Kids Comics Pitchfest 2023 Showcase

Wherever You Are

Dara’s sister Anya disappeared eight months ago, leaving Dara depressed and disconnected. Then, a door opens to another world where Anya might be found. As Dara searches the other world and evades a creature intent on cutting her connection to Earth, she struggles to engage in her life back at home, pushing away her friends and family. Time passes faster in the other world and when Dara finally finds her sibling, he has transitioned from female to male and started a new life. Dara must learn to accept that her loved one has changed, and to eventually let him go when the creature catches up to her and she must return to Earth permanently.

Wherever You Are is about searching for a lost sibling, coping with grief, and accepting change.

My Why:

As a trans artist, I want to make trans readers feel seen and promote allyship amongst cis readers. I wanted to write a story sympathetic to the difficulty of accepting others as well as seeking acceptance. Even those who generally support the LGBT+ community can struggle to accept loved ones at first. Many people will have someone come out to them, but everyone must deal with loved ones changing in ways they don’t expect or even like.

Growing up, the few books I could find about trans people revolved around being rejected, bullied, and discriminated against. I felt like coming out would ruin my life. Reading a book like this would have given me hope during an extremely scary time in my life, and I want to give that to others.