Guts of Fury Begins
I’ve been talking about Guts of Fury publicly since 2016… but in truth, the initial idea came around September of 2015. Since the public announcement, the projected launch date was October of 2017. Six months later, I got pregnant and my whole life and advocacy efforts were turned upside down. The novel has produced a lot of joy and frustration over the past five years. But I’ve never given up. It’s been a long time since I’ve given any updates, so I thought it would probably be good to let you guys know what’s going on.
Guts of Fury History
Before giving my update, I should probably give a bit of history behind it. Some of you may not have even known that it was in the works. I’ll try to make this short and sweet.
2015
I do not remember the exact day that I decided to get this project going, but I can tell you that it was due in part to Dr. Peter Higgins who (if I’m not mistaken) asked if such a project was a possibility for the future. Anyway… one thing led to another and soon I was on conference calls with Dr. Higgins and people from The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (then called The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America or CCFA for short) who created Pete Learns All About Crohn’s & Colitis.
The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation has done a lot for the IBD community–I never want to downplay that. While I believe Pete Learns is an important book to help explain IBD to children, it only scratches the surface. CCF has put out a lot of great literature over the years. But I feel patients (particularly adult patients) need more.
2016
At the end of 2015, with the help of Dr. Higgins, I began writing proposals to various pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to get the funding for the project. At the beginning of 2016, I submitted my proposals to along with graphics and a script. I was denied every time. I was discouraged, but I was still determined to make it a reality. In May I announced that the graphic novel was in production and I was back at editing and sketching and planning.
Then life threw a monkey wrench into my plans. I got pregnant. In addition to all the distractions that come with pregnancy and preparing for a new child, I also had “morning” sickness. For three months I barely got out of bed. So I could forget about even trying to work on the novel.
2017
Baby Ninja made her debut into the world on August 19th, 2017. It was one of the hardest, yet rewarding things I ever had to do. And let me tell you, it was so worth it. The graphic novel took a mega backseat as I was juggling life as a new mother. When October 2017 (the time I had planned to finish the novel) rolled around, I had mega guilt and discouragement. I felt like I had really let some people down. It wasn’t just the novel that took a hit, so did my advocacy.
2018
In 2018 I began having more health issues. What started out as a stubborn kidney infection turned out to be caused by a fistula that developed due to my difficult childbirth. When this began, all my medical PTSD came roaring back and I had days where I sat on the floor with Baby Ninja rocking back and forth weeping bitterly. I had some CT scans and went to the ER a few times with abdominal pain. Finally, I went to see my surgeon.
A repair was attempted by my colorectal surgeon in November. It was an outpatient surgery, but extremely painful. We thought it was fixed. But like many fistulae, it isn’t an easy fix. Two months later, we realized that the surgery failed. So, I’m still dealing with it.
2019
Enter early 2019, I was in a better place and was slowly learning to manage life with a fistula. I decided it was time to get back to work on the graphic novel. I had a few computer updates since then. So, when I tried to open up my (extremely outdated) software, it was discovered that it was no longer compatible with my computer. Another roadblock.
This was one of the biggest blows to my graphic novel yet. Devastated, I remember pacing the house wondering what on earth I was going to do. And then an idea came to me. Maybe I could do a GoFundMe? Asking for money is something I’ve never liked doing… but if the novel was to continue, I needed to update the software and equipment. Friends, family members and my husband told me to go for it.
GoFundMe
So, I got to work on researching new softwares and the equipment. It was determined that I needed about $800. My husband and another friend told me I should ask for about $1000 in order to cover the GoFundMe fees. I honestly didn’t expect to meet my goal at all. I told myself, that if the graphic novel was meant to be, I’d get the money I needed to complete it. If not, well, it was time to move on.
Surprisingly, thanks to my loving friends, family and faithful followers, my goal was met and exceeded within a few days and soon I was on my way creating again. I literally could not have done any of this without you guys. After the equipment and the software issues were solved, I completed the rough sketches of all the pages.
In late 2019, my husband decided to make a big career move. Which would include uprooting and moving six hours south. I spent the end of 2019 packing and making preparations. Heartbreakingly, I packed away my equipment, slightly angry that my project was put on hold again. I had no idea when I was going to be able to begin working again.
2020
2020 rolled around and my husband and I moved in with our in-laws until our house sells and we find another. Then COVID-19 hit. Houses in this market aren’t doing anything, obviously. I started feeling overwhelmed and depressed. That’s when I asked my husband if there was any way I could get a small table to set up my drawing tablet. He immediately went to the storage room for a table and ever since I’ve been working tirelessly on the novel again. If you’ve followed Instagram or Facebook, you’ve probably seen some of my latest illustrations.
The Purpose
I’ve always felt that patients aren’t getting enough information about their diseases. Especially when initially diagnosed. The purpose of Guts of Fury is and always has been to help patients understand their diseases better. And not only that, but they can use it thoroughly explain it to their friends and family members. You can read brochures or find information on places like WebMD, but it doesn’t give you the whole picture.
Guts of Fury will be filled with information about Crohn’s and UC. In addition, it will cover common medications/treatments. There will be infographics galore as per my most popular blog posts. We will discuss ostomies and j-pouches. But it will be done by way of entertainment. The story will be told from the patients’ point of view. The story is based on my own so it will give it a very real, raw portrayal of what it’s like living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease on a daily basis… which I think is the key in helping others understand just what patients deal with.
What’s Happening Now
Recent progress keeps me moving forward. As of now I’m “inking” the pages of the novel. I’m also refining the details (such as character traits and clothing).
The next stage will be coloring the novel and adding text. In addition, I’ll be creating infographics to help explain aspects of IBD. Which will require more research and counsel from a few trusted friends and doctors.
After completion, I’ll probably have a few people look over it for editing purposes. Then I’ll think of the printing process (which I’ve been researching along the way). Printing will require funding, and I’ve been working on figuring that out as well. Some have asked me how they can help and/or contribute.
A few ways you can do this is by donating directly via PayPal at this link. I also have a Patreon account set up. But I’m still not sure how I’m going to execute that (if you have any tips, I’d love to hear them!). I have no idea how to use Patreon.
If all else fails, when I get closer to completion, I’ll probably do a Kickstarter campaign. But that will not be for a while.
To Keep Up With the Progress
If you’d like to see what I’ve been up to, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook. The best place to contact me currently is Instagram.
Until next time, take care and Keep Fighting!!!
