You know that saying about good intentions? Well, it certainly applies in this case. I loved the cover art for Dancing With Bear, but when I sent it to my good friend, and rockin' cover artist, C.H. Scarlett, I was told it wouldn't work. Because Dancing With Bear is a print book, the art has to be able to stand up to the size of the book cover without losing it's integrity. Since most of the photos in the collage were snapshots taken years ago, when they were sized for the book, they pixilated and that cover couldn't be used.
So, what's a Lady Bear to do?
Bear and I lived a simple life, although things sometimes got complicated just because that's how life is sometimes. Bear always told me to just be who I am and go with it. So, I have. In 1986, Bear's friend and cell mate, Alex Mezhbein sketched Bear in pencil and Bear sent me the sketch. He wrote at the top, "Sweetness", and below, "Love, licks, & more, Bear." What better way to sum up my relationship with him? So I've used this sketch as the cover, although the sketch was blown up, and the message Bear had written was deleted in the process. I still think this cover really portrays the man I married. The pic on the back cover is a heart pendant that I wear. It has a pic of Bear & I together, with his name and DOB-DOD beneath, and on the back, it says, "Forever & ever, Amen!" Bear had that tattooed on his chest, along with my name.
