Last week was a good one in the studio. Robbi spent most of her time painting in the black and white sketches for our upcoming Bobbledy Book The Imaginary Dragon. There are 40 illustrations in the book, so this took a while.

But luckily, she had plenty of time to work. The skies conspired to keep us all indoors.

She even found time to create this painting for this week’s Bobbledy drawing prompt.

But we had another big project in mind for the week.

For a long time, we’ve been meaning to write a letter to the various folks who have been our subscribers in the past but whose subscriptions have lapsed for one reason or another. Just to remind them that we’re still here, still making books, and still in need (or is it just want?) of their love and support.

I wrote a very nice letter filled with heartfelt sentiment and well-constructed sentences. As is her usual tendency, Robbi took my words and scribbled all over them, crossing out the ones that didn’t suit her and adding her (usually derisive) commentary.

Here’s what we came up with. Click the thumbnail below to see a larger version. Warning: if you read this letter, you are almost guaranteed to subscribe to Idiots’Books, so powerful and moving are the words and images contained therein.

Once the letters were complete and printed, we had to put them in envelopes.

And apply mailing labels.

Fortunately, we had some help. Suddenly, and without warning, Alden developed the useful skills of gathering…

…and stacking.

We were elated. Finally, and at long last, the pains and trials of parenthood were starting to bear fruit. No longer just a consumer of resources, Alden was giving back to the family industry.

Unfortunately, at some point, Alden stopped to inspect the contents of the envelopes she was so dutifully organizing.

What she found was not to her liking.

I was informed that I was not, under any circumstances, to throw Robbi in a volcano. I asked her why and she replied, “Because it isn’t nice.”

She has a point.

Alden stormed off in protest, but it turned out we had a backup helper. He was enthusiastic, if slightly less skilled.

The following afternoon, I put stamps on envelopes while watching The Walking Dead.

Nothing pairs quite so exquisitely with postage as zombie slaughter. Kind of like chocolate and peanut butter.

After the mailing was done, Robbi went back to her Imaginary Dragon paintings. She realized that she had forgotten to ink one of the finals, so she printed out her sketch on what she thought was a blank piece of paper.

Alas, we still had the label paper in the printer from the day before.

Such are the inefficiencies and wasted materials that keep Idiots’Books from making a leap into the Fortune 500.

Though we may not have shareholders, dividends, and a proper CEO, we do have a king.