Publisher Description

In 2009, Tessa Brunton experienced the first symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). She spent much of the next eight years unwell, in a medical holding pattern, housebound and often alone. In 2017, she found a strategy that helped reduce her symptoms, and soon began creating the first installments of a graphic memoir. Notes from a Sickbed collects previously released and brand-new, unseen comics that recall her experiences with honesty, a pointed wit, and a lively visual imagination.

Author Biography

Tessa Brunton is an cartoonist and author based in Santa Cruz, California. Her first comic book Passage was nominated for two Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Comic and Promising New Talent. Her mini-comic Second Banana is a Best American Comics 2014 notable comic. Her comics have appeared in Bitch Magazine, Maisonneuve Magazine, The Comics Journal, and many anthologies. Tessa Brunton is an cartoonist and author based in Santa Cruz, California. Her first comic book Passage was nominated for two Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Comic and Promising New Talent. Her mini-comic Second Banana is a Best American Comics 2014 notable comic. Her comics have appeared in Bitch Magazine, Maisonneuve Magazine, The Comics Journal, and many anthologies.

Review

"Notes from a Sickbed is a sympathetic, inspiring graphic memoir account of grappling with an illness."--Foreword Reviews-- (9/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"[A]lternates whip-smart humor with searing emotional honesty . . . a revelatory look into one person's experience managing a chronic condition."--Publishers Weekly-- (10/10/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"An incredibly authentic and honest look at life with a chronic illness."--School Library Journal-- (11/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"Brunton's art is distinct and emotionally evocative . . . The memoir achieves its mission to communicate to readers the isolation of chronic illness."--Booklist-- (11/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"Painfully real." -starred, Kirkus Reviews
-- (8/15/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"Being stuck at home on the couch with an endless illness should be an absolute nightmare, but somewhere between Tessa's unruly imagination and her dark sense of humor, she's created a surprisingly exciting, funny, and strangely uplifting world. A truly unique and wonderful book." --Julia Wertz, author-artist, Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City-- (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"Tessa Brunton generously shares with us not only her struggle of living with a chronic, little-understood disease, but also her go-to skills for coping: a sharp wit and a rich, fabulously intricate inner life. And her drawings are gorgeous!" --Rob Kirby, author-artist, Marry Me a Little-- (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"Tessa's intimate, surreal, and impeccably composed diary comics invite you in and wrap around you like a warm quilt. Her work is a soothing balm for the chronic frustrations of living in a human body." --Lisa Hanawalt, creator of Tuca & Bertie-- (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
"This book is a gorgeous and necessary addition to the canon of graphic medicine." --Nicole Georges, author-artist, Calling Dr. Laura: A Graphic Memoir-- (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)

Review Quote

"Being stuck at home on the couch with an endless illness should be an absolute nightmare, but somewhere between Tessa's unruly imagination and her dark sense of humor, she's created a surprisingly exciting, funny, and strangely uplifting world. A truly unique and wonderful book." --Julia Wertz, author-artist, Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City

Feature

Covers chronic illness with honesty and a sense of humor Offers a new window into a sometimes misunderstood experience Black-and-white illustrations provide a unique perspective into the author's inner life and daily experiences As graphic memoir and graphic medicine, Notes from a Sickbed joins two popular traditions within the comics form

Description for Press or Other Media

Digital Press Kit, Featured in eNewsletter, National Advertising, National Author Appearances, National Publicity Campaign, National Review Attention, Promotional Materials, Special Publicity Mailing to Children's Media Outlets

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