For the first time I have a co-writer for my latest children’s book titled Purple Fox and the Heebie Jeebies. To say the project has involved growing pains would be a gross understatement. After about two months of intense effort we’re finally beginning to gain some traction. It has certainly been a learning experience for all involved.

Christina Cartwright is the illustrator we just began using on this project and I’m very pleased with her work. This is the third book she is illustrating for me.

Josh Friedman is my co-writer. He’s a very enthusiastic and creative person who has written many songs, including some that featured a Purple Fox and some creatures called the Heebie Jeebies and wanted to see if the idea could be turned into a book. Josh asked our mutual friend Denis Loiseau for referrals and Denis sent him my way. You may recall that Denis was my first songwriting collaborator and inspired my initial writing efforts.

Below is a brief excerpt from the book.

Purple Fox and the Heebie Jeebies

My Halloween party was so much fun!

There were plenty of goodies for everyone.

Animals and colors were the theme.

It was a very special Halloween!

I walked around the noisy room

playing “Guess Who?” for each costume.

Billy was a blue lion and Penny was a pink frog,

Yolanda a yellow lizard and Greg a green dog.

Rusty was a rhino made from a big white box,

and I was dressed up as a purple fox.

All my friends brought lots of treats.

But Mommy warned, “Watch what you eat!

I know it all looks mighty yummy,

but if you eat too much, it will hurt your tummy.”

At first I was careful not to take

more than two slices of chocolate cake.

But sugary sweets were everywhere.

I ate two kooky cupcakes and three eerie éclairs.

I knew right away I’d gone way too far

when I gobbled some ice cream, and a Waka-chaca bar.

There was only so much my tummy could take,

and soon I had a terrible stomach ache.

I held where it hurt as I told my mommy,

“I feel the heebie-jeebies in my tummy.

They’re jumping all around and they’re making horrible sounds.

May I please just go lie down?”

—

Copyright (c) Russ Towne and Josh Friedman

All Rights Reserved

With Love,

Russ