensive, but he wasn�t the most expensive either. It was manageable. The illustration and print costs are not small, so this is a serious venture for me. But as my bumper sticker advises, I�m doing what I like and liking what I do! If all goes as planned, the book will be ready by November.

Listen to that kernel of inspiration that might be tickling the back of your mind. Pay attention to the silly stuff you joke about with friends or family. You never know; an object as ordinary as a 12-year-old SUV covered with bumper stickers might be all it takes to trigger your next project. And, like Arthur Zarr, maybe you�ll build something as amazing as an art car.

Praise for Arthur Zarr's Amazing Art Car:

�Nickell�s book is a treat for sight, sound, and sense, for readers and artcarfans (no, you won�t find the word in your dictionary just yet, anyway) of all levels.�

�Lone Star Literary Life.

�A wonderful story of art, opening up to the joys of life, and celebrating the artist in everyone.��Lynette Wallace, Executive Director, Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Houston, Texas.

�Cathey Nickell�s book will help fuel the desire to make positive changes in our world through artistic endeavor.��Alicia Duplan, Assistant Director, Art Car Museum, Houston, Texas.

�Cathey�s story. . . is both engaging and warm. By the end, I found myself rooting for Mr. Zarr. I even felt a small twinge of disappointment when he didn�t win the trophy. Artcar Nation highly recommends this book. Give it to all the children you know.�� Paul McRae, Artcar Nation.

BUY LINKS

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AUTOGRAPHED COPIES

ALSO AVAILABLE AT THESE BRICKS & MORTAR STORES:
BEER CAN HOUSE, 222 Malone St., Houston, Texas (weekends only).
BERINGS Baby and Kids Dept., 3900 Bissonnet St. and 6102 Westheimer Rd., Houston, Texas.
BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOKSTORE, 224 W. Colorado Ave., Telluride, Colorado.
BLUE WILLOW BOOKSHOP, 14532 Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas.
BRAZOS BOOKSTORE, 2421 Bissonnet St., Houston, Texas.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM, 5216 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas.
THE JUNG CENTER BOOKSTORE, 5200 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas.
TOY FAIR at Pierremont Mall, 4801 Line Ave., Shreveport, Louisiana.

Cathey Graham Nickell is an author, mother, and wife living in Houston, Texas. She is best known as the seeing-eye-person for her little blind dog named Cricket. Cathey launched her first children�s picture book, Arthur Zarr�s Amazing Art Car, in November 2015. She doesn�t drive an art car herself, but she has a habit of covering the back of her SUV with bumper stickers! Cathey also snaps pictures of art cars�which are plentiful in Houston�when she sees them. Her all-time favorite car was the bright-yellow Volkswagen Beetle that her grandmother drove in the 1970s.

Cathey draws from her experience as a former newspaper reporter and public relations professional. After taking a few years off to raise four children, Cathey started freelance writing again in 2012 when a non-profit organization called the Institute for Spirituality and Health hired her to research and write its six-decade history. Uniting Faith, Medicine and Healthcare: A 60-Year History of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center was published in 2015. The book is used as a marketing and communications tool, and all financial proceeds benefit the Institute (not Cathey). Cathey graduated from Baylor University with a BA in Journalism in 1985. She earned a Master of Arts from Louisiana State University-Shreveport in 2013. Find her online where she blogs about her writing and publishing adventures.