I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the DYING INSIDE by Pete Wentz, Hannah Klein, & Lisa Sterle Blog Tour
hosted by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Authors: Pete Wentz
& Hannah Klein, Lisa Sterle (Illustrator)
Pub. Date: September 24, 2024
Publisher: HEADSHELL (an imprint of Vault Comics)
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 224
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/DYING-INSIDE
Scott Pilgrim and Wednesday combine into a teenaged Fleabag in DYING
INSIDE, a supernatural, emo-fantasy thriller from the mind of FALL OUT
BOY’s Pete Wentz, Hannah Klein, and Lisa Sterle!
Immortality is entirely overrated.
From Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, Hannah Klein (Everything’s Fine),
and Lisa Sterle (The Modern Witch Tarot, Witchblood) comes the graphic
novel about a chronically depressed girl who’s tired of fighting for her…death.
Today is Ash’s big finale. And by finale, of course, she means exiting the
stage permanently.
Ash is a sixteen-year-old girl with more angst than Ian Curtis and Elliott
Smith combined (her two idols). She’s apathetic and therefore believes death is
the easiest route to relief. But nothing is more embarrassing than a lame
death. Unfortunately, her meticulous plans — which include the perfect outfit,
soundtrack, and method — are all ruined when the beautiful knife she buys off a
webstore turns out to be charmed with a protection spell.
Now, Ash has to track down the witch who turned her clocking out attempt into
the worst gift imaginable: immortality. Turns out, the witch responsible is
another sixteen-year-old-girl named (get this) Liv. The two vow to undo the
charm together and fight for Ash’s death…even as things get increasingly
entangled with a strange new antidepressant called Somnia and her mom’s gross boyfriend,
Greg (ughh).
DYING INSIDE is a musically immersive experience, featuring
QR codes that lead the reader to:
- original lyrics and poetry
from Pete Wentz
- an integrated playlist from
Pete Wentz and Hannah Klein
- never-before-heard music from
Daisy Grenade
- and more!
For fans of: It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (Zoe
Thorogood), Squad (Maggie Tokuda-Hall & Lisa
Sterle), Light as a Feather (Zoe Aarsen), Book
of Shadows (M. Verano), The Secret Circle (LJ
Smith), Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill), the Shadow
and Bone Trilogy (Leigh Bardugo), Vicious (V.E.
Schwab), Bunny (Mona Awad), The Chilling
Adventures of Sabrina (graphic novels, prose novels), the Practical
Magic series (Alice Hoffman), Anya’s Ghost (Vera
Brosgol), the series Charmed, and the films The
Craft, Booksmart, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Easy A, and Jennifer's
Body.
CONTENT WARNING: This book includes discussion of suicide,
suicidal ideation, and depiction of self-harm. While Vault hopes this book will
help some readers feel less alone, its content may be triggering. Please only
read ahead if you are safe and supported. If you are struggling, it's important
to share your feelings with people you trust. The 988 Suicide & Crisis
Lifeline number is 988 - call or text 24/7 for free and confidential support.
You can also access online at: https://988lifeline.org/
Book Trailer:
Dying Inside with Pete Wentz:
DYING INSIDE Virtual Tour Q&A – LISA STERLE
As the creator/artist of the uber-bestselling The Modern Witch Tarot, how much of yourself did you infuse into both the overall atmosphere and look of DYING INSIDE, as well as Liv herself?
I think it’s clear from the tarot deck and my past comics work that I love witchcraft and stories with witches. I love to embrace the magical in the art I create, and I draw a lot of inspiration from women and the ways through which they find their own inner power. And sometimes, that’s through clothes! I love fashion, and clothes as way of creating identity so the creation of both Ash and Liv’s looks was highly curated.
How was it working
with Hannah and Pete?
The fun really is twined within the pages.
It was absolutely a blast, they are a joy to work with and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Dream-team and dream collaborators, I felt absolutely so supported and respected and inspired throughout the entire project.
Did it take you long
to create the looks of both Ash and Liv? Was it a collaborative effort amongst
the three of you?
There was definitely some collaboration on the character creation! When a character is a blank slate, there’s just so many different directions to go, and I love it when the writer has a particular vision in mind that I can help them to create. And Hannah and Pete definitely had some ideas in mind for Ash and Liv, and it ended up the perfect co-mingling of our ideas.
What was your overall
inspiration for the look of DYING INSIDE?
90s/00s indie comics and Japanese manga mostly!
Along with the
gorgeous art in DYING INSIDE, you also colored the book. How does the color
palette on each page (or panel) reflect the action? How did you choose the
colors to communicate the emotion within the story page?
There were a few different ways I chose to use color through the book. I utilized it for character identity and contrast, with Liv being mostly pinks and pastels, and Ash being gloomy grays and blacks. Color choice was also used to dictate the atmosphere, whether it was to indicate the time of day, or the emotion of the scene. Blues for rainy, moody scenes, red for supercharged emotions like anger. But there weren’t really any hard and fast rules for symbolism, a lot of it was intuition.
Do
you see a little of yourself in both Ash and Liv? If so – what is it
about each of them that is a part of you?
Absolutely. I’m a Cancer sun, and although we never explicitly discussing Ash or Liv’s signs (we should have!) in my heart I feel like Liv is totally a Cancer sun as well. We hold our loved ones close, and can’t help but nurture. So I really relate to Liv’s warmth and generosity. And Ash? I’m definitely not as sardonic as her, but I do so love to wallow in my emotional drama as much as she does. Ash is maybe a Sagittarius? Or Scorpio? Haha I might just be projecting as those are the rest of my big three zodiac placements.
List
your favorite graphic novels from last year and why you like them.
A Guest In the House, Girl Juice, Loving Ohio, Parasocial
List the graphic novels and/or prose books that you’re looking forward to for the rest of this year and looking forward into 2025.
The City and It’s Uncertain Walls, The Power Fantasy
Readers
love to know about your fave movies, tv shows, and music. What are some of
yours? Give us your top 3 of each (current or classic).
Jennifer’s Body, Suspiria, Poor Things
Over the Garden Wall, Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Bright Eyes, The Wrens, Yo La Tengo
Talk
about your favorite (and least favorite) type of character to create/draw
(Lisa)
Oh gosh, I don’t know if I have a favorite type of characters. I mean…witches I guess I love making witches. Modern witches, old witches, young witches, fantasy witches, whatever. Just let me draw a character that is magical and very cool. And least favorite? I guess men with bodybuilder muscles, so like any of your classic superhero type bodies. Only my least favorite because I’m not that great drawing them (YET!)
How does your
workspace/studio assist you in your creative processes?
I have a toddler, so having my own space where I can work uninterrupted is super important. I’ve surrounded myself with art and books and comics that I love so if I’m ever stuck I just grab a comic off the shelf and read till inspiration strikes.
DYING INSIDE has its very own playlist within the
graphic novel, with a link to the playlist on Spotify. How did you choose the
particular songs, and … what are your two favorites? What music outside of the
playlist do you write to (Hannah) and draw/color to (Lisa)?
What a hard question! I think I’d have to pick the Heatmiser song and the Julia Jacklin song. Outside of the playlist I listen to a pretty wide mix, but when it was Dying Inside work I listened to a lot of Joyce Manor, Into It Over It, Soul Glow, Idles, Pup.
Is there anything else you’d like to share
with readers/tour participants about
DYING INSIDE?
LISA: I’m super proud of this book, I love these
characters and the art is truly the culmination of what I’ve been working
toward over the last 5 years or so. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Excerpts:
About Pete Wentz:
Pete Wentz is the lyricist and bassist for multi-platinum selling, GRAMMY-nominated rock band Fall Out Boy. He owns the record label DCD2 Records which signed Panic! At The Disco and whose roster also currently includes CARR, Daisy Grenade, Games We Play, nothing.nowhere., and more. In addition to music, Wentz created the graphic novel Dying Inside with Hannah Klein and Lisa Sterle for Vault Comics imprint Headshell, launched his own jewelry and apparel line, and is an avid tennis player. Wentz originally hails from Chicago, IL.
Website | Twitter |
Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Hannah Klein is a writer/director working in film, music, and (now) graphic novels. She's passionate about mental health, girlhood, and using gossip as a form of currency. She was raised in New York City, where she still resides with her half-hairless cat and the ghost that haunts her apartment.
Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
About Lisa Sterle:
Lisa Sterle is a Columbus, OH-based artist with work spanning from comic books to concept design to pop-culture-fueled illustration. Her work is often bright, expressive, and occasionally tinged with horror, marrying her two favorite themes: the beautiful and the grotesque. She has worked with HarperCollins, IDW, Image, Archie Comics, Vault Comics, BOOM! Studios, and many others. She is the co-creator of monthly comics Long Lost, Submerged, and Witchblood, as well as the creator of The Modern Witch Tarot Deck, a modern and diverse interpretation of the classic Rider-Waite tarot deck, and the illustrator of the graphic novel Squad with writer Maggie Tokuda-Hall.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Goodreads
Giveaway Details:
2 winners
will receive finished copies of DYING INSIDE, US Only.
Ends October 22nd, midnight EST.
Tour
Schedule:
Week
One:
|
9/23/2024 |
Excerpt/IG
Post |
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9/24/2024 |
Excerpt/IG
Post |
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9/24/2024 |
Excerpt |
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9/25/2024 |
Excerpt/IG
Post |
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9/25/2024 |
Excerpt |
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9/26/2024 |
Excerpt/IG
Post |
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9/27/2024 |
Excerpt/IG
Post |
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9/28/2024 |
IG
Post |
Week Two:
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9/29/2024 |
IG
Review |
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9/30/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/1/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/2/2024 |
Review |
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10/2/2024 |
IG
Review |
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10/3/2024 |
IG
Review |
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10/4/2024 |
IG
Review |
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10/5/2024 |
IG
Review/TikTok Post |
Week Three:
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10/6/2024 |
IG
Review/TikTok Post |
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10/7/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/8/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/9/2024 |
Review |
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10/10/2024 |
IG
Review/TikTok Post |
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10/11/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/12/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
Week Four:
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10/13/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/14/2024 |
IG
Review |
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10/15/2024 |
IG
Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post |
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10/16/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/17/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
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10/18/2024 |
Review/IG
Post |
