What a crazy month it has been! TCAF was amazing, MeCAF was amazing, and now I’m packing my bags for Australia!

I’m heading down under for the Reading Matters YA conference, and some of my events are still open to attend, although you must register.

Monday, May 27: State Library of Queensland, Brisbane: Register here!

May 30-June 1: State Library of Victoria, Melbourne: Register here for READING MATTERS student day, unconference, and conference events!

I’m not doing any public signings or events beyond this, so if you want to say hello or hear my speak, you’ve got to sign up.

That’s all for now! Gotta go catch my plane!

And then I blinked, and it was almost time for MECAF!

The Maine Comics Arts Festival
Sunday, May 19
10am – 5pm
Ocean Gateway
Portland, ME
$5 for adults; free for kids under 12

I’ll have a table at the show on Sunday–come say hi and get a signed copy of my books! I will be tabling with John Green and Dave Roman, who is debuting his newest volume of Astronaut Academy at MeCAF!

I will also be giving a program on Saturday, May 18 at 3pm at the Portland Public Library in the Rines Auditorium. Hope to see you at one or both events!

Look out, Toronto: The Toronto Comic Arts Festival week is almost here!

I’ll be doing a few events leading up to the festival during the weekend. Here’s where you can find me in Toronto.

Wednesday, May 8
Chapters Brampton
52 Quarry Edge Dr Bovaird/Hwy 10
Brampton, ON, Canada
I’ll be giving a short presentation, drawing, and signing books!
7pm

Friday, May 10
TCAF Librarian & Educator Day
Librarians and Educators need to register for this one-day symposium, but it will be well worth it. I’m giving the morning keynote speech, speaking on a panel about LGBTQ comics, AND interviewing one of my cartooning idols, FoxTrot’s Bill Amend, live on stage…and there are a host of other wonderful panels to choose from. The event is free to attend, with the option to purchase a Patron Pack (which includes a creator lunch, and a bunch of age-specific graphic novels! [REGISTER HERE]

May 11-12
Toronto Comic Arts Festival!
The big event! TCAF is free to attend and draws huge crowds of comics fans, young and old to the Toronto Reference Library for the two-day celebration. I’m one of this year’s featured guests! Come say hi and get signed books, t-shirts, original art, and more! (I am still waiting on my table number and location, so please check back here for that info before heading to TCAF!)

Here are my TCAF panels! Please note that some of them take place off-site–addresses and walking times are noted. At all other times, you can find me at my table!

SATURDAY MAY 11

11am-12pm
Comics Adaptations
In the past decade, graphic novels have become the hot new medium, the form that everyone seems to want video games, movies, and books adapted into. Four cartoonists who have done adaptation work along with their own personal creative projects discuss the challenges and rewards of both kinds of comics works. Featuring Svetlana Chmakova (Witch & Wizard), Hope Larson (A Wrinkle In Time), Raina Telgemeier (The Babysitter’s Club). Moderated by Scott Robins (A Parent’s Guide to The Best Kids Comics).
Location: The Marriott, 90 Bloor Street East
Forest Hill Ballroom, 6th Floor (10 mins walk from Library)

2:45 – 3:45pm
Writing Life
These four cartoonists tell the most personal kind of stories – stories from their own lives. This program explores what’s involved in memoir. How accurately can memory and representative artwork depict real life? And are there kinds of stories that cannot be told? Featuring Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama), Derf (My Friend Dahmer), Ulli Lust (Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life), and Lucy Knisley (Relish). Moderated by Robin Brenner.
Location: The Pilot, 22 Cumberland Street, Second Floor (5 mins walk from Library)

SUNDAY MAY 12

1:30-2:15pm
DRAMA Reader’s Theatre
Can you bring the drama to DRAMA? Raina Telegemeier will lead a group of audience volunteers in a dramatic and interactive reading of her latest graphic novel. Get ready for some acting fun & laughs and afterwards Raina will show off her skills with some interactive drawing.
Location: Novella Room (2nd floor, Toronto Reference Library)

3:30-4:15pm
Kids Comics Quickfire, the sequel!
A fun, interactive drawing game show!
Location: Novella Room (2nd floor, Toronto Reference Library)

This month, I’m the Blogger-In-Residence at Inside A Dog, an Australian website dedicated to books for young people! I’m posting every Tuesday and Saturday through the month of April.

So far I’ve written about some of the things that come up over and over again during Q&A sessions: where I get my inspiration; writing about my own life; and how graphic novels are made. Every post is illustrated with photos and drawings.

I hope you enjoy them!

COMICS FEST is happening Saturday, April 20 in Durham, NC! I’m one of several awesome artists leading workshops, talks, and presentations throughout the day. I hope you’ll join us–it’s free!

Durham County 2013 COMICS FEST
Southwest Regional Library
3605 Shannon Road
Durham, North Carolina 27707
Saturday, April 20
10-5:30pm

WORKSHOP
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this workshop Raina will talk about making comics and writing stories, followed by everyone in the group writing and drawing their own short comic. She’ll discuss thumbnails, layouts, balloon placement, panel variation, and the mechanics of sequential art. For ages 8-14. REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

PRESENTATION & SLIDESHOW
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Audio-visual presentation by Raina Telgemeier, all about her process, inspiration, and love of comics! No registration required. Open to all ages! (Meeting Room)

SIGNING
3:30 – 4 p.m.
Raina book signing and sale (Café Area)

View the full schedule of events here!

Just back from an amazing weekend in Montreal! Here are some of the highlights:

Librairie D+Q’s storefront signage…

Book club superstar Arwen, giving me an amazing intro.

Sunday afternoon event at Chapters Pointe-Claire.

A great turn-out!

Dave and I also walked all over the place and ate a bunch of food and took a bunch of pictures; you can see all of those here.

Super thanks to Scholastic Canada, Librairie D+Q, and Chapters Pointe-Claire for making this trip possible! I had a wonderful time!

Montreal! I’ll be in town in March for some events. Join me!

The first event takes place on Saturday, March 23 at Librairie D + Q in Montreal.

(English-language D+Q poster)

(French-language D+Q poster)

DRAMA event & signing!
Librairie D + Q
Montreal, Quebec
Saturday, March 23
3-5pm
Full audio-visual presentation about my influences, early works, and Scholastic graphic novels! I’ll be presenting in English, but both English and French-Canadian editions of my books will be available.

The second event takes place Sunday, March 24 at the Pointe-Claire Chapters store.

DRAMA event & signing!
Chapters Pointe-Claire
Pointe-Claire, Quebec
Sunday, March 24
12-2pm
I’ll be speaking, drawing, and signing books! English-language presentation.

BIG news!

Today, Publishers Weekly broke the story:

My next book will be called SISTERS!

From the press release:

Raina Telgemeier has signed a two-book deal with Scholastic’s Graphix imprint….The first book, Sisters, will be a companion to the author’s 2010 Eisner Award winner, Smile (also published by Graphix). Sisters, which is set for 2014, will look at “the inner workings of [Telgemeier’s] family,” focusing on her relationship with her younger sister. The second book in the deal, which is currently untitled, will also be a graphic work.

I don’t have a set release date yet, but it will be sometime next year. I’m working on the art as we speak! Enjoy a sneak peak, above, at a couple of my penciled panels.

I’m pretty excited about this book, and even more excited now that I’m able to share the title with all of you! Of course I’ll share more information here on my site when I’ve got it. Till then…hope you’re all staying warm!

~raina

Hey, Seattle! I’m coming your way soon!

March 1-3, I’ll be exhibiting at Emerald City Comicon!

I have a table in Artist Alley! That table number is…

ARTIST ALLEY TABLE # B-10

I’ll be selling books, t-shirts, and original art! If you want to meet me and get something signed, this is the place to find me most of the weekend.

I’m also participating in some programming! Both of these happen on Saturday, March 2.

RAISING A READER
Saturday, March 2
Start: 12:00PM
Room: ECCC KIDS! – ROOM 201
CBLDF Presents: Newbery Award winning Children’s book author and graphic novelist Jenni Holm (Babymouse series) discusses ways to get children excited about reading, encouraging creativity, and cultivating a love of literature and art, with a focus on great graphic novels and comics for younger readers. Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman will join Jenni on the panel!

COMICS QUICKFIRE!
Saturday, March 2
Start: 3:00PM
Room: ECCC KIDS! – ROOM 201
Comics Quickfire! A fast-paced game show where volunteers are paired off with (or against) professional cartoonists in a series of fun-filled drawing challenges! Audience members will provide suggestions and add to the creation of totally improvised epic drawings! Featuring host Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Skottie Young (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), Katie Cook (My Little Pony), John Green (Teen Boat), & more! Great for all ages!

Emerald City Comicon will be my ONLY Seattle appearance in 2013, so if you want to say hi, buy your show tickets soon! See you there!

Wow, I have a lot to catch up on! This has been a good winter for me so far. I’ve gotten a TON of work done (35 pages into drawing my new book!), and I have a bunch of neat things to share with you. Without further ado:

Photo by Lizette Serrano…look at my shiny sticker, and all my stars!

• At this year’s ALA Youth Media Awards, DRAMA received a Stonewall Book Award Honor! This is for a book with “exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.” I’m so pleased and proud. Very many thanks to the Stonewall committee for this honor!

• ALA also released their yearly best-of and notables lists, and DRAMA was featured on a few of these, including YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens (Top Ten!), Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, and the Rainbow Project List. It was also selected as an ALSC Notable Children’s Book!

• A couple of weeks ago, Drama quietly slipped up to the #1 spot on the New York Times Graphic Books Bestseller list. Yow!! I have a feeling that had something to do with…

• This super-sweet audio piece on NPR, which not only recommends DRAMA, but even recorded voice actors performing some of the scenes in the book!! This is maybe the coolest thing ever.

• Oh, wait, no–THIS is the coolest thing. I got invited to be a guest at Reading Matters, a festival in Melbourne, Australia!!! That happens May 31-June 1 [ticket info is here], and I’ll be doing some events there and in Brisbane, too. I’ll post my full schedule here when I have it, but I look forward to meeting some Aussie readers in a few months!

• Finally, my first event of 2013 is coming right up. I’ll be at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, March 1-3, in the Artist Alley. Seattle fans, I hope to see you! I’ll have books, t-shirts, and artwork on hand!

Whew! That’s all for me tonight! Hope you are all doing well!