Stephanie Hockersmith found herself wheelchair-bound and experiencing multiple seizures a week in the prime of her youth. In a short period of time, her body seemed to be shutting down. After multiple tests, she was diagnosed with celiac disease.
An avid baker and lover of sweets, she found herself quickly forced into a regimented diet. In addition, she had to quit work and college in order to let her body properly heal.
Books
“Reading saved me when I was so sick,” she remembers. Hockersmith had always loved reading, but during this time of healing she found reading to be her lifeline. There were many days where her body would not allow her to be active, and reading became her escape.
Baking
One Thanksgiving after the diagnosis, she baked a pie for her husband. Pie is his favorite dessert and Hockersmith was grateful to him for also adopting the strict gluten-free lifestyle on her behalf. It was not the best gluten-free pie she’d ever had, but it reignited her love of baking and a desire to make gluten-free treats that could compete with those with gluten. And they do–Hockersmith's gluten-free cherry pie has taken first place over other pies in the Manitou Springs Pie Baking contest on four separate occasions.
Books + Baking
It was almost seven years ago when Hockersmith started her @PieLadyBooks Instagram page. It was a hobby, a place to talk about the books she was reading. Occasionally, she would post a pie, as well, as she was still perfecting her gluten-free recipe. It was six months before she was inspired by a book cover and wondered if she could combine her two hobbies.
“It became like a love letter to these authors,” she states. “They pour themselves into these books and then release it into the world… these pies are my way to say thank you.”
She explains the need one feels for validation that their work matters, that they have made their mark on the world. Book reviews can be favorable or they can be brutal and because of the vast dichotomy, many authors opt out of reading their own reviews. Her color matching technique and working to mimic the cover in pastry pays visual homage to the author’s work.
Purpose + Hope
This combination of hobbies gave Hockersmith purpose and hope in a dark time. It allowed her a connection with a community she loves and admires and it has opened countless opportunities for her to work in a space carved out just for her, despite what could have been a debilitating diagnosis.
“I hope my work encourages a love of reading,” she says, “to help the right book find the right person at the right time.”
Her message is one of hope and a future: “I went from being in a wheelchair to meeting Oprah, so you never know when your life is going to take a turn,” she philosophizes. “I never knew I could be an artist, but it turns out I just hadn’t found my medium yet.”
Facebook + Instagram: @PieLadyBooks