Are you curious about the journey a book goes on, from initial idea to finished product? Read on to discover how Ditching Saskia came to be, in the words of creator John Moore. Don’t forget to scroll all the way to the bottom for an exclusive preview of the first chapter of Ditching Saskia!
Ditching Saskia is a heart-warming, supernatural slice-of-life graphic novel that gently weaves together tough, everyday themes of identity, grief, and accepting flaws in those we love the most. Content warning for this Q&A: Death, grief.
The Premise
The original pitch for this book was the question: ‘What if a teenage boy tried to summon his dead mum for support but accidently summoned an annoying little girl instead?’
I had no reason for liking this premise other than thinking it was fun. However, the more I thought about it, the more it grew. Sometimes an idea will do that, while other times an idea that seems great and full of potential ends up running out of steam. Fortunately, it was also an idea that Neetols liked, so we began to dig deeper into the family trauma and surrounding school life plot.
Despite the heavy subject matter, it was important for me to keep the story fun and stay true to the themes of the book by not shying away from showing Saskia as an antagonist at times.
The Inspiration
At my Nan’s funeral, a very nice lady officiated with sensitivity and wit. She had spoken to the family about my Nan’s life and did a brilliant speech. However, there was one part where she began to walk us through my Nan’s life and told us the sweet story of how my Nan’s sister introduced her to her future husband (my granddad).
This was the part where my family started to smile and side-eye each other, as this was definitely one interpretation of that chain of events. Her sister DID introduce my Nan to my Granddad, that part is true.
The problem was… her sister was dating my Granddad.
But hey, maybe it was for the best that this detail was omitted from the funeral of the woman involved in an affair…except we all knew that my Nan was very proud of this achievement. She wanted my Granddad, and she got him. If she could have put that on her C.V, I’m sure she would have.
And this is where the idea for the themes of the book was born. The idea germinated in my mind. By sanitising the dead of their flaws, their fears and their mistakes, do we forget the impact they left on the world?
My Nan was a great, but flawed woman. She snuck me £2 coins and hung my bad paintings on her kitchen wall, but she was also the subject of anecdotes at her wake and beyond that still make my family and I laugh because of how bizarre and ridiculous she could be.
This is where Saskia was created. Annoying, volatile and scrappy. Not the kind of child you would see idolised and mourned on the news. When she is found dead in the woods, everyone wants to honour her by imagining her as the innocent angel she must have been. But are they truly honouring her, or are they creating a narrative that helps them process a tragedy? This is completely understandable, but how would Saskia feel about this?
This world offers a unique insight into that… SHE ISN’T HAPPY!
This all comes as Damian is learning that people he idolised are not quite as perfect as he thought.
The Process
The writing process of this story took me through about nine drafts until we ended where we did. The first draft was not too different but had many more characters and an ending that went on for an eternity. With the help of my editor Niamh, we managed to trim the excess fat and focus the story. Neetols then brought the script to life in ways I couldn’t imagine.
My advice to all writers is not to be precious. It’s very unlikely you will get the first draft right. This draft is your chance to get everything on the page and be unafraid of the result. The quicker you get the story onto the page, the quicker you can get to the second draft where you can start shaping it into something more representative of your ability. I had a process where each time I’d submit a draft, I’d believe I’d nailed it, then the feedback would come back (always very politely!) with constructive notes. I’d feel the ‘evening of sadness’, but that’s all I’d give myself before re-starting the next day. I’d read the notes again and realise they were right, and I’d get excited about nailing the next draft. Rinse and repeat.
Final thoughts
Ditching Saskia is a book I hope you will enjoy and find something positive in. While I went into this with certain inspirations and intentions, what matters most to me is that people enjoy the experience of reading it.
So, if you haven’t already, get cosy and take your time reading this book.
Enjoying temporarily living in a world ever so slightly different from our own.
Ditching Saskia
By John Moore and Neetols
A heart-warming, supernatural slice-of-life graphic novel that gently weaves together tough, everyday themes of identity, grief, and accepting flaws in those we love the most.