Lissa M. Cowan
Lissa M. Cowan
Lissa's
Projects
Lissa is working on a graphic novel for middle-grade readers about time travel, distraction, and the transformative nature of art. Her cousin, narrative artist Stephanie Hill, is illustrating the book. Lissa is also working on a "dervish-style" non-fiction book about the deeply personal topic of climate change.
The Untold Worlds of Penelope
Twelve-year-old Penelope (aka “Penny”) is reeling from two devastating losses: her grandmother's death and the loss of her best friend who played a cruel stunt on her. When she travels to Paris to stay with her aunt, she meets the de Charpentier children, whose parents, art-world professionals, have mysteriously disappeared. Together, they unravel the mystery behind their disappearance using visual clues that transport them through the hidden stories and worlds within paintings. More than an adventure, this middle-grade graphic novel tackles the crisis of distraction, showing how art can restore focus, heal wounds, and unlock extraordinary possibilities for growth and wonder.
(h)eart(h)
(h)eart(h) parallels the end of a love affair and humanity's fractured ties to Mother Earth. Poetic, angry monologues by Mother Earth—weaving together with first-person prose—portray our planet as a spirited woman who has lost faith in humans. This soulful, humourous, and startlingly joyous non-fiction narrative explores how climate change impacts personal inner landscapes and human connections, asking: how might we heal our vital kinship with both ourselves, and the natural world?