Bethanie is a prolific picture book creator who’s published more than 20 books! Her titles have received many accolades, including multiple starred reviews and inclusion on numerous Best Books of the Year lists.
In this interview, she talks with me about how she’s transitioning from picture books to graphic novels, and describes her exact creative process (and everything she learned!) with her first graphic novel, Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage.
Watch the interview or read the transcript below.
Was Your Journey to Becoming a Children’s Book Creator a Straight Line?
Great question. No, 100% not a straight line. It just never is. I actually didn’t write and draw for a long time.
I first went to college to be an architect because I was creative, loved math, and was encouraged by my father to pursue a career path that would guarantee a job.
Growing up in a rural area, I didn’t see many role models who showed how art and drawing could translate into a career—aside from maybe architecture.
But I didn’t fall in love with architecture. I then shifted to psychology, but I kept feeling this nagging pull toward drawing. While studying psychology at one university, I started auditing illustration classes at another, driving an hour each way to attend. It was a lot, but that pull to art never left me.
My first job out of college was in publishing, but on the business side—at The Atlantic Monthly in their circulation department. I was designing subscription cards (the kind that fall out of magazines and annoy everyone). I could see the art department from my desk, and I just knew that’s where I wanted to be.
Eventually, I taught myself Quark and transitioned to a job in a magazine art department. It was creative, but still not my passion.
I finally pursued an MFA in Illustration at SVA while working as a graphic designer in New York. My advisor, Peter Sís, was instrumental in helping me break into publishing, introducing me to editors.
But at the time, I didn’t have a strong sense of my voice or the stories I wanted to tell. That came much later.
It’s been a long and winding road. Over the years, I transitioned from design to illustrating picture books, which began around 2006. My first book came out in 2011, and since then, I’ve illustrated about 18 picture books.
But the real shift happened when I started exploring graphic novels.
What Are the Key Differences Between Creating Picture Books and Graphic Novels?
There are so many differences! I’ll start with why I made the transition.
Around 2016, I felt drawn to writing longer, more character-driven stories. In picture books, every word and image must directly serve the plot because of the 32-page constraint.
I often found myself wanting to include character moments or humorous asides, but they just didn’t fit. I wanted more room to develop characters, and graphic novels offered that opportunity.
At the same time, I noticed how graphic novels were resonating with readers. As a parent running a school book fair, I saw graphic novels consistently outselling everything else—fiction, nonfiction, and even popular licensed books like Minecraft.
One year, graphic novels made up over 50% of sales for grades K-8. Seeing that demand solidified my decision.
From a craft perspective, the biggest differences are storytelling, drawing, and scheduling.
For storytelling, picture books function like short stories or concept pieces. With graphic novels, I had to learn longer-form storytelling, which was a steep learning curve. I read every book on the craft, from Save the Cat! to the Pixar Story Spine, and applied those frameworks to refine my work.
The drawing is another challenge.
In a picture book, you can get by with looser or simpler artwork, but a graphic novel requires hundreds of consistent drawings. The sheer volume of work means you can’t cut corners.
Lastly, the scheduling is far more intense. Any delay—whether it’s feedback from the editor or a missed deadline—can snowball into major problems. To stay on track, I use a detailed project schedule and communicate with my editor early and often about deadlines.
How Did You Decide on the Style for Your Graphic Novel?
It took time and experimentation to nail down the style. I had a full year between signing the contract and diving into production, which, while frustrating, gave me space to experiment.
I knew I wanted a watercolor feel, but I also knew I’d be working digitally. I spent months testing brushes and techniques to capture the movement and texture of watercolor in a digital medium.
I also leaned into my love of line work, which comes from my background in calligraphy. For me, it was essential to choose a style that felt natural and joyful because the process of creating a graphic novel is so labor-intensive.
Once I had a few sample pages, my publisher required proof pages. This was incredibly helpful.
Seeing how the colors and lines printed on different paper types allowed me to make necessary adjustments upfront.
How Do You Handle Rejections?
Rejection is part of the process, and I’ve had plenty of it—whether it was picture books early in my career or graphic novel pitches later on.
When pitching my first graphic novel, my initial script had a dual narrative: one set in the present day and one set 20,000 years ago, during the domestication of wolves. It didn’t work.
After months of revisions, I streamlined the story into a single timeline with a flashback instead of parallel narratives. That shift, combined with improved sample pages as I learned more about comics storytelling, finally led to a book deal.
Rejections can be tough, but they’re often necessary for growth. Sometimes you need to set a project aside for a few months to gain clarity and objectivity. Taking that time can make all the difference.
What Research Did You Do for Your Graphic Novel?
For this project, I dove deep into research about dogs and their domestication from wolves. Recent advancements in studying canine behavior, like fMRI studies, reveal so much about how dogs think and their emotional bonds with humans.
I also spent time at a wolf sanctuary, observing and interacting with wolves to better understand their behavior.
This research informed not just the back matter but also the story itself.
For instance, wolves have pack behaviors where they maintain constant contact to strengthen bonds. I incorporated this into the story through visual cues and interstitial moments, highlighting the relationship between the protagonist, her dog, and the wolf character.
Where Can Readers Connect with You?
You can find me on KCU or visit my website at aquapup.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter. It’s sent out three or four times a year with updates on my projects.My latest graphic novel, Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage, is out now! I’m currently working on the next two books in the series, as well as a middle-grade project for Candlewick.
