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Derv Jr. (the red tabby) - Cat Photography on Flickr.

Derv Jr. (the red tabby) - Cat Photography - Cat Photography

Last summer I got to work with one of my favorite authors, T.J. Banks, on the cover of her new book, SKETCH PEOPLE. After photographing the sketch people, I set up my gear in TJ’s basement for T.J.’s headshots, when three gorgeous felines appeared out of nowhere. While they turned out to be camera shy, I could snap a few shots.

Here’s Derv Jr. (the red tabby) looking straight into the camera.

To learn more about T.J. Banks’ books, check out her blog at tjbanks927.blogspot.com/.

Circe - Cat Photography on Flickr.

Circe - Cat Photography

Last summer I got to work with one of my favorite authors and friends, T.J. Banks, on the cover of her new book, SKETCH PEOPLE. Therefore, I drove to her place with camera and lighting gear packed in the trunk. After photographing the sketch people, I set up my gear in TJ’s basement, which, by the way, has fantastic wallpaper colors. If I had this kinda basement, I’d turn it into a photo studio. I wasn’t quite finished setting everything up for T.J.’s headshot session, when I started receiving visitors… one after the other, three gorgeous felines pop up to check me (and my gear) out. While they turned out to be camera shy, I was lucky enough to snap a few shots.

Here’s Circe looking quite fabulous I’d say… before he got sick…

To learn more about T.J. Banks’ books, check out her blog at tjbanks927.blogspot.com/.

Book Cover: SketchPeople on Flickr.

Sketch People: Stories Along the Way—A Review of T.J. Banks’ Latest Book


To start with, I’d want to say that I’m truly beyond-words and speechless honored to be featured in T.J. Banks’ latest book, Sketch People. Yes, I kinda knew about the possibility of the upcoming book, mostly I was hoping that T.J.’ blog, Sketch People would turn into a book. And it did! Still, nothing prepared me for the feeling I had when I held the actual book in my hands for the first time, and then rediscovered it on Kindle, Nook and other e-book readers.

It’s always an amazing feeling, which, then evolves once you start the Stories Along the Way. And it’s all possible because of T.J’s writing, of her ability to connect with her subjects at the deepest levels and extract the soul of their stories in tales that, in turn, connect with our own selves.

The stories of Sketch People are of individuals with names we may not recognize, whose causes we may not be familiar with… just yet. That’s because the real life characters of Sketch People are just that… people like us, using their artistry, creativity and passions to do their part in making our world a better one.

Each story holds a seed of hope, of new beginnings and possibilities, of inspiration. If life were a box of chocolates then it might as well be a collection of Sketch People’s Stories Along the Way. You may never know what or where you’re gonna get upon starting reading any of these stories, but you’ll end the read feeling more empowered, enlightened, and also inspired, with a deeper understanding of life and the universe in which you live. After all, sometimes it is all about the journey and not the destination.

Sketch People is a read for any day or season, for any occasion, offering soul-searching, powerful stories of self-discovery, remarkable tales to keep us company along our journeys through life. T.J. Banks’ latest book is a gift we can offer ourselves and to anyone we care about.

As always, always appreciate you stopping by!
Alina Oswald
Author of Journeys Through Darkness: A Biography

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Book Cover: SketchPeople on Flickr.

Sketch People: Stories Along the Way, by T.J. Banks, is available on Amazon.com and BN.com. I had the opportunity to take a few pictures for the book, some of which I used inside the book, others, to create Sketch People book cover.