A couple months ago I started taking my new book pitch out to some agents to see if there would be any interest in it. I only went to a couple that I have some connection to and both decided to pass. The second one kind of sent me into an spiral and I’ll explain why.
When Adamsville was finished, I assumed I would go make A Hunted House because it was the idea that had been on my mind for the longest time and it felt like it was right there, ready to be told, but the truth is… It feels so clunky. The heart of the story is solid, but so much of the world building and logic of how the crazy things that happen come together just felt like they were never really working. This is never something that came up from the agents, but a gut feeling I had.
So when the agents turned the book down, I decided I wanted to take a long look at where I’m going and how I’m trying to get there. 2 things came out: I want to make smaller projects that I can devote myself to, with or without a publishing deal, and I want to grow as an artist.
Big graphic novel projects like Adamsville was are hard to grow in as an artist because they take so long and because it’s a series, you do have to lock into a visual style for a long time, limiting the amount you can experiment and change book to book.
Smaller, more focused projects, allow you as an artist to apply yourself in a more intensive way, finish in a reasonable time frame and then go on to another project where you can take what you’ve learned and step it up again. When I considered those things, A Hunted House wasn’t the right fit. The more I tried to convince myself it was, the more it felt wrong. So I’ve been wandering around in some new ideas and letting this one continue to rest and grow in my mind for awhile longer.
The good news is, the new idea is exactly what I’ve been hoping to find and make in a next project and I’m having a lot of fun in its world right now.
It’s simple, terrifying and heartfelt and I look forward to sharing more of it when the time is right.