Dear Ms. Hernandez,

I recently heard that Girlamatic was open to submissions and would like to submit a proposal of my work for your consideration. Jupiter is an upcoming project of mine, focusing on an intelligent, precocious teenage girl, the title's namesake. She appears to be like any other adolescent -- conscious of herself, feeling she does not fit in, lacking skills that her family has -- except for one thing: she was brought up in a circus.

This twist puts a whole new spin on things, as her lifestyle is vastly different from her peers and causes her to see things in a different light. Come to think of it, she realizes she does not even have peers, since most of her life has centered around circus tents and a nomadic lifestyle, leaving almost no time to make friends with regular "townies." She thus sets out to experience the real world, causing much uproar within her family.

One of my strengths is that I focus on creating storyline-based comic strips, without sacrificing either humor or characterization, both qualities of which are mainstays in my work.

The idea of "comic strips" may be deceiving to some readers, who connect the term "strips" with one-time gags and punchlines, and assume there is hardly anything else behind the work. My aim is, and has always been, to show that while humor is a strong part of some comic strips -- including mine -- it can co-exist perfectly with drama, plot, and characterization arcs.

Jupiter is no exception. Jupiter is both daring and unsure in the steps she has taken. She has, to her confusion, always felt left out in the one place where everyone has been accepted regardless of their oddities or features -- the strange, quirky world of her family's circus.

Her decision to break out causes great consternation to her parents and some family members. Other members of the clan, like her brother and grandfather, support her due to their own off-beat point of view. Over time, I plan to show the experiences and adventures she goes through, seeing the world through her eyes. She meets new people but does not forget her roots, and despite initial resistance, she slowly seeks to combine both worlds.

All characters have distinct personalities and are not just for background purposes. Each person undergoes character developments and change over time. That, too, is part of the story.

You may read the 18 strips I have drawn so far here. If, however, you prefer to read one strip at a time, please click here. These links will also be available at the end of this page.

I have run webcomics in the past and am familiar with producing them on a regular, quality basis. My current strip, "Sand & Stone," updates every Tuesday and Saturday without fail. (Samples of that comic can be seen here and here.)

Because of my experience, I am adept at technical requirements such as HTML skills and image-editing know-how. Just as importantly, I make sure to always maintain at least one month's worth of strips as a buffer. I have met my deadlines without fail, as my current readers can attest to.

I am eager to have Jupiter fit Girlamatic's ranks, not just because it is about a woman (or rather, a woman-to-be), but also because I firmly support comics and webcomics with strong female lead characters. I am constantly on the lookout for such characters, and encounter too few of them. Girlamatic not only provides a hefty, welcome dose of female characters and creators, but also gives a variety of such types and styles. This, I believe, is one of its strong points, as it does not portray "girl comics" as one strict type or personality. Rather, it proves how multi-dimensional they can be, both the artists and the characters.

For that reason, I hope you will consider including Jupiter in your impressive line-up. Thank you for your time and for considering my submission. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Lynn Lau

All strips -- A look at all 18 strips in one go Strip by strip -- A look at each individual strip Cast -- The stars of this particular circus

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