The Orange Spotlight

Howie Good My Heart Draws a Rough Map (Blue Hour Press, Oct. 2009)

As I began reading the new and wonderfully illustrated chap by Howie Good that classic King Missile song kept echoing through my thoughts. Yet, Howie is not talking about the male member, it is his heart that is detached and getting into trouble. Even though this chap lands on the side of the surreal there are many moments in life when we do find ourselves guided and even directed by our hearts. The narrator of this near-novella follows, watches, even knows that the heart is leading him in the wrong directions but he still follows.

Through the chap Good makes clever statements the fit the story, but also stand alone and really speak to his ultimate intent.

"Traveling backwards always makes my heart feel sick"

"My heart spreads like a crime spree"

"My heart shakes hands with her heart"

This chap is about following your heart, but looks at both sides of that reality. Even though the main character is a heart that travels on trains and chews sunflower seeds it is the realest thing I've read in awhile.

"My Heart Draws a Rough Map" was written by Howie Good and was illustrated by Mia Christopher, and it is available through Blue Hour Press.