Illustrating The Clockwork Queen by Peter Bunzl was a really fun project. This book has everything—chess, daring escapes, and a mechanical automaton that might just out think a Russian empress.Sophie Peshka is a chess prodigy, but when her father is thrown into the dungeons of the Winter Palace, she’s forced to play the most important game of her life. With the help of the Clockwork Queen, a mysterious chess-playing machine, she has one chance to beat Catherine the Great at her own game.I put a lot of thought into capturing the atmosphere—icy palaces, ticking gears, and the tension of a game where everything is on the line. Grab a copy and see if the Clockwork Queen can win!