Just a couple of days until the Queer Press Grant deadline (September 15th!), so we decided to check in with Megan Rose Gedris, who received the grant in 2006 for her submission, YU+ME. She has continued with this series as well as producing other terrific work such as I Was Kidnapped by Lesbian Pirates from Outer Space!!!.

DAVID: Megan, how are you?

MEGAN: I am frazzled. My summer has been filled with juggling four comic projects, a full time day job, and a long distance relationship. Soon, though, I'll be a part timer working on only three comics. Going to hang on to that LDR, though.

DAVID: What are these new projects?

MEGAN: I have two latest projects! I've been doing a dirty, dirty series for filthyfigments.com called Darlin' It's Betta Down Where It's Wetta. Lesbian mermaids anyone? My other project, Meaty Yogurt, isn't out yet, but will be when my old comic, YU+ME, wraps up. There's a bit more information on that at meatyyogurt.com

DAVID: With the demise of gay bookstores and gay newspapers, what new tactics do you use to get your work distributed and publicized? Is this new digital world a curse or a boon?

MEGAN: The digital world is the ONLY way I could ever do this. I have complete freedom to create what I want, and publish it under my terms. I can reach a HUGE audience around the world. In a time when a lot of print comics only sell a few thousand copies every month, I'm reaching TENS of thousands of people DAILY.

DAVID: How do you put everything aside and find the time and space to create? Do you have to banish yourself from everyone and all your gadgets?

MEGAN: I love having people sit around in my office while I draw. I like having artist friends come over and just draw. I can't really get rid of my gadgets since I use my gadgets to make the comics, so truth be told, I get distracted a LOT.

DAVID: Any recent CON appearances, interesting fan encounters and/or meeting your heroes?

MEGAN: The last con I went to was TCAF. It was fantastic! I ended up being too busy to meet any heroes, but I did meet a lot of really awesome people in comics. My favorite fan encounter actually came when I had a booth at my local LGBT Pride event. I never got recognized in my home town before!

DAVID: What thing are you excited about at the moment—a song, book, movie, person, app, pastry bag—that everyone else should be excited about?

MEGAN: I know it's kind of old, but I'm still excited about Batwoman Elegy. It was like someone sat down and decided to write and draw a comic just for me.

DAVID: Tell us about the comic book, character, artist or writer who inspired you to become a comics creator.

MEGAN: It was The Tick, when I was ten. I spent most of 5th grade creating my own rip-off version of it, convinced it was going to be published for sure. After a couple years the fire burned out. But luckily I soon discovered Sailor Moon, and started ripping THAT off in middle school.

DAVID: What’s up for the future?

MEGAN: I can't imagine a scenario of the future where I'm NOT drawing comics. Well, okay, there's one, in which I write novels instead. Either way, I'm making up stories.

DAVID: How can people learn about your work, follow you, or contact you?

MEGAN: Everything about me outside of my SSN and the results of my last gynecological visit can be found at rosalarian.com.

DAVID: Thanks, Megan!

So with that, make sure you applications in for the QPG! We can't wait to see what fantastic things you've come up with your submissions.

David Stanley is Prism's Co-President & PR Chair and working on stuff, you'll see.

Prism Comics promotes the works of the LGBT community in comics. It does not implicitly endorse any other material or products associated with those works. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s).