Chance meeting in Rehoboth sparks children’s book project

Angela Stauffer and Yvonne Frankis met by chance, and what began as a simple vacation rental in Rehoboth Beach turned into an unexpected creative partnership for the pair. 

The connection started when Yvonne and her husband Bill rented a house to Angela during the summer. Friendly conversations followed, and when Bill noticed Angela’s illustrations, they sparked an idea. Yvonne had recently written a children's book titled “The Crazy Scratching Dog,” which follows a beloved dog named Ticky T as she tries to communicate with humans through scratching.

However, without the right illustrator, the author could not move on with the publishing process. The two women decided to try out collaborating on the book. Yvonne said the connection felt natural and immediate: “The minute we met, we liked each other right away,” she said.

Yvonne described her process of writing the book about Ticky T as intrinsic; she would often wake up with rhymes fully formed in her mind. Ticky T’s persistent scratching, a real-life quirk, became the core of the story. Despite its lighthearted tone, the two describe the book as carrying deeper themes of patience and love.

Angela’s illustrating process was similarly immersive, drawing inspiration from real photos and reference images. She recounted the numerous tries it took before she could get the images just as she liked them, going as far as buying stuffed dogs and posing them for her illustrations of Ticky T.  

The collaboration took time, nearly three years, and was delayed by careers, family obligations and personal loss. Yet, both women credit their shared commitment and trust in one another for the ability to see the project through.

Now self-published and available through Amazon and local libraries, the children's book is more than just paper pages. For Angela Stauffer and Yvonne Frankis, every interaction happens for a reason, and the most meaningful projects can begin with a simple hello.