Hi, it’s Carissa, and welcome to Bad at Keeping Secrets! Today, I’m chatting with Liana Finck, an amazing cartoonist, author, and regular contributor to The New Yorker. Liana’s known for her sharp, thoughtful work, including her graphic memoir Passing for Human, and I found her on instagram ages ago - her work is SO relatable, and funny, and just real.
In this episode, we explore her journey as a storyteller, her perspective on art and communication, and even how she balances creativity with motherhood. It is a weird feeling to meet someone and have so many life parallels. Always feeling like you were different, our art actually argues that we are normal humans. We talk about feeling shy, what that actually means, why we make things, how we identify (artist, writer, cartoonist, etc.), and what it means to feel like an outsider.
Her most recent book, Mixed Feelings came out last week, and let me tell you it is great. For kids. For adults. For plants and possibly aliens.
If you are one of those people who is like why would an adult be interested in a kids book about feelings? Let me share a few spreads that are so relatable to EVERY age:
Who has not felt this way on the daily?
Or this one:
Here are a few places you can order or buy Mixed Feelings:
If you like my work, chances are you will LOVE Liana. She is so much smarter and raw than I am. Check out her substack here:
As a person who is perpetually lonely in crowded rooms…
I really hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Wishing you the ability to find moments of joy within this shit show called life. Very grateful for you.
XO, Carissa
PS This music for this podcast is by Casey Goode (my sister). The podcast was edited by Mark McDonald who makes me feel like I am a natural podcaster (even tho I am clearly not…).
PPS I am 41 years old and I still forget that hanger is a thing and that might just be why I am so crabby… how about you?
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