Today we’re talking with graphic novelist Doug TenNapel to give you a bit of insight into his mind before you can meet him this weekend at TeenBookCon. Let’s get started with some questions!
TeenBookCon: Each of your stories are so different from the others. Where do you get your story ideas?
Doug TenNapel: I mostly get my ideas from an interest in some new genre I want to attack. I get bored repeating myself, I’m stimulated by challenges. So I just do my thing and stories come out. The trick isn’t to get a story idea, because I get thousands! It’s getting a GOOD story idea that’s really hard!
TBC: You are quite prolific not only as a graphic novelist, but also as a musician, artist, animator and more. With so many irons in the proverbial fire, do you ever sleep?
DT: I try to get 6 hours sleep a night. I only get 8 hours sleep when I pass out at the end of a project! The best thing I’ve done for productivity is stop watching TV. If I can just give up the internet I could double my output!
TBC: What are your top three "Books or graphic novels to have if stranded on a desert island"?
DT: Hands down MAUS by Art Spiegelman is the best graphic novel ever. I also love Hellboy and Calvin and Hobbes. I’d have to have some Calvin and Hobbes to keep my desert island experience properly jolly.
TBC: Do you have any upcoming book projects you can tell us about?
DT: I’m currently in the middle of a webcomic called Ratfist. You can find it at www.ratfist.com. I have a new graphic novel coming out this summer through Scholastic’s Grafix imprint called BAD ISLAND and I just finished a book I haven’t shown to anyone called CARDBOARD!
TBC: Cool! Doug, thanks so much for taking some time to answer a few of our questions and letting our teens get to know you a little bit better before meeting you at TeenBookCon on April 9th!
Doug TenNapel is the author of the kids series Strange Kids' Chronicles and is author and illustrator of Ghostopolis, Power Up, Monster Zoo, Flink, Black Cherry, GEAR, Iron West, Earthboy Jacobus, Tommysaurus Rex, and Creature Tech. Find him on Twitter.
Doug will be speaking on the Graphic Novelists Galore panel with Mark Crilley, Misako Rocks, and Raina Telgemeier.
That’s all for now, folks. Come back again soon for another interview. And we’ll see you on the 9th!
No comments:
Post a Comment