Creator Corner: Author J. Torres and Illustrator Mike Deas

Welcome to Creator Corner, a blog series where we interview the creators of our recent and upcoming books. For this post, we interviewed Paisley & Peck: Jurassic Farm author J. Torres and illustrator Mike Deas, whose book published September 16, 2025!

Owlkids Books: J., how did you begin writing children’s books?

J. Torres: I’ve been writing since I was in grade school — everything from comics to plays to short stories. So, I guess it started way back then. I’ve written all kinds of books for different ages, but my favorite to write have always been for younger readers and those who are young at heart like me. That’s probably because my favorite books are for kids, made by authors and illustrators who like creating stories for children.

Owlkids Books: Mike, how did you begin illustrating children’s books?

Mike Deas: I have always loved reading Asterix and Obelix, watching Looney Tunes and drawing cartoons. When I was in school, I dreamed of becoming an Animator, so when I graduated high school, I moved to Vancouver to attend Capilano Collages Animation Program. That led me to work on video games. I soon found myself wanting to work on smaller projects in print material which led me right to illustration!

OKB: J., what inspired you to write this book?

JT: My kids when they were younger! Like Paisley, they love good food and always seem to be hungry. And like Peck, they’ve very curious and adventurous. “Jurassic Farm” is only the first book, there are two more on the way, including one about pizza — our favorite food, or at least one of them — and camping, which my kids enjoy doing but it’s not my favorite thing to do, so laughs ensue.

OKB: Mike, what was the most enjoyable part of illustrating this book? What was the most challenging part?

MD: I think one of the most enjoyable parts of illustrating is getting to know the characters! Most challenging is making sure the drawings read clearly to help tell the story successfully. Also, consistency is always a challenge. For example, making sure the characters are wearing the same clothing, and the locations the characters return to do not change.

OKB: J., what was the most enjoyable part of bringing this story to life? What was the most challenging part of the process?

JT: For me the best part of writing comics is seeing the story come to life in the artwork. Mike Deas is doing such a great job on these graphic novels. It’s classic cartooning and comic book storytelling. Every time our editor shares some new artwork with me, it’s like Christmas morning or my birthday! The most challenging part is the waiting. I usually finish writing the story about two years before the art gets done and the book is printed and is sent to bookstores and libraries. I can’t wait for people to see our creation!

OKB: Mike, what was the inspiration for your illustrations in this book?

MD: When I had initially read the manuscript for this book, I immediately thought of the Looney Tunes cartoons I grew up watching. J’s Slapstick timing and characters make for such a fun and lively story!

OKB: J. and Mike, what do you hope readers will take away from this book?

JT: I hope first and foremost that they’re entertained. I want them to laugh and be surprised and enjoy the story and art. If it encourages them to read more, and not just more Paisley & Peck or my other books, that’s great. If my stories make readers want to write their stories, or draw something — that’s even better. That’s what my favorite stories do for me.

MD: I hope readers take away the same fun and humor I read in J’s manuscript. I always struggled with reading when I was young and was enticed in by humor in comics like Calvin and Hobbes.

OKB: J. and Mike, what’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?

JT: Not only do I write comics but I also appear in some comics! An artist friend drew me in Spider-Man comic, for example, and I’m also in a few issues of Teen Titans Go. Plus, if you look carefully in some of my graphic novels like Alison Dare or Brobots, you might spot someone who looks like me.

MD: I really like old cars! We have a 1960 Chevy that we enjoy driving in the summer. Also, I am quite tall, 6 foot 6, which means my back starts to hurt when I am bent over the drawing desk for too long!

Thank you so much J. and Mike for taking the time to do this interview and creating a wonderful book! We hope readers enjoy Paisley & Peck: Jurassic Farm as much as we did!

Grab your copy today!