News

  • September 10, 2024: It’s been a while, and I have many new updates for you!
  • I sold two fantasy short stories this year. D.E.I. (Death, Eternity, and Inclusion) is about a vampire who receives an offer she just might refuse and can be read in FIYAH Magazine Issue 29. Rank and File is about two supernatural beings at odds in an endless war and will appear in Fiery Deeps, now available for pre-order!
  • December 14, 2023: Spider-Byte is swinging back onto bookshelves! I’m contributing a story to EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #1, and Eric Gapstur is illustrating. Find us in comic shops February 21, 2024!
  • August 10, 2021: Stephanie Guerdan at HarperCollins has bought world rights to the queer YA fantasy duology Hex and Havoc, written by Nilah Magruder (Reel Love; M.F.K.), illustrated by Sonia Liao (Thief in the Trees; The Marie Curie Society). The books follow two girls in a caste-based magical society as they fall in love and spark a revolution. Publication is planned for summer 2023 and 2024; Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself. Magruder is now represented by Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary.
  • October 27, 2020: McDuffie Diversity Award-winning author of M.F.K Nilah Magruder’s REEL LOVE, based on the author’s experiences embracing being asexual, the graphic novel follows young Nilah who goes on a summer trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains where she develops a passion for fishing, meets a boy, and learns there’s no getting away from growing up and from facing her questions about identity and love, to Polo Orozco at Random House Children’s, in a major deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, for publication in fall 2023, by Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media (world English)

 

 

Event Schedule

That’s it for 2024! Check back for 2025.

Speaking Engagements

Nilah is an author and illustrator based in Maryland, on the east coast of the United States. She has written and illustrated for children’s books across a wide age range, including picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Along with her graphic novel work, she has written comics for Marvel and BOOM! Studios. Nilah has also published short stories, essays, and art in the adult science fiction and fantasy market.

To book Nilah for an event, e-mail her agent: pcaldwell@newleafliterary.com.

Presentations

Nilah has delivered the below presentations with success at events around the United States. Many of Nilah’s presentations involve visuals. She will provide the necessary files on a USB drive. The event coordinator should arrange a computer or laptop, projector, cables, and microphone as needed.

  

The Joy of Picture Books

This 40-minute presentation is geared toward children ages 4 to 9. It includes a reading of the picture book How to Find a Fox, and a Powerpoint presentation about what inspired the book and how it was made.

 

The Path to Comics

This 40-minute presentation is geared toward children ages 7 and up. It chronicles Nilah’s journey to becoming a comic creator. It includes a Powerpoint presentation that gives an in-depth look at the creation of M.F.K. and touches on Nilah’s work with Marvel Comics.

  

An Illustrator’s Guide to Children’s Books

In this 75-minute career presentation was designed for animation students and professionals interested in writing and illustrating for children’s books. Nilah reviews the many children’s book markets, the process of publishing a book, creating a portfolio, querying editors and agents, and understanding publishing contracts.

 

The Visual Narrative

This 80-minute presentation is designed for writers and author/illustrators in three parts. The first part is an overview of writing for visual media such as comics. The second discusses best practices for collaborating with artists. The third covers how to apply visual techniques in writing to make prose more effective.

Booking

Nilah is local to the Baltimore/DC metro area. For long-distance visits, the coordinator should be prepared to cover the cost of transportation and lodging.

Nilah is happy to sign books at events. Event coordinators should reach out to their local bookstores and comic shops for book ordering and sales.

Past Appearances

A clip from the Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival hosted in San Francisco in 2018. You can view the full talk here.

A clip from the 2019 La Quinta Book Fest hosted in La Quinta, California.