I thought this comic book by Paula Knight could use it's own thread even though it's a few years old. It is about chronic illness (ME) and starting a family. It was shortlisted for First Graphic Novel Competition in 2012. Here is a presentation of the book by its publisher Myriad Myriad has also just made an interview with Paula Knight in their weekly series My Bookish Life with... From the interview: What sort of impact has the pandemic and lockdown had on your life? The day-to-day impact has been minimal because I’ve been bed-bound due to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) for two-and-a-half years – my own personal lockdown. As a disabled household, things that used to make our lives easier, such as online supermarket shopping, made things harder as demand overflowed. Luckily, we have a few willing friends to run errands. Conversely, I was able to get an online medical consultation after having been refused for two years previously – the formerly ‘impossible’ becoming magically possible for majority needs. Overall, I’ve become acutely aware of dis/ableism, especially politically and within healthcare. ... Do you have any words for anyone else in a similar position? If you're also a disabled writer then ask for as much help as needed: Your stories and talents deserve to be realised as much as anyone’s. Rinse all possibilities for grants etc. I realise that even applying can be difficult. I'm trying to enjoy the creative wanderings of my brain even though they might never be shared with others. Human being is as valid as human doing, although society and politics need to sort out attitudes around ‘productivity equals value’. Full interview: My Bookish Life with... Paula Knight I read and enjoyed her comic a few years ago, and am so sad to read that she's now bed bound with severe ME. Paula Knight is also active on Twitter
