THE most ordinary stories about love sometimes appear extraordinary in the hands of a good creator. Bengaluru- based illustrator Alicia Souzau2019s debut book, Dearest George ( Penguin Random House) is a quirky illustrated love letter to her architect husband George Seemon. Itu2019s the little moments in the booku2014 like when Souza forces her husband to sit on a mat with her, saying, u2018 Listen! Come with me... I have to tell you something! I have to show!u2019 and begins to sing, Aladdinu2019s I can show you the world, much to his amusementu2014 that make you chuckle.

Souza, who has quite a fan following on social media for her illustrations, where Seemon and their pets, doggie Charlie- Brown and guinea pig Henry- Oats, are recurring subjects, first thought of the book three years ago, when George and she had a court marriage. u201c A few months had passed, and many people, including friends and family, still didnu2019t know we were married. I wanted to make an announcement, through a bunch of illustrations, on why I didnu2019t want a wedding. It was a surprise gift for George,u201d she says in a telephone interview. The website she put the sketches up on caught on.