Maria Scrivan is the author of the new middle grade graphic novel Nat a Chance, the latest in her Nat Enough series. She lives in Connecticut.
Q: This is your sixth book featuring your character Nat--do you think she's changed over the course of the series?
A: Nat is a lot like Charlie Brown, except she pulls the football from beneath herself. Nat is getting more confident and comfortable in her own skin, but she still has room to grow as life continues to bring new challenges.
Although Nat was based on my childhood self, the character has taken on a life of her own, and has become one of my greatest teachers. Each book is a letter and reminder to myself to be more of who I am, to move through doubt and fear, and to believe in myself.
Q: What inspired the plot of Nat a Chance?
A: The plot of Nat a Chance was inspired by my own personal journey. As a kid, I was sure I was not an athlete. I was clumsy and awkward, and was always picked last for gym. I quit the soccer team in high school because I didn’t want to run the mile warm-up.
When I got to college, some friends invited me to join the rowing team. This was out of my comfort zone and extremely difficult at first, but as my confidence grew, the experience fostered a life-long love of athletics.
As an adult, I joined a running group and was surrounded by people who were competing in triathlons. That group inspired me to compete in long-distance triathlons, consisting of 2.4-mile swims and 112-mile bike rides, followed by a full marathon.
That experience was seemingly impossible, but moving through it opened the door to more seemingly impossible things. It also made me realize that the belief that I wasn’t an athlete was just a story I was telling myself that wasn’t true.
Nat a Chance is about the stories we tell ourselves about our perceived limitations, and what happens when we challenge those false beliefs.
Q: Do you usually work on the text first or the art first--or both simultaneously?
A: Once I have an idea for a story, I write a brief outline. The outline is like a road map; I know where I’m going, but I have no idea what surprises I will see along the way.
I’m always amazed how much the story can change and evolve from the original outline. When I am developing the story, I write and draw simultaneously, roughing out each panel of the book.
The magic of graphic novels is the incredible amount of depth they bring to a story through subtle expressions, dialogue, imagery, scene, body language, and more.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: I hope that readers laugh, know that they are not alone in their feelings, and challenge any false beliefs and perceived limitations they might have about themselves.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am working on two graphic novel series that I will be able to announce very soon. I also continue to create my Half Full comic three days a week on www.gocomics.com/half-full, as well as greeting cards.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Parents often tell me how much the Nat series has helped their kids move through anxiety, doubt, and fear. I wrote these books for my own healing. The fact that they resonate with readers means the world to me.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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