The Creators

Annie Wilde - Author

Many years ago when I was 8 years old.

My family moved from North London to a little village in Suffolk.

I used to ride my bike all over the village and I got to know the locals. I would go and collect their fresh bread or post a letter for them.

Three characters have remained in my heart ever since.

Emma, a frail old lady, with white whispy hair , and only two teeth. Her only companion was a talking parrot, who constantly perched on her shoulder. Emma was very difficult to understand when she chatted away, her parrot even more so!

George a stout old man with a bulbous nose and a bushy moustache, who spent all his time growing vegetables, and would always give me some to take home. He always used a grubby handkerchief!

Mr Musk was a sweet old man who could hardly walk anymore. He spent all day sitting in his chair either in the garden or next to his open window. He had very bushy eyebrows that wobbled when he laughed, and would love to chat to me about his sore knees. He always gave me a humbug sweet, that he took from a glass jar, that sat next to his chair.

Sweet memories, and using their names in my story, is my way of saying, "You are not forgotten. "

♡♡♡♡

Over the years I have told my children and grandchildren stories of Emma Puff and Rusty.

I moved to Sicily from the UK in 2011, after falling in love with the Island many years ago.

It was here in Sicily I became friends with a remarkable lady named Marcia. After having outlined the Puff story to her, she encouraged me to write it down.

Marcia Introduced me to Echo Garrett at Lucid House Publishing, and then to Beebe Hargrove an amazing illustrator.

Beebe read the book and immediately sprang into action, I was amazed how she captured every word and interpreted my thoughts exactly.

Todate, we have never met, but I'm very much looking forward to it one day.

Beebe Hargrove - Artist and Illustrator

I grew up in the middle of a spinach field in King City, California. Surrounded by a lot of pets, gusty winds, some decent books, and parents that let me paint on her bedroom walls, I decided to study Illustration at Cal State Fullerton.

My professional work features a variety of projects and styles, and I have designed t-shirts, architectural illustrations, and several seasons of fine and fashion jewelry.

I am very proud of a series of murals I created collaboratively with my hometown and the non-profit King City In Bloom. Placed throughout the city on local businesses they tell the story of the towns inception and the people that planted its seeds. There is nothing better than standing on a high scaffold, with a view of open farmland, drenched in sunshine, the wind whipping through your hair doing its best to upend your paint pan. The supportive community and local creatives were a joy to work with.

I have alway loved fantastic stories and working on Emma Puff has been a dream and the greatest privilege. Annie’s sense of big color, mess and fun has been a perfect fit for my love of strong lines and splashing paint.

I currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with my family and two precocious cats, surrounded now by extremely tall trees instead of spinach and even larger piles of books. I love reading, exploring and supporting the arts wherever I find it.