And, last but not least on this little series of interviews, is Caroline Palmer, whose book Camp Prodigy, releases in just 5 days! Stop me if you’ve heard this one before but there’s still time to preorder.
And don’t forget, you can also keep up with Caroline on instagram.
Have you always known you wanted to be a writer? How old were you when you wrote your first story?
I know I’ve always wanted to be an artist, and the writing component came along in 5th grade when I got into comics. There were indeed some early stories during my elementary school years, but the most notable one I can remember was my first comic (as expected, it was created in 5th grade). It was a pretty ambitious story for a kid! There were multiple books and everything. But I only ended up finishing the first one, and I stopped working on it when I tried to ink my sketches and found I had no idea how to correctly use artist pens.
What pieces of media would you say were formative for you? Do you see any of their features in your own writing?
There have been countless over the years! When it comes to art–a lot of shonen manga, because I’m a sucker for action, and on occasion, animated cartoons. When I look back at my old sketchbooks, it’s easy for me to tell what I was reading or watching at the time.
In terms of writing, there’s still a lot of overlap. When I write for stand-alone graphic novels that need to have a satisfying and complete ending after a couple hundred pages, I take most of my inspiration for pacing and whatnot from movies.
When you close your eyes and imagine an apple, what do you see? An actual apple, a sketch of one, a blackness? Do you think that impacts your writing process?
I’d say an actual apple! Perhaps a bit less detailed than in real life. It definitely impacts my process; for my comics, the visuals and the story are so closely tied that trying to separate them is almost a waste of time, haha. My pacing, jokes, and emotional beats depend heavily on images, so I’m “watching” the story in my mind from the moment I get my first idea.
If you wanted to learn about craft, which three authors would you suggest reading?
This is a tough one! There are so many aspects to creating a comic that it’s difficult to narrow down what’s most important and who’s done it best. I’ll just list what comes to mind!
It may seem strange, but I feel like One Piece is at the top when it comes to getting your readers to feel strong emotions! I’m not the sort to cry over movies or books (though I was as a kid), but somehow, this silly pirate manga has my heartstrings in its claws. I’m sure it has a lot to do with how expressive the style is.
For action sequences, the series that always gives me instant inspiration is a manga called Battle Angel Alita. There was a movie adaptation a few years ago, so people might be more familiar with this one than I’d expect! The draftsmanship is outrageously good, and while it’s an older series, much of it still feels fresh.
Since my graphic novel is for middle grade audiences, I’ll pick a kid’s book next. Would you have guessed Coraline? With how genuinely scary it is even now that I’m an adult, it’s very skilled at treating its readers with maturity while not going too overboard. That’s the sort of thing I really respected from books when I was a kid, the sense that an author wasn’t trying to baby me. I want my books to feel like that.
When you’re building your world, what do you focus on? How do you try to make it come to life?
The broad scope of it tends to come to me pretty easily, so the hard part is getting detailed. I usually tackle that by starting with characters. “What niche interest do they have?” “Is there something very specific they’d know a lot about?” If the world is more fantastical, “What made-up concept would they have strong opinions on?” “How does this concept work?” Once you’ve gotten started, world-building isn’t as difficult. Just take the opportunity to ask yourself as many questions as you can!
What projects are you currently working on? Can you share any details yet?
I’ve got another middle grade graphic novel pitch with eyes on it at the moment, and that one will have to remain a secret for now. But I’m also still consistently updating my long-running webcomic Talent de Lune, and I want to create another oneshot comic this year! Last year, I released one called STAR GIRL, which I’m pretty pleased with.
Three pictures that capture the aesthetic of your book?
Is it bragging to use my own art? I’ll do it anyway, haha!
Three songs you would put in your book’s soundtrack?
Oooh, off the top of my head, I have to mention some of the viola pieces I’ve played! “Viola Concerto in G Major” by Telemann, “Suite Hébraïque” by Ernest Bloch–wait, I should include some non-classical music too! There was a playlist I created for Camp Prodigy quite a while ago, and while many of the songs I picked no longer seem to fit, I think “Gales of Song”, from the animated movie Belle still feels right. (Also, that was a good movie. Check it out!)
What would be your dream project?
I get invested in every comic I create while I’m doing so; it’s hard to say. There’s no one thing I want to make that seems out of my reach at this moment. But if I were to pick something, I think it’d be great to create a vast sci-fi story soon! I can never get enough of sci-fi. Or something with an especially creative format, maybe some sort of interactive webcomic. I love that sort of thing.
Which of your characters would you most want to fight a zombie apocalypse with?
I have one who can control the world itself by breaking the 4th wall. Naturally, I’d pick them! Or, in the spirit of the question, I’d pick some less over-powered characters–the main group from Talent de Lune. They’re pretty scrappy, and they’ve got a wide range of useful powers, so I’d be able to hide behind their defenses and survive!
You’re stuck on a desert island and you’re allowed only three (LGBT) books. What are you taking?
Only three! Tough choice… I might end up picking a lot of webcomics or former webcomics for this one, and long webcomics at that! Wouldn’t want to be bored on the island.
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden. I’ve only read it a couple times, but I found it both interesting and beautiful. It seems like the sort of book I could read again and again, like I could get something new out of it every time.
Is it cheating to pick Homestuck? Well, it has been adapted into physical books by now, and if I brought this one along, I’d certainly never get bored! This webcomic is very wired to its time, but boy was I a captive reader in its prime! Now, would I recommend it to anyone? That depends. This story is a lot, but thankfully, I like stories that are a lot!
This last one’s not a comic! Luda by Grant Morrison. Well, the creator has written for comics, so I haven’t drifted too far. This book was lots of fun; I love a narrative voice with character and a good mystery. (Plus, it would make for a good graphic novel!)
You can collaborate on anything with anyone in the LGBT community: who would it be and why?
Wow, another tough one! I’m not picky, there are a lot of people I’d be flattered to collab with. But when I really think about it, I feel like I might have the most fun working with friends, peers, former classmates–someone at the same level as me. If we’re both just getting started, I think we’d bring the same sort of energy and excitement to our work!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caroline Palmer is a nonbinary comic creator who tells action-packed stories with heart. Visit them at CarolinePalmerComics.Weebly.com.
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