The Nerd Daily recently had the pleasure of catching up with Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton, whose queer paranormal YA graphic novel Coven releases September 6th . We got to ask them all our burning questions about favourite witches, paranormal activities and so much more!
Hi, Jennifer and Kit! Thanks for chatting with us! Why don’t you tell our readers a bit about yourselves?
J: My name is Jenn Dugan based out of upstate NY. I’m the author of novels like Some Girls Do, Hot Dog Girl and Melt With You, and indie comics, Circadia and Gnaw. COVEN is my first graphic novel! Two crucial things to know about me are that I fall asleep to horror movies every night… and that my cat has a better wardrobe than me.
K: The most interesting bits about me are that I once studied to be a theatrical costume designer but finished with two degrees in illustration. I’ve taught college level art courses, and now I draw comics full time. Most of my time outside of that is spent wrangling two dogs with the energy of Animal from the muppet show and receiving head bonks from my studio cat. She does whatever she wants. In fact, she’s probably a lot more interesting than me.
Lightning round: What was the first book you can remember reading, a song that feels timeless to you and a compliment you never get tired of hearing (or giving)?
J: Little Critter, I WAS SO MAD by Mercer Mayer was my first favorite book ever, probably because I too am very dramatic when I’m grumpy yet also easily distracted.
A song that feels timeless is Nirvana’s cover of Where Did You Sleep Last Night, it helped inspire a new project I’m working on, and was also on my COVEN playlist. It almost puts you under a spell, it has such an eerie vibe. And knowing it’s existed in some form or another since the late 1800’s makes me wonder how many other people it’s inspired.
My favorite compliment to give is literally all of them. I love telling people how awesome they are in a thousand little ways and I’m not afraid to gush over something or someone I love. Life is too short to be aloof.
K: Continuing the muppet theme, the first book I remember reading was The Monster at the End of this Book, with the voices supplied by whichever hapless relative I’d haggled into reading it to me. Every night. For years. But the first book that probably left the most indelible mark (after the Muppet book) was Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
As for songs, I’ve been listening to Cosmo Sheldrake a lot lately, and Pelicans We is one of my favorites. It’s based on a nonsense poem by Edward Lear. I’m essentially time blind, neurologically and conceptually. So timelessness is pretty much anything goes to me.
I like giving compliments. Anything unique or beautiful about a person, I’d like them to know. I feel very awkward about receiving them. But I do like it when people tell me I’m funny.
Now, onto Coven! What can readers expect?
K: All the turbulent feelings of youth. Falling in and out of love. Finding a misplaced arcane text before the aunt notices it’s gone. Grumpy kittens. Plus ghoulies, and demons, possibly a Minotaur. Lots of butterflies. Just gobs of them.
J: Kit hit all the best parts, so I’ll just add that COVEN is a fast-paced paranormal mystery that follows Emsy, a teen witch, as she navigates a cross country move and a murder mystery, while learning to embrace her powers and her place in this world… and yes, there are butterflies. Lots and lots of butterflies.
Coven combines a supernatural murder mystery with a young witch learning to use her powers. What inspired Emsy’s story?
J: Emsy’s story was actually inspired by a frog. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true! I have a wonderfully creepy pond near my house, and it’s filled to the brim with bright green frogs. Everywhere you look, you’re met with tiny golden eyes glaring at you. It’s surreal.
There was always one frog in particular that would never hop away, it would stand next to me day after day like “no, you leave,” which, fair. One day, we were staring at each other, and I was hit with the idea of a young witch coming to the very same pond to practice their magic. I got carried away imagining how she would feel—did she come here willingly? Is this the idea place to practice or does she simply have nowhere else—and what it would mean for this frog who refused to hide—Would they get hurt? Or would they finally relent and dive under the water? Before I knew it, I had an entire plot hashed out and a script in my hands. The best part is that the original pond scene—complete with frog— made it into the book, nearly unchanged! I probably owe that amphibian royalties.
Coven also tackles tougher topics such as grief and finding your place in the world – and in your coven. What do you want readers to take away from the graphic novel?
J: That it’s okay not to be okay and that sometimes you have to get things wrong to get them right.
Found family is also common thread in all my work, and I think we see various aspects of that throughout the characters’ journeys with grief and identity. It’s important for me to show that love and support can come from even the unlikeliest places. It is out there, even if you don’t or can’t see it right away.
K: Everybody’s walk with grief is different. We go at our own pace. It’s painful, messy, and scary, it can go dark places, but it’s sacred none the less. All turbulent feelings are valid. There are no right answers or perfect things to say. Sometimes, it’s ok to just sit quietly with someone going through it. Because one day, we may need someone to sit quietly with us too. Being there, and not being in the way of someone experiencing their grief, is a way to show our love for them.
Without spoiling too much, did you have a favorite scene or panel to work on while creating Coven?
J: I loved writing any scene involving Kitty, the very grumpy cat that lives in the coven house. I’m obsessed with her.
K: All the spooky bits. I love drawing horror because it can so easily skirt the line straight into camp or slapstick. Perhaps because the best remedy for fear is laughter. I might also just like drawing ghouls with googly-eyes.
If Emsy’s life had a soundtrack, what three songs would need to be on it?
J: Okay, going full cheese, I would say: “Season of the Witch” by Lana Del Rey, “My Blood” by Twenty One Pilots and “Rise Up” by Andra Day
K: Well, my humble suggestions would be: “Don’t Kill My Vibe” by Sigrid, “Girls Like You” by The Naked and Famous, and “Daydreamer” by AURORA
Emsy is initially reluctant to use her powers. If you had the opportunity to choose a magical power for yourself, what would it be and what would you use it for?
K: The power to get a perfect night’s sleep every night. Oh, and an “undo” option for real life. Wait, can I get two?
J: I would want the power to never get tired, and I would use it to hit all my deadlines and still have enough energy left to stay up late watching terrible reality TV. (I would, however, be willing to donate my unused sleep to Kit, for her superpower wish. Teamwork makes the dream work and all that.)
Speaking of witches, what’s your go-to witchy movie to watch?
J: Oh man, all of them!?! The Craft I think is such a classic… but I did sneak an Easter Egg relating to The Covenant into the script which made it to the final book. I’m excited to see if anyone catches it.
K: It’s tradition to watch Practical Magic with my mom on Halloween. But I also enjoy The Witch, mostly for Black Phillip. While I can’t say I particularly want to “live deliciously” since that seems to involve a lot of running around naked in the woods (I don’t like to be cold) I’m all for channeling my inner ornery goat when needed.
With Coven releasing soon, are you already working on another project? If so, can you share a tidbit with us about it?
K: All I’m sayin’ is what happens in the coven stays in the coven.
J: It is entirely possible that we are working on another project together, or that we are not, but Kit is right: what happens in the coven stays in the coven… for now.
Last but not least, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
J: For graphic novels, I definitely recommend Taproot by Keezy Young and The Beast Boy/Raven books by Picolo and Kami Garcia. For prose novels, I would have to say anything by Isabel Sterling or Kalynn Bayron who both write the absolute best queer girl magic I’ve read in a long time.
K: If you enjoy COVEN then I would recommend BEAUTY by Kerascoët. Be forewarned it is a very dark read, but richly told and illustrated. Also check out SLEEPLESS by Sarah Vaughn and Leila del Duca, a moody and lushly drawn twist on classic fairy tale tropes.
