A feature on Torquay-based artist and Quiksilver clothing designer Phil Hayes, whose dog illustrations caught the eye of Random House and landed him a spot as illustrator for Margaret Clark's "Meatball's Good Dog Day."
Written by Ray Humphries, this article tells the story behind the making of "Meatball's Good Dog Day." When Phil Hayes submitted his first book to a publisher, it was knocked back for being too short. But the publisher, Random House, was struck by his dog character illustrations and kept them in mind.
By coincidence, well-known Geelong author Margaret Clark was also with Random House, and had submitted her story "Meatball's Good Dog Day" at around the same time. She had the words, but needed the pictures. Random House saw the perfect match and brought the two together.
The result is a 72-illustration book aimed at seven to thirteen year olds, retailing at $9.95. Phil, then working as a clothing designer at Quiksilver in Torquay, hoped Meatball would one day become a cult figure for young readers, in the same vein as Where's Wally.
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