Love is a Cycle Picture Book

《Creative Inspiration》 One night, a heartbroken friend confided in the illustrator, Star. "Don't you think love is like a cycle?" the friend lamented. "The way people meet, it's always a fixed pattern. Our first dates, introductions, questions about hobbies, jobs, favorite movies… then a few dates, maybe moving in together, and then disagreements surface. We fight, break up, and move on to the next, repeating the same pattern." This conversation sparked a new creative idea for the illustrator, leading her to draw the first illustration for this picture book: a story of a London boy and a New York girl talking on the phone by a window. 《Original Story》 《Love is a Cycle》 is a story about long-distance relationships, specifically the love story between Emily, a girl from New York, and Eddie, a boy from London. An international phone call marks the divergence of two narrative paths: one leads to a life of enduring happiness, while the other results in two strangers after parting. The illustrator uses the characteristics of the relationship progression to create a symmetrical story. Whether viewed from the first page or the last, the picture book leads to two entirely opposite endings. Through this story, the illustrator expresses that love inherently has two sides. Regardless of the final outcome, one should cherish the beauty within it and serenely accept the inevitable conclusion. 《A Special "Dual-Direction Reading" Format》 Due to the unique cyclical nature of love, the illustrator has designed a special reading experience—allowing readers to traverse the picture book back and forth. Reading from the front reveals a happy ending, while turning it over to read from the back presents an alternate, contrasting conclusion. To enhance the feeling of a cycle, the illustrator intended for the transition from the first page to the last, and then from the last page back to the first, to feel seamless. 《Artist's Note》 This picture book can serve as a love letter to couples in the throes of passion, or as a comforting bowl of soul soup for those nursing a broken heart. Star's deeper message is that love isn't solely about its beautiful aspects; it also involves moments of heartbreak and despair. The illustrator doesn't aim to particularly encourage the heartbroken to bounce back quickly, nor to tell those in love to "wake up," as the honeymoon phase will eventually fade. My intention is simply to say: embrace the feelings each moment of love brings. When you're happy, savor the present. When you face loss, confront it with equanimity, and bid farewell with a graceful wave. We never know who we'll meet next, or how far a relationship might go. Avoid dwelling on the past or gazing too far into the future. Focus on your present self and your current feelings, and truly appreciate the beauty of each moment in life. 《"Love is a Cycle" Milestones》 2019 Indonesian Novel Edition of "Love is a Cycle" – Haru Publisher 2019 Selected for Frankfurt Book Fair – "Love is a Cycle" Illustrated Picture Book and Chinese Novel 2019 Cheng Hsing-Hui's 3D Sculpture Exhibition – KHC Creative Center, Nanjing Branch 2018 Illustration Art Fest, Singapore 2018 Chinese Novel Adaptation and Release – Spring Publishing House 2018 Taiwan Creative Expo New Talent 100 "Love is a Cycle" Illustrated Picture Book – Taipei Expo Park, Hall 1 2017 "Matters of Love" Joint Illustration Exhibition – MEF Living Hall 《Product Information》 Origin: Printed and handmade in Taiwan Dimensions: 24cm x 17cm x 2cm *Colors may appear different on screen; please refer to the actual product for accurate color representation.