April 2026: Cover reveal!
A cover reveal and other bits and bobs.
After months and months, I am delighted to share this sparkly revelation:
Raina illustrated the front with inks by Ray Baehr, I grabbed the back, and K Czap colored it all. Design by Natalie Padberg Bartoo. LOOK AT IT!!!
The cover was announced on Today, alongside some gorgeous preview pages from one of Raina’s chapters. I remain obsessed with her cartooning. Every choice is spot on. The acting! The flow! The economy of line! Hgghhhhh!!!
Every person involved in this book (INCLUDING MYSELF) really went the extra mile1, and I can’t wait for you to see it.
In other news…
I’m back at it again with the cheese comics.
Upcoming events include Indie Bookstore Day in Nyack, NY (April 25) and the Silver Unicorn Children’s Book Festival in Acton, MA (May 2). More to come!
Accolade alert! Fresh Start received an ALA GNCRT Outstanding Comics Honor for Children’s Fiction as well as a APALA Honor for Children’s Literature. If you need me, I’ll be crying in the back.
It’s always Call Your Reps O’Clock, but have you heard about this nationwide book ban bill? Please let your reps know that the bill is cruel, miserable, and an insult to librarians, parents, and children across the country. If you’re on Instagram, I’ve written out some feelings here.2
In closing…
I bought a little gachapon drum kit - not functional, but to scale - and I’m keeping it on my desk while I work on this next book. 3D models are great3, but sometimes it’s easier (and more satisfying) to just pick something up and move it around in real space. Do I need to get into tiny model cars? Maybe??
Yours in comics,
Gale
Here’s a little more about the book! ↩
Bonus fun fact for you, dear reader: a Tennessee library flagged the ⭐multiple-honor-holding, bestselling title⭐ Fresh Start for “dual identity” reasons, which, okay, lock me up with Spider-Man, I guess. ↩
3D models saved my life on Freestyle. So many sneakers. So many different angles. A friend recently complimented the sneaker drawings in Freestyle and it validated my suffering completely. That’s craft, baby!! ↩
