Father and daughter create children’s book filled with love
A father and daughter duo from Lisburn have been drawing on their own life experiences for the children’s books they have written together.
Andrew and nine-year-old Ruby Hunter, who is a P6 pupil at Harmony Hill Primary School, have been working together to create two children’s books – Rock ‘n’ Roll Unicorn and You’re My Big Love – with more on the way.
Rock 'n' Roll Unicorn tells the story of a unicorn called Ruby who dreams of being a rock star, while You're My Big Love is a bedtime book with a a parent and child speaking to each other, seeing the day through their own point of view, and expressing that overwhelming love that's almost too big for words.
"Both books came from real moments with Ruby,” explained Andrew.
"Rock 'n' Roll Unicorn started in 2021 when Ruby was five. She just looked up one day and announced, "I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Unicorn”. Bold as anything.
"At the time, I was quietly going through cancer treatment, and that moment - her sparkle, her confidence - became a light in a difficult season. She has called herself the Rock n Roll Unicorn ever since.
"You're My Big Love goes back even further, to April 2020. Ruby was four, gave me a hug, and said, "You're my big love". I replied, "And you're my wee love”.
"That little exchange captured something so pure about the bond between us. I knew straight away it would become a book one day.”
Rock ‘n’ Roll Unicorn took the pair four years to put together.
Andrew attended a creative writing class and developed his skills to pen the book.
"That gave me the confidence to say yes, I am going to do this little story - and it snowballed from there,” he explained.
“I learned about rhyming structure and flow, figured out the self-publishing process, and made plenty of errors along the way - but that's how you learn.
"You're My Big Love came together differently. When I put pen to paper, I had been writing consistently for eight months, so the words flowed more naturally. It was like capturing something that already existed.
"By then I'd learned so much from the first book, so the journey from manuscript to finished book was smoother, though still its own adventure.”
Ruby is at the heart of the books, with her name on the front cover as the co-author.
"These are genuinely her stories,” Andrew continued, who has also written a book of poetry.
“With Rock 'n' Roll Unicorn, the characters are based on her real-life friends and her brother Marley. The main character shares her name because it literally came from her words.
“With You're My Big Love she actually changed the entire book from the first draft.
"I had planned a different idea, but she chose the scenarios that make up the day from start to finish.”
The pair are already working on new books for a ‘Crazy Ninja’ series, with brother Marley joining the team in the New Year with his first book – Axl the Axolotl.
“These books are genuine,” Andrew added. “They came from real moments - some joyful, some difficult - and they're filled with real love.”
The books are available to buy online from Amazon.