We recently connected with Jonno Heyne and have shared our conversation below.

Jonno, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I decided to pursue a creative professional path while taking a walk on a cold fall morning.

I had just lost my job as a delivery truck driver. No good will come from me sharing all the details, but as I was channelling my inner Johnny Paycheck, and telling my boss to shove it, I was given a moment to self-reflect, and realized I had a pattern of accepting jobs that drifted further and further away from my creative ventures. 


In college, I studied communications. I got a job making commercials for TV and radio, and it was awesome. A family emergency moved me to Portland, where I found myself a small fish in a giant pond. To keep the bills paid, I worked a dozen places: dental office, retirement center, Subway, fixing tanning beds, a toy store… all the while promising I’d return to something creative.


This latest (former) job made its workers park a half mile from where our trucks were kept. As I hiked back to my car for the last time, I decided to swing by the local community college on the way home.

A sign met me at Clark College with a welcoming red arrow saying “You are here.”

Jonno, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I was a kid, I had trouble reading. The letters would shift around the page, making me re-read sections over and over. The only relief I had was when a book had lots of pictures. Novels were no fun at all.

In middle school, a friend traded me a sandwich for his copy of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, and for the first time, I read a book cover to cover. Turns out, I could read small amounts of print well enough, because I could draw context from the images. I began informally studying comics at that point. Dark Knight still influences my work today.

I write two very different types of books, depending on how best to tell the stories in my head. I’ve written a series of 9 graphic novels, directed at the 13+ crowd. Additionally, I’ve written five children’s books. I enjoyswitching back and forth depending on my mood.

My current graphic novel series is called Tiki and The Carrot. A naive idealist gets a wooden mask stuck to his head, giving him super powers. He is teamed with a tiny, cynical vigil ante named Super Baby Carrot. Against a backdrop of unusual heroes and villains, they have to find common ground and fight crime.

I love underdog stories. There is nothing more satisfying for me than to see an average person thrust into an extraordinary situation, and discover strength, or growth, or faith. Actually winning is secondary.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I once had a kid, maybe ten years old, stride up to a table I had at a local convention. He was super polite, and I could see him battling with shyness as he, with his father’s help, asked if I would look at his comic and perhaps offer him some advice.

There is nothing so fantastic as having the opportunity to teach and encourage another artist. I thank God every day for those who encouraged me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A mentor once told me to establish a series of pillars of success. Starting with a small achievement, these pillars would grow taller, the final one representing an ultimate goal. I imagined four.

1. Publish a book. (Accomplished.)
2. Get a table at a comic-con. (Also accomplished.)
3. Become famous, get a sweet book deal/feature film.
4. Create a character that a child would request visit them in a hospital.*

By doing this, I can recognize that work I do on even the lowest pillar matters when it is done with the ultimate pillar in mind. The pillars exist in my mind; I have the right to adjust them, but one will always lead to the next.

* This should be the ultimate goal of anyone who creates characters for children.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lawndartbooks.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lawndartbooks/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/tikiandcarrot
• Other: https://www.niwawriters.com/jonno-heyne.html