Stories have a way of finding us long before we know we're ready to tell them. The Old Lantern is one of those stories-born from the glow of a simple object hanging by a cabin door, and from the people who gather around its light. It's a tale stitched together from family laughter, old habits, stubborn love, and the kind of memories that never quite stay in the past.In these pages, you'll meet Willie and the folks who shaped him, each carrying their own sparks of humor, hope, and history. You'll step into a world where the ordinary becomes just a little extraordinary, where a lantern can shine on more than a front porch-it can shine on the truth we've been carrying all along.This book is meant to feel like sitting down in a familiar chair, listening to someone you trust tell you something they've been waiting a long time to say. It's a reminder that the smallest lights can guide us through the biggest questions, and that family-however complicated, however loud-has a way of keeping us steady.So, settle in. Let the lantern glow. And let the story lead you where it wants to go."All of my books aren't just meant to be read - they're meant to be experienced. Every story I write is crafted to be enjoyable on the page and beautiful to look at. I try to weave art into every moment, whether it's something you see with your eyes or something you feel in your imagination. The artwork is there to make you think, to make you dream, and to make you want to turn the next page."While working on The Old Lantern, something shifted in me about halfway through. I felt this pull - a quiet, steady one - to turn back time a bit and let all the sketches live in black and white.I hope you won't be disappointed. There's a kind of beauty in black and white that speaks softly but deeply, and I realized it fits this story's heart in a way color couldn't right now.Maybe someday I'll return and colorize the whole book. But for now, yes - it's meant to be black and white. You're not imagining things. I hope you'll still enjoy every page. Joe.
