My dear friend, Rebecca Viola, sent me a package with instructions to light the enclosed candles on a birthday treat, make a wish for myself, and then open the envelope to read wishes from her, Jason, and their son.

Later today, my “squirrels” are coming to the art residency cottage to have a picnic with me in the park where I have been living for the past month and a half.

I’m so lucky to have such sweet people in my life. There are so many. If you are reading this newsletter, then you are one of them. Thank you.

Here is a comic that I wrote yesterday:

I have been playing this game in my head as I went about my day, not actually counting points, but noticing if I was gaining or losing points in my thoughts.

Try it!

Love and peace.

-Cara

I’m writing to you from inside my creative bubble, entering my fourth week of an eight-week residency in Rhode Island. It’s a truly unique experience: I’m living in a beautiful public park, with a large fountain right outside my door for the full eight weeks. It’s been dreamy, but it’s also been an isolation challenge—being with my own mind for a long stretch of time. On weekends, I’ve had regular visits from Smatt & Raisin, and some close friends and family have stopped by to say hello.

The Westerly Library & Wilcox Park’s Artist-in-Residence program is described as being designed to encourage the creative, intellectual, and personal growth of emerging and established artists. I’m meant to work independently in the studio, take risks, and pursue new projects and ideas, free from everyday pressures.

What first popped into my imagination turned into four-panel comic strips. I love seeing what kinds of small interactions I can create for my characters in just four beats. It’s also nice to work in a smaller cartooning playground instead of a larger, book-length format.

I’ve decided to use these strips as an introduction to the ideas at the top of SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) Mindful Doodling Worksheet pages that I’m creating for schools, libraries, and anyone else who wants a guided experience with a drawing practice. I’m making a fifty-page pack with guided doodling exercises to help focus minds. It also includes neuroscience worksheets that teach kids about their brains. In addition, there are mindfulness, social skills, and empathy worksheets that help children think and express themselves. This is meant to be used as a break or an intervention during the day to support relaxation and concentration.

Educators and parents have been asking about this from me, and I wanted to see if I could figure out a format that would work. It’s been really fun to work through these ideas here in the park. Please feel free to message me with your email if you want to be the first to know when I finish this Worksheet Pack. I’m making a list of contacts!

Okay, well I have other plans too, including minicomics, workshops, and sketchbook advocacy, but I’ll save those for another post.

I hope your summer is going well, and that you’re finding good vibes wherever you can!

—Cara

P.S.
If you live in the area and want to attend the open house at the Westerly Library & Wilcox Library cottage, it is on August 27th from 6:00-8:00. Come see the drawings in person!

In the past year, I have visited many schools and libraries to draw and make comics with people of all ages. While I teach Mindful Doodling, I use characters, stories, and activities to lure my audience into taking risks and exploring their creativity with me. Participants would react and interact with what I shared, which then inspires me to reshape my guided lessons.

If you have ever sat in on one of my workshops, then I have probably talked to you about these characters:

You know me as the teacher bean, but the other characters represent feelings that can come up in the art classroom. The pencil is joyful, the eraser is stressed, the ruler is a perfectionist, and the pen is purposeful. The blank piece of paper represents acceptance of whatever might happen. Presenting these cartoons as talking points has helped me create a discussion about feelings without creating too much discomfort.

As a cartoonist, I want to take time to explore my teaching and these characters by making more comics, and I intend to do this this summer at the Westerly Public Library, where I will be the artist-in-residence in July and August.
https://www.westerlylibrary.org/artist-in-residence

I am only offering one event this summer at the Westerly Library on July 16th at 10:00 am. Other than that, I will be writing, drawing, and doing my best to make new work.

I will send you some sketches from the library soon.

Thanks for being a part of my creative path!

-Cara

Here is an inside peek at my observing and collecting at Dartmouth Middle School last week. There is so much that I couldn’t possibly capture, but hopefully these tiny snippets convey how interesting and meaningful this work is to me.

It takes a special person to bring an author visit to a school. This experience was possible thanks to the efforts of a fabulous librarian and wonderful human, Laura Gardener, who received a Creative Experiences Grant from the Mass Cultural Council to hire me. Her library is a vibrant and creative space for learning, and it was fun to spend a few days with her there.

I was also pleased to be supported by Literacy Coach Daniel LeFebvre, who took photos and prepared the bulletin board for our Interconnected Doodle Display.

The local paper wrote an article about the event. (Link below.)

https://dartmouth.theweektoday.com/article/author-visit-mental-health-dms/154462

Thanks for reading!

-Cara

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SCRAM Comics Maker Space, Aha Night (free)
Bristol Community College, New Bedford, MA
Thursday, November 13th, 3:00-6:00pm

Young Adult Author Symposium (free)
Concord Carlisle High School
Saturday, November 15th, 9:00am-2:00pm

I’m sending a bit of doodle joy your way, along with an update on some recent events that have me feeling inspired.

Teaching Bean:

I just concluded a Comics Camp with Bridges Homeward Foster Care Youth and the Boston Comics Art Foundation. It was a small group with big feelings, and I loved working with them.

Each participant received a creativity certificate!

Next, you’ll find me at Calmer Con at the Meadowbrook School in Weston, Massachusetts, tomorrow! (Calmer Con is specifically designed to meet the needs of those with sensory processing challenges, autism, and anxiety concerns while providing an authentic comics and pop culture convention experience.)

School Visits Bean:

Yesterday, I visited New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts, to discuss mental health and mindfully doodle with the Middle School and sophomore students. What bright group of students! It was so fun and meaningful to me.

My work continues thanks to the support from the Mass Cultural Council. I’ll be serving as an artist-in-residence in the New Bedford and Dartmouth public middle schools this year. We’re currently in the planning stages, and I’m thrilled for the opportunity to create and collaborate with students in my local community.

I am also planning school visits with schools in Plymouth, thanks to funding from South Shore Action For Hope.

I’m grateful to continue my mental health advocacy and ways of connecting with young people through the act of drawing on my own terms.

I’d love to connect about bringing my author visits and workshops to your school community—feel free to reach out!

Science Bean:

I’ve provided a comics lab with Professor Aparna Shah. and her neuroscience students at Virginia Tech University! Our work was geared toward community outreach about substance use and addiction. Check it out here:
https://www.carabeancomics.com/science-comics-lab

I just learned about a scientific study that is being conducted in Africa about a comic I created! It’s titled: Effectiveness of a comic book intervention on mental health literacy among adolescents and youth in Burkina Faso: a randomized controlled trial protocol. Check that out here: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-21325-2

Book Bean:

Did you know that Here I Am, I Am Me is being translated into multiple languages? In the future, there will be versions in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Korean. I am very excited to discover who these books may connect with in the future. Here is a sneak peek at the cover design of the Korean version:

Thanks for following along with my teaching and art!

-Cara

A really amazing opportunity just opened up, and I want to tell you about it AND encourage you to share it with people who might be interested. Read and share!

In January, February, and March, I visited all of the middle schools in New Bedford. I gave presentations about mental health and my book, highlighted school resources, and provided over a dozen Mindful Drawing workshops. This opportunity was made possible through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).

I wanted to share a memory from one of these school visits. I didn’t have a photo to capture the experience, so I was motivated to draw it.

Of course, the whole point was to identify stigma and take back our power. As we kept reading, the stigma monster shrank and eventually left the space. We destroyed stigma. We won!

My brother’s commitment to his school was so great to see. As a little sister who always looked up to her big brother, I just loved this visit.

I have to give a huge shout-out to all my school partners and especially to Kathleen Mackenzie, the Supervisor of Clinical and Behavioral Services at New Bedford Public Schools. The Mass Cultural Council grant opportunity opened up, and Kathleen seized it. Thank you!

The MCC grant that funded all my school visits is called “Creative Experiences,” and it’s open RIGHT NOW!! It’s such an incredible opportunity, and we’re lucky to have MCC advocating for artists in schools. If you work for a school or school administration, you need to read more about this grant. The Creative Experiences grant is open for another month, and it gives schools the flexibility they need to partner with amazing creative people here in Massachusetts.

Forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested in learning more!

Thanks for reading!

-Cara

UPCOMING TOUR NEWS:

-This upcoming weekend, I am a guest comics instructor this weekend for Dr. Aparna Shah’s Neuroscience of Drug Addiction Community-Engaged Learning Course at Virginia Tech. I’m excited to be helping neuroscience students make comics.

-Portland, Maine, has a new comics show called CAMP! I will be tabling there with my good friend, Jason Viola, on April 5th!

-I’ll be an Exhibitor at the Hudson Children’s Book Festival in Hudson, NY on May 3, 2025.

-I’ll be visiting a handful of libraries and other organizations in Seattle, WA, on May 9-13th for mindful doodling workshops. (I’ll also be visiting my old college pal, Tram Bui.)

-For the first time I am going to Alaska! I will be attending the Alaska Mini-Con and Robotics Camp, May 15-21st.

The kids I meet at my school visits keep me going these days. I wanted to share some drawings of our exchanges during the latest Mindful Doodling Workshops.

The City of New Bedford (where I live) received a Creative Projects for Schools grant from the Mass Cultural Council and invited me to the middle schools for creative mental health programming. Thus far, I have visited the entire 6th grade at the Normandin Middle School and look forward to more visits and Roosevelt and Keith Middle Schools in February and March.

This is a small peek at a large “Interconnected Energy Doodle” that 308 sixth graders and some faculty made. It took up three display cases! The process of drawing with all of these young people over two days led to some meaningful moments that I drew about in my sketchbook later.

Yes! Very talented!

They can draw whatever they want!

It’s not common, but I’ve noticed that a small portion of students immediately snap the new, sharpened pencil given to them. Interrupting a school day with a mandatory drawing workshop is a little stressful for some kids, so the pencils pay the price! They ask me with big eyes for another. I always make sure to have extras and hand them a new pencil. I don’t make a big deal about it. My experience is that the second pencil stays intact.

Some kids wanted to keep it going!

I’m still not over how sweet and gentle this boy was!

Something else I found interesting was the imagery I discovered in the discarded “warm-up” doodles the kids left on the tables. I took a stack home with me to think about.

When I think about the things going on in the world, I feel like this turtle. How about you?

Announcements:

-I will visit Athens Academy on February 10th, to present and draw with the 7th and 9th grade classes.

-I will also visit the school where my brother is an adjustment counselor. You can click on this link to view a cheesy video that we made to tell the 6th graders that I am coming: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nx8UD9kEbD39TjFPrgLP5fbzdqSe45sD/view?usp=sharing

-UPCOMING ADULT COMICS CLASS: Asking Questions and Making Comics
I am teaching a 2-hour burst session with the Sequential Artists Workshop on February 27th at 7:00 pm ET. Asking questions was a large inspiration for creating Here I Am, I Am Me, and it is my way into pursuing my future comics too. Join me in asking your questions and seeing what types of comics come from the experience. Register here: https://www.sequentialartistsworkshop.org/blog/making-comics-cara-bean

-Plymouth Middle School has a Yellow Tulip Project Club that meets weekly after school to discuss mental health. The club received funding from a nonprofit called Matthew’s Crew to buy each kid a copy of Here I Am, I Am Me, and they are reading it together as a group. I love that!

Thanks for reading!
We have each other.

-Cara

Summer is over, and the cold weather is here! I’ve been enjoying my Radiator hoodie (Thanks, Neil! And that’s my comic on the back!). Here’s a short list of what’s in this edition:

Table of Contents

1. Where Have I Bean?

2. Where Am I Going?

3. What Do I Hope For? What is Next?

1. Where Have I Bean?

I have been near and far sharing my book and inviting people to doodle or draw comics with me. My favorite memories are of the wonderful hugs I have received from loved ones and people I just met. Kids, teens, college students, parents, librarians, therapists, and educators have connected with me to say that Here I Am, I Am Me has been useful.

While in Europe for the Graphic Medicine Conference, my partner Smatt and I went to Paris, France to see the amazing five-floor comics exhibition at the Pompidou Centre. My brain is still vibrating with all of the goodness my eyes witnessed and I intend to take the inspiration into the cold winter months ahead. In addition to this, I’ve returned from the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland, and Cartoon Crossroads Columbus in Ohio to share my work and to absorb energy from a dynamic and exciting cartooning community. Comics are alive!

2. Where Am I Going?

I am a featured guest at 3 upcoming festivals:

Short Run Comix Festival, Seattle, WA
Saturday, November 2nd at Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center
11 am – 6 pm. FREE admission.

Non-Fiction Comics Festival, Burlington, VT
November 16, at Fletcher Free Library
11 am – 6 pm. FREE admission.

Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo, Boston, MA
December 7-8, at the Fuller Art Gallery at Boston University
Saturday 11 am - 6 pm | Sunday 11 am - 5 pm. FREE Admission

My mission continues to make mental health conversations easier in communities, schools, families, and within our minds. I seek more partnerships with schools and libraries to share my presentations and mindful drawing workshops.

3. What Do I Hope For? What is next?

The world is a challenging place for a heart that wants to be optimistic. There is so much that I hope for the earth, nature, our species, my country, my community, and my family. It’s overwhelming to coexist with the uncertainty of all pain, grief, and suffering and what might happen next.

I am a simple person and doodling and drawing comfort me. I return to it over and over. I’ve asked people to draw with me for as long as I can remember. I’m working on a new book that explores the art of drawing—how people approach it, and the emotions it evokes. While still rooted in my interest in mental health, this project will shift the focus to what happens when someone faces a blank page, ready to create. I’m curious about the thoughts and feelings that surface in that moment. Over the winter, I plan to interview people and host drawing sessions to inspire creative insights, both in myself and others. If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to be a part of it.

What a wild time this has been! Summer is here, and the comics festival season is in full swing. Here’s a short list of what’s in this edition:

Table of Contents

1. Here I Am, I Am Me updates

2. School Visits

3. Schedule of upcoming comics festivals

4. What’s next?

1. Here I Am, I Am Me updates

It’s only been three months since Here I Am, I Am Me came out, but it feels so much longer. There have been so many events. So many! I’ve been running workshops as well as promoting the book, so some weeks have been particularly busy.

Kicking it all off was the book launch. THANK YOU to the good folks at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass, for providing an amazing book launch space and for being such a caring team. All went off without a hitch. I also want to give a special shout-out to Lindsay Compton of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park for being a wonderful interviewer and friend.

Making long-form comics is isolating work. This was especially true while drawing pages in my mom’s basement during the pandemic. I had been itching to connect with people and let people read what I had been working on for so long.

This is exactly why I’ve been pushing myself! I’ve done many book events, public workshops, and three comics festivals. I’ve gone to schools, libraries, bookstores, and the YMCA. I’ve connected with wonderful librarians, teachers, psychologists, cartoonists, and children and celebrated this accomplishment with family and close friends. These photos are a small window into these recent good times.

Because I put this book out in the world, I’ve opened myself up and have been vulnerable to criticism in a way that I wasn’t before. I’ve appreciated it when people have stopped to tell me that a part of the book worked well for them or that they wanted to share it with someone else. That makes me feel like the promotion part of things has all been worthwhile. And if you’re one of those folks, thank you!

2. School Visits

I have visited four schools since the book’s release! I will admit that this part of being an author is intimidating. I had to muster the courage to be on stage and perform aspects of my book for large crowds. This is so different from the drawing workshops that I am more comfortable with.

My most recent visit was with Beverly Middle School. I collected questions from students about life, creativity, and mental health:

-Why does the bean have a question mark on its head?

-What made you want to make a book about mental health?

-Are you still an art teacher?

-How do you know who your safe person is?

That last question pulled at my heart and made me think about how I gained safe people in my life as a young person and even today. How do we know who is trustworthy and feels safe to talk to? What is a good way to explain this to a young person? Feel free to share any reflections that you have on that question. I’ve been thinking about it ever since it was asked of me!

The Superintendent Dr. André Morgan who invited me to the school was kind enough to write a blurb that I want to share:

Author, Cara Bean gave an outstanding presentation to our 6th and 7th grade students on her book, Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health. Our students appreciated hearing and learning from Cara as she taught about mental health through illustrative characters. Cara’s discussion on the varied aspects of mental health, enabled students to start considering what is happening with their feelings and emotions daily.  By interacting with Cara, students were able to see that actual people create the books they read, and our staff trusts this connection has made literature more relatable and engaging, encouraging even reluctant readers to explore different genres. What was equally impressive was Cara's transparency in her responses to student inquiries, which clearly impacted some of the students’ aspirations. As one student shared while leaving the presentation, “I feel like my ideas are now worth sharing with my family, classmates and teachers.” 

---André Morgan, Ph.D., Ed.L.D., Chief Opportunity, Access and Equity Officer

3. Schedule of upcoming comics festivals

In just ten days I will leave the country with my partner, and we will be in Ireland to discuss comics and mental health at the Graphic Medicine Conference. I am so excited to have this opportunity and promise to bring my sketchbook and take notes.

Here is my list of upcoming festivals:

GRAPHIC MEDICINE CONFERENCE
Athlone, Ireland
July 17th & 18th

SMALL PRESS EXPO
Bethesda, Maryland
September 13th & 14th

CARTOON CROSSROADS COLUMBUS (CXC)
Columbus, Ohio
September 28th & 29th

I will be involved with even more shows in fall and winter that have not been announced yet. Stay tuned!

Check out the schedule of events on my website for drawing and comics workshops in Massachusetts and Connecticut to attend this summer. All sessions are free.

4. What’s next?

Bringing this book into the world has been the most exciting thing I have ever done. If I’m being honest, I am amazed that I did it and that the book exists. How is it real? I’m still shocked to find it in bookstores. I’m so grateful to the brilliant experts, friends, and editors who guided me to its conclusion.

There isn’t a guidebook that I know of for the path that I am on. Even though the work of creating the book is complete, the work of promoting the book has only begun. There is a lot more work to do toward connecting with people and organizations to break the stigma about discussing mental health topics. I want my book to serve as a connecting point between kids and adults for important conversations and I’m eager to collaborate with schools in the coming year to make this happen.

Thanks for being here with me!

-Cara

P.S.
If you don’t mind, head over to Goodreads and give my book a rating or review to boost it! Thanks!

Thank you to everyone for being here for my Spring 2024 newsletter. For new subscribers, welcome! Here’s a short list of what’s in this edition:

Table of Contents:

1. Here I Am, I Am Me is here!

2. In the news

3. Schedule of Book Events in April and May

4. The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park art residency conclusion

5. Want to help with Here I Am’s promotion? Here’s a quick-and-easy how-to guide.

1. Here I Am, I Am Me is here!

Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health is finally here! 

From September 2018 to April 2024, five and a half long years, I’ve been working on Here I Am, I Am Me. The world shut down, and the world reopened. I traveled to Finland, Ireland, and across the USA. For so long, I was always thinking about, researching, writing, and drawing this book. And now it’s here!

If you haven’t already done so, you can pick up a copy from my amazing publisher Workman Publishing at this link or wherever you get books.

Here I Am was recently given a 5-star review from its first child reviewer. I am honored Here I Am connects with this young reader!

I was also astonished to discover that the Multnomah County Library system in Oregon has FOURTEEN COPIES of Here I Am, I Am Me on order. I’m floored by this response but am also happy about this book getting into the hands of kids. 

***If you’re a librarian and have one or more copies on order, please reach out so we can start a conversation about how to highlight Here I Am for your patrons.***

2. In the news

I have been featured on a few different kinds of platforms.

For the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, I wrote a piece about my dad and the feelings behind writing this book called “I Loved My Dad So Much.” You can read it here.

I’m on Graphic Medicine’s podcast with MK Czerwiec who I love. We talk about Here I Am, the upcoming graphic medicine conference in Athlone, Ireland, and all things comics and mental health. You can watch or listen here.

The very kind Jason DeHart interviewed me for his podcast Words, Images & Worlds. We talk about graphic medicine and the evolution of my work leading up to Here I Am, I Am Me. You can listen to it here.

I was interviewed by the Wareham Week’s lovely new editor Liam Mayo. You can read the article here.

Photo by Josh Souza, @souzaphotos

3. Schedule of Book Events in April and May

I have been very busy scheduling events, connecting with schools and bookstores, and signing up for comic arts festivals. Find an event near you! I’d love to see you!

BOOK LAUNCH PARTY!
Author Event and Book Signing
Thursday, April 11th, 6:30 pm
Unlikely Story Bookstore ($) 111 South Street, Plainville, MA https://www.anunlikelystory.com/bean

CARA BEAN PRESENTATION (w/ Lu Brito!) Author Event and Book Signing
Monday, April 15th, 12:00 pm Gleason Family YMCA  33 Charge Pond Road, Wareham, MA  (Davolls Bookstore will be selling books.) https://ymcasouthcoast.org/locations/wareham/gleason-family-ymca-events/

A CONVERSATION WITH CARTOONIST CARA BEAN Author Event and Book Signing
Tuesday, April 16th, 7:00 pm Hub Comics ($) 19 Bow Street, Somerville, MA https://hubcomics.com/category/news/

AN EVENING WITH CARA BEAN

Author Event and Book Signing
Thursday, April 18th, 6:00 pm Book Love ($) 7 Village Green, South Plymouth, MA https://www.book-love.com/events/book-lovers-guide-to-womens-history-month-f27ga-n9yx3-3mcax-yrz7m 

CARA BEAN IN CONVERSATION WITH KATERIE MORIN
Author Event and Book Signing Monday, April 22nd, 7:00 pm
Brookline Booksmith 279 Harvard Street, Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cara-bean-with-katerie-morin-here-i-am-i-am-me-tickets-857442873717

CARA BEAN PRESENTS HERE I AM, I AM ME
Author Event and Book Signing
Thursday, April 25th, 6:00 pm Maxima Bookstore 1717 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA 02420 https://www.maximacenter.com/events/ 

CARA BEAN PRESENTS
Author Event and Book Signing
Thursday, May 2nd, 6:30 pm Lauralton Hall 200 High Street, Milford, CT https://www.rjjulia.com/event/cara-bean-here-i-am-i-am-here

PICTURE + PANEL, A COMICS CONVERSATION Author Event and Book Signing
Monday, May 6th, 7:00 pm Aeronaut Brewing Co. 14 Tyler Street, Somerville, MA https://www.bostoncomicarts.org/events 

TORONTO COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL Indie Comics Creator Event (I’ll be on the second floor!) Saturday, May 11th, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday, May 12th, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Toronto Reference Library (part of Toronto Public Library) 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8, Canada https://www.torontocomics.com/

CARA BEAN PRESENTS Author Event and Book Signing Wednesday, May 15th, 5:30 pm Independent Day School 115 Laurel Brook Road, Middlefield, CT https://wesleyan.emscloudservice.com/calendar/EventDetails.aspx?data=hHr80o3M7J5g%2bXn5Yfn1WWKKivIE4ZVj5qQ8KBAvEzEPhqG8IFaSbTdoDAi0KTzf 

And many more to come hopefully! I am applying to A2CAF, Cartoon Crossroads, SPX, and MICE, so stay tuned for more announcements!

Photo by Josh Souza, @souzaphotos

4. The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park art residency conclusion

I can’t speak highly enough of this wonderful residency. Through my casual “Sip-n-Chat”s, I had the chance to connect with so many people from New Bedford, hear their stories, and learn about their resilience and strength. Every conversation left me feeling energized, hopeful, sad and happy together. 

After such a long time of being in my writer mode (ie just me and the drawing pad or computer screen), I was given this opportunity to connect with my community. I interviewed just under 20 people and drew interpretative comics based on our conversations for just about half of them. While I intend to continue working on this project, it will be some time before I reach its natural conclusion. I have daydreamed about continuing this project beyond the scope of this residency, but with the book coming out, this idea will have to be put on hold.

Here are a few details taken from my residency comics, below:

5. Want to help with Here I Am’s promotion? Here’s a quick-and-easy how-to guide.

a) Check your local library to see if they have a copy of Here I Am, I Am Me in their online catalog. If it’s not there, request it!

b) If you have a copy of Here I Am, I Am Me, please consider leaving a review in the following places: Amazon and Goodreads. Reviews don’t affect the algorithm, but they have the power to persuade people in the last moments when they’re deciding on a purchase. My goal is to try to reach 50 each by the end of April. Honest reviews only!

c) If you are really feeling the message of the book, please share a post to social media. Mental Health Awareness Month is in May, and you can help break down mental health stigma by posting a photo of you or a loved one reading Here I Am, I Am Me. 

Some helpful hashtags: #mentalhealth #reducingstigma #mentalhealthcomics #hereiamiamme #carabean

d) I’ll be doing events and workshops throughout the year, so please do reach out with either interest or leads. My calendar has never been so packed, but there’s always room for more.

Friends, this book is finally out in the world today! I’m so grateful for all of the wonderful people who helped me along this journey of creating. So many people embraced the message and took my hand to help guide me to this moment. I am sending out hope for love for all of us and good conversations about mental health with people we trust.

This is happening!!! Thanks for being here with me! 

💚 Cara

Welcome to my first newsletter! If you’re on this list, it means we either know each other or have worked together. I hope you enjoy getting news from me, but no hard feelings if you opt out and just click unsubscribe below.

I’ve seen a lot of newsletters, and I think the style I like best is Table of Contents + Content. Let’s try it!

1. Here I Am, I Am Me news, countdown, and book launch party

2. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park art residency

3. Scheduling my book tour and drawing workshops.

4. Thank you!

1. January 1 marks 93 days until the release date of Here I Am, I Am Me. I’m celebrating the countdown on my Instagram account by posting a comic a week until April 2, 2024. I’m posting memories of the last five years and everything it took to get here. See more on Instagram at @carabeancomics.
   
   I’m also gearing up for my first-ever BOOK LAUNCH PARTY!! I’ve set a date for April 11 at An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA. You can save the date by getting a free ticket on my Eventbrite page for the celebration!
   
   If you haven’t already, preorder a copy at Bookshop.org.
   
   

2. This week I will be beginning my art residency at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park! I’ve been given studio space and plan to interact with the public through mental health conversations and drawing workshops.

   I’ll be working from January 1 to March 31 during regular NBWNHP hours (Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm). The public is invited to drop in during the week. I’ll also be leading drawing workshops on AHA! nights in February and March. AHA! nights invite the public to experience downtown New Bedford through several cultural experiences on the second Thursday of each month throughout the year. If you are in the area, let me know!
   

3. If you or someone you know would be interested in arranging an event in 2024, please reach out because I’m scheduling them now! I’d be happy to engage with any bookstores, libraries, parent groups, and schools about presentations about my book or drawing workshops.
   

4. Thank you so much for supporting me on this journey! I am so nervous and excited, but I’m also just relieved that all this work has paid off and that this book and its timely information will be getting into the hands of those who need it.

I’ll be putting out these newsletters quarterly, so the next one will be due in your inboxes on April 1. More book news, more comics, more fun stuff is coming your way!

Happy New Year 2024!!

Until next time,
Cara

Please feel free to forward this newsletter! If it was forwarded to you, please consider subscribing!

Copyright © 2024 Cara Bean, All rights reserved.

PO Box 2076, New Bedford, MA 02741