My last two books, A Gift at the Door and Bully Pie, were illustrated using models and an app (Clip2Comic) which stylized my pictures.
One such book required a pie. The first set of pictures did not turn out well and my model (grandson) was dropping by with the family. We needed a pie, but didn’t have one.
Maybe he could tip a pie tin I had in a way that LOOKED like he was eating a pie… Maybe I could photo-shop a pie in later… Maybe we could pile whipped cream in the tin and it would look like…..Maybe…
My husband and I flew into action. I got a can of whipped cream from the fridge and dragged out the pie tin. My husband started pulling down spices from the cabinets in creams and browns. I used the whipped cream to mold a pie shape and then used a combination of curry, cinnamon, and garlic salt to color the form.
What identifies an apple pie? I thought…two things: a curvy crust and cut marks to let the steam out. I kept working until we both stepped back and said, “That looks like a pretty darn good pie.”
So when you read my book, Bully Pie, you’ll see the pie in the oven. Not a pie. But, it did smell good.
Drawing on Words 