This feels like a book that was written in reverse.

Author: Clifford's in a pie-eating contest.
Editor: That wouldn't be fair. He's giant.
Author: Um, well, maybe his pie is giant?
Editor: Why do they have a giant pie?
Author: To use up the giant pumpkins?
Editor: Pumpkins?
Author: Yeeeeahhh, it's a fair and they have all these large pumpkins to judge and they don't want them to go to waste.
Editor: So they feed them to dogs?
Author: No, no, it's a pie-eating contest with people.
Editor: Then why is Clifford in it?
Author: Because Emily Elizabeth was supposed to be, but then she had to drop out. So he's taking her place.
Editor: Why?
Author: Ummm, she's helping someone else running a food stand and gets caught up in that.
Editor: Caught up in running a food stand?
Author: Sure, sure. She's just like volunteering, you know, but then like someone gets sick and suddenly her help is critical.
Editor: And you can set that up in just a couple pages?
Author: No, you're right, that'll probably be half the book. We'll need to introduce the stand. Show how the person might get sick. Show them actually get sick. Have someone make a fuss about how necessary Emily Elizabeth's help is. But I can probably cut the pie-eating contest down to a couple pages to make room.
Editor: You don't think the kids will want a few more pages of Clifford eating the big pie?
Author: I mean, why would they? We all know he's gonna just wolf it down and win anyway. He's giant.
Editor: Sure, sure. Oh, and can you get Cleo and T-Bone in there. The kids just love those two.
Author: Yeah, they can be in the pie-eating contest with Clifford.
Editor: I thought you said it was for people.
Author: Well, people and regular-sized dogs.
Editor: Wait . . .
Author: Or if you want to give me a couple dozen more pages I can explain how they got in by --
Editor: No, no. We're good. Just send me the script. ( )

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a fun story of clifford in a pie eating contest.
1 book