Indrustrailists and CEO's read CASHFLOW magazine which published my work on a regular basis. They published a cartoon I did about Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens who wanted me to sign and send him the original art. I was surprised to receive this letter, along with his autographed biography

Long before "instant messaging" or "being online" became household words, I was publishing my cartoons on a regular basis in a magazine which very few people probably understood. Even the title of the magazine sounded a bit odd (if you weren't a geek!)

A relative had given what was thought to be a diary kept by Schulz. I wrote Charles about it, and received this short letter. How I received the writings is a long story but the entries still have me perplexed because so many coincidental dates give times when he did illustrations for Saturday Evening Post etc. and no lay-person would have known this. I decided to keep the writings anyway

Before my own cartoons appeared in any publication, I kept seeing Razor's cartoons in literally EVERY magazine I'd pick up. Razor did a monthly column for a cartoonist trade newsletter I subscribed to. I decided to write him for advice and was surprised he didn't live far from me...in Marquette branch prison! Needless to say, Razor gave fantastic words of encouragement which acted as a catalyst to my career in cartooning. Ray was one of the best in this business during that time, selling hundreds of cartoons throughout each year. I still wonder whatever became of ole' Razor!

It's comical to reflect on old acceptance letters when taking into consideration the prices some of these publishers paid. Then again, I was a youngster, willing to take what they offered at face value. The real reason I'd like to share this is so newcomers today won't accept such ridiculous prices (especially in today's world!) and make sure you sell one-time publishing rights to your work...keep your original artwork. I let ALOT of original artwork go into some huge cartoon-vortex, never to be seen again!

One of my earliest sales was to the New Yorker. One of their contract artists wanted the idea and I eventually discovered it was the late Charles Addams who devised the script for the Addams Family television show

The very first cartoon I sold, was to Mechanix Illustrated. I was fortunate enough to sell more work here until editor Dick Barnett had moved on. The high which a "first sale" generates can only be understood by those who've endeavored to get their work published

In my business, I've met alot of interesting writers, editors and other professional business people. I had the chance to illustrate a couple of books for the "dean" (or "god father" as I call him) of the fluid power industry, none other than John Pippenger of nearby Laurium

I was negotiating an advertising project where my cartoons were to appear on billboards throughout a certain part of Michigan. I hadn't heard back from the advertiser in quite a while and eventually received this letter.

Like the old saying goes, you "win some & lose some"...