By Akshita Nanda

Behind every good book, there is often a better story. Like this one: Friends who lost touch for 10 years stumble upon each other while looking for a partner to create their first printed work.

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction when it comes to the tale of Perry Ho and Kristal Melson, who grew up together in neighbouring HDB flats in Bedok until Melson's family moved away.

Then in October last year, aspiring writer Ho began trawling blogs to look for someone who could paint his thoughts. Coincidentally, Melson, a graphic designer, was looking for a story idea to move her pen. Both were hoping to win a grant under this year's First Time Writers and Illustrators Publishing Initiative.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) and the National Book Development Council's annual scheme helps new talent publish their first books.

'I was looking for Kristal but I did not know it then. The pieces fell into place when I came across her drawings on her blog,' says Ho, 30, a former copywriter and scriptwriter.

Melson, 26, feels the same way. 'I had not seen him in 10 years, then he e-mailed me a story. It was really great.'

Together, they worked on Like Fins For Feet, a book about a girl who finds a whale in her room. Their work was one of nine children's titles published by Straits Times Press (STP) this year under the MDA-funded initiative. There were about 80 entries in all.

Friendships such as Ho and Melson's appear to be the backbone of most of the books published by 14 debutant writers and illustrators this year.

The Shepherd And His Cloud tells the tale of an unlikely friendship and also celebrates a bond between real-life pals, the book's author Natalie Pang and illustrator Andrew Tan. The two met while attending New Creation Church a decade ago but what cemented their friendship was a mutual love of stories.

'I have always wanted to be a writer,' says Pang, 32, now a researcher at Gallup.

'She likes the same kind of stories I do,' says Tan, 36, a freelance illustrator who works under the pseudonym 'Drewscape'.

It was his idea to participate in the scheme but the tale came mostly from her, inspired in part by the loss of her mother a decade ago.

'I feel people will be able to relate to the book on different levels,' says Tan, who likes working with Pang because she 'doesn't mind what I draw'.

Having the freedom to draw what he likes is important for him. The lack of it was one reason he left his job as art director of a local advertising firm five years ago to freelance.

Ong Sheng Hua, who created The Little Red Helicopter with her friend Pauline Loh, also followed her heart.

The 31-year-old gave up a lucrative career as an architect to work part-time as a lighting designer. It pays the bills while she indulges her love of art by teaching children at the Little Art Bug Workshop programmes.

Loh, 44, a freelance writer, thoroughly enjoys Ong's work and wishes her friend did not have to be 'a struggling artist'.

When she dreamt up the story based on the antics of her own children when they were in pre-school, she could think of no better person to add colour and depth to the tale than Ong. 'My favourite part is when the kids are flying over the landscape, which turns out to be sleeping dinosaurs. That came as a complete surprise to me,' she says with a laugh.

Ong credits her creativity to the children she teaches. 'Subconsciously, they form this audience in my mind that I want to relate to,' she says.

The Little Red Helicopter and the other eight titles picked for publication through the scheme stand a chance in the international market, according to STP's executive director Shirley Hew.

'This year's winners offer a cornucopia of ideas - from a story on bipolar experiences to that of a cockroach who is an unlikely hero. All of this is real grist for any child's imagination and will definitely engage young children,' she says.

Indeed, for the creative teams, their readers' response is just as important as any monetary gains. 'I just want people to like it,' says Ho. 'And for someone to take us whale-watching.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.