Writing Catharsis With Jen Wang

First Draft Episode #212: Jen Wang Jen Wang, Eisner Award-winning author and illustrator of The Prince and the Dressmaker, In Real Life, and Koko Be Good stops by to talk about her new middle grade graphic novel, Stargazing. Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode The seminal Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson was one of the only Western comics that Jen read as a young artist In high school Jen started a webcomic called Strings of Fate and took is super seriously! Jen's first publishing experience was contributing to Flight, an anthology put together by her webcomic peers and edited by Kazu Kibuishi, who has gone on to author and illustrate the Amulet series, Copper, and he illustrated the re-release of the Harry Potter series. Jen's agent is Judy Hansen of the Hansen Literary Agency, who represents many of the top graphic artists and illustrators out there today Jen's first editor at First Second, Calista Brill (author in her own right of Tugboat Bill and the River Rescue, Cat Wishes, and Little Wing Learns to Fly) is still her editor today! She was also fortunate to work with book designer Colleen AF Venable (also the author of Melvin the Sloth is About to Do the Best Thing in the World and  while she was with First Second After Jen's first book, she adapted "IRL," a short story for Cory Doctorow, one of the founders of BoingBoing and author of Little Brother and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. One of her freelance cartoon jobs was illustrating Tom Angleberger's books, including Tom Angleberger's Fake Mustache. Veronica Roth's new collection of short stories, The End and Other Beginnings: Stories From the Future, has one of the best titles ever, IMO (hear her First Draft interviews here and here) In 2019, Jen was awarded multiple Eisner Awards, for best writer/artist, and for best publication for teens. Jen enlisted the help of her friend, Lark Pien -- colorist for books like Printz-winning American Born Chinese and Boxers and Saints, written and illustrated by MacArthur Fellow Gene Luen Yang -- to work on Stargazing and help her get the book in on time. I want to hear from you! Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998. You can also email the podcast at [email protected].  Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; Linda Holmes, author and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast; Jonny Sun, internet superstar, illustrator of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Gmorning, Gnight! and author and illustrator of Everyone's an Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too;  Michael Dante  DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works. Don't miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's free! Rate, Review, and Recommend How do you like the show? Please take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you! Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Please share this episode on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or via carrier pigeon (maybe try a text or e-mail, come to think of it). Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post! Thanks again!