RADFORD – A Radford father-daughter duo has recently published a children’s book they illustrated, written by the father’s sister.
“Howl,” was written by Erin O’Brien and is “a mythical story of how wolves first began howling at the moon,” according to the author. The book is the first published under the brand she and her brother, Clint Ours, created called Gran Apple Books, in honor of their late grandmother. Ours, an artist, is the illustrator for the book and lives in Radford. He and his daughter, 10-year-old Elise, a student at Belle Heth Elementary School, worked together on the book’s illustrations.
O’Brien, who lives in Palm Harbor, Florida, said it is a wonderful experience to be able to work with her family.
“I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to work on this project with Clint and Elise,” she said. “We are a family that creates stories for other families to enjoy.”
Clint agrees.
“I have enjoyed getting involved with the ground-roots marketing of this book,” he said. “I love that I can make with my daughter and sister The journey has just begun.”
He said working with his young daughter on the illustrations has been particularly gratifying.
“It was magical,” he said. “Elise has had training in painting with her Belle Heth elementary art classes and with Sharon Taylor who teaches at Central Fine Arts Academy. Now it’s my turn to show her some of what I know, painting-wise. She’s a very good student and great at applying what she has learned to canvas. She was in charge of painting the night skies part of the illustrations in our book and I am very proud of her work.”
Elise is very excited about the book’s release.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said of seeing the book in print. “I’ve shown our book to some of my friends. One friend of mine read it on Kindle Unlimited and gave a great review!”
Robert Keith, an art professor of Clint’s, gave the book high marks, calling it a story with a “timeless, ancient myth feel to it, drawing on the past to offer a captivating explanation for a modern phenomenon.”
“Its structure is reminiscent of a folk tale, rich in symbolism and layered with wisdom, as if the narrative has been handed down through generations,” he said.
“The illustrations perfectly complement the narrative, striking a wonderful balance between whimsy and realism,” he added. “They bring the world of ‘Howl’ to life, allowing young readers to feel connected to the story while fueling their imagination. The art style makes it easy for children to dive into the fantastical elements of the tale, while still grounding them in a relatable visual world. Together, the story and illustrations create an engaging, immersive experience that will resonate with readers long after they turn the final page.”
O’Brien has written a second book, with Ours at work sketching out the illustrations for it.
“It’s a story about motherhood and how it changes women completely,” said O’Brien. “It’s also about the bond between mother and child and how that bond is passed down generation to generation. Clint and I were blessed with really wonderful parents and grandparents, so this is a subject that I think is pretty dear to us both.”
And, of course, their brand’s namesake is never far from their hearts.
“Our Gran was something special,” said O’Brien. “I still think about her every day. I dream about our grandparents’ house weekly. There are certain times when I really feel her near me and I know she’s still helping us, guiding us. She was a hard-working woman who loved her family. Our Grandad, who was also amazing, used to call her Gran Apple, and that’s how we got the name for our publishing company.”
“Erin and I adore our Granny Glenna,” added Ours. “Whenever I wanted to do something artistic she was there with whatever supplies were need and an open mind.”
‘Howl’ is available for purchase on Amazon.
