Rubyetc’s New Book of Honest Mental Health Drawings Is a MUST-READ
One of our SparkNotes editors (not saying names, but Emily) first discovered Rubyetc while dining on a midnight snack of a sleeve of Oreos and seltzer as she infinite-scrolled down her Tumblr feed until the break of day. She describes the moment she first saw one of Ruby’s illustrations as an awakening.
Exhibit A:
London-based Ruby Elliot (internet~* handle Rubyetc)’s bio reads: “a twentysomething artist and illustrator; lover of dogs, and hater of kale,” which is ten out of ten as kale is objectively overrated and dogs are the only thing in this world that SparkNotes employees love more than making memes out of classic literature. Ruby’s areas of expertise, besides posting A+ insta-stories of her gorgeous dog, are cranking out comics about mental health that are the MOST relatable on every level.
A photo posted by Ruby (@rubyetc_) on
^Hand-boots: a Rubyetc motif
Ruby’s comics are candid about her experiences with depression, anxiety, and self-harm, and her art is a testament to the support she’s found in her online community. It works in the other direction, too—her comics can be hilarious and deeply moving, often simultaneously—they provide comfort to people struggling with the mental illnesses that she illustrates.
A photo posted by Ruby (@rubyetc_) on
It was a REAL treat when we found out that Ruby, whose Tumblr following has surpassed 200k, scored a book deal last year. Come January 31, you will be able to purchase, caress, and file “It’s All Absolutely Fine: Life Is Complicated So I’ve Drawn It Instead” to your Goodreads list labeled “YESSSSS.”
You can preorder it on BN.com HERE.
In the meantime, take a look at Ruby’s Insta, Tumblr, and Twitter. There are more potatoes than Sam Gamgee could ever ask for.
