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"Trust her--Karen is trying really hard to be an adult. Harder than she should probably have to, as a forty-something with a cat, a flat, and a job. She would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling influencers, always raising the bar of what it means to be a proper woman. Brandishing her trademark quirky artwork and signature wit, Karen pokes fun at her attempts to 'grow up': whether that's becoming a meditation girlie, getting Botox, faking self-confidence, using dating apps, going to therapy, or living the child-free life (unless you count her feline companion Sir Henry, which, of course, she does). From emotional support pigs to ectopic pregnancies, getting punched in the face at hippie dance class to vajayjay chakras, the laugh-out-loud and deeply perceptive illustrated essays in Good Luck To Us All are a testament to these wild and crazy times."--
About the author
Karen Vermeulen is an artist, illustrator and teacher living in Cape Town, South Africa, known for her happy, uplifting and quirky creations. She is the illustrator of two Catalyst Press children’s books, It's Just Skin, Silly! (2023) and Wanjiku, Child of Mine (2024), middle grade books Small Mercies (2020) and The Cedarville Shop and the Wheelbarrow Swap (2022) as well as many Catalyst Press book covers.
Summary
In this graphic memoir, Cape Town artist Karen Vermeulen reflects on the absurdities of contemporary womanhood—from romance and friendship to the ever-elusive “self-care”.
Trust her—Karen is trying really hard to be an adult. Harder than she should probably have to, as a thirty-something with a cat, a flat, and a job. She would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for those meddling influencers, always raising the bar of what it means to be a proper woman.
Accompanied by her trademark quirky artwork and signature wit, Karen pokes fun at her attempts to “grow up”: whether that’s becoming a meditation girlie, getting Botox, faking self-confidence, using dating apps, going to therapy, or living the childfree life (unless you count her feline companion Sir Henry, which, of course, she does.)
From emotional support pigs to ectopic pregnancies, cuticle care to under-boob chakras, the laugh-out-loud and deeply perceptive illustrated essays in Good Luck To Us All are a testament to these wild and crazy times.
Foreword
- ARCs to relevant reviewers including Kirkus, Foreword, PW, NYT, ALA Booklist, Library Journal; available as an e-ARC on Edelweiss
- Blog tour with book giveaways
- Early blurbs from bestselling graphic memoir authors and illustrators including ND Stevenson, Tyler Feder, Liz Prince, Vanessa Davis, Zoe Thorogood, Moa Romanova, Julia Wertz, and Kate Leth
- Book club outreach + reading guide
- Targeted marketing towards women’s and comics interest, humor outlets
- Promotion at book fairs and trade shows including ALA annual, mid-winter ALA, TLA, NCTE, NCSS, and African Studies Association annual conferences
- Submission for relevant awards
- Social media promotion
- Simultaneous e-book release
- Promotion as debut adult title
- Promotion through Catalyst Press’ annual #ReadingAfrica Week
- Valentine's Day promotion
