I'm back
Hello! I'm not sure how to word this the "right way", so I'll just jump straight into explaining where I have been. Let me just thank you for staying with me and supporting me and even reaching out to ask if I'm okay.
Where have I been?
I have been working on the ADHD Alien book.
I wanted to keep making comics in the evenings, but boy was that a miscalculation. I kept starting new comics but couldn’t finish them and then just felt a lot of shame for not being able to post anything, so I started hiding from everyone around me.
(Book teaser)
Finishing this book is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. My publisher, Editor and Agent are all super nice and pleasant to work with, but finishing a project as big as this was just brutal for me and my ADHD. I wanted to make this book a complete compendium of all the useful and important information you could possibly need when you or a loved one gets a diagnosis. That means I put in way more content than was asked of me (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share details yet, but let’s just say I added around 150% of content out of my own volition).
One of the hardest aspects of it was making the entire book adhere to one coherent narrative and not a jumbled mess of thoughts and ideas (hello there, ADHD).
And simply having to get up and "function" on a daily basis and permanently having deadlines that I had to meet was just...a lot of pressure for someone who is so inconsistent in their functioning. I know I'm complaining about basic life things here, but the whole thing made me really question my ability - or disability level.
This photo captures the state I was in quite well lol. I moved into a new place and instead of renovating, I taped book pages to the wall so I could have an overview over the structure of and story while I worked on individual pages:
And I think the development of my drawing skill tells you a little bit of how much heart and effort I've really put into this book.
Thank you for being with me throughout the years.
I don't quite know if I'm proud of the work yet, but I'm proud of finishing. And once I can see people getting value of my book, then I'll be proud. But if I can say anything about this book, it's that it's absolutely stuffed with valuable information and insight on ADHD.
When does the book come out?
Sometime 2026, I'll let you know once I know more!
ADHD Alien Shop
People who have been following me for a while know that I’ve kept designing merch but never actually had the time, capacity or skills to really get it made. This is an old enamel pin design that never got off the ground:
I actually got the chance to design some merch with a friend while working on the book. (I agreed because I miscalculated how long the book will take so I ended up having to work on both things at the same time. I'll never do this again, I damn near died from exhaustion).
For the shop, I’m hoping to focus on making info-flyers, booklets and posters for the shop in future - and if people are interested, another plushie!
But my next big dream goal is to get enough funds through the shop to turn it into some kind of organization that can send ADHD info flyers and posters out to schools, parents or places that just really need it for free.
What are my plans going forward?
If people still need me and see value in my work, I hope to make online comics full-time and post regularly again. Already working on the next few comics right now!
The shop is here: http://stella-emotion.com and you can sign up to get notified when the book can be pre-ordered (but I'll also update you here.)
Sorry if my gratefulness for you all sticking around doesn’t really shine through, I’m a bit ashamed I was gone for so long without updates and I don’t want to pretend I’m all happy and giddy when what I'm feeling is more realistically a mix of shame, anxiety but also a bit of excitement seeing how many people stuck with me.
I can say with my full heart: Thank you for having me.
Comments (19)
aaaa you're back!!! 💚 patreon didn't bother telling me because this post is locked to a tier, and I almost ignored the discount code because I thought it was some automated thing 🤣 glad to know you're still alive, please try not to hide next time (just try, with adhd there *is* only try) - surely everyone here gets it, right? maybe Captain Awkward can commiserate with you on how hard it is to write a book :)
...remember, there are people here who care about you and want to support you. even if all someone can give some days is encouraging emojis... I hope that's still something that helps a tiny bit. 🫂💚
I'm so horrendously excited about this news! I was talking to someone about your comic and how it helped me discover my own ADHD, and how life-changing it was. About how you disappeared and I didn't know if you were coming back. They gifted me a membership just now, and I am SO excited, I have been wanting this book for YEARS!! I also just recently reconnected with my dad, who my mom kept me from for 15 years, and I suspect he has ADHD too. I can't wait to show him your comics and one day show him your book! I'm glad you took the time off that you needed and I'm sorry it's been such a heavy time period for you. I'm so happy to see you back!!!
I only came across your work recently, fell completely in love and joined your Patreon immediately. When I saw you’d been gone a long while I totally understood, but also totally meant to cancel the subscription. Thank goodness my own ADHD kept me from actually getting around to it! Thank you so much for pushing through. If it’s anywhere near as heartfelt and insightful as your previous work your book will change - possibly even save - lives. Can’t wait to read and share it.
I am so glad that you are back and doing better! Your comics have absolutely changed the lives of my students, their parents, and myself. I am practically vibrating with excitement for your book! If you have questions regarding how to reach parents or teachers, Id be glad to help.
I would absolutely love that! I get asked by parents and really motivated teachers a lot who want to help their kids, but I’m never quite sure what exactly they need
Welcome back! Congratulations on completing your huge project! I am looking forward to your book!
I am so, so proud of you! That was a huge undertaking and must have been so difficult at times! Have to admit that I was not here for some time due to money concerns, and am literally only back again days, though it seems like that was well-timed for the first time ever 😉 Welcome back!
I'm sorry, but I didn't even notice you were gone because... well, ADHD. 😅 Good to have you back!
Time blindness showing up to HELP a neurodivergent creator for once!
I was also supposed to start writing a book this year, and long work hours plus neurospicy nonsense have forced me to push that deadline back by a year. So I'm just saying—anyone in here who complains is probably throwing stones in some very disorganized glass houses. Good luck pushing through to the end~
Thanks for putting so much heart into this for all this time.
Thank you, I really appreciate you seeing the effort I put in!
Also, This line.. I bust out laughing. "One of the hardest aspects of it was making the entire book adhere to one coherent narrative..." It feels like this was probably an over applied self-beatdown (or whatever the word I mean would be). That's sort of contradicting the core nature of the genesis of the book getting created isn't it?? 😁😁 What we're driven to do it anyway, while simultaneously being ground down by it going completely against the grain of our wiring!! 😆🤦
Hahaha! I honestly didn't believe I would ever finish this book lol. I knew I had to but it just felt SO impossible. My brain was like a weasel with a ball turning in circles. My publisher and agent were really interested in keeping my ADHD quirks as a part of the book, which I super love! Like I feel my ADHD will be kinda visible in the way I draw throughout the book
Omg! I got such a dopamine boost from hearing this!!! I was worried about what might have happened for you (but then, ya know, ADHD sooo..of course you'd have to read my mind to ever know)! I'm SO happy (and proud of and envious of) you kept going despite whatever your brain gnomes were shouting at you!! 🎉. I absolutely LOVE your comics and have been working slowly with understanding mself more over the last couple years, plus also trying to find ways to explain/communicate/work with my Dad in a way that he can better understand my wiring and explaining why certain things he'll say a lot I can logically understand but are just not going to be something either of us can expect me to suddenly "resolve" and be able to implement like "normal" (aka how well he can be executively).. I'm SO excited for both your book and any more comics you ever feel like releasing (even if incomplete for shading and colors but are traces of the "plot" etc.. ❤️❤️ Welcome Back! Be kind to yourself and we'll be here to "shout" the positive care/logic as an external voice if it can help, because sometimes the brain gnomes can drown out the internal voice.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Was honestly very anxious how people would react to me being silent for so long and your kind message gave me a lot of relief. I so get the issue with knowing things but not being able to resolve it right away - or ever (sometimes we need a workaround instead of brute forcing a way other people expect of us). I'm reworking the button comic and if nothing goes wrong I might be able to post it already next week - that comic will be exactly about being able / unable to apply knowledge into action! I'll give my best to make it a great communication aid!
Congratulations on getting it across the line! I know you've been working super hard on it 💖 Fully relate to that kind of anxiety too 🫂 Can't wait to see the book next year, and hopefully see you in the discord! ^_^
Thank you Tabby!!! I'm so happy I made it - I actually finished this omg. Will share some things in discord!