The Catbird Seat follows two intertwined narratives. One is set in the present, where Gillian Culkin, inconvenienced by demonstrators debating the presence of the Confederate flag at the South Carolina State House, begins to realize the flag’s presence represents important and entrenched issues of race and inequality. Meanwhile, she studies the 1857 diary of a dirt farmer who buys a slave at auction for a quick profit. In a subsequent journey, the man’s views of enslavement change.

This was truly a collaborative approach with the author. She provided inspirational artwork from favorite paintings and vintage posters along with important historical details about the book's location and characters.

Since I took care to apply the author's input to the final artwork, she was thrilled with the results. It's grounded in a historically accurate rendering of a civil war diary but adds just the right amount of playful, visual interest (in color and other story elements) to attract readers.