I’m excited to share my work adapting Eric H Cline’s 1177 BC!

For an in-depth discussion of the job of adapting Eric Cline’s original book, I wrote this article for Anceint Near East Today.

More insight into the process went into this Interview with the Usonian, a fellow Fulbright fellow to Cyprus.

I discussed the making of the book with The History of Cyprus Podcast. I was already a major fan before Andreas and I had this conversation.

Reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement July, 2024

Events for the book release:

Venetian Soda Lounge with Phoenix Books in Burlington, VT with Special Guest Call of Kinnaru, April 18

Education and Enrichment for Everyone, Burlington, VT, April 19

Floating World in Portland, OR, April 21

University of Washington Department of Classics lecture, April 26

Third Place Books, Seattle, WA, April 26

Labyrinth Books, Princeton, NJ, May 6

Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT, May 9

Still North Books, Hanover, NH, May 10

More events forthcoming!

I was very fortunate to spend Vermont Week in Johnson at the Vermont Studio Center with 30 other artists and writers from the state. This meant hours in the studio, wonderful meals, many conversations with other residents, and open studios on Sunday. Thanks to Lori Duff for a photoshoot of me as serious author/cartoonist.

Winner of the 2026 Paper Rocket Publishing Prize!

Get your own copy of Mudhouse, the comic I drew at Mudhouse residency by supporting the Paper Rocket Kickstarter. I’m so happy this project is in the powerful capable hands of Paper Rocket!

For the 3rd year in a row, and for the first time IN PERSON, Jo Knowles and I will be leading a week-long workshop on creating YA and MG comics at CCS in White River Junction, VT. EVEN on ZOOM this week left me feeling exhilarated, so I can’t wait to experience comics making together in the same room—being able to hop out to nearby cafes for breaks and lunch. As anxious as making plans to travel may feel at this point—I’m out of practice– the anticipation of this week dedicated to generating story ideas, workshopping projects, and gaining a community of peers eases these fears.

Wether you have an idea for a graphic novel, or a project already in progress, or even wonder about how to compose in panels, pages, and spreads—or know someone who does— consider spending this week at a spa for YA/MG comics! It’s also a chance to gain a short- term taste of life at CCS —the sound of trains rolling through the junction, and glorious immersion in making comics. Sign up here.

Available to preorder now from you favorite local bookshop for pickup on May 27, 2025!

I’m proud to have illustrated Jo’s new middle grade novel, a story about 10-year old Maple who draws comics in response to stresses in her life– hey, that sounds familiar! Jo has an amazing ability to speak of deep emotions through the details of daily life, and to bring humor and imagination to difficult times. Some scenes I loved drawing include Maple as Captain Ladybug flying to a recycling center to dispose of the kitchen timer that torments her during math tests, Maple rolling down a hill in a barrel (I tried this when I was a kid, not recommended), Maple’s dream treehouse, and scenes of a “portal potty,” Maple’s dad’s means of escaping to Dadlandia, where he’s free from responsibilities of family.

The chance to make these illustrations grew out of teaching Coming of Age Comics together with Jo at CCS for five summers in a row, continuing this year. I love this week, and learn new aspects of story telling from Jo every year. Registration is open for Coming of Age Comics summer of 2025— a week packed with exercises designed to get to the heart of stories of growing up.

In April I spent 5 days at Trailerblaze, a residency for cartoonists hosted by fearless Kelly Froh (founder and organizer of Short Run comics festival in Seattle) and I was lucky to be part of the 10th year. I flew to Portland in time for my dad’s 85th birthday, and he drove me to Seaview, WA where we had an evening to celebrate. The next day he dropped me off at the Sou’wester lodge for Trailerblaze, where I spent days drawing, evenings of meals together and in the sauna. Such a delight to get to know these cartoonists, and now I’ll follow their work forever. In my sketchbook: childhood memories and fears.

After a weekend in Seattle I flew to Chicago for 3 weeks in residence at Ragdale. I shared a ride from the airport with Chloe Benjamin whose new novel is coming this fall — look out for Understory! I was back in the same beautiful room as in 2024, but in a very different frame of mind— the circumstances of my life have changed so much. More on that another time.

My new editor Mary Cash at Holiday House sent welcome feedback on my middle grade book (Asara of Thera, still not an official title) just as I arrived, so I spent a week editing, re-writing and drawing according to her positive comments— with new enthusiasm for this project. I spent another week inking about 20 pages, so now I may be about half-way done with inking— one of several steps in the process of finishing this book.

Again I delighted in conversations with artists and writers from all over, and time in the prairie, especially the tour with Jess. It rained on my sketchbook as I drew.

Now I’m getting ready for a month in Greece, first to Kenchreai for two weeks to work on drawing pottery for a big new land and sea survey, then to Crete where I have the honor of the Harriet Boyd Hawes Fellowship to research Late Bronze Age textile and pottery production at the Institute for the Study of Aegean Prehistory. This research will help give Asara of Thera more depth of detail, and I hope become the beginning of a new project about young craftspeople in Crete. More soon!

There aren’t many chances to hear new ancient music, but Saturday in Burlington was one of them. Together with Brooklyn duo Gawain and the Green Knight, The Call of Kinnaru: John Franklin (lyre), Julia Irons (voice, percussion), Rachel Fickes (aulos, lyre, voice), Jamie Levis (drums) played Songs of Greek Mythology, covered by Seven Days VT. This fall the Call of Kinnaru performed at UT Austin and Harvard, with more gigs planned for 2024. Find the full Call of Kinnaru playlist here.

I created images for projections to illustrate songs for a production of Euripides’ Helen that John produced in 2018. The lyrics often refer to myth, which for ancient audiences would have brought images to mind. These projections attempt to simulate the experience, and it’s thrilling to see how the images interact with the music.

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I’m proud to have contributed The Story of Ana to this anthology of stories of migrant farm workers in Vermont, and so pleased with printed collection. Each comic was originally printed as a pamphlet in Spanish and distributed among migrant workers, in order to share stories, make connections between people, and to ease the sense of isolation they might have while working far from home.

More Details about the book and how to order here.

Listen to a discussion about the project on Vermont Pubic Radio.

Special thanks to Andy Kolovos!

Read the comic in the Cartoon Issue of SevenDays VT, published July 9, 2025 HERE!

After having a great time with my neighbor Debra at as many protests as I could this winter/spring I pitched this comic for the yearly Cartoon Issue to editor Dan Bolles at SevenDaysVT. I interviewed my neighbor Debra while on a walk, drafted this comic, showed it to her for her input, edited again for clarity and correctness, turned it in, and left for Italy (with my dad and kids) and Greece (for the archaeology at Kenchreai and Mud House Residency) for two months. I returned to VT just in time to see it in print. Attending these protests, especially with Debra’s humorous, practical, and hopeful-depsite-all attitude, and standing/marching together with so many people willing to brave the cold then rain, gave me energy and the feeling that resistance is worth it, and necessary for change. The fight against the current regime needs documentation in print, not only on the internet, and am glad for the chance.

I’m proud to be in the issue with CCS alumni (students in my Thesis Seminar class) Clover Ajamie and Kristin Shull, as well as national cartooning heroes Harry Bliss and Alison Bechdel. Both have new books, You Can Never Die and Spent, which I’m reading side by-side with the joy and delight of inhabiting their worlds for the moment. The endpapers of Spent show the same red chacos and blue hokas I wear—another way of walking in Alison’s (cartoon) shoes.

Published in Narrative Magazine, a comic about how the Nav system in my EV knows more than I’d like to admit.

The last week of July 2025 Jo Knowles and I will teach a week long workshop in creating comics about growing up. This is the sixth year (I think) we’ve taught together, and every time it’s a wonder— and how not? We spend most of each day together talking about, drawing, and sharing stories about pivotal times in our lives. Who will be there? In the past we’ve had students from all over the country and of all ages, and we create an atmosphere that’s kind, humorous, and encourages the kind of courage it takes to write about not the easiest times— growing up!

I’ve loved the flood of stories about beloved old cars that this cartoon produced. Published on my birthday, the day before a wonderful tribute to the life of Ed Koren at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolf, VT.