Nigel Sat in a Box

I know I’ve been gone for a minute. I needed to take a step back and reevaluate how I want to release my art. I’m sure many of you have noticed the name change on this account. Nigel is and will always be a part of my art, and will definitely be available to purchase again soon (hopefully by the end of the year at the latest), but I’m working to figure out the best way to represent myself as an author and a creative as a whole.

Currently, I’m focusing on making a personal website where I can continue to sell “Nigel Sat in a Box,” (some things happened with the publisher and I now have the remaining stock on hand—figuring our distribution on my own is a tricky bit ultimately good business), as well as post my own art and further writing projects.

I don’t have a set timeframe to announce. I am trying to practice being kind to myself while also taking the time and space I need to work on this project without having a full mental breakdown (oh the joys of being AuDHD). It’s slow (often slower than I would like), but I think it’s necessary to produce something I’m truly proud of. I need to sit inside the box until I am willing and able to come out.

I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with this page in particular. That not very good for the demands of the Almighty Algorithm but it is good for me. I will try to post little updates here and there as well as bits of art or writing I might think up. Thank you for continuing to follow along!

Anyway, here’s a little sneak peak of the art for the website! All done by yours truly.

Hello everyone!

I am making a few changes with the sales and distribution of “Nigel Sat in a Box.” In the coming weeks, I will be having the remaining inventory shipped to my personal address. Meaning that all orders and sales will have to go through me and will no longer be available through distributors like Amazon or sites like Mascot.

I will keep you all updated on how to order copies once I have received them. In the meantime, “Nigel” will not be available to order via the links on my linktree.

I believe this will be better in the long run and will enable me to connect more directly with those of you who wish to buy a copy! Check back here for updates on when “Nigel” will be available again! I will update my linktree at that time so y’all can know how best to order!

Thank you all for your interest in this little book about mental health! I am excited for the future and where we will go from here!

My schedule is pretty packed this month on account of ! But I want to keep posting about Nigel (gotta keep that algorithm fed), so I’ll be resharing some old favorites! Hope you enjoy!

As a child, I sat in many boxes. Boxes I didn’t choose for myself:

Good Kid Box ✔️
Neurotypical Box ✔️
Girl/Woman Box ✔️
Faith Box ✔️

As I grew, I discovered that I didn’t quite fit into all of the boxes in which I was placed. Yet I was expected to remain inside, so I did my best.

I used them to hide away from the world. In my mind, it was easier just to accept the boxes I was placed into, then it was to step outside.

Outside was unknown. Unpredictable. Terrifying. I knew what to expect inside those boxes. They were safe discomfort.

Soon, however, I wasn’t alone. Depression. Anxiety. Fear. All joined me inside as the weight of expectation became too much to bare.

The truth was, I didn’t know how to leave. Didn’t know if I even could. So they sat with me. My dad started the process, seeing and affirming little pieces of me that didn’t fit into the boxes. But it was my husband, Josh, who sat with me the longest. He stayed by my side. Caring for me. Listening to me. Supporting me. Eventually, (thanks to therapy, time, and the right medications) I reached a place where I was able to slowly come out.

I wrote Nigel Sat in a Box with the hope to foster communication between parents and their children about mental health. About the boxes they don’t feel like they belong in, and the unknown despair that can follow. My hope for this book is that it can help kids understand their mental health. And help parents to know how to respond to their children with empathy, understanding, patience, and love.

No one should be placed inside a box in which they do not belong.

Link in bio 📦💕

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A few more behind the scenes images from the development of “Nigel Sat in a Box”!

My brilliant illustrator did a ton of work figuring out how each character would look, from the initial sketches to the right colors. She put in so much time and love into this project which can be clearly seen throughout the pages of the final product!

It’s a wonderful experience, as an author, to find an illustrator who is as passionate about your story as you are. In fact, she was one of the first people I ever showed the story to, and was instrumental in convincing me to actually make it happen.

Follow her Instagram account if you don’t already and pick up a copy of our passion project, “Nigel Sat in a Box” via the link in my bio! 📦💕

Mental health is such an important part of being human. Help the children in your life navigate this difficult topic with patience, empathy, and love (and with a little help from “Nigel” of course!)