I like designing aliens…that part was fun!

E. B. Roshan – 31 January 2025

The Back Flap

An accident brought Rex’s career as an interplanetary bodyguard to an abrupt end. Now, he spends his time tending fruit trees and dreaming of his exciting past. One day, he gets an unexpected opportunity to pick up a ray gun again, but things aren’t how he remembered them…

About the book

What is the book about?

Free is a sci fi graphic novel for kids/young teens, telling the story of Rex (once a security guard, now a fruit picker) and how his desire to get back to his former, more adventurous profession clouds his judgment and causes him to end up in the “wrong crowd.”

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing/drawing this story sometime in the late summer of 2024…don’t remember the exact date.

 How long did it take you to write it?

From start to finish, art and all, Free took about 5-6 months. However, it’s only the first half of a two-part story, so I’m looking at probably about a year for the total project.

 Where did you get the idea from?

The theme of someone struggling to make good choices when those choices are hard, even dangerous, is a recurring theme in my stories…I’m not really sure exactly where the seed of inspiration for Rex’s story came from, but I’d been playing with the idea for a while.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Telling a story is hard, however you do it…when writing a comic or graphic novel, coming up with the right balance of visual vs. written clues to tell the story is a real challenge, one I’m still working on.

What came easily?

I like designing aliens…that part was fun!

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Well, Rex and his friends aren’t exactly…human…but their hopes and struggles are very real and relatable. So I’d say…yes and no.

Do you have a target reader for this book?

I wrote and drew with my elementary/middle school-aged sons in mind, so I’d say that’s my target reader—middle schoolers and young teens—but really, Free could be enjoyed by anyone who’s into soft sci fi adventure with a unique black and white art style.

How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?

Again, since it was a graphic novel, the planning and mental process is quite different than creating a story/novel that relies wholly on the written word. I’d say it’s more like making a movie than writing a book. It’s more challenging, in a way, but also easier, because you can actually SEE what you’re “describing” as you go along.

What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?

I learned a lot and improved a lot while creating this story, I think…but, as usual, I also see more clearly how much better I can get. Free will be my tenth self-published title in a variety of genres, including romantic suspense, nonfiction, and children’s comics.

End of Interview:

For more from E.B Roshan, check out her website.

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