First Draft Episode #283: Dylan Meconis

Dylan Meconis, cartoonist and writer, talks about her middle grade graphic novel Queen of the Sea. Its sequel, Prince of the City, will be out in 2022!

This episode is sponsored by Revision Season, the seven-week, virtual master class in novel revision led by award-winning author Elana K. Arnold. The Winter 2021 session runs January 17 – March 4, with Week Zero work arriving January 10. Check out more details about Revision Season and sign up or Apply for 5 scholarships being offered through We need Diverse Books at www.elanakarnold.com.

Links and Topics Mentioned In This Episode

• Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

• Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of graphic memoirs Smile and Sisters, and the creator of Drama, which was named a Stonewall Honor Book, as well as Ghost.

• Vera Brosgol is an Eisner Award and Harvey Award winning cartoonist, and Caldecott Honor winner for Leave Me Alone! and the graphic memoir Be Prepared.

• Jen Wang, Eisner Award-winning author and illustrator of The Prince and the Dressmaker, In Real Life, and Koko Be Good stops by to talk about her new middle grade graphic novel, Stargazing. Listen to her First Draft episode here.

• Terry Jones’s Medieval Lives (the book) and Medieval Lives (the TV show) by Terry Jones, a former member of Monty Python

• Karen Cushman is the Newbery Award-winning children's book author of The Midwife's Apprentice, Catherine Called Birdy, and The Loud Silence of Francine Green.

• Monica Furlong was a British author, journalist, and activist, and author of award-winning novels Juniper and Wise Child.

• Susan Cooper is best known for her acclaimed five-book fantasy sequence The Dark is Rising, which won a Newbery Medal, a Newbery Honor Award, and two Carnegie Honor Awards. Her picture book The Shortest Day WAS illustrated by Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home and Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, talks about her newest picture book, In the Half Room. (Listen to Carson’s episode of First Draft here.)

I want to hear from you!

Have a question about writing or creativity for Sarah Enni or her guests to answer? To leave a voicemail, call (818) 533-1998 or send an email to mailbag @ firstdraftpod dot com!

Subscribe To First Draft with Sarah Enni

Every Tuesday, I speak to storytellers like Veronica Roth, author of Divergent; National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds; Leigh Bardugo, author of Ninth House and the Grishaverse series; Creator of Sex and the City Candace Bushnell; YouTube empresario and author Hank Green; Actors, comedians and screenwriters Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham; author and host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast Linda Holmes; Bestselling authors and co-hosts of the Call Your Girlfriend podcast, Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow; Michael Dante  DiMartino, co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender; John August, screenwriter of Big Fish and co-host of the Sciptnotes podcast; or Rhett Miller, musician and frontman for The Old 97s. Together, we take deep dives on their careers and creative works.

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Track Changes

If you’re looking for more information on how to get published, or the traditional publishing industry, check out the Track Changes podcast series, and sign up for the Track Changes weekly newsletter.

Support the Show

Love the show? Make a monthly or one-time donation at Paypal.me/FirstDraft.

Rate, Review, and Recommend

Take a moment to rate and review First Draft with Sarah Enni in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Your honest and positive review helps others discover the show -- so thank you!

Is there someone you think would love this podcast as much as you do? Just click the Share button at the bottom of this post!

Thanks again!