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Cover Reveal: American Pie


This book, like so many others, has a long journey from oven to table. I cannot verify the exact November PiBoIdMo (StoryStorm) in which this was conceived because of a computer crash, but it was likely 2010 -- about 11 years ago.


It wasn't a story that I had widely submitted, if at all, but it was one that my first Agent had chosen to focus on. Though that never came to pass, I appreciate her support of this story.


Like many of my other sweet stories that I write then move along to brighter, shinier ideas, this story remained dormant for many years. And to be honest, it is a philosophy of mine to keep writing and adding manuscripts to my arsenal, to be armed and ready when the time is right. The benefit of this is a better ability to be objective and see the story's warts and flaws -- which is much more difficult when it is first written and the writer is too close to it.


That's the way Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten, Hedgehog's 100th Day of School, The Star of the Christmas Play and Moldilocks and the Three Scares sold, and it's somewhat the same for this one. However, while the other picture books sold based upon opportunities that presented themselves, this book was more of a "the time is right" book.


With the current social and political climate, there's a need to come together as Americans and celebrate each other and all of our cultural and religious differences. In that this story represents that underlying message, I dusted it off and polished it up. I reviewed my story goal and double-checked that it also unfolded as a sweet story of friendship that kids could enjoy and understand.


I am grateful for this collaboration with talented illustrator and Rate Your Story Member Dea Lenihan and happy to be a part of her first traditionally-published picture book. She brought the characters to life in such a sweet and endearing way! The story is no longer mine alone and I have a wonderful partner to share it with.


NOW, finally, we get to share our cover with the world! We hope it inspires others to come together as one, to celebrate our differences, and make the America and the world a better place!


And now, here is AMERICAN PIE, available for pre-order.


Please click the link to find the pre-order bonuses through Clear Fork!


We hope you enjoy our sweet little Watson, his friends and their story of unity.


For the Story Behind the Story of American Pie, click HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten -- art by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic 2011), Hedgehog's 100th Day of School -- art by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic 2017), The Star of the Christmas Play -- art by Lorna Hussey (Beaming Books 2018), Moldilocks and the 3 Scares -- art by David Rodriguez Lorenzo (Sterling 2019 and Scholastic 2019) and Let’s Eat! Mealtime Around the World -- art by Parwinder Singh (Beaming Books 2019), The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project -- art by Wendy Fedan (Mac and Cheese Press / CAW Publishing, December 2021) and American Pie -- art by Dea Lenihan (Dancing Flamingo Press, 2022).


She’s also the Owner and Administrator of bothRateYourStory.org andThePictureBookMechanic.com, as well as a long-time Travel Agent with PixieVacations.com (www.pixievacationsbylynnemarie.com)! She's been aCybil's Judge in the Fiction Picture Books and Board Books category since 2016. Recently, she's been handed the ReFoReMo torch from Kirsti Call and Carrie Charley Brown, which will return under its new name March On With Mentor Texts in March, 2022 (www.rateyourstory.org/march-on). You can join her at her weekly Tinker and Talk Book Chat here:Mentor Text Talk | Facebook


ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

Dea Lenihan is an artist and writer. She’s making her children’s book illustration debut in American Pie by Lynne Marie, Spork/Dancing Flamingo Press (Spring 2022). She has designed many best-selling coloring books for adults, and a book she illustrated, The Open Pillow, was featured for a Special Storytime Weekend at The Eric Carle Museum of Storytime Art. She studied painting, illustration, and drawing at Rutgers University and Montclair State.


She has a passion for vintage writing instruments, ghost stories, and has a tendency to root for the underdog. She lives on the Jersey coast, where she can be found drawing something, usually with Buddy the conure sitting on her shoulder. She is represented by Elisa Houot of www.theseymouragency.com. Visit her at dealenihan.com.





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