I suppose it was largely informed by cable TV, which, in rural Kentucky in the late 80s/early 90s, felt like a revelation, my first real brushes with art. This whole book was, in essence, an elaborate fit of professional jealousy, written with my nose pressed up to the glass. And writing about an art form I love so much, in spite of my own lack of talent in that area, was a bit of a bitter pleasure.

Writing about a partnership was a pleasure, precisely because my own work life is often so isolated. What was your inspiration for writing about cartoonists specifically? What influenced you? And a lot comes for them.Īs someone who watches a lot of cartoons, it was fascinating to read about Mel and Sharon’s creative processes while working in their studio. As the writer, I revel in their ability to choose that life for themselves, come what may. Not only do they occupy a shared work life, they occupy a shared creative life, which renders the friendship more a marriage than anything else. The story of Sharon and Mel is one told through the lens of what they make. It’s about two women who make things for a living, but who also, in a sense, make their work for one another, lobbing their stories back and forth. Kayla Rae Whitaker: THE ANIMATORS is about a friendship. Grace Mott: I loved your book, and I’ve read a lot of reviews and summaries, but how would you describe THE ANIMATORS in your own words? The Writer’s Center’s Grace Mott talks with Kayla Rae Whitaker, winner of the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize

Publishers that Accept Unagented Submissions.The Writer’s Center COVID Safety Policy.Curated Conversation(s): a Latinx Poetry Show.

The animators by kayla rae whitaker