Never two much imagination

Twins Brittany and Brianna Winner eagerly signed the inside cover of their book “The Strand Prophesy” for lines of fans — young and old — waiting to compliment the girls on their first writing effort. And the Winners are only 12 years old. Along with their father, the girls wrote their first book in just nine months. Now it has national distribution, tons of promotional items, four awards and even a small following.

Fans crowded around the booth housing Brittany and Brianna snapping photos and asking all sorts of questions as part of the Orange County Children’s Book Festival at Orange Coast College Sunday.

The tale by J.B.B. Winner tells the story of Strand, a superhuman hero whose only powers come from technologies added to his body and a strong desire to help others. The book will have it’s national release in January and is already available for purchase on Amazon.com.

Visitors had the chance to get their photograph taken with the hero, “Strand,” who somehow made it through the intensely hot day completely covered in his black foam and cloth costume. Strand was unavailable for comment.

“The best part was just being able to create with the kids,” said Jeff Winner, the girls’ dad and the “J” in J.B.B. “Just being involved in the creative process, especially when it’s with your own kids, they have the unlimited imaginations. They came up with situations and creatures I could have never thought of.”

The girls were equally excited to produced something as a family.

“We all love superheroes,” Brianna said.

“It’s always fun, never gets tiring,” Brittany said.

Most of the books were aimed toward younger readers, but other interests were also represented, including digitally produced scrapbooks and even a motivational book for grandparents from the baby boomer generation on how to better relate with grandkids.

Several stages on the campus offered audiences the opportunity to hear their favorites stories read by the authors or even ask writers questions.

Among the artists present was Simpson’s illustrator Phil Ortiz, who was with the show between 1989 and 1991. Ortiz created caricatures of a number of people, “simpsonizing” a number of the kids who visited his booth.

KELLY STRODL may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at kelly.strodl@latimes.com.