It's so cool when someone local has a brush with excellence, and Illustrator Daniel Monroe has been crafting his own form of excellence over the years. But a chance opportunity put his craft on full display in front of the entire country back in 2012, when he was asked to illustrate a book written by the original "Bad Boy" of the Detroit Pistons, Dennis Rodman's. Dennis Rodman has had every kind of publicity there is to have, but nothing can out-shadow the intensity he played with in his early years with the Pistons, leading to being a 2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 & 1991.

I asked Daniel how he was able to get this unique opportunity and it turns out it was a matter of being at the right place at the right time, as this opportunity would open the floodgates to working with more high profile people in the future:

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I was hired because I illustrated other books which were published by the publisher. It was an amazing time sitting next to Dennis Rodman and signing copies of “Dennis the Wild Bull,” the book he wrote with Dustin Warburton, and I designed and illustrated. One of the reporters could see that I was a little nervous and she said, “You need to get used to this because it is going to happen a lot more for you now!”

Dan, who is currently living in Paw Paw continues to do what he loves for a living, and since this book, has gone on to illustrate books for Erika Eleniak, Kevin Sorbo, Sybil Fanning, Wesley Eure, Deontay Wilder, Jesse James Laija, and several others.

Dan has overcome a lot in his personal life, and chasing his dream has formed him to be stronger than ever, as he continues to inspire the next generation. You can check out more of his work here.

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