4: A Decade Later

In 2011, Staake decided to post on Facebook a few images from the unfinished book he called Bluebird. This was a completely wordless children's book, he explained, that he'd begun some 10 years earlier but one that he had yet to completely sketch out and pitch to publishers. He explained that the story touched on a variety of serious  themes and would be very unlike any other children's book he had ever published. The response to the art from his Facebook followers was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and this surprised Staake. He immediately called his agent, Gillian MacKenzie, and told her that he would make the time to finally get the book ready enough to present to publishers. Two weeks later and armed with a cover, sample spreads, various sketches and a script outlining the entire story, Bluebird was submitted to a number of editors.

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