Come say HI at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky on March 24th & 25th at the Knicely Conference Center! March 24th is Teen and Children’s Day. I’ll be signing, doodling, giving away free reading guides and postcards for the Stonewall Honor Book THE REAL RILEY MAYES while they last.
Hello! This is the third of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. The first post focuses on inventing a character, the second post on research, and all three touch on revision- this post is all about it!
All writers revise their writing, whether it’s a novel, a comic, song lyrics, or a joke. If you think about the word: RE-VISION, it means “to look over again.” When you look at something you wrote from a new perspective, you might decide to make big changes. So how DO see your writing from a new perspective?
I’m overwhelmed (in the BEST way) to learn “The Real Riley Mayes” is a Stonewall Honor Book in Children’s & Young Adult Literature! Huge thanks to the American Library Association, The ALA’s Rainbow Round Table, Donna Bray of Balzer + Bray, Susan Hawk of Upstart Crow Literary, my family, friends, and loving partner Carol for all the support– and thanks to YOU for supporting LGBTQ+ books for young readers!
Once I get time to make a graphic of all the honorees / winners book covers, I’ll put it here. 🙂 Meanwhile, check out all the winners, and resources from ALA’s Rainbow Round Table at https://www.ala.org/rt/rrt
Have you read THE REAL RILEY MAYES? Are you a big fan of secret codes, parallel cat universes, and dude-ish girls who act out humorous death scenes? Do you love graphic novels for kids with humor and heart? Do you want to discuss LGBTQ+ books with a group of kid-readers, but don’t know how to go about it best? The fine folks at HarperCollins made a free downlaodable reading guide that’s perfect for you!
Do you love connecting kids with creators? That’s fantastic, because I love helping creative kids put their ideas into words and pictures! I’ve taught classes in comic making and diary comics at Lexington’s Living Arts and Science Center, and I’ve taught workshops through Kentucky Arts and Humanities. During the pandemic, I also led a weekly drawing hangout for kids for a year and a half, and guest-taught at Homeschool Co-op 2020. Workshop activities include: playing games like “Animal + Emotion + Occupation” or “Ghostwriter”, making four-panel comics, or creating a class-wide zine. Check out the School Visit and Workshop flyer below! Then email re@rachelelliott.me or use the contact form in the ABOUT page.
RESPECT THE AUDACITY! A mostly-true moment from a day spent brainstorming with kids at Lexington’s Living Arts and Science Center. Interested in a comic or zine workshop for your class or community group? Check out my school visit and workshop flyer.
Hello! This is the second of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. This post focuses on inventing a character. Read the first post here.
Do you remember the first time you were so intrigued by someone, you just had to find out more about them? At 10 years old, I remember getting interested in short biographies to find out more about well known people: What were they like when they were kids? How did they grow up? What were their likes and dislikes? How did they become so AMAZING?
In the book THE REAL RILEY MAYES, Riley is searching for new friends… but she’s also searching for information about her favorite TV comedian, Joy Powers. Aaron helps her surf the web, but they don’t find an email or mailing address for fan mail. Instead, they find an intimidating photo gallery of her thirteen trips to the White House. Riley’s research into Joy Powers’s life is sometimes thrilling, sometimes daunting.
Artists and illustrators also do research to make better stories. I’d like to share with you some items I found through research. Drag the bar on each photo to reveal the research that inspired various pages in THE REAL RILEY MAYES!
Hello! This is the first of four blog posts about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, a graphic novel for kids. This post focuses on inventing a character.
In the opening pages of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, Riley doodles her favorite comedian on her homework, suggests off-the-wall football plays at recess, and stabs herself with a marker in protest during class. To the reader, her character emerges quickly. But it actually took months and years to create Riley.
My debut graphic novel THE REAL RILEY MAYES is set in Oklahoma. See that tell-tale sky blue flag on the cover? I grew up there, and it was a joy to draw little slices of life from my home state into this book. There are Chevy Silverados in the drop-off circle, mullet haircuts with no irony whatsoever, and frito chili pie in the school cafeteria. There’s also LGBTQ+ characters in the book. Sometimes Oklahoma’s lawmakers are hostile to LGBTQ+ issues and rights, but Oklahomans in general are supportive, and there’s a lot of queer community to be found… in the book, and in real life. Last week I got to visit my home state for four stops on a quick book tour. Here’s the amazing people and places I got to visit:
My debut graphic novel THE REAL RILEY MAYES is set in Oklahoma. I grew up there, and it was a joy to draw little slices of life from my home state into this LGBTQ+ book for kids. So I’m thrilled to come back to Oklahoma for three stops on a little book tour! If you’re in Oklahoma, come say hello!
SEPT 30: I’ll be on a panel “Banning Queer Books” at University of Central Oklahoma’s International Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference in Edmond. The panel is at 1:15 in Constitution Hall at UCO. There will be a REAL RILEY MAYES book signing afterwards, and free postcards for everyone!
OCT 1: I’ll be signing copies of THE REAL RILEY MAYES, and giving out free postcards, at the Pryor Book Exchange and Bible Bookstore in my hometown of Pryor, Oklahoma. I’ll be there 1pm-3pm. While you’re in town, don’t forget to swing by Sandusky’s Market for some jam (the edible kind and the musical kind!)
OCT 2: I’ll be talking about the making of THE REAL RILEY MAYES at Magic City Books in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Come ask a question! Pick up free postcards, and browse a scrapbook of behind-the-scenes sketches. 2pm at Magic City Books.
Since Riley uses the U.S. Mail to contact her favorite TV comedian, I drew and designed these postcards. I bring them with me to book signings for THE REAL RILEY MAYES. Want some of your own to mail to your fave celeb, LGBTQ organization, your friends, or even your enemies? Here are two downloadable, printable color PDF files to make your own RILEY MAYES postcards. It works with Avery 8387 postcards, or you can print them on standard 8.5 x 11 cardstock and cut them yourself.
Back in 2015, I started drawing an elementary-aged girl who played with tonka trucks, acted out death scenes with markers, and chopped off her blonde ponytails. The character began to talk and interact with other characters in my sketchbook. Before long, I had several pages of comics about this kid. Years later, my agent Susan Hawk helped me revise the story into a graphic novel, which has been sold at auction to Donna Bray at Balzer+Bray / HarperCollins. THE REAL RILEY MAYES will be available on May 3, 2022.
Rachel Elliott 