Next Spring, Scholastic/Graphix will publish Timid, my semiautobiographical graphic novel about frenemies, fitting in, and finding your voice. I’ve worked on the story, pitching it, revising it, drawing it, and graphically editing it for 12 years. It will be released on April 2, 2024. I am including the cover in this blog post.
Special thanks to graphic novel editor extraordinaire Cassandra Pelham Fulton, the Editorial Director of Scholastic/Graphix, for acquiring the manuscript and inspiring the deepening of the family dimension of the story, which became my favorite aspect of the book: a portrait of middle-class, black American family with a focus on the young protagonist’s relationship with his dad. And special thanks to Scholastic's Phil Falco for teaching me how to use Photoshop better and Graphix designer Carina Taylor and colorist Dominique Ramsey for creating the cover with me!
Timid was inspired by my challenging middle school years as a 12-year old who moved with his family from Miami to a suburb of Boston in the 1980s. I am grateful to the Solstice Low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program (now at Lasell University) for teaching me how to write novel-length stories, which made possible my attraction of multiple editors for the project.
My beautiful wife, Tamarra, was also crucial in her support of my return to school when our youngest was less than 2 years old! I also want to give a special shout-out to my agents Denis Kitchen and John Lind for sealing the deal with Scholastic!
Here are few places where you can pre-order Timid: