The first time I met Dallas Clayton he was selling ‘zines on the street corner outside the comedy club Largo on Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles. We bonded over being vegan writers at the Whole Foods salad bar. That was the only place vegans could eat in 2002. We both eat meat now. Back then, and to this day, we’d spend hours talking about life, goals, love, the future. Sometimes referred to as a modern day Dr. Seuss, Clayton began his writing career by self-publishing a small run of short story zines which he distributed in art galleries, music venues, and on street corners throughout the U.S.
After the birth of his son Audio Science Clayton, with actress Shannyn Sossamon, Dallas was inspired to write, illustrate, and publish An Awesome Book, a 64 page children’s picture book focusing on the idea of “dreaming big.” After being turned down by several major publishing houses, Clayton opted to self-publish An Awesome Book by posting the book for free online and using mostly non-traditional means of distribution, after which the book became a commercial and critical success.
How would you describe what you do / who you are to a person you just met at a party?
I tell people I write kids books. It’s a very uncommon job and disarms people in the same way it might if you told them you designed nerf guns or tested bubble gum for a living.
Would that answer change if you were talking to a cute girl?
No, honesty is the best policy. I traffic in rainbows.
What are you currently working on?
Trying to take ideas that matter to me and share them with as many people as possible (in various formats).
Describe the moment you knew you wanted to be a children’s book author.
I had a child at a young age, before I had defined in any way what I wanted to do. When he was around five I knew that I wanted to write something for him that he would appreciate and perhaps something that would carry meaning for him over time. That first book was called An Awesome Book, which went on to become quite popular and pushed forward my entire career.
What are you ultimately trying to say with your work?
I’m trying to make work that reflects how I feel, or maybe more to the point what I’d like people to know is possible, work that spreads joy where there is sadness and offers hope in the dark.
Do you care about what your audience thinks?
I care about people, and I want to know how people in general are doing, if they are okay or if in some way they need help that I might be able to offer, regardless of whether they are in my audience or not. That said, I don’t try to cater too much to people’s cheers or jeers because art is relative. Chances are what I like and what you like will diverge at some point and it doesn’t mean either of us needs to go pointing fingers or saying one thing is better than the other. Living in a world where the internet exists it becomes pretty easy to know what most people think of you at any given time. Whether or not you choose to believe it, or pay attention to it is up to you.
Are you addicted to social media?
No, I really only try to use social media as a way of sharing ideas. Were it not for that I don’t think I would spend much time with it. I don’t know how healthy it is as a long term experiment.
People describe you as a modern day Dr. Seuss. How does that make you feel?
It feels great. Absurd but great. It’s like comparing a band to the Beatles. That guy is the end all be all in my genre, so I can only hope to keep up and carve out a space of my own, becoming less of a modern day Dr. Seuss and more of a modern day Dallas Clayton.
What advice would you give little you if you could go back in time?
Stretch more, buy Apple stock and learn to play piano.
What is the meaning of life?
I can’t say for certain, but I think it has to do with love, finding love and giving love.
Who are your greatest inspirations?
Anyone who makes a thing because they feel it is important regardless of the precedent, money exchanged, or size of the audience waiting to receive it.
What’s next?
I’d like to go to the moon at some point.
Give kids who look up to you some advice:
Find something that makes you happy and use it to make others happy.
Credits
Text Alexi Wasser
Images Dallas Clayton