by Makayla Wamboldt
The 2016 Get Lit! Festival lineup is not only filled with talented writers and visual artists, but also a special few who do both. Graphic novelist Simeon Mills is one of them. His fiction has appeared in Hawaii Review, StringTown and Monkey Bicycle and his comics have been featured on Top Shelf 2.0. He has a degree in architecture from Columbia University, an MFA from the University of Montana, and is currently a middle school teacher living in Spokane. In 2012 he received an Artist Trust Grant for his graphic novel Butcher Paper, which is currently available from Scablands Books. Butcher Paper is about fathers, sons, bullies, worms, sharks – an eclectic and fun mix tied together by Mills’ creative storytelling and humor.
During the festival he will be launching his book accompanied by Seattle cartoonist Tom Van Deusen. Van Deusen has been called “a major new talent in contemporary commix” by Larry Reid of Fantagraphics Bookstore. He adds, “His revealing characterizations are endearing in their honesty while repellant in their execution – a perfect balance of alluring and grotesque. Well rendered and wicked fun” The two literary artists will hold a casual interview style discussion where they will talk about Butcher Paper, the craft of cartooning, and graphic novels. The event is free and open to the public.
