GREAT BEAR PUBLISHING
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PORTIA & OTTO: A STORY OF LOVE AND RESTORATION IN THREE PARTS is a heartwarming tale about renewal and second chances. The story follows Portia, a once-glorious car, from her early days of speed and excitement to her eventual neglect and near destruction. As she deteriorates and faces the grim fate of being scrapped, Otto — a mechanic with a passion for restoration — crosses her path. Drawn to Portia’s faded beauty, Otto rescues her and dedicates himself to bringing her back to life.
Through careful craftsmanship and unwavering determination, Otto restores Portia to her former splendor, proving that love, dedication, and patience can breathe new life into something thought to be lost. Along the way, Otto finds his purpose, opening a shop to restore vintage cars and creating a community around his passion. The story celebrates perseverance, the beauty of restoration, and the joy of finding a kindred spirit in an unexpected place.
979-8-9988876-0-4 paperback
979-8-9988876-1-1 hardback
979-8-9988876-2-8 ebook
COMING SUMMER OF 2025
THE SHORT, HAPPY, LIFE OF BRICK. One bright morning, Brick is discovered in a rose garden by a boy and his mother looking for a new-born puppy to adopt. Welcomed into their loving household, Brick finds companionship in a curious cat, a shy rabbit, and a musical mouse. His world is filled with joy—chasing water dad sprays on the lawn, guarding peaches from the birds, and curling up beside the boy while he watches TV. Life is simple and bright.
One morning Brick doesn’t wake up. The family rushes him to the vet, only to learn he had ingested snail bait from the rose garden where he was born. Grief settles over the house. They bury Brick beneath the ivy, leaving small tokens—his blanket, a peach, a rose, and a brick.
Life continues. Kristofur stays near the boy. The father waters the lawn while the runoff pours into the street. And the mother gathers peaches, wondering what to do. The following day, she brings home Toby, a new puppy, who is soon adored by all and lives a long, happy life, offering the family comfort in the wake of their loss.
IN THE WORKS
UNCONCEALED WEAPON. In September of 1970, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine hijacked four airliners headed for New York City and one for London. Among them were TWA Flight 641 and Pan Am Flight 93. Both planes were destroyed.
This set off alarms in the Nixon Administration, who hurriedly cobbled together the Sky Marshal program, graduating the first class of marshals in December 1970. By the following year, nearly 2000 poorly screened and barely trained air marshals were flying the unfriendly skies.
Fresh out of Berkeley with a head full of James Bond fantasies, and precious little moxie, I became part of America’s first line of defense against air piracy.
Or so I thought.
Turn’s out, it was a public relations stunt.
IN THE WORKS
STEVE RUSTAD
STEVE RUSTAD has drawn picture stories since he was a child living in North Hollywood, CA. His fascination with story-telling, illustration and cartooning led him to work as an writer/artist with Hallmark Cards; as a designer in educational films; and later on as an advertising art director.
Even during a brief stint as a Federal Sky Marshal, Steve drew cartoons while posing as a passenger.
During those years, he drove the heck out of a 1964 Porsche 356B.
Steve currently works a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. He lives in Petaluma, CA, with his cat, Betty.
