illustration
My books! Pride recommended reading!
Wowzers! A huge thank you to Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) for putting both “Rainbow Boy” (Picture Books category) & “Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming-of-Age Story” (Young Adult category) on their recommended reading list for Pride month 2021! (Four months today until Still Stace comes out!!)
I got my STILL STACE ARC!
OKAY.
I didn’t even know this was coming, and when the kids helped me pull it out of the packaging (amid a flurry of screams), my heart skipped a beat!! (Or seven.)
I have been working on this for two years saying, “This is gonna be a book!” And now I’m holding it saying, “THIS IS A BOOK.”
This is my Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of STILL STACE from the publisher, and it’s got little mistakes and quirks that won’t be in the final. (Also the final will be hard copy!) But WHOOBOY I’m still gonna cradle it like it’s my third baby. Just over 4 months to go! It’s so cool seeing all my illustrations on PAPER, sheesh capeesh.
It’s Pride month & my story couldn’t be any gayer, so pre-order yours today! (Seriously tho, pls pre-order – it helps the publishers know how well it will do!) Reminder, our target audience is teens ages 13-18 (but adults can read YA books too)!
STILL STACE releases in 5 months!
Five months from now, my very own book STILL STACE will be published by Beaming Books!! Whoooo, it’s gonna fly by methinks. We have been getting some wonderful blurbs from some amazing authors (!!), and I just cannot wait to see what the next few months will bring.
Here’s a few sneak peeks of some of the many illustrations 
Spoiler alert: this book talks a lot about teen angst, being gay and struggling with how faith fits in. Pre-order your copy if that sounds like something you want to read about! https://www.beamingbooks.com/…/9781506469515/Still-Stace
Oscar Poster Designs 2021
I just concluded my Oscar poster design series for this year by watching the Best Picture winner last night, “Nomadland”. Oof, that film will stick with me for a while. What an amazing reminder of the beauty and fragility of life. My other favs out of the ones I watched were “Soul” (animation, obv), and “My Octopus Teacher”. Watch them, I mean it! Here’s my eight designs for this year.
See ya next Oscar season!
COVER REVEAL – “Still Stace”
Friends!!
I am SO EXCITED to finally share the updated and official cover for my YA illustrated memoir, “Still Stace”!! I feel like I have been sitting on this for years! (It’s been a few weeks. I no longer understand time post-quarantine.)
Beaming Books is publishing my book on October 19th, 2021. It is available everywhere for pre-order, (click here fellow Canadians!) but please try to order from local bookstores wherever possible! I still honestly can’t process that this will be an actual freaking hard cover book in mere months.
The younger me who I wrote & drew this for is positively overflowing with excitement, and she won’t stop high-fiving me. (AND I AM HERE FOR IT.) When this releases in October, I will probably have the biggest vulnerability hangover of my life. But if it helps one person to feel less alone, it will all be worth it.
Massive thanks to my small but mighty circle of supporters, cheerers, laughers, criers, huggers, walkers, venters, texters, Zoomers…. and of course my incredible wife Tams, who is undoubtedly one of the strongest driving forces behind me being able to (and having the courage to) get this accomplished. What a SURREAL DREAM come TRUE.
Please share this with anyone who may need it! I’m so grateful for everyone who has helped or encouraged me along this road. None of you will be forgotten, I promise. Countdown to October 19th!!
Seasons of change.
Last week our little house on 221st street sold. While on a bike ride soon after, it hit me how many big seasons have happened these last few years! Pets come and gone, two kids, a pandemic, two book deals, and many more ups and downs. Whoa.
I had so much fun staying up late while everyone slept, and putting a few of these milestones into quick illustrations. I’m totally not sure what’s ahead of me, but whatever it is, I’m looking forward to a new chapter! I’m grateful for endless possibilities.
“Schitt’s Creek” Paper Doll Set
We are finally making our way through all the seasons of the genius comedy that is “Schitt’s Creek”. (Yes I know we are late to the party – YOU try watching TV with toddlers!)
This show is getting ALL the acclaim everywhere, and I just absolutely love it, because it’s just SO. CANADIAN. I grew up watching Eugene Levy on SCTV at the edge of my parents bed, not fully getting the sketches, but loving the wild antics. “Schitt’s Creek” was developed by Eugene Levy and his son, Dan Levy. Add on legend Catherine O’Hara and COME ON you can’t even go wrong.
Anyway, anyway, I love all of David’s sweaters, and I thought it would be SO FUN to have a paper doll set of some of his best. It would be fun to do a doll set of all the characters – we’ll see if I have time for that! Until then, here’s David’s! This is was an illegal amount of fun to draw.
Rainbow Boy – in my hands!
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSHEESH this was so exciting to open with my kids! My #illustrator copies of #RainbowBoy came today! Can’t wait for the world to get theirs Jan 19th!! 🎉❤️🌈 @BeamingBooksMN @TaylorRouanzion #kidlit #queerkidlit #picturebook #lgbtqartist pic.twitter.com/qCEm78GQI1
— Stacey Chomiak (@stacerchomiak) January 9, 2021
THIS was a GREAT. MOMENT. I received my illustrator copies of RAINBOW BOY, and my kids helped me open the box and see it for themselves. These illustrations have lived on my computer for a while now, but it was so surreal to see them printed. IN A BOOK. AN ACTUAL BOOK!
The book is dedicated to them, and they thought it was super cool that their names are both in the front of the book. (I think it’s super cool, too.) We cuddled together on the couch and they each clutched their own copy tightly as I took turns reading their copy. At the end of the book there’s a little picture of Taylor (the author) and me (the illustrator), and my kids said “Hi Mommy!” and kissed my picture.
And that is what I will remember as a huge WIN in my life.
Get YOUR copy on January 19th! Order or find wherever good books are sold!
Rainbow Boy’s almost here!
It feels like yesterday when my agent Claire sent me the first email about Rainbow Boy. Beaming Books was publishing it, and looking for an illustrator – and they were hoping I would be interested in doing it. A picture book about a gender non-conforming boy who loves tutus AND basketball? What’s not to like?!??!
I’m so grateful the author Taylor Rouanzion wrote this story – it is so needed! It publishes one month today on Jan 19, 2021. (Eeeeeek! Starting 2021 off right!) I can’t wait to hold it, and even more exciting – to see my kids hold and read it. First of many dreams to come true. Did you order your copy yet?? 🙂
