Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the author and illustrator of dozens of picture books and graphic novels for young readers. His latest book – Hey, Kiddo – is a graphic memoir about “growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive.”

Jenny Spertner: Your books are usually fiction. What
inspired you to write a memoir?  

Jarrett J. Krosoczka: I have wanted to write my own story for some time now. Even when I was inking the final art for my Lunch Lady graphic novels, I would start scribbling character sketches for my memoir in the margins. Hey, Kiddo is a book that has been bubbling up inside me seemingly forever.

You say in your book that you loved art and wanted to create comics. How did you feel about writing? Did you see yourself being an author as well?  

I didn’t realize that I was an author when I was a teen. Even though I was writing the plots for my comics, I would have labeled myself a cartoonist. Now I have a much better handle on the fact that comics need to be planned and written out before you jump into finals. I write my graphic novels as a script first, like a movie or play, before any sketching. And when you have hundreds of pages of a script with no artwork, you can’t escape the fact that you are also an author.

Hey, Kiddo explores some of the struggles you experienced from not being raised by your parents. What were some of the positives of being raised by your grandparents?  

My grandparents came of age during the Great Depression and World War II. The work ethic that those events brought to my grandparents was then instilled in me. I also got the very best of my grandparents because they parented me the way they wished they had their five kids.

What advice would you give to teens growing up in
difficult family situations, such as with families struggling with addiction?  

When you are a teen, you don’t have much control over your surroundings or your circumstances. But I was able to lean on my friends, escape into comics, and then create my own worlds in my sketchbooks. Time moves on and life marches forward – so hang in there. Life certainly gets better and better.

What advice do you have for teens who dream of becoming authors or artists?  

If one wants to be an author and/or an artist, I would suggest that they create all the time – and realize that those creations are works in progress. Seek out constructive criticism from those whose work or tastes you respect. And then revise your work and learn from those changes. Each piece will make the next piece that much better, so you are constantly going to be a work in progress.

When writing graphic novels, what comes to you first – the pictures you want to draw or the words you want to write?  

I spend a lot of time sketching characters first – really getting to know them. From there, I write a script, and then I see how that script is going to break down over the pages. It’s a delicate balance, as you want to give the graphic novel a good visual rhythm as the reader turns the pages.

Who were your biggest inspirations growing up, and who are your biggest inspirations today?  

My mother was a very talented artist, but she wasn’t able to do anything with it as she succumbed to addiction. That lack of drive pushed me forward. And my grandfather was always there as a role model for working hard. And today? I am surrounded by colleagues, whose work I see on bookshelves and on social media, who make me want to be the best author and artist that I can be. We serve an audience who deserves our very best.

What is your favorite book and why?  

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary was always my favorite growing up. I think I took to it because, while it was realistic fiction, there was a mouse who could walk, talk, and ride a motorcycle.

What are your writing habits? Do you write every day?
Do you ever get writer’s block?  

There is no ordinary day when you are a published author. You have deadlines, you have new works that are in progress, and you often find yourself out on the road for book tour. So I work on something every day, but it’s always a different stage of the game. Regarding writer’s block – when I brainstorm, I don’t write in a linear fashion; I write scenes and then piece them together. So if I am at a loss for how a scene is going to play out, I jump to a different part of the story. Exercise or a simple walking of the dogs always helps kick the cobwebs out of my head.

What do you hope teens will take away from Hey, Kiddo?  

I hope that teens who are living a similar experience will feel less alone and kids who know nothing about addiction will look at peers with more empathy.

What projects are you working on now? Do you have any goals or dreams for the future?  

I am working on several projects right now. Some are for teens, some are for younger readers – all are books that tell their stories with words and pictures.

What are the four most important traits to have if you want to be a successful author/artist?  

1) Observe the quiet moments around you.

2) Write (and draw) without fear of the opinions of others.

3) Seek out constructive criticism from those whose tastes 

you respect.

4) Ignore all the rules.