Welcome
Hi there, thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I’m new to this algorithm-free kind of direct line of communication. I set this up about a year ago not knowing exactly what my approach would be in terms of what people would want to hear about. Since then, Substack has announced Pro accounts and subscription models for subscribers, etc, so let me just clarify that this is a 100% free newsletter. And while “newsletter” indicates writing in my mind, rest assured that my updates will be visual-heavy; I am a cartoonist after all. :)
In less than a month, on November 2, 2021, my second graphic novel, A-Okay, will be published by the new graphic novel imprint at HarperCollins, HarperAlley! I spent the entirety of the pandemic working on this book, and I honestly can’t believe it’s finished and soon to be on bookshelves across the country. I’m really proud of it and I hope you will consider picking it up.
USA friends, if you’d like a signed and personalized copy, please order directly from my local Vermont indie, The Norwich Bookstore and leave the name for personalization in the checkout comments; it will ship directly to you soon after pub day. (The hardcover edition has a secret, second cover under the book jacket and extra art on the flaps, FYI, but there is also a paperback.)
On Nov. 4th, I’ll be doing a virtual launch with The Norwich Bookstore! It will be an in-conversation event with my friend and much-celebrated fellow cartoonist, Tillie Walden, whose work you should definitely check out if you are not familiar with it (she released a new collection of her early work, Alone in Space, this past summer). Please use this link to register.
While recording some promotional videos for Scullion last summer I had an idea that I wasn’t sure would come to fruition. I started recording vlogs while I worked through the various stages of taking A-Okay from a synopsis and a handful of sketches to turning it into a fully-fledged graphic novel. After sitting on the footage for over a year, I’ve spent the last few weeks editing the vlogs together with photos, b-roll, drawing videos, and commentary, resulting in an 18-part making-of series that you can now watch on my YouTube channel. I’ve been releasing 3 videos every week leading up to the Nov. 2nd pub day! If you’ve ever been curious for an extensive glimpse behind the making of a book, the highs and lows and much creative rambling, look no further! The first 8 vlogs are already available to view.
This first message is a bit promo-heavy, but my plan is that this (or whatever email platform I might migrate to in the future) can be a space for me to share new comics I’m working on, in addition to fun career updates and information.
Until next time!
Jarad
