The Visitor
He didn’t know where the Visitor came from or the reason for his visit, but he welcomed him anyway. He liked the Visitor’s quiet, benign manner, and he was glad for the company. But when strange things started happening, doubts arose. What is the mystery behind the Visitor and the strange encounters? Will the Visitor return? A thought-provoking graphic novel that explores the complex relationships between individuals and the intricacies of encountering our own deeper emotions.
Excerpt
Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2022
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
J.H. Low
J.H. Low is an award-winning picturebook maker whose books have been published in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. He holds a BA (Honours) in Fine Arts, an MA in Children's Books Illustration, and a PhD in Art. His picturebook career started with the book There is No Steak Buried Here which received Honourable Mention for the McMillan Prize in 2009. His latest publications include Mr Goodchild (2021), The Visitor (2022), and Orang & Hutan (2023).
Short Notes with J.H. Low
What does "Mata Hati | 心眼 | Eye of the Heart | மனக்கண் வழியே" mean to you in writing?
It means writing from a place of deep emotional truth and empathy, capturing intuitive insights of human experience.
What does your writing process look like? Do you type or write? Are there multiple drafts, long pauses, or sudden bursts of activity?
I often draw as much as I write, if not more. Drawing helps with my thought process and the visuals created stimulate more ideas for the story. When not drawing/writing, i often actively hunt for ideas by watching/reading others' contents.
What does your working space look like?
My working space can be any where as a good portion of 'work' is done inside the head. E.g. I had been thinking about the storyline of The Visitor for months but everything came together during a walk I took in the evening.
Make an elevator pitch for your shortlisted work in 30 words or less.
The Visitor by J.H. Low is a masterful, thought-provoking graphic novel with mesmerizing art that viscerally explores the intricacies of encountering our deepest emotions.
Could you share a pivotal moment as you were writing this work?
I was navigating a difficult personal situation that led me to reflect on how random encounters often shape our lives beyond our control. It highlighted how our egos and blind spots unconsciously dictate our decisions, becoming a profound source of inspiration for the work.
If you could give one advice to yourself when you were writing this book, what would it be?
Take it easy. Keep writing even when ideas seem muddled and nothing is working out. Somehow, serendipity will happen, and all the dots will connect.
