Trick or Treat with Author/Illustrator Michael Regina + Treat Inside!

2 days ago

8 min read

Hi, readers, writers, and monster lovers of all sorts! What’s scarier than a shark lurking in the water? How about a GINORMOUS scary monster lurking instead?! We’re so excited to feature the incredible graphic novelist and illustrator Michael Regina and his book, Deepwater Creek! 👻

There’s nothing that Wade and his younger brother, Andrew, love more than fishing together. As summer draws to a close, they’re excited for one last hurrah before classes begin and they end up at different schools for the first time. But a typical fishing trip with their best friends, Camilla and Tommy, quickly takes a darker turn. As heavy fog creeps over the creek, Andrew hooks something big—too big. In a moment of chaos, the brothers end up overboard. There, in the murky depths, they get a glimpse of what waits at the end of the line. And it seems far more monster than fish...EEK!

Want to know more about Michael and his spooky new book, Deepwater Creek, PLUS find out what treat he’s passing out? Read on… if you dare! 🎃

Q: Hi Michael! FANGS for joining SeasonsOfKidLit.com! We’re thrilled to feature you and hear all about you and your book, Deepwater Creek! What inspired your story, and can you share a little about your path to publication?

A: Deepwater Creek was inspired by my love of fishing and the kind of road-adventure story you would see in something like Stand By Me. I often tell people that the inspiration for it is Jaws meets Stand By Me and H.P. Lovecraft. But at its heart, it’s a fishing adventure story and a story about brothers—and about the decision to hold on to hope despite the trauma and bad things that happen in life.

My journey to publication began with self-publishing. I wrote a graphic novel called Adamsville, and after the first book came out, I wasn’t able to find a publisher for it, so I decided to continue self-publishing. During that time, Webtoon found the comic and picked it up as a featured comic on their site while I was in the middle of making the second book. I worked with them to publish all three books of the Adamsville Trilogy digitally, while continuing to self-publish the print editions.

Once I finished Adamsville, I decided I wanted to explore traditional publishing. I took a year off and worked hard at improving both my drawing and writing skills. Eventually, I pitched a literary agent and landed a contract with Penguin Random House for my books The Sleepover and Deepwater Creek.

I’m currently working on a new book pitch for another all-ages horror title and making my first move towards working fully in prose instead of graphic novels.

What a fascinating journey! Thanks for sharing!

Q: What is your process like for illustrating books? Which comes first - the illustration or the idea?

A: This one’s really hard to completely gauge because it’s sort of a little bit of everything. In fact, I’m getting more comfortable with using a sketchbook that’s big enough to capture both my drawings and my process thoughts, and allowing myself to move back and forth between illustration and words.

But I’d say usually I don’t draw a whole lot unless it’s to articulate an idea that I have. I don’t just sketch for the sake of sketching—that’s not really a normal thing for me. Usually, I’m filling up notebooks with words and ideas, trying to come up with something that I feel excited about turning into a story.

Once I have that, I start sketching the idea out and developing it into something that feels more concrete. So I think it starts with words and ideas first, and then moves into images as I start to figure out how I’m going to turn that idea into a finished thing.

Q: What surprised you most about your book’s journey to publication?

A: I think what was most unexpected about Deepwater Creek was that it wasn’t the project I was supposed to be working on. I was finishing up The Sleepover, which was my first graphic novel project for Penguin Random House, and I was supposed to move on to another idea that had been in my mind for about a decade. But I just couldn’t get myself excited about it. I didn’t know how to find myself in the story anymore.

At the same time, I was going through some real-life stuff involving illness with a family member. I had this strong desire to help them get better, but I didn’t know how. I wanted to find an answer—something I could do that would just fix everything. And from that came the idea of these two brothers, one of whom was sick and the other who desperately wanted to help him. That idea eventually turned into this giant fishing adventure story.

It was one of those moments that happens every couple of years when I’m developing something, where an idea goes from being interesting to suddenly becoming something where I cannot envision myself working on literally anything else. That was definitely Deepwater Creek.

It took some time for the publisher and me to make the decision to put aside the other project and focus fully on this one. Some of that was also influenced by my editor's notes, which I think were really good and right on the money. The book just emerged as this very pleasant surprise. It became this deeply personal book that I adore, and I love the characters, the world, and the deeper themes of it.

Even to some degree, I think something that gets criticized a little bit (minor spoilers) about the book is the ambiguity of the ending. But that’s actually where I feel as a person as well. I’m ambiguous about what the future may bring, but hopeful nonetheless.

"A fast-paced horror story that intertwines a monster adventure with emotional growth. Endearing characters and genuine scares make this an excellent choice for both reluctant and more advanced readers." —School Library Journal

“Nonstop action threaded with heartfelt emotion offers a satisfying reading experience.” —Kirkus Reviews

Readers: Want to read some of Michael's book? Flip through the pages below!

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your book?

A: This book was mostly written from the perspective of somebody who loves someone else who is going through something difficult—you have this desire to fix it for them, but you’re unable to. Without being too didactic about it, I hope people find the courage to stay hopeful in bad situations, to stay by the side of the people they love even through difficult times, and to keep hoping for the best even when they can’t fix things.

What a touching and AMAZING takeaway!

Q: What tip would you like to share with writers who are stuck in the query trenches and / or on a story idea?

A: Oh man, this is where I’m at right now, actually. I think the best advice I have to give is something I’m wrestling with a lot myself: there’s a lot of work that happens in writing that doesn’t look like work, but it is.

Where I really start to struggle as a creator is when I’m coming up with an idea and I feel this deep pull to get to the word processor and start banging out a first draft, an outline, a beat sheet, or whatever the case might be. It usually becomes this frustrating process where I come up with something I think is good, look at it, and realize it isn’t. Then I go back and forth, and I start to feel guilty, like I don’t know how to make a decision, or I’m just waffling, or I’m scared.

But the truth is, I’ve done this a bunch of times. I know I can finish a book. I’m not running away from finishing what I’m doing. I’m doing the hard work of finding the story I actually want to tell. I am working. So stop beating myself up about it.

I have a very particular thing that I’m after as a storyteller. I want stories that are scary but also deeply heartfelt. I want them to be stories that move people, and in turn, they have to move me. That takes some time to find. It’s not always immediately apparent.

So I think my advice is to be patient with the idea process, but don’t be lazy. I give myself about two hours each morning where I only think about the new idea. I allow myself to make notes, take walks, think about things, ask questions, and explore. I trust that eventually those ideas will start to coalesce into something that feels finished, and then I can get it down on paper.

Often, where I get frustrated is when I try to rush myself out of that process or convince myself I’m more ready than I actually am. Usually, it’s better to slow down, get the idea right, and then put it down on paper and start talking to somebody, like my agent.

There’s work happening even when it doesn’t look like writing. Sometimes that work is just thinking.

And that’s OK–but at some point you gotta get going.

Q: What other books of yours can we check out ASAP or keep our eyes peeled for?

A: I think if you’re a creator or an aspiring creator, checking out the zine I finished this past year, The Full-Time Part-Time Artist, would be a helpful tool. In it, I explain my process for building an artistic career while maintaining a job and raising a family, and I try to include as many practical tools, ideas, and pieces of advice as I can.

Also, if you enjoyed Deepwater Creek, you can check out The Sleepover, which is also published by Penguin Random House.

Q: What is your character’s favorite fall or Halloween treat, and why?

A: Oh man, I think Wade would be the kind of kid who would really enjoy something like a spiced apple or apple cider—just enjoying that cozy feeling autumn brings after a busy fishing season out on the water during the summer.

Q: What is your favorite Halloween candy that you’d love to see in your goodie bag, and what candy would you immediately swap (or toss)?

A: My favorite has always been Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I’m not too excited about getting gummy bears as a treat. I don’t hate them, but I’d much rather have chocolate.

Q: Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?

A: A Treat! I’d be happy to offer up a signed copy of Deepwater Creek and a signed copy of my zine project: The Full-Time Part-Time Artist.

What a Spook-tastic treat! Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your book with us -- it was a pleasure getting to know you more!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter Michael's giveaway, 1) leave a comment below to thank him for stopping by, and 2) share his post on social media. Monster-ish GIFs are highly encouraged too!

*Special Reminder: Those who like, leave a comment on, and share all posts will be entered into a drawing and be eligible to win:

One (1) of five (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Editor Lynne Marie and Author Heather Macht and/or
Books from Heather's Treat Bag (see below)!

Winners will be drawn and announced on 10/18. Head back to the blog then for the official announcement!

About Michael Regina:

Michael Regina is the writer and illustrator behind the all-ages horror graphic novels Deepwater Creek, The Sleepover, and the Adamsville trilogy. Deepwater Creek was named one of the 2025 top 10 graphicnovelsl for children by the American Library Association. He’s been drawing comics since the third grade, and his passion for art and storytelling has only grown since. Michael studied painting and drawing at the University of North Florida, where he also minored in literature. He also runs a YouTube channel where he explores creative productivity and TTRPGs.

When he’s not making comics, he enjoys fishing, playing RPGs, cheering on the Jacksonville Jaguars, and spending time with his family. They all live in Jacksonville, Florida.

For more about Michael, check out the below links: