Graphic novelist and illustrator of the bestselling Olympian series, George O'Connor is part of the Graphic Novels Author Panel on Wednesday, May 2, at the IRA Annual Convention. He talks to Reading Today about his relationships with Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. 

Reading Today: What got you interested in writing books for children and young adults? 

George O'Connor: Pretty much since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to do books for kids and young adults. I suppose a lot of that has to do with my being able to draw—there aren’t a lot of books for adults that are illustrated, which is unfortunate. Since I like to illustrate my own stories, it tends to point me in the direction of kids’ books. Which is awesome, because kid’s books are way cooler than adult books anyway.

RT: What do consider your best book to date and why? 

GO: Tricky question—I’d say it’s a toss-up between the latest two volumes of Olympians, Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory and Hades: Lord of the Dead. I kind of nailed exactly what I set out to do with the stories in both of them, yet both books ended up surprising me with some little unplanned touches that appeared, almost as if by divine intervention. I swear there’s some cool stuff in those books that I channeled rather than wrote. 

RT: What can attendees at IRA Chicago expect to hear from you?

GO: A lot of mythological factoids, a few lame jokes and, if you’re lucky, the true story of my long-standing tiff with Poseidon, Lord of the Sea. 

George O'Connor Will Be There…Will You?