Melissa Brun took art classes in school because she wanted to be like her artistic big sister, Jessica.
Now 38 and a pre-kindergarten teacher at The Village Learning Center in Pennington, she never lost her creative energy, which she has now channeled it into a 32-page children’s book, The Day I Met My Shadow, that she wrote and illustrated.
The self-published, 32-page book has been available online since May. Brun says The Day I Met My Shadow is intended for children from preschool to first grade. “I hope this is the first of many,” she says. “I have many books in the works now.” The book is not the first one she’s come up with, but it is the first one she finished. It took her about a year to complete.
Writing and illustrating are not her only creative outlets. Brun is also owner-operator of Pieces of You Photography. She’s lived in Pennington since 2013 with husband, Daniel, an electrician for the Department of Transportation, son Luke, 11, and dog Rocket. She has taught at The Village Learning Center for four years.
Brun grew up in Hamilton, graduating from Nottingham High School in 1997. Her mother, Janice Edwards, still lives there. Her father, George, is deceased. Besides her older sister, she also has a younger brother, George. Below is our interview with author and illustrator Melissa Brun.
What is your story about?
My story is about a little boy who goes out to play and sees his shadow, but he doesn’t realize it’s his shadow and he has a little adventure trying to figure out what is this black object attached to him.
What inspired you to write a children’s book?
I’ve always wanted to write a children’s book. I had a few others that I’ve started and not quite finished, but this one came quickly.
Which comes first, the words or the illustrations?
The words came first. I’ve never illustrated anything before, so this was my first time trying to create a character running or doing things. Then I tried to visualize the backgrounds.
I started drawing on paper, and I did all the coloring and everything on paper, but then I did pull it into Photoshop to fine detail things like the shadows and things like that.
What has the response been?
A lot of people love the book. People who know me think it’s great that they know someone who has written a book. My pre-K kids enjoy it. So I’ve had a lot of positive response.
