Interview and review by Jon Claytor
First of all, let me say that I am a big fan of Camille Perron-Cormier’s work and that I originally read the French version of “The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches” and the new English translation does not disappoint. This is a YA graphic novel about discovering who you are the first time you move away from home. Andrea is just starting university and it’s overwhelming. Will she fit in? Will she make friends? And why does she seem to have a strange power connected to plants? It is so relatable and Perron-Cormier really taps into that feeling of disconnect and how big those feelings can be when we are young. Soon Andrea meets Elaine, the president of Rosemary and Toad, The Secret Society of the Witches at Willbrook. Elaine isn’t afraid to say she is a witch, and she embraces her powers. She’s convinced Andrea is a witch too and that she must meet Sybil who is also a member of Frog and Toad. Andrea’s world has been broadened, and she feels a huge sense of acceptance with these two new friends. As the trio explore their powers, they soon realize there may be a fourth witch on campus who is damaging trees and the mystery begins! Who could it be? And why are they targeting trees? As the story progresses themes of repression, prejudice and ultimately acceptance emerge. Heavy topics but Perron-Cormier handles them with humour and compassion that YA readers will be able to relate to. But this is a great read for anyone of any age struggling to find their place.
I was lucky enough to ask Perron-Cormier a few questions about witchcraft, friendship, writing and how this book came into existence.
Is there a character you identify most with?
I identify a little with all the characters, and at the same time they all have traits that are very different from me. I’ve heard people tell me I’m the most like Andrea, the character we follow in Book 1. We certainly have the same type of curls! We both have a mix of shyness and outgoing-ness. That being said, I think she has more energy, more drive, than me.
Do you see being a witch as a metaphor, if so for what?
I think a witch is someone who chooses to live a bit out of the status quo. In each book so far, the characters decide to move against the status quo in their lives, in different ways and to different degrees. There will be a slight variation on that theme in Book 4.
Do you believe in magic?
Magic is too big of a word for me to answer this! I guess I would say that I’m a very pragmatic person, yet I’m also pretty superstitious. I wonder if any of that shows up in the portrayal of magic in the book? Overall, I love the space magic holds in literature. So many stories, so many systems, so many takes!
Now that I think of it, when I was creating the magic system in The Willbrook Witches, I referenced the magic in childhood games: playing in the woods, making up powers with friends, making “potions”… There’s that sense of “wonder” that’s often present in “magic”.
You did the translation yourself? Did you see the story differently in English, what were the challenges?
Yes, I translated Book 1, The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches! I had a lot of fun translating the story in English. Both French and English have important places in my life.
I think this comic project is in a way a bilingual one. I first drafted the story of The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches while I was in university in Quebec (in French), but thinking of the one year I did in Mount Allison before transferring. Then, I developed the story into a series when I came back to New Brunswick. I wanted to infuse it with Maritimes vibes. In French, this includes the chiac vocabulary I grew up in. I found translating the story in English was really fun! In a way, it was full circle. I’m really happy the story can live both in French and in English, with their own small particularities.
Who would you like to see read this book and what would you like them to get out of it?
Anyone who wants to read a fun witchy story! Also, a story about new friendships. My English publisher (Second Story Press) described it as cozy. I hope it is overall a joyous read for readers. For the first book of the series specifically, I recently said it’s about somewhat awkward/messy beginnings. It’s difficult to be awkward, but it is often worth it to put yourself out there!
What advice do you have about finding your friend group and yourself?
I don’t know if I’m an expert on these subjects, but I certainly love to write (and read) stories about them!
Here are some thoughts that come to mind: It takes effort. Try and fail (we all do). Take the time to notice what makes you happy. That’s important. Knowing yourself is probably an endless task but I believe it is very helpful in friendships. If you know the depth and the complexity of yourself, you can acknowledge and see the complexity and depth of others. I believe that’s helpful to navigate the world and create connexion.
What advice would you give to a young person wanting to get started writing comics?
I think when we want to tell stories, there’s kind of a spark of it in our mind, so take care to tend to that spark. I believe passion is something we feed and take care of, and that passion is important for writing.
Probably the most important advice: You can start writing now! Try to complete a comic project. It can be very short or very long (also: listen, if you don’t complete it… It’s okay). Then, make another one. Meanwhile, live your life, take notice of it (journal and sketchbook if you want!), read/watch shows/play games… Then, make another project, etc. Try new things in your process. Share your work with other people when you want to.
Also, to you, young person who wants to write comics, “That’s awesome!! I love to read comics. I hope I can read your stories one day!”
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Keep an eye out for more cozy, spooky, heartfelt books in this series. Camille Perron-Cormier is a writer to watch out for in the YA graphic novel scene. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next in French or English.
Pour citer cet article :
Camille Perron-Cormier
Camille Perron-Cormier est originaire de Dieppe, au Nouveau-Brunswick. Elle a complété un baccalauréat en arts et en design avec concentration en bande dessinée de l’Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) en 2018. Depuis sa graduation, elle est de retour au Nouveau-Brunswick, où elle fait de de la bande dessinée, de l’illustration, de la récolte graphique, un peu de graphisme et anime des ateliers jeunesse.
Elle a illustré trois livres pour enfants publiés par Bouton d’or Acadie : Adieu, Jacoby !, écrit par le trio Renée Guimond-Plourde, Danielle Guimond and Mélanie Plourde, Sous mon bateau, écrit par Chantal Duguay-Maillet et tout récemment, Dans ma boite à diner, écrit par Nicole Poirier. En 2023, elle sort son premier livre de bande dessinée aux Éditions Bouton d’or Acadie : SOS Sorcières, le premier tome de la série Crapaud et Romarin. La suite, Maude et le spectre, est sortie en janvier 2025. Elle travaille présentement sur le troisième tome de cette série…
Jon Claytor
Jon Claytor est un auteur de romans graphiques, un peintre et un écrivain établi à Sackville, au Nouveau-Brunswick.
Après s’être établi comme peintre à l’huile, Jon a récemment trouvé sa passion et sa véritable vocation dans la narration graphique. Il a écrit de nombreuses interviews illustrées pour la CBC depuis 2021 et ses mémoires, Take The Long Way Home, ont été publiées par Conundrum Press en 2022. Son dernier roman graphique, Nowhere, qui raconte comment on grandit parmi les monstres dans une petite ville maritime, est paru chez Goose Lane Editions en 2026. Il travaille actuellement à la rédaction d’un livre sur l’approvisionnement en drogues toxiques dans les zones rurales du Nouveau-Brunswick avec Ashley Legere, défenseur de la réduction des risques. Jon a également dirigé un certain nombre d’ateliers créatifs pour divers publics, axés sur la narration et les mémoires en bande dessinée.
Jon est né à San Francisco et a vécu et travaillé à Moncton, Sackville, Halifax, Vancouver, Montréal et Toronto. Il a cofondé le festival indépendant de musique et d’arts SappyFest en 2006 et a ouvert Thunder & Lightning Ideas Ltd. en 2013. Jon est titulaire d’une maîtrise en beaux-arts de l’Université York (2012), a fréquenté le Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (1991) et détient un baccalauréat en beaux-arts de l’Université Mount Allison (1998). Il a été mis en nomination pour un prix Juno pour la reprise de « Battle Of The Nudes » de Gord Downie en 2004. Ses mémoires, Take the Long Way Home, ont été présélectionnées pour le New Brunswick Book Award for Non-Fiction en 2022.
