Cats, Dogs, and Lava-Mermaids

Hello friends!

In just ONE WEEK, May 5th 2026, my debut picture book PAY ATTENTION TO ME!, illustrated by Rob Justus, comes out. I'm so excited to share Edgar the cat with you! And Edgar would not be Edgar if it weren't for Rob Justus's fantastic drawings. If memory serves, all I said about how I wanted Edgar to look was that I wanted "a big, dumb cat" (complimentary). But Edgar is more than that. He's lovable and huggable and you just can't stay mad at him.

Rob Justus is an award-winning author, illustrator, and graphic novelist from Canada. (I left in his extra u's below to honor his culture. 😄) I'm so grateful to Rob for bringing this story to life. So I asked Rob a few questions about his work and illustrating picture books and graphic novels and here's what he had to say.

KM: What's your favorite kind of pen? I love to ask artists/writers their opinions on pens.

RJ: Y'know, I'm not really a pen person–especially with my art. I've tried some inkers for my illustration and would love to have more free time to explore and experiment more, but right now I'm strictly coloured pencils in my sketchbook (The Polychromos Faber-Castells are my go to). That said, when I'm jotting down ideas and notes in my notebook, I use this regular multi coloured BIC pen. The type where you click down either blue, black, red or green. That's my jam to coordinate lines of thought in my horrible handwriting!

KM: Many think that picture books are easier to write/draw because they are shorter. You've worked on projects of all lengths. Do you think that's true what people say about picture books? What do you find easy or hard about illustrating a picture book?

RJ: PSSSHT! That's crazy talk. Writing a GOOD picture book is really hard! It's hard because they're short and concise, and that you have to hit the right emotions and lessons within those 32 pages. Drawing a picture book is less of a grind than a graphic novel, but I find graphic novels are easier for me to write since I have a little more room to run wild in. Depending on the size they're a lot more work to draw.

KM: How do you get started when you first pick up a picture book text to illustrate? 

RJ: I probably spend the first few days just thinking about the text. I like to let ideas ruminate for a while before anything hits the sketchbook. Then there is usually one spread in the middle that speaks to me, and I build out from there. So for instance in PAY ATTENTION TO ME, it was the full spread of Edgar dreaming he'd be larger than life–stepping over the world in his cool sparkly robe.

KM: What's your favorite animal to draw?

RJ: Good question...I like to doodle lots of animals. I've been drawing lots of cats and dogs over the last couple of years, considering the books I've worked on like PAY ATTENTION TO ME, BABY GARFIELD, and SUPERGIRL'S ZOO-PER HEROES: KRYPTOS BIG BREAK. However, I generally "go back to" these rams and deer that I often warm up with. I also have this little anthropomorphic lion I've drawn throughout my career. Someday he'll find a story to be in.

KM: What are you working on next?

RJ: Right now I'm having a blast working on my early reader graphic novels with DC Comics. So I'm just starting final art for the sequel to SUPERGIRL'S ZOO-PER HEROES, right as I'm about to dive into the third SUPERMAN'S GOOD GUY GANG book. That said, there's a number of really fun ideas that I'm developing too–both graphic novels and picture books. Let's just say I've been drawing a lot of toilets, space sharks, lobster-wolves, lava mermaids, and, of course, Santa. I'll just leave it at that! haha.

I, for one, really want to see a lobster-wolf and lava-mermaid. Can't wait to see what you do next, Rob!!

Speaking of cats, today is pub day for BATCAT: Seeing Stars, the LAST book in Meggie Ramm's BATCAT series (Abrams Fanfare), featuring my beloved half-bat, half-cat non-binary friend. I can't tell you how much I love this little guy (gender neutral) and his many adventures. If you were waiting for the whole series of graphic novels to come out before you dive in, now's your chance. It's fun for the whole family. And you know it's good when a nine year old (aka my kid) parades an early copy around their friends, bragging they get to read it first because their mom's the agent. <hair flip>

It's ALSO the pub day for a VERY different book, (if you're an adult and you like one, you'll like the other tbh), Anna Cowan's debut historical romance THE DUKE, (St. Martin's Griffin) which I pitched to editors as what if the Duke was a hot, hot lady? If you're familiar with Regency romances, you'll be familiar with the Duke archetype: handsome, aloof, possibly brimming with inner turmoil, just waiting to be tamed by the right woman. Fun, right? Make that Duke a tall, handsome, brooding woman, and we're off to the races. (That this character's name is Kate has nothing to do with my affection for this book and/or why I chose to rep Anna, lol). It's a damn good book, one Alix E. Harrow called, "hands down, my favorite romance of the decade." You should probably check this one out.

Don't forget! Just one more week to preorder PAY ATTENTION TO ME! and fill out this form to get access to an exclusive Ask Me Anything Zoom! Want it signed? Order from The Strand! In NYC? Join me Saturday May 9th at 11am at The Strand Union Square for storytime! Get your tickets (free!) here.

XOXOXOOXOXOXOX,

Kate

Who am I and what is this? This is Agents & Books, a twice-weekly newsletter about writing, publishing, and the creative life. I've been an agent for almost 20 years, most of it at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, and I'm the author of soon to be two books: Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life (Simon Element, 2025) and a picture book called Pay Attention to Me!, with illustrations by Rob Justus (Sourcebooks, 2026). If you haven't already, become a subscriber today. $5 a month or $50 a year. Same price since 2019!