The power of a story
Author Greg Husby reads the second book he wrote, "Austin and Poppy," to a third-grade class at Smith Valley School. "I like writing these stories because I think there are good morals for you to learn from them," Husby said to an inquiring student. In "Austin and Poppy," a horse named Austin is separated from its owner and a wild old goat, Poppy, helps him find his way home. Allison Money/Daily Inter Lake
Jilian Husby, a Flathead Valley Community College nursing student, and her father, Greg, listen to student's questions after a reading at Smith Valley School. Jilian illustrates her father's books. Allison Money/Daily Inter Lake
Family legacy finds a broader audience
All Greg Husby wanted to do was create something special for his family.
He had dreamed up a story, inspired by an older brother who had triumphed over challenges in life, and wanted to preserve it for future generations.
He wrote the story and his oldest daughter, Jilian, illustrated it. With help from self-publishing company Xlibris, the story became a hardback book last spring.
The result, they thought, would be "a little clip in time" - a hard-bound record of the family's latest achievement for future generations of Husbys. But people outside the family have discovered the Husbys' book, "The Zoebirds," and its follow-up, "Austin and Poppy," which was published last fall.
The books have grown almost of their own accord, said Jilian Husby, 21.
They gave a copy of "The Zoebirds' to their next-door neighbor, Irene Edwards, the business clerk at Smith Valley School. Edwards showed the book to Shelly Means, the school librarian, and the next thing the Husbys knew, they had been invited to the school to read to the students.
It was quite an honor for the father-daughter team that little dreamed they had created something that would interest anyone outside the family.
"It kind of evolved by itself. We didn't really have control," Jilian Husby said. "We're both very proud about publishing the books."
The process really began two decades ago, when her father first conceived the story that became their first book. After starting the story, Greg Husby decided he didn't like what he was writing, so he put the story away.
Last year, Husby's wife, Julie, suggested he take it out again. This time, Husby had a partner - his daughter, Jilian, who has a knack for drawing.
Jilian Husby favors Japanese-style animation and has her own 'renegade style of anime." But she also had experience sketching horses and goats, which came in handy for "Austin and Poppy."
Birds, however, were a challenge.
"I wasn't really experienced drawing birds," she said. "But it came out just like I wanted, with their cute faces and expressions."
Greg Husby said his older brother was the inspiration for "The Zoebirds." The story's hero, Eddy, is a small weak bird that doesn't measure up to the flock's traditional standards of bravery. Similarly, Husby said his brother didn't measure up to society's standards.
"It reminded me of him. That's kind of why I wrote it," he said of the book, which is dedicated to Arthur Edwin Husby's memory.
The second book, "Austin and Poppy," is dedicated to Husby's mom, a 'salt-of-the-earth Texas gal," according to the dedication page. The protagonists are a horse and a goat, in honor of Jilian, who loves horses, and her mother, a fan of goats.
Their third book, "Charlie's Tail," comes out this summer. At 60 pages, it's a little longer than the first two and features more of Jilian Husby's illustrations.
All three books emphasize virtues such as courage and helping those in need. Greg Husby said those are the tales that stuck with him while he was growing up, and he wanted to tell stories in the same tradition.
"They're about helping people, friendship and kindness," he said.
Husby said he doesn't expect to write any more books after "Charlie's Tail," but he won't rule out the idea entirely. Jilian, a student at Flathead Valley Community College who plans to pursue nursing, said she doubted she would have much time to devote to future illustrations.
"But we'll leave it open," Greg Husby said. "Never say never."
They've achieved the original objective of creating stories for the family. Members of the extended family have copies of the books, Husby said - durable, hardcover copies that will stand the test of time.
Others who are interested in the books may purchase them on Husby's Web site, http://greghusby.com. While he welcomes inquiries about the books, Husby said the attention they have received isn't the books' purpose.
"It's just a legacy kind of thing," he said. "It's not that big a thing to us. It's just good for the family."
Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com