Belgian-Thai Illustrator and Cartoonist Christina De Witte
Christina 'Chrostin' De Witte is a Belgian-Thai webcomic artist and author of several books published worldwide. She has a weekly column in De Standaard, a Belgian national newspaper, where she writes and draws about daily life. She debuted with THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE TO BEING A GIRL in 2018, now sold worldwide, everywhere from the U.S. to South Korea. Next up from De Witte: NOODLES, RICE, AND EVERYTHING SPICE: A THAI COMIC BOOK COOKBOOK, an approachable, fun comic book cookbook tour of Thai culture and cuisine with 50 recipes and stories from the country's main culinary regions.
What inspired you to begin writing and illustrating?
There’s no specific starting point for me, or at least not one that I can remember. Ever since as a child, I would fold a piece of paper into a little booklet and simply start drawing. I naturally made up storylines and put text with images, not knowing that was a comic format. I loved drawing, even at social events. It’s really just me in my own little fantasy world.
What was your journey like toward getting your first book, THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEING A GIRL: ON LOVE, BODY IMAGE, SCHOOL, AND MAKING IT THROUGH LIFE (Running Press Kids) published?
Absolutely crazy, but in a good way. I started working on the book when I was still a teenager. It’s interesting for me to see—now almost eight years later—what my thought process was and how I perceived life. I did the most research that I possibly could for about nine months, and the writing part took approximately six months. I had no specific routine, but I wrote as my inspiration came to me. Back in 2017, I decided to visit New York to meet up with Mark Gottlieb (my literary agent) and Julie Matysik (my publisher at Running Press Kids). This was a surreal experience for me, as I had never traveled by myself before, let alone sign a contract for my first book. The airline lost my suitcase, which had all my clothes and needs, but I never lost my spirit. I took whatever cash I had left and bought a toothbrush and face moisturizer for the harsh weather (I remember the New York snow reaching my knees at some point!) I was guided very well throughout the writing and editing process by my (all-female) team back in Philadelphia. Looking back on it, I would not change a thing. Not even the suitcase loss.
“This was a surreal experience for me… but I never lost my spirit. Looking back on it, I would not change a thing.”
Are there any writers or artists that have influenced you along the way?
I would like to say ‘yes’, but in reality, my inspiration or influence really stemmed from the people I saw on social media. So in hindsight, those might be the artists in question. My main goal for the book was to write one that I wanted to have when I was younger, not the one that I already had during puberty. They were mainly about the physical changes you go through as an adolescent, but what about social relationships? Bullying? The hormone changes? The inexplicable burning rage? Writing your first CV and finding your first student job? Those starting points were the true influence. But if I have to answer the question: Bretman Rock, a Filipino-American content creator and influencer, inspired me…and still does to this day. We’re about the same age, and without him knowing of my existence in this world, we basically grew up together. His main lesson is to unapologetically be yourself, as there’s no such thing as enough time. Your time is now. You’re alive today. Have some fun along the way.
“It’s fascinating to tell a story without writing a bunch of text. …let the drawings speak for themselves.”
What is it about the comic book medium of storytelling that appeals to you?
The images-to-text relationship! It’s fascinating to tell a story without writing a bunch of text. It’s an art to not over-explain yourself in comics: let the drawings speak for themselves. You can create scenery, a momentum, you can add as many or as few details as you’d wish without losing your message. It truly allows the reader to interpret whatever is being said, reading the emotions and context in the image. I think everybody relates to comics in their way.
Christina De Witte and Mallika Kauppinen’s NOODLES, RICE, AND EVERYTHING SPICE: A THAI COMIC BOOK COOKBOOK (Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Press)
In your book NOODLES, RICE, AND EVERYTHING SPICE: A THAI COMIC BOOK COOKBOOK, readers learn how to cook basic and widely loved dishes and also get to understand the culture and history behind them. Why was it important that readers get a sense of Thai culture and history in addition to learning to cook Thai dishes?
I’m in the middle of my identity journey as a Eurasian person of Thai descent. Growing up, I lost touch with my Asian side, and in my early twenties, I suddenly felt the immense urge to explore where I came from. I felt shame and guilt for not speaking my language and having little connection with that part of me. I felt like a fraud. People here would not see me as ‘Belgian enough,’ and people know I am farang (a foreigner) back in Thailand. So, during Corona, I started taking online Thai classes, where I met my teacher and future co-author, Mallika. We instantly hit it off and became friends. Then came the opportunity to write a book together. I’ve learned more about the language, Thai culture, and myself in those past two years working on the book than in the (back then) twenty-four years I’ve walked this Earth.
Today, I’m okay with being both. I’m not half something or half another; I’m a whole person. My feet are widespread across two worlds, and that’s cool and unique. I would love for my readers to discover that world and see Thailand's rich culture, which goes beyond your Thai supermarket microwave dish. Thai cuisine is so diverse, just like the country. It’s so rich and deeply rooted in a culture that people will soon be able to bring it home.
“I would love for my readers to discover that world and see Thailand's rich culture, which goes beyond your Thai supermarket microwave dish.”
Your co-author, Mallika Kauppinen, is your Thai language teacher native to Thailand. Do you feel as though you were able to reconnect to your cultural heritage by collaborating with her?
Absolutely, yes! As I briefly touched on in the previous answer, she’s opened the door for me. One of her goals was to give diaspora kids that connection back, and I genuinely believe we were meant to meet each other. For me, she has achieved that goal. We’ve also met in real life by now, and I’m planning to visit her in Finland, where she currently lives with her husband and kid.
“My team needed to understand the nuances of Thai culture and history…”
Even the editor behind NOODLES, RICE, AND EVERYTHING SPICE, Kimmy Tejasindhu, is Thai. How important was it to you to have an all-female, all-Thai team working on your book?
What a coincidence, huh? Even the photographer behind the beautiful food shots is a native Thai. Kimmy is incredibly significant. She’s patient, kind, and actively thinks with us. My team needed to understand the nuances of Thai culture and history, but we were not limited to (Thai) females only this time. I tried to involve my friends and people I trusted as much as possible. For example, the assistant photographer was my fiancé. My assistant was a good friend, and the first editor of the sample layout was befriended. Chloe (my current layout editor) is excellently guiding me. My manager Shannen busted out the current title while we brainstormed on the tram together. So really, this is a team effort.
How was it working with your editor Kimmy Tejasindhu and the team at Ten Speed Press on this publication?
Like a privilege, I cannot express how much I enjoyed having her by my side. Even though drawing and editing the drawings was a lot of hard and repetitive work, Kimmy persisted our (mental) health came first and to take as much time as we needed. If you get the time and space, beautiful things can happen. If NOODLES becomes successful (fingers crossed!), I’d love to work with her on something else.
“Trust and freedom are the two main components of establishing a good relationship with your literary agent.”
What do you feel are the qualities of the best literary agents?
Trust and freedom are the two main components of establishing a good relationship with your literary agent. Your agent has to trust your capabilities and give you the freedom and time to work on projects that truly get your heart going. Besides that, I think professionalism and good, steady communication are the runner-ups. They are, in fact, your human business card!
What do you feel are the best qualities of editors and publishers?
For editors, I feel the best results lay in how well you work together. At a certain point, it’s you and your editor only, so you better get along! A good editor must be able to translate your wishes on paper visually while proactively suggesting what’s best for the book. Communication and transparency are key here.
For publishers, in my opinion, the answer is similar to agents. The only difference here is that they have to believe in your finished product honestly and, therefore, want to promote it wherever they can. All parties have to be proud of the work. Otherwise, the post-production (marketing, social media, interview opportunities, PR…) will fall on your shoulders only!
Christina De Witte with her cartoon alter-ego, Chrostin.
“Dare to fail: it’s a learning experience.”
Any advice for hopeful writers/illustrators looking to become published authors/illustrators?
Dare to fail: it’s a learning experience. Dare to ask for help from writers or other professionals in the field. Practice writing book proposals. Look at the composition of existing proposals and give it your twist. Find your own story; it doesn’t have to be realistic. Don’t settle for mediocrity; get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to create a narrative. Also… ask for money! Write a business proposal and get subsidized; you’re buying yourself the time that way. There’s tons of information online; you need to find the right connections and put in the effort to get started.
Are you working on anything next that you can tell us about?
After five long years since the first conversation with my Belgian publisher, I'm working on my debut graphic novel, Araya. I can’t say much about it yet because I’m entirely in writing and drawing modus, but this story is loosely based on my own. Araya is my second (and Thai) name and represents the duality of being mixed race. The story is fictional, but the themes are universal: a complex mother-daughter relationship topped with a classic ol’ identity crisis, navigating between multiple worlds, longing for a sense of belonging, and trying to find yourself in a place you’ve never been before.
The original version will be published in Dutch, my native language, but I would love to see this work translated or even adapted into a film.
Can you finish this sentence? I love writing and illustrating because…
it saved my life. It helps me putting things into perspective. It closes chapters. It’s my way of dealing with things. It’s fun and silly and doesn’t take life too seriously.