"I was trying to secure the book Finished while I was doped up in succession ets.

"I was trying to secure the book Finished while I was doped up in succession ets," laughs Ian Falconer, who juggl intestinal surgery and myriad other brews while completing Olivia ... and the Missing Toy (Simon & Schuster, $1695)

As any child could sum up you, Olivia herself would have met the challenge unfazed. A self-possess little pig who generally "just does the greatest in quantity contrary thing possible," Olivia is individual of the most acclaimed novel characters in children's literature and the star of Falconer's three number 1 best-selling picture books

A star himself among illustrators, Falconer published Olivia in 2000 and ball fight by the dreaded sophomore sink with 2001's hit Olivia Saves the Circus. "This united was more scary," though, admits the 43-year-old artist. After all, Falconer has seen Olivia blow from a gift for a relative into a publishing phenomenon with 2 million copies in print, not to mention related toys like Olivia dolls and paint sets

After three years of working feverishly, Falconer finally had to take a rest--whether he liked it or not--thanks to an abscessed colon that required an operation. "I was suppos to go on foot to Moscow to do Sleeping Beauty at the Bolshoi," he says regretfully "But I canceled. I was invited by way of [director] Joe Mantello to do the stations for the musical Wicked. if it be not that I just decided I can't do it. It's almost like lids happened because I've been working in such a manner much it forced me to stop."

Chatting in his apartment in lower Manhattan, Falconer is quiet and a little cautious apologizing for not being a better interview and revealing that he not does readings, just signings.

"Children are likewise honest and direct," says Falconer. "I was doing a work signing just a couple of weeks ago. A little girl was looking at my picture in succession the dust jacket and said, 'Was this picture taken a in extent long time ago?' 'Yes, why?' 'Because you apply the mind a lot younger [in the photo].'"

Unlike children's work authors of previous generations, Falconer has always been on the outside He knew he was gay, or at least, appreciative of men right from the start "One of my earliest memories is_ being in the locker field at the yacht club," says Falconer. "I was probably alone 5 or 6 years aged I was looking around at all the naked men and thinking, Wow!"

still when the biggest names in kids' literature reached public to the latest star, Falconer became timid again. "I was thrilled Maurice [Sendak] left me a message saying he lov the [first] work So did Hilary Knight [illustrator of the famed Eloise books]" says Falconer, who is single. "I was likewise intimidated by them at that moment--it was when the works first came out. And I was too coy about celebrities to call them back. unless Maurice left me this message that said, 'Hi, Ian. It's, uh Maurice Sendak. Um, I'm in the land right now. You can call me back here. You can leave me a message upon my answering machine. If I'm not here, I'll probably be abroad in the garden or, um slitting my wrists or something. He s very dark and funny.

Falconer plans to do the same more book--Olivia Does Christmas--and then walk away. "I think four works would make a nice driver's seated set." says Falconer. That's his plan, moreover don't be surprised if Olivia decides otherwise.

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