Claire Bowman and her twin sister, Sarah, have been making up stories and creating music and art together their entire lives. Their parents claimed they were harmonizing together from their infant cribs. They now perform and tour internationally as The Bowmans and have successfully released three albums plus their new Christmas album due just released October 29th. Claire's debut illustrated story book, Mert the Anxious Evergreen (November 7, 2013), the triumphant tale about a little pine tree who longs to grow up to be a Christmas tree, was actually inspired by one of the carols on their holiday album.

Mert is an endearing tale of an anxious tree who wishes to save his beloved home from encroaching land development by being chosen as a Christmas tree, though he doesn't know how. He believes that he will be able to prevent the razing of Hickory Flats farm and forest if only he can find Christmas spirit -- as he conspires with his friend John the cat to overcome new obstacles. Mert, preciously naïve, mistakenly believes he needs the powerful Christmas spirit in order to achieve anything, but as it turns out he stumbles onto success with the help and love of all those around him.

Beautifully written and boldly illustrated, Mert is a tale of Christmas love that you won’t soon forget, sharing warm lessons in friendship, family relationships, camaraderie, finding humor in life’s tough situations, man’s struggles to preserve something good and hope.