Tom Wilson, author of Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly- How Ziggy Saved My Life, on tour March 2009

About Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson is the author of the phenomenally popular cartoon Ziggy, which is syndicated internationally in more than 600 newspapers. As President of Ziggy and Friends, Inc., and founder of Character Matters (www.charactermatters.net), Wilson has worked extensively with national organizations, non-profits, and corporations. A frequent speaker, branding consultant, artist, and father of two, Tom continues to write.

About Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly- How Ziggy Saved My Life

An Intersection of Lives, Love, and Loss Throughout a Cartoonist’s Artful Life Journey

For decades Ziggy has fostered a strong, personal connection with millions of readers, and now the man who has been the driving force behind Ziggy for more than two decades shares the dramatic and multidimensional story behind the enigmatic and complex world of cartooning. In this compelling narrative filled with humor, heartache, hope, original artwork, and family photos, Wilson shares his personal recollections as a boy who witnessed the whimsical creation of a future American icon, until adulthood thrusts him into the position of clandestine creative caretaker for Ziggy after his brilliant father, Tom Wilson Sr., becomes chronically ill. When his wife is taken by cancer and leaves him alone to raise two young sons, Wilson must reconcile his anger and paralyzing depression over his devastating loss, while continuing to bring smiles to others around the world in his daily comics.

It is through the process of grieving, reaching the depths of raw despair, that Wilson realizes the meaning of life’s journey. The role Ziggy plays in Wilson’s transformative experience brings clarity and comfort to his creator as together they navigate the tragedies and triumphs of life.

Wilson’s message is that every detour is a destination unto itself, and regardless of our plans, it is what we don’t see coming that often affects us most. Our journeys are a zig-zagging series of unexpected events and it’s up to us to turn them into meaningful destinations with a purpose. Through this book, readers will find humor, and heartache turned to hope, with a familiar and trusted friend, and discover a new one in Tom Wilson.