Artist Initiative
ACHF Arts Access
I will draft a young adult novel and collaborate with a Minnesota visual artist to produce an illustrated novel from the draft. Outcome will be reached if the novel is submittable to editors by February, 2014 and art has been created for one-third of the novel.
I was able to draft, revise, and edit the novel ORIGINAL FAKE during the 2013 grant year. I collaborated with artist Erik Johnson to include illustrations in the first three chapters of the novel. The novel (with illustrations) was sold to senior editor Stacey Barney at Penguin/G.P. Putnam's Sons in March 2014. I will be sure to thank the State of Minnesota in my acknowledgments when the novel is published in 2016. 2: Erik and I presented a panel at the 2013 Loft Teen Writers' Conference in October 2013 and shared our work and ideas with 15 students. I also shared our work with 31 college students, friends, and colleagues in January 2014 at a presentation at Minnesota State University, Mankato (this reading was done in conjunction with Diana Joseph, another State Arts Board recipient). This work will also be shared in fall 2014 in a visual narrative class I am co-teaching at South Central College in North Mankato.