Emotional and earnest, but also a rollicking good time.Īutumn, like all seasons, is a different experience depending on where you live geographically. I wanted this book to feel like one of those classic Disney live-action movies – like The Parent Trap or Freaky Friday. And I got kind of excited about having written a story that you could hand to anyone. But once I’d written this script, I realized there were only one or two things keeping it from being an all-ages book. I’m always just trying to write the best version of whatever story is in my head. Rowell: I never think about that when I’m writing. What do you think is so fertile about this period, and was there something new you wanted to do with this subgenre? That period right before you leave for college is such a rich storytelling setting, and one that has gotten a lot of love in lots of different mediums. Rainbow’s books stay with me years after I’ve read them, and that’s something really, really special. I want to root for the characters, I want them to fight and make up, and make out. As someone who loves stories and storytelling, that’s exactly what I’m looking for when I pick up a book: I want to care. I’ve cried reading two of her books ( Eleanor & Park and Fangirl) and I totally teared up the first time I read the Pumpkinheads script. Hicks: Rainbow’s stories make me feel things, often very deeply. And I always want to spend time with her characters. That’s something I really appreciate as a reader – the feeling that I can settle into a story and trust it. Rowell: Faith is a very grounded storyteller you always know where you are in her stories. Here’s what they had to tell us about the process of creating Pumpkinheads… With plenty of autumn-themed delights-from succotash to corn mazes, pumpkin bombs to hayrack rides- Pumpkinheads is almost certainly the most delightful new story you can add to your to-read pile for the upcoming season. We had the chance to chat with Rowell and Hicks about bringing this world and story to life.
CARRY ON RAINBOW ROWELL SPECIAL EDITION PATCH
Author Rainbow Rowell ( Eleanor & Park, Carry On) and Eisner Award–winning artist Faith Erin Hicks ( The Nameless City, Avatar: The Last Airbender) have teamed up for Pumpkinheads, a new graphic novel about two high schoolers embarking on a final night of adventure in the pumpkin patch they have called work-home for the past four autumns.ĭeja and Josie are seniors, which means this particular Halloween marks the last time they will have the chance to explore DeKnock’s World Famous Pumpkin Patch and Autumn Jamboree (aka the greatest pumpkin patch in the world) together before everything changes. What starts as an epic quest to find “Fudge Girl,” the co-worker Josiah has been crushing on for the past four seasons but has never had the courage to start a conversation with, turns into a night to celebrate the two friends’ relationship, their shared love of the pumpkin patch, and the importance of being an active player in your own life.