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Introduction
Flavia Drago is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator from Mexico. Known for her unique and enchanting children’s picture books featuring horror characters like vampires, witches, and monsters, Flavia’s work has captivated audiences around the world. To that end, she is a recipient of the 2021 Klaus Flugge Prize for her book, “Gustavo the shy ghost.” Flavia was the illustrator of the fair at the 2024 London Book Fair and is currently pursuing a PhD at Anglia Ruskin University, where she researches the genre of horror in children’s picture books. In this in-depth interview, Flavia shares her creative journey from Mexico to Spain, Paris and the UK, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs she’s faced along the way. Discover how Flavia’s works are perceived across different cultures, the inspirations behind her beloved characters, and her views on the horror genre in children’s literature. We also delve into what scares Flavia (if anything!), her current and upcoming projects, the role of literary agents, and much more.
Background
Flavia was born and raised in Mexico City, spending her entire childhood there. Her interest in graphic design stemmed from her admiration for her sister, who was eleven years older and pursuing the field in university. Witnessing her engaging in various creative tasks such as photography, drawing, logo design, and Photoshop work, she was inspired to follow suit, seeing it as a viable career path. However, upon entering the graphic design industry, she realized that the work often lacked the level of creativity she had anticipated.
Gradually, her fascination with illustration grew, but she faced a challenge: Mexico lacked formal illustration courses or a Bachelor’s program in the field. Determined to pursue her passion, she embarked on a lengthy journey to establish herself as an illustrator. This journey included a short trip to Barcelona and securing a scholarship for a course in Paris.
Eventually, she enrolled in a Master’s program in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. After completing her education, she achieved a significant milestone by getting her first picture book published. This achievement, however, came after approximately 10 years of dedicated effort and perseverance.
Getting started with children’s books
Flavia always loved drawing, from her earliest memories. As a child, she found solace and expression in her artwork, especially since she felt shy and struggled with verbal communication. Drawing became her means of expressing her emotions and thoughts when words failed her. She vividly remembers sneaking her architect father’s fancy markers to fuel her passion for drawing, often seeking his guidance to improve her skills.
One of her fondest childhood memories is filling an entire sketchbook with drawings of animals around the age of eight or ten, revealing her deep-seated love for depicting creatures. Drawing became an integral part of her life, a constant companion through the years.
Despite her enduring passion for drawing, she never considered pursuing illustration as a career during her university years, mainly because she didn’t know anyone who followed that path and lacked knowledge about the illustration industry. She sought guidance from online illustrator communities where they advised her to attend book fairs like FIL (Feria Internacional del Libro) in Guadalajara, Mexico and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Barcelona to connect with publishers and learn about creating children’s books. Through these experiences, she gradually gained understanding and learnt more about making children’s books.
In 2016, she made a pivotal decision to pursue a Master’s in children’s picture books at the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), a choice she considers the best in her life. Feeling the urge to create her own stories while working as an illustrator, she saw the course as a means to cultivate discipline and focus on her personal projects. During the program, she crafted various stories while also refining her portfolio.
Each year, Walker Books in collaboration with ARU’s MA Children’s Book Illustration course hosts the Sebastian Walker Award, recognizing the most promising student from the MA program. While she didn’t win the award, she received a contract from Walker Books, which ultimately proved more beneficial. Receiving an email from Deidre McDermott of Walker Books was a thrilling moment for her, as she admired the company’s exceptional and diverse catalogue of books and esteemed artists. However, during the interview, they expressed interest in her stories but sought something unique. Despite initially considering her idea of a shy ghost too niche, she proposed it anyway, and to her delight, they embraced the concept. Collaborating closely, they developed the idea into what would eventually become “Gustavo the Shy Ghost,” a project born from trust and creative synergy.
After the success of “Gustavo,” her agent reached out, inquiring about her next steps. Feeling the pressure to follow up with another successful book, she found herself at a loss for ideas. During this period, she embarked on a baking project with her sister, creating a complex unicorn cake with her nieces over two days.
Reflecting on her agent’s suggestion to write a book about baking cakes, she initially hesitated. However, inspiration struck when she realized she could integrate her beloved witch character from “Gustavo” into a story centered around baking. Excited by the prospect of drawing witches, she delved into the concept, which eventually led to the creation of “Leila.” Concurrently, she developed a fondness for a vampire character, laying the groundwork for future projects.
Career highlights
Publishing her first picture book was undeniably the most significant breakthrough in her career. “Gustavo” achieved notable success, becoming a New York Times bestseller for several weeks in 2021 and earning her the Klaus Flugge Prize.
However, her journey to success began earlier, with a major breakthrough in 2013 during an illustration course at the School of Applied Arts in Paris. During this time, a collaboration between Hermès and ENSAD presented an opportunity to design a scarf. Despite being relatively unknown, she impressed the workshop organizers with her series of daily life comics, integrating typography and illustration. They suggested using her personal drawings as inspiration for the scarf design, which ultimately led to her design being purchased, printed, and sold worldwide.
This experience not only marked a significant achievement but also instilled confidence in her unique style, characterized by personal and graphic elements. It provided clarity and direction, guiding her towards a more focused approach to her work as an illustrator.
Finding an agent?
Her journey to finding her agent, Claire Cartey, was intertwined with her close friendship with Erica Meza, a fellow Mexican picture book maker living in the UK. Erica, who had already established a successful career with her book “To the Other Side,” actively pursued Claire as her agent. Both she and Erica had crossed paths in Paris, where they became close friends while studying at the same university and sharing a studio apartment.
Despite parting ways after their time in Paris, their friendship endured, and they reunited when she moved to the UK to pursue her MA in children’s book illustrations. During a trip to the Bologna children’s book fair, Erica introduced her to Claire, who took an interest in her work. When Claire offered representation, she eagerly accepted, marking the beginning of a professional relationship that has spanned six years since 2018.
Mexican Influences in works
In her work, she draws heavily from Mexican influences, infusing her illustrations with cultural references and traditions. Celebrations like Day of the Dead and Oaxacan calendas, lively street parades accompanied by music and Mojigangas puppets, inspire the vibrant scenes in her books. She incorporates architectural elements and household objects reminiscent of Mexico, paying homage to the country’s rich folk art tradition.
Characters with Mexican origins, such as Catrina, a distinctive figure known for her skull face paint and elaborate attire, make appearances in her stories. She embraces Mexican folklore, weaving legends of witches transforming into balls of fire or owls into her narratives. For her, these elements are more than just decorative; they are integral to the story, adding depth and authenticity without overshadowing the narrative.
Other Mentors and Influences
She acknowledges the significant influence of her supervisor, Martin Salisbury, on her artistic journey. Reading his book “Children’s Picture Books: The Art of Visual Storytelling” opened her eyes to the profound role illustration plays in picture books beyond mere decoration. Inspired by his teachings, she strives to integrate illustration seamlessly into her own narratives.
Among other illustrators she admires, Beatrice Alemania stands out for her expressive work, notably creating the cover for Salisbury’s book. She also finds inspiration in the captivating characters and compositions crafted by Julia Sarda. Additionally, she appreciates the whimsical yet eerie style of Jon Klassen’s books. Admiring the talent of these illustrators, she aspires to reach their level of skill and creativity.
Perception of horror and pushbacks
Flavia says cultural perspectives play a significant role, hence recognizes the diversity of interpretations and values that different people hold. In the realm of picture books, interpretations vary widely, and it’s impossible to satisfy everyone. Ultimately, she focused on creating what interests her. She describes her perception of horror as follows,
“I think horror is more like a label that helps people to sell and commercialize certain goods. Certain kinds of films. But it's also an emotion that happens to be in lots of things that happen in everyday life. Mm-hmm. So I grew up being surrounded by lots of horror-like experiences. And then I discovered there were horror films. In Mexico, there was Channel 5. And in the 90s, when I was growing up, I don't know why, but there were horror films in broad daylight. And I just watched those films because they were on TV. And I was not the only one. There was lots of children in my generation who watched those films.”
On her PhD
The research delves into horror as a genre within children’s picture books, recognizing its evolution into various forms such as toys, costumes, films, and books. While some picture books use fear as a pedagogical tool, others, like Flavia’s, employ various tropes and characters to tell stories that don’t necessarily scare the audience but explore common themes. Drawing parallels with fables where animals embody different qualities, the author uses the qualities of monsters to craft stories, forming the basis of their thesis.
While she’s unsure of its potential impact, she chose to embark on the academic journey to examine the genre from her point of view. In her words,
“Because there's a lot and lot of research done from the point of view of the reviewer, from the point of view of the psychologist, from the point of view of the educator for children. Everyone has done research on picture books, but picture book makers. I just think it's important there's research on picture books done by makers because we know the craft and we can maybe write about certain things that people can't.”
Service offerings
Flavia offers paid events and workshops though most of her income comes from her picture books. Her books are registered with the British Library’s Public Lending Right (PLR) which earn her commissions when they are borrowed. She also earns monthly from her Domestika course which she released in 2020.
Besides book illustrations, she also does other illustration project like her last, Day of the Dead collection for Target.
Current and future projects?
She’s currently working on a project about a haunted house. It’s consistent with her horror theme but is a standalone book outside the world of Gustavo.
She’s working on two more board books for babies that also have monsters. Also in the works post her PhD is an ABC picture book with monsters from Mexico and Latin America.
She’s also applying for jobs to lecture post her PhD.
Collaboration wishlist
Flavia would love to make books with Enchanted Lion or with Chronicle Books. She thinks they make really, really nice books. She also mentions a new imprint called Unruly which makes picture books for adults. She’d jump on an opportunity to make picture book that is just for adults.
While she has no idea of what those picture books would be about, she welcomes the challenge of making books for adults that aren’t about vampires or monsters.
Work-life balance.
Flavia’s counts cooking and gardening as her other hobbies. She hits the gym at least half an hour every day for some strength training. She has a little allotment where she grows vegetables. She makes an analogy between making picture books and gardening.
“I like that gardening is a slow-motion activity, just like making picture books is. You do something little every single day, and by the end of the season, you have the things that you can eat, or you have a picture book. And I find that process very enjoyable. And because it's not connected to art in a way, it allows me to have a break.”
“If you want to make picture books and if you want to illustrate picture books, draw a lot. Draw from life. Draw from your imagination. Draw things you care about. Draw things that you find inspiring.”
“Create your stories based on your own experiences. And if you enjoy them, again, it's more likely other people will connect to them. Or if you want to make a book about something you think is very important, then do it. Because if you think it's important, maybe you're not alone.”
