The following is an interview with Hanna Harms on the upcoming release of the graphic novel, Milk Without Honey, through Street Noise Books. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Harms about her creative process in bringing the educational narrative to life on the page, what she hopes to convey about the importance of conservation and agroecology to our society, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Milk Without Honey! What encouraged you to share this story about the lives of bees with readers?
Hanna Harms: Thank you, I am so happy Milk Without Honey is going to be published by Street Noise Books. The book began as my Bachelor’s thesis a few years ago. I had read something about how closely the cultural history of humanity is intertwined with the story of bees. This information in combination with the increasing worldwide news about insect deaths seemed like a paradox. These thoughts stuck with me and eventually turned into my thesis. Later on, I expanded the book a little more for publication.
BD: In balancing the writing and artistic duties of the project, what can you share with us about your creative process in bringing this educational narrative to life on the page?
HH: Chronologically, I began by reading and researching a lot, trying to include as many different sources as I could. Parallel to my research, I began writing the book — adding, rearranging and eliminating sentences. I gathered visual ideas for each word or sentence, eventually arranging everything on one page after the other. The focus is on the insects; people are only visible through their actions and their effects. This approach helped me a lot when developing the illustrations. The images show what the text cannot say and vice versa. I knew quite early on in the process that I wanted to create a graphic narration. Having the ability to combine text and images into an ongoing, mutually complementary narrative seemed to fit such an interconnected topic. I like having the opportunity to represent complex processes and connections as well as atmosphere and poetry. It feels quite congruent with the way I think and perceive the world around me.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that your depiction of the importance of conservation and agroecology to our society may influence or impact readers?
HH: I hope that Milk Without Honey might hold a space for reflection and understanding for readers, while providing information about the importance of necessary change. If the book can the catalyst for some readers to seek out further resources and stories and take action within their possibilities, I would be delighted. While working on the book, I made an effort to be cognizant of other perspectives and to question my own. When coming into contact with other narratives, I observe who it is being told by and why and also which stories aren’t being told. I tried to be conscious of that while telling my story.
BD: What makes Street Noise the perfect home for this book?
HH: Being with a publisher who strives to fight injustice and oppression, as well as gives authors and artists from marginalized groups an opportunity to tell stories from their perspectives, has always been important to me. Street Noise Books feels like a great match and Milk Without Honey seems to be in fitting company with a lot of relevant stories.
BD: Are there any other projects hat you would like to share with readers?
HH: I am planning on a comic series about the effects of human actions on the environment, with Milk Without Honey as the first volume. At the moment, I am working on the second book about the importance of forests and deforestation. Unfortunately, the number of topics isn’t decreasing….
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Milk Without Honey and your other work?
HH: I’d like to thank them for taking the time to engage with such a complex and important topic. I am not that active on social media, but if anybody wants to connect on instagram or through my website, I would feel honored to receive feedback or just exchange ideas.
(@_hanna_harms, www.hannaharms.de)
