By Tara Shannon
Tara Shannon lives in Southern Ontario, Canada with her family and many beloved pets. She’s a freelance writer, aspiring author and the creator of the illustrated characters, Rabbit & Bear. Tara has been drawing and writing Rabbit & Bear for over a year but it wasn’t until COVID arrived in North America that one particular image (“I’m afraid.” said Rabbit…) went viral, giving comfort and words to what so many were thinking and feeling but didn’t know how to express.
As a cancer survivor and mental health advocate, Tara hopes to help others see that wishes do come true and that magic really does exist. Her first book, Rabbit & Bear Make a Wish, published by Wintertickle Press, is available for pre-order now on Indigo in Canada and will be available on Amazon. Find Tara on Facebook and Instagram at @tarashannonwrites and @bearessentially on Twitter.
Tara Shannon: The image above, “I’m afraid…”, went viral in March at the outset of COVID-19.
Since then I’ve gained a larger audience for my work as people have found comfort in it at this time. My work with Rabbit & Bear is a mix of images and dialogue and poetry.
I’ve been featured in an anthology published in the spring about COVID-19, Not Cancelled: Canadian Kindness in the Face of COVID-19 and I’m working with s publisher to make a book of my work to life in time for this holiday season.
I’m very humbled and grateful that what I do has brought comfort and hope at this time. It’s helping me also. I need Rabbit & Bear too.
Nice illustrations. I like illustrated poetry.
Amazing writer, who helped myself and a friend no longer with us x