Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Robin Easter (UPSTAGED)!
Meet the Author: Robin Easter
Robin Easter is a cartoonist and illustrator who graduated from SCAD with a degree in sequential art. They are also a grown-up theater kid, former camp counselor, and walking encyclopedia of random facts. Robin currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with several plants and their dreams of having a dog.
About the Book: UPSTAGED
In a summer of goodbyes and new beginnings, shy Ashton Price hopes to confess to their theater camp crush in this heartfelt middle-grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of The Tryout and The Girl from the Sea.
This is it: the last hurrah, the final curtain call.
Ever since sixth grade, Ashton Price and their best friend and enduring crush, Ivy Santos, have spent their summers together at theater camp. Now it’s their last year before they part ways for high school, and Ash is determined to end it on a high note!
With Ash as stage manager and Ivy the lead in this year’s musical, this summer’s shaping up to be everything the two could have hoped for. Maybe Ash will even work up the courage to ask Ivy out! But between Ivy rehearsing long hours with her colead and Ash throwing themself into an ambitious stage production, will they end up drifting apart instead?
As summer wanes and September looms, Ash and Ivy’s friendship will change forever, one way or another.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I love camp, and I love theater! I’ve been both a camper and counselor at an arts camp over the years, and those experiences left a huge impression on me and my creative process. I’m also just a huge theater nerd, and as a former stage tech myself, I knew I wanted to write from my experience behind the scenes.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
It’s hard to say! I love them all in their own ways, but I think I had the most fun writing for and drawing Paige.
YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?
When I’ve told the characters’ story as well as I can. I think of it like writing a memoir: the first draft is just writing down the events that happen, and the second draft is me cleaning it up into a narrative. Once other people can see the story as clearly as I do, it’s ready.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
So much. I come from a technical theater background, so I really threw myself into the specifics of learning how to make transforming costumes and how the crew might go about building a working carriage and such. Given the time and materials, I could absolutely sew Ella’s dress or build many of the setpieces in the book. I also watched every stage and film adaptation of “Cinderella” that I could find, though that was mostly for fun!
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
The realization actually came to me very slowly. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t really understand how important storytelling was to me until college. I had a wonderful professor sit me down my freshman year and talk through what I really wanted out of my career, and he made me realize how badly I needed to let out some of the stories in my head.
YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?
A big goofy cake and some friends. This book wouldn’t exist without the support of so many wonderful people, I hope to spend time with as many of them as I can!
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
I love tabletop RPGs, reading, and sewing! I’ve been in an awesome Dungeons and Dragons campaign for the past two years that I like to make art for in my free time, and I sew many of my own clothes and costume pieces for things like the renaissance fair. If you catch me at a convention, chances are I made the shirt I’m wearing!
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
I’d love to write Teen or YA someday, there is so much change and discovery happening in that section of life that is just ripe for storytelling.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m currently working on another book with LB Ink that I can’t wait to share! I consider it my ode to all the “weird kids” of the world who took a while to find their people.
Title: UPSTAGED
Author: Robin Easter
Illustrator: Robin Easter
Release Date: 5/28/2024
Publisher: LB Ink / Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: Middle grade graphic novel
Age Range: 8-12
