Johanna Taylor: The Ghostkeeper | Under the Umbrella Bookstore and Cafe
Arts
Under the Umbrella is thrilled to present a fun-filled morning reading with Johanna Taylor, local artist and author for their graphic novel,
The Ghostkeeper.
Join us for a reading and Q&A about Johanna's debut graphic novel about a ghost therapist!
This event is free, but a ticket is required to attend.
Already have the book? Get a recommended ticket to get it signed!
Masks are required, and the venue is wheelchair accessible. ASL interpretation can be provided with two weeks advance notice. Please don't hesitate to reach out for any accessibility requests.
About The Ghostkeeper
Dorian Leith is a therapist for ghosts. He listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It’s a gift that’s made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he’s partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it’s all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he’s been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves. Then one day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he’s the only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can’t move on, they’ll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them. As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own…
About the Author
Johanna is a queer freelance illustrator, concept artist, and comic artist based in Salt Lake City. She is the creator of the debut YA fantasy graphic novel THE GHOSTKEEPER, published by Penguin Putnam in July 2024, which received a starred review from Kirkus. She has a BFA in animation, and focused her studies on concept art, storyboarding, and sequential storytelling. She enjoys traveling, reading Victorian classic novels over tea, playing tabletop rolepaying games, and feeding crows. Johanna enjoys creating stories with folkloric themes, mental health narratives, dark comedies, historical fantasies, magical realism, and D&D-style adventures. Johanna is a member of the Cartoonist Cooperative, and has contributed comics and illustrations to independent publishers such as Limit Break Comics, EEP, and 2CGaming; and publishing houses such as Oni Lion Forge, Iron Circus, Penguin Random House, and MIT Press.
Johanna can be found online, where she extolls the virtues of graphic novels in today’s educational and cultural zeitgeist, at
johannamation.com
and at @johannamation on most social media platforms.
Information Source: Under the Umbrella Bookstore | eventbrite