The following is an interview with writer/artist Theresa Arzola regarding the upcoming Kickstarter campaign launch for the graphic memoir, Beyond the Road. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Arzola about her creative process in bringing her own experience with chronic illness to life on the page, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You will soon be launching a Kickstarter campaign for your graphic memoir, Beyond the Road. What inspired you to share your story with readers?
Theresa Arzola: It’s scary to share a personal story, even a quiet one like Beyond the Road. Back in 2015 when I developed a chronic illness, I thought the adventurous spontaneous version of me was gone for good. This road trip, though small, was a turning point moment where I realized that sense of wonder was not gone after all. It just needed some… adaptation.
Beyond the Road is a quiet story about a subtle, but meaningful, moment in my life. It became a story of perseverance and finding joys despite limitations.
I’ve always loved reading others’ graphic memoirs and getting a glimpse into their lives and perspectives. As an artist and writer, the comic format felt like the most natural way to share my own.
BD: What can you tell us about your creative process in bringing this personal narrative to life on the page, and what did you find to be the most challenging or reward aspects of this creative journey?
TA: I followed a pretty standard process when making this comic (script -> thumbnails -> pages), but what made it especially fun was the painterly style I chose for the art. It was inspired by these acrylic marker paintings I would draw at night during the RV trip, like a living record of our travels in my sketchbook. It feels especially meaningful to continue that style into a 110-page comic!
Clip Studio Ex has a 3D visualizer and being able to flip through those pages like a physical book is a really rewarding feeling, and also motivates me to bring this completed story to print!
The most challenging part in this journey is actually right now. Self-promotion doesn’t come naturally to me and being open about my health and my art feels exceptionally vulnerable. It takes a level of ignoring discomfort to tell strangers, “Here’s a book about me! Want to read it??”
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 story – and your journey with chronic illness – may connect with and impact readers?
TA: Chronic illnesses don’t often get spotlighted because they can be very personal. We tend to deal with them privately because their impact can feel misunderstood and invisible. Officially, I have “Post-Infectious Irritated Bowel Syndrome” (PI-IBS), which isn’t especially dramatic or visible, but if not managed, it can still be incredibly disabling in daily life.
Beyond the Road is a cozy story about life without any clinical analysis of chronic illness. I don’t even name my particular diagnosis in the book! Instead, it’s a story about learning to live with something limiting without letting it define you. It’s about perseverance, and about seeking adventure even when the path forward has changed.
BD: What can you share with us about your decision to bring this project to Kickstarter, and why do you feel that crowdfunding has been so invaluable to independent creators and publishers?
TA: Books like Beyond the Road aren’t exactly mainstream. It’s a quiet, personal story and as a new, unknown creator without publishing connections, the traditional path would have been slow and full of uncertainties.
Kickstarter offers a way to bypass all that. With a more niche audience in mind, I can print the book and get it directly into the hands of people who want it without waiting for a third party to give me permission.
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter gives indie creators a way to reach the people who care about what we’re making and be supported by them. That’s a really powerful thing.
BD: Are there any specific backer rewards from your Kickstarter campaign that you would like to highlight for our readers?
TA: Backing the Kickstarter is one of the only ways to get a SIGNED copy from me online.
I also offer a Book Collector Bundle that includes not only the signed copy of this new book, but also copies of:
- 12 Lunar Year Zodiacs – a coloring book of 12 Zodiac animals, represented through the cultural attire of 12 East and Southeast Asian traditions
- Adventures with Titan – The Origins Set – a set of 5 mini zines from Adventures with Titan, a webcomic about my chaos Pomeranian Titan and his antics.
- Paper Cranes – a 24-hr wordless zine about a girl who folds a 1000 paper cranes with a wish to be healed
- There are limited slots for the bundle so it’s best to back early in order to get it!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find out more about the Beyond the Road Kickstarter campaign?
TA: Check out the Kickstarter link or follow me directly through my newsletter!
Newsletter: https://www.theresaarzola.com/newsletter/
