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Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love)

Zines

A love letter to my younger self, Messy Roots illustrates my coming-of-age as an awkward kid just trying to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make my heart flutter.

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir

Perfect Immigrant Daughter™

My Proposal

Hey folks! I'm Lau, a queer Asian American author, illustrator, chaotic Taurus, bread-vacuum and everything in between.I've created two graphic novels—Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir and the upcoming sapphic rom-com, Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love)—and my work has been featured on NPR, the Library of Congress, and the Museum of Chinese in America (see sub-boards below).Growing up in a middle-class, immigrant family, I was pushed towards studying business, AKA "the practical route." Cue picture of Perfect Daughter™ with All-Honors at graduation. After college, I became disillusioned by corporate work. I found myself doodling on all my meeting notes, just like I'd done in school growing up.But in 2020, my life turned inside out.💩 List of sh*tty things from 2020<ul><li>Friend killed from a gunshot wound</li><li>COVID-19</li><li>Relationship of 2+ years ended</li><li>Entire family in Wuhan, China (my hometown), got COVID</li><li>Did I mention COVID?</li></ul>🌸 List of not so sh*tty things from 2020<ul><li>My comic about anti-Asian racist went viral</li><li>Landed a massive two-book deal with HarperCollins</li><li>Quit my soulless corporate job</li><li>Decided to sell all my belongings and travel the world (ex-girlfriend...who?)</li></ul>2020 was a wake-up call. I couldn't waste another day checking emails or scheduling meetings—not when tomorrow wasn't guaranteed.✅ List of things Lau 2.0 wanted to do:<ul><li>Come out to my family</li><li>Get to know my roots</li><li>Make the best damn books I can</li></ul>Now, if you grew up in a family like mine, you've probably already guessed what happened next. Quitting a perfectly stable job to become an artist and coming out as a queer nonbinary person? Cue award for Immigrant Parents' Worst Nightmare™.But I knew that by living truthfully, I'd be able to inspire others to do the same. In 2022, Messy Roots hit bestseller lists, sold thousands of copies, was featured at San Diego Comic Con, and sent me on adventures around the world (see "Hey Ma, I Made It" sub-board below)! I met readers who felt encouraged to come out to their own parents, and parents who used my book to bond with their children. My own parents would come around eventually, but I wasn't going to wait for them. I connected more with my art and queer communities, posting art tutorials, process videos, and hosting queer comics festivals and open mics for new artists to share their work with a live audience. I started a beautiful new relationship, lived in 10+ different countries, and have written about my healing journey in my second book, Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love).Now, I'm focusing on bridging the gap between the artist and the viewer. How can we interact with our viewers as we create? So that they're not just a Like on an Instagram post, but a part of the art itself?For the Playbook Imagination Fund, I'm excited to share my newest adventure. Cue the next Board.

Hey 👋 I'm Lau

Be Gay, Do Comics

Hey Ma, I Made It

My Work

Lau.jpg

I'm a queer Asian American author, illustrator, chaotic Taurus, and daily bread vacuum.

I'm the creator of two graphic novels—<a href="https://www.lauragao.com/messyroots" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir</a> and the upcoming sapphic rom-com, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/kirbys-lessons-for-falling-in-love-laura-gao?variant=42682177683490" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love)</a>—and my work has been featured on NPR, the Library of Congress, and the Museum of Chinese in America.

Growing up in a middle-class immigrant family, I was pushed towards studying business, AKA "the practical route." Cue picture of Perfect Daughter™ with All-Honors at graduation. After college, I became disillusioned by corporate work. I found myself doodling on all my meeting notes, just like I'd done in school growing up.

But in 2020, my life turned inside out.

💩 List of sh*tty things from 2020<ul><li>Friend killed from a gunshot wound</li><li>COVID-19</li><li>Relationship of 2+ years ended</li><li>Entire family in Wuhan, China (my hometown), got COVID</li><li>Did I mention COVID?</li></ul>🌸 List of not-so-sh*tty things from 2020<ul><li>My comic about anti-Asian racist went viral</li><li>Landed a massive two-book deal with HarperCollins</li><li>Quit my soulless corporate job</li><li>Decided to sell all my belongings and travel the world (ex-girlfriend...who?)</li></ul>

2020 was a wake-up call. I couldn't waste another day checking emails or scheduling meetings—not when tomorrow wasn't guaranteed.

✅ List of things Lau 2.0 wanted to do:<ul><li>Come out to my family</li><li>Get to know my roots</li><li>Make the best damn books I can</li></ul>

Now, if you grew up in a family like mine, you've probably already guessed what happened next. Quitting a perfectly stable job to become an artist and coming out as a queer nonbinary person? Cue award for Immigrant Parents' Worst Nightmare™.But I knew that by living truthfully, I'd be able to inspire others to do the same. In 2022, Messy Roots hit bestseller lists, sold thousands of copies, was featured at San Diego Comic Con, and sent me on adventures around the world (see "Hey Ma, I Made It" sub-board below)! I met readers who felt encouraged to come out to their own parents, and parents who used my book to bond with their children.

My own parents would come around eventually, but I wasn't going to wait for them. I connected with my art and queer communities, posting art tutorials, process videos, and hosting queer comics festivals and open mics for new artists to share their work with a live audience.

I started a beautiful new relationship, lived in 10+ different countries, and have written about my healing journey in my second book, Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love).