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My Big Sister Megan is a comic book about a young girl named Katie whose teenager sister Megan is beginning to show the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The story is told through Katie’s eyes, and we see her and her family come to terms with the diagnosis and how they must work together and support each other.
Written in an age-appropriate manner, My Big Sister Megan is meant to act as a jumping-off point for in-depth discussion between people of all ages, especially children. Starting the conversation about what mental illness is and how it affects the individual as well as the family can be difficult. However, if given access to the right resources it is possible. Once we can have open dialogue, we have the opportunity to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. Knowledge helps acceptance become reality.
Available on digital & paper formats through IndyPlanet, Amazon Kindle, and autographed copies directly from Melissa KR Hozik.
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Purchase
My Big Sister Megan is available for digital download on AMAZON and in print on INDYPLANET.
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Resources
This page will be updated on a regular basis, as Melissa KR Hozik reviews all content that is added here. Please also follow her on Facebook and Twitter for further resources.
Books
Jamison, K. R. (1996). An unquiet mind. New York: Vintage Books.
Media
TV Movie: Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Websites
The Balanced Mind Foundation: www.thebalancedmind.org
Bring Change 2 Mind: www.bringchange2mind.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness: www.nami.org
National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
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Creators & Contributors
Melissa KR Hozik, Author
Melissa is a librarian in central NJ. Her advocacy work and creative endeavors, such as with My Big Sister Megan, are what keep her passionate and engaged in the discourse around inequality. She was diagnosed at age 21 with Bipolar I Disorder, and has been on the journey to finding a stable, healthy life for over a decade.
Sacha Borisich, Illustrator
Sacha was born and raised in Chicago, and has been an Illustrator and Inker for various comics and storyboarding. She is currently an art coordinator and assistant for reality television shows. She lives in Los Angeles.
Ady Chng, Design and Letterer
Ady is a graphic designer based in the New York City. He studied graphic design at college and graduated with BFA from The City College of New York. He have passions for design and consider himself a typography enthusiast. When he is not at his desk designing, he is either sleeping, watching movies, traveling, shoot photographs, or out trying different ethnic foods.
Financial Contributors
Laura Callahan
Anonymous
Deb Dagavarian-Bonar
Susan E. Davis
James Donio
Roland Hagan
Pamela Hendrick
Marla A. Hoyos, RN, BSN
Peggy Cartwright Johnson
Mari Koenigsmann
Anonymous
Laurie Rizzo
John and Tedi Trindle
Pam Werner
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Blog Archive
May 1, 2014: Mental Health Awareness Month – 10% Royalty Donations to Charities.
May is designated as Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. For this month, there are a few projects I hope to complete, but I announced today that 10% of the royalties for all purchases of My Big Sister Megan will be donated to BringChange2Mind and NAMI. If you have not already purchased your copies, please do so at IndyPlanet or Amazon Kindle.
March 14, 2014: Book Launch at Toy Market in Hammonton, NJ.
The culmination of all the hard work of the past few months led to the official comic book launch of My Big Sister Megan had a great turnout at Toy market in Hammonton, NJ. The event was promoted by The Press of Atlantic City, The Hammonton Gazette, and The Hammonton News! About 50 individuals came out to hear me speak about the comic, listen to a dramatic reading by actress (and my sister) Alma Rose Hoyos, and purchase copies of the comic book. Net proceeds from sales that day were donated to NAMI NJ’s Atlantic County affiliate, and clinicians were very interested in ordering copies for their practices. That alone has made this labor of love worth it – my goal was to help others, and it happened! To read some of the media coverage, visit my website.
January 29, 2014: Available on Amazon.
I apologize for the delay in updating the blog. As you can likely tell, a lot has happened, and it’s all very exciting!
My Big Sister Megan is now available for digital purchase on Amazon. In the next few weeks, the paper copy will be available for order on IndyPlanet or directly through me. There will be an official launch on Sunday, March 16th in Hammonton, NJ. The launch will feature Alma Rose Hoyos (BFA, New World School of the Arts), will be giving a dramatic reading to children, and a signing will follow. Please stay tuned for more updates.
Week of December 16, 2013: ALL PAGES COLORED!
On December 18th, I received the final page colored from Sacha. I did not know where to dance, cry, or laugh, but I did variations of all of these things. The comic is now off to Ady to start lettering and formatting the rest of the comic. Three years of work from a manuscript idea to an almost-ready piece is just an incredible feeling. Below is an image from the 8th page, where Megan and Katie are talking about bipolar disorder and how it affects Megan and her relationship with the family.
I’ve had some responses from some great organizations and individuals, so the buzz has begun for marketing the release of the comic book.
November 22, 2013: Page 10 Inked.
I received page 10 last night inked, and so that process is now completed! On this final page, we see Katie and Megan’s relationship stronger, and Katie realizing that others might need support just as much as her sister. She reaches out to a boy in her class who looks like he needs a friend.
The next stage in the process is for Sacha to start coloring each page. Please continue to check this website for more updates.
November 3, 2013: Page 9 Inked.
After Sacha’s computer being stolen and then recovered, we are hoping to push through all the delays that have affected the project. On Page 9, Megan and her family talk about how they will support her through her future treatment of bipolar disorder, and that nothing has changed. Sometimes just hearing those words can make or break taking the journey to stability seriously.
September 27, 2013: Page 8 and a New Member on the Team.
There have been more developments in the My Big Sister Project. Page 8 has now been inked, and we welcome Ady Chng as letterer and graphic designer for the non-illustrated materials.
September 6, 2013 Update: Page 7 Inked!
We apologize for the delay in updates–between my job and Sacha’s, the project did not progress much, but now page 5 has been tweaked, page 6 completed, and now page 7 as well!
After Megan is released from the hospital, Katie starts to ask questions about her big sister and if she has a terminal illness. This page is very personal, as the sisters have always been close.
August 1, 2013 Update: Going to the Hospital
On page five, Megan has now been found unconscious (it is not shown, you only see her hand on her bed), and the ambulance is rushing her to the hospital. She is admitted, and Katie is not told what happened due to her age.
This page is the most uncomfortable of the entire comic, and from this point forward, the discussion between Megan and Katie about bipolar disorder will begin. I cannot wait to show you how this will be done.
July 14, 2013 Update: The Depression Sets In
There is no way to truly deal with bipolar disorder until one deals with the dark side of the disease, especially when it must be done in an age-appropriate way. While I do not have a younger sibling, I know that my illness was confusing for my parents. The ups and downs that I went through caused them a lot of pain, especially because they felt helpless. Megan’s father, in this comic, does not know what to do when his daughter becomes reclusive.
June 26, 2013 Update: The Beginning of the Illness.
Page three starts the change of Megan’s behavior towards her sister and her parents. This is a very confusing time for family members, and they usually blame themselves for confrontations and the isolation that can ensue. While this is where the comic will become challenging, this is where the dialog will truly begin about mental illness.
June 17, 2013 Update: The Sisters Reading Together.
Page two is now inked, and we see the sisters interacting with each other. Big sister Megan loves to spend time with Katie, and they enjoy reading and playing together. This page of the comic is before Megan’s symptoms of bipolar disorder manifest.
June 12, 2013 Update: Katie Comes to Life!
Katie, the little sister who narrates the comic, now has a face thanks to Sacha B!
The inking of page one is completed! It’s really starting to come together. Please check back to watch the progress!
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WE DID IT!
Actually, you did it. As of the wee hours of June 5, 2013, the My Big Sister project is 100% funded. Thank you to those who helped us reach the match goal, and the donor who set the challenge. I really had no idea that it would take fewer than 12 hours!
Words cannot express the gratitude I have towards friends, family, and total strangers who have supported this project in its many forms. It has taken over a year, but the project is now real, and we’re going to hit the ground running!
MY BIG SISTER PROJECT NOW 100% FUNDED!
THE STORY OF THE MY BIG SISTER PROJECT
In May 2012 I began a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of self-publishing my children’s book, My Big Sister. Unfortunately, the costs of production were too high and the goal was not met. [Learn more about the original scope of the project and its premise on the Kickstarter website.]
I did not give up, and the outpouring of support I have received has kept me driven to get this book on the market in some form. The project has now evolved into a comic book. As this story deals with emotions, the focus on faces, action, and inaction are critical to convey the challenges of bipolar disorder in a family member.
And the project is now in the storyboarding phase with the illustrator. Milestones will also be posted on this website. Please follow this site if you utilize social media to help spread the word.
This project will finally be able to make a change in the lives of those living with or have family members who deal with Bipolar Disorder on a regular basis.
Thank you again for all your support in this creative process. Sacha B. and I are going to make this a reality later this year!