The Dog Pound - Donnie Mather, Illustrator

We are very happy to announce that we have found another artist that is overflowing with talent. We want to introduce you to our brand new illustrator, Donnie Mather. Donnie Mather was born in Indiana, but was raised in Kentucky. He graduated from Elizabethtown High School. He attended Elizabethtown Community College as an art major before he joined the Air Force. After the Air Force, he received his Associates Degree in Commercial Art from Rocky Mountain School of Art in Denver. For the past 25 years, Mr.Donnie has worked as a technician for Cox Communications, while also freelancing in designs and illustrations. He married his wife Sally in 2008, has 2 step-sons and 3 grandchildren.

We asked Mr. Donnie what he liked to do for fun. He built a beautiful 1923 T-bucket car. Isn't that incredible? Can you imagine how cool I would look riding around in the T-Bucket with my blue shades? He also has a DJ business and provides music for weddings and parties. He loves country music. So do we! Chloe was listening to Loretta Lynn on her iBone today. She was singing You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man. My sister has the prettiest singing voice! Anyway, back to Mr. Donnie, he has a 14 year old Sheba Enu named Sammy. Mr. Donnie likes to eat Mac-and-Cheese, cheeseburgers, oranges, and grapes. When we read Mr. Donnie had a dog, liked country music and Mac-and-Cheese, we knew he was the man for the job!

We can't wait for you to see his illustrations! They are awesome, incredible, terrific, fantastic - I could go on listing adjectives all night! His illustrations premier the week of September 12, 2011, in the new serial story Doghouse Divided.

Paul Brett Johnson, Illustrator

Author/Illustrator Paul Brett Johnson is a native of Kentucky's Appalachian Mountains — Mousie, Kentucky to be exact. He has published over twenty books for children. His work has garnered numerous honors including two Kentucky Bluegrass Awards and a California Young Readers' Medal. Many of his books have been selected to noteworthy lists in School Library Journal, American Bookseller, Bulletin, Smithsonian magazine, the New York Public Library's "100", and the IRA/CBC children's choices. He has been profiled in Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market as well as Writers' Digest. He has been listed in Who's Who In America. For more information, visit www.paulbrettjohnson.com.

Paul Brett Johnson, 1947-2011

Chloe and I, along with our entire Wiener Dog Gang, are so sad. On Thursday morning, June 2, 2011, Mom received a phone call saying that our illustrator, Paul Brett Johnson, had passed away at 10:00 the night before. PBJ, as Chloe and I called him, suffered a stroke on Sunday. Even though PBJ was still young and healthy, the stroke was too much for his body. We will definitely miss his artwork and his fun personality. Thankfully, he will live on through our previous stories, as well as his many, many books - our favorite being, On Top of Spaghetti. We love you, PBJ!

James Asher, Illustrator

This is James Asher, our illustrator. He is the best illustrator in the whole world. Chloe and I love the way he makes us look!

Award winning designer/illustrator James Asher is a native west Kentuckian. Born in Caldwell County, he has spent his adult life as a graphic designer including book layout, illustration and design.

His art education began at Murray State University with further study at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, and at the Institute Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

James and his wife, Carol, live near Princeton, Kentucky where they enjoy herb gardening.