If you’re wondering why there’s a newsletter-shaped void in place of last quarter’s newsletter, the title should give you a clue. I was busy finishing my first graphic novel! The Traveler’s Guide to Geozoology is done!1

THE TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO GEOZOOLOGY! FINISHED??

It only took 3+ years from acquisition until I finished the last page, but yes!2

Well… mostly! I drew all the interiors, sent off the cover last week, sat around for a week not knowing what to do with myself, got a bunch of art edits which I promptly shoved into a folder to ignore for a week as I do with all my edits in order to take a moment to wallow in the despair of someone telling me that my work isn’t perfect, before sucking it up and getting to work.

I can’t show the full cover until, according to publishing lore, my team has inscribed upon it the arcane words and performed the dark ritual of internal meetings where they appeal to the elder gods of HarperCollins, but I can show you a tiny preview without inviting the wrath of Marketing upon me, right?

I’ve also joined a 2025 debut collective, Middle Grade Escapades! We’re a group of middle grade authors with traditionally published books coming out next year. We’ve got both graphic novelists and prose authors across a range of genres. Give us a follow if that sounds like something you, your kids, your friends with kids, your friends’ kids, or your inner child would be interested in. We’ve got a lot of exciting plans in the works!

WHAT’RE YOU READING?

One of the authors that pushed me past the finish line for Geozoology was Terry Pratchett. I’ve loved the Discworld books for a long time, but it had been a while since I’d picked one up. I think the last time was over ten years ago—which is a crime, really. They make fantastic audiobooks as well, as you might expect, and Stephen Briggs does a wonderful job reading them.

I’d offhandedly dismissed the Tiffany Aching series as “too young” for me when I heard about them as a teenager. High school me was too concerned with being ~intellectual~ to be reading YA books. (The irony of becoming an author who writes books for kids, and therefore reads a lot of books for kids, is not lost on me.) Now-me marathoned all five books.

The last book, The Shepherd’s Crown, was Pratchett’s final book before he died from early-onset Alzheimers in 2015. The Shepherd’s Crown is rough and unfinished, for the obvious reasons, and finishing it left me feeling melancholic for a good week or more. It’s hard not thinking about the “what could have been” when it comes to writers and artists who pass away at the peak of their careers.

I don’t want to end this section on a downcast note, so let me tell you about a graphic novel that came out this year, Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol. Go out and get a copy! It’s a sweet, satisfying read with beautiful colors and a great sense of humor.

Brosgol does a fantastic job of showing-not-telling. Jane is a clever and determined protagonist, but you’re never outright told that she is. She simply acts the way a smart, steadfast person would act throughout the story. Bonus points to Brosgol for writing a smart character without drawing them with their nose in a book all the time. Not only that, the humor is spot-on. One of the best jokes, about two-thirds of the way through the book, involves Jane and Mr. Whiskers (that’s the eyebrows seal on the cover), but half the fun is in the surprise, so I’ll say no more.

YOU PROMISED CATS. OR TREES. OR BREAD.

NEWS ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER

I’ll be increasing the frequency of this newsletter to about once every one or two months leading up to the publication of The Traveler’s Guide to Geozoology next summer. I have a lot I’m excited to share with you that won’t fit into just three newsletters! I tend not to talk much about a project when I’m in the weeds with it—I really need to put my head down and focus on one thing at a time—but now that I get a moment to breathe I can finally start putting things together to share. I’ve outlined plans for what I want to show you, but if there’s anything in particular you’re curious about, just leave a comment and let me know.

If you want more frequent updates and sneak previews of the first two chapters, I also have a Patreon where I share what I’m working on every week.

Until next time!

Thank you for reading Anecdotal! If you have a friend who would also like to get updates about graphic novels, cats, and/or tiny trees, please consider sharing with them.

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You can also see more of my work at angela-hsieh.com or on Instagram, or you can support me on Patreon!