A Scottsdale author describes his latest novel as “dark,” which belies his other creative pursuit – cartooning.
Doug Pike has not only been a longtime member of the National Cartoonists Society, the late Bil Keane wrote Pike’s NCS letter of recommendation. Keane, of course, launched his iconic comic strip “Family Circus” in 1960, one year after he and his family made Paradise Valley their home for decades.
Pike’s newest – and fourth – novel, “Plunder,” is available now and follows the story of an 18th century teenager in Cuba who passes off a counterfeit coin and how that one event triggers a series of subsequent, catastrophic consequences.
“Even 250 years later, his descendants are still being influenced by that one bad decision he made,” Pike explains.
While the story evolved into a novel, it began life in its first incarnation as a screenplay. Part of the setting early on included descendants of the protagonist in a 1970s timeline, and Pike decided to keep both settings.
“I alternate between the periods as the book progresses,” he said. “That way it sort of keeps the earlier story alive. But blending the two seemed like an interesting way of approaching it.”
Pike may be more known in the publishing world for his pursuits as a cartoonist.
His 2009 collection, “Gone With the Wine,” was a compilation of his single-panel cartoons inspired by the world of fine wine. Those cartoons first appeared weekly on the website of Robert Parker, one of the world’s foremost wine critics.
Longtime cartoonist and writer Doug Pike looks over a career’s worth of creative work.
(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)
“Plunder” was released in December.
(Photo provided by Doug Pike)
Over 10 years with Parker, Pike wrote and illustrated 800 wine cartoons, and even spawned a follow-up book, “The Grapes of Laugh,” from the syndicated cartoonist.
“The cartooning comes easier than the novels,” Pike said of the two creative processes. “In the beginning (of novels) I'm writing a page a day and I take a lot of notes before I even start in on the actual writing, then I do an actual outline and I do background readings for the books. I don't have to do any of that for the cartoons. The cartooning, I can flip through a magazine or just sit and think about things and come up with an idea.”
Always prolific, Pike already is working on his next writing project.
Given the serious nature of “Plunder” as well as it including “the most despicable person I've ever created out of any of my characters,” Pike is developing his next novel as the story of an older gentleman who struggles for decades to get through school.
“I want to go back to doing something humorous,” he smiled.
“Plunder,” via Club Lighthouse Publishing, is available now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Doug Pike wrote and illustrated 800 wine-themed cartoons for renowned wine critic Robert Parker as well as two compilation books.
(Provided by Doug Pike)
Steve Stockmar News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net
Meet Steve Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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