Author Archives: Shannon Menu

Monday October 4, 2021

Lynn's Comments: When Gordon was roped into taking Tracey to the dance, I'd planned for them to become great friends—which is the best way to begin a romantic relationship. At the time, I had not envisioned their eventual marriage.

Saturday October 2, 2021

Lynn's Comments: Gordon did not have a happy home life. Everyone else's problems seemed trivial to him. His dad was abusive and his mother, complacent. It was up to Gordon to decide for himself how to navigate this pressure-filled world. Many young readers identified with him.

Friday September 24, 2021

Lynn's Comments: I got into some trouble, of course, for showing the kids smoking. Because a situation like this is not resolved until the next day, readers were left with a disturbing image that bothered them for 24 hours. I would often get an angry letter soon followed by an apology from folks who saw that the situation was just a set-up to be appropriately dealt with later, or so I hoped.

Tuesday September 21, 2021

Lynn's Comments: My brother and I caught our dad on his balcony, smoking—after he swore that he had quit. He put the cigarette behind his back and Alan said, "Don't look now, Dad...but your elbow's on fire." Alan has a great sense of humour! So many cartoons were based on real comments and real situations.

Saturday September 18, 2021

Lynn's Comments: Candace was an outstanding character to work with. She had a raw edge and an independence the other girls admired. Underneath, she had a troubled soul. I never had the opportunity to give her the spotlight and show readers what I knew about her. Again, the restriction to one statement a day made some stories impossible.