These last few months, it has really hit home how much of a joy it is to create art. And since art-making has been such a beneficial part of my own life lately, I want to inspire YOU to create something too! So I would like to announce an opportunity for you to make fan art and get some great perks. Here are the details….

Step 1: Create your fan art

The definition of “art” here is all-encompassing! We’re talking: drawings, paintings, songs, viral videos, collages, photographs, poetry, quote doodles, jewelry, beatboxing jams, wood carvings, spoken-word freestyling, piano compositions, embroidery, clay sculptures, cartoons, playlists (liner notes optional)… anything at all that was inspired by the Call of the Crow Quartet.

Importantly: this is NOT a competition! Artists of all ages, skill levels, and abilities are welcome.

Need a few examples to inspire you? The call for submissions has already generated some art-making in my family. My daughter is thinking about what she might bake in honor of the books, and my son started sketching out his submission: an architectural diagram of SILO.

And, I might also add: he recently recreated the cover of When We Vanished on his Animal Crossing island ?

For my own part, I’ve also created art inspired by these novels. As I finished drafts of each book, I made a series of collages which currently hang in our living room. I kind of felt like a dork for creating fan art about my own books, but hey, somebody’s got to kick it off, right?

Step 2: Submit your art

Fill out the Google form by April 30, 2021 to find out how to submit your piece. If your creation is too big or bulky or perishable to send, you can submit a photo instead of the original.

Step 3: Get your perks

I repeat, this is not a competition! ALL participating artists will receive:

• A personalized thank you note from me
• A coupon code for $10 off in Rootcity Press’s web store
• An invitation to join the virtual gallery opening celebration
• If you give us permission, your fan art will be shared on Rootcity Press’s social media and on my website. We will happily include your name and social media presence alongside your work, or you may choose to stay anonymous.
• Plus, we will donate $10 per participating artist to We Need Diverse Books!

Step 4: Join the Virtual Gallery Opening Celebration

To cap it all off, I’ll be hosting a virtual “gallery opening” celebration via Zoom. I’ll be showing off the submissions we received and sharing what I love about each of them. Artists will have a chance to meet each other, ask me questions, and celebrate the joy of creating art!

I’m so excited for this. Not gonna lie, one of the things I was most looking forward to when I dreamed of becoming an author was inspiring others to make fan art about my books! So, please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. I can’t wait to see what you create!