Canonical URL
Do not index
Do not index
A Kingdom Hidden in the Sapphire Sea
From her home on Vancouver Island, Kathryn Hartwell lives surrounded by the ocean. Orcas and humpback whales swim past. And not long ago, a new grandchild arrived.
That was enough. Kathryn, who had written stories all her life without ever thinking about publishing one, started writing again.
The result is Prince Griffin and the Secret of the Whispering Shell: A Tale of Thaloria, a fairy tale now published on Amazon, and the first of what she hopes will be a series.
Meet Kathryn
Kathryn is retired. Writing had always been part of her life, but it stayed private.
"I have written stories through my life but never considered being published. I am now retired and living on Vancouver Island surrounded by the ocean where Orca and Humpback whales swim. The island, the ocean and my new grandchild inspired me to start writing again."
You can see all three of those things on every page of her book.
The Story of Thaloria
The back cover of Kathryn's book sets the scene better than any summary could:
"There is a secret island in the heart of the Sapphire Sea called Thaloria and this is where Prince Griffin lives. It is a magical kingdom where the trees whisper secrets to the wind and the great Orca whales sing their songs to the sky. But when the lonely Storm Giant blows a grey chill across the land, the sun disappears and the forest begins to freeze."
There's a young prince, an orca named Maya, a wise owl called Rue, and a lonely Storm Giant whose grey chill sets the adventure in motion. It's a story about courage and friendship, and the message at its heart is written right there on the cover:
"Kindness is the greatest gift of all."
The Pictures in Her Head
Writing the story was the part Kathryn knew how to do. Illustrating it was another matter.
"I knew finding a program to create my illustrations would be a big challenge. I tried Midjourney, Chat GPT, Art Station and others but they could not do what I needed or create the image in my imagination. I was very frustrated until I tried Neolemon."
Anyone who has tried to turn a story into pictures knows this particular frustration. The image is perfectly clear in your mind. What comes back on the screen is almost it, or nothing like it, and the next attempt drifts somewhere else again.
"All of a Sudden"
When Kathryn tried Neolemon, the gap closed faster than she expected.
"I was quite surprised if the truth be known."
"All of a sudden my prompts were able to create the image in my head!!"
Prince Griffin became a real, recognizable boy: tousled hair, a crown of twigs, a green tunic and a satchel, with Rue perched on his shoulder. And he stayed that boy whether he was standing on a cliff watching Maya leap from the waves, or riding her through a glowing underwater cave.
A Little Scary, and Worth It
Kathryn is honest that the beginning wasn't easy. She was learning a new tool in retirement, and she had a lot of questions.
So she asked them. All of them.
"It was a bit scary in the beginning. But Sachin & Diana answered every single one of my many emails guiding me through and clarifying all my concerns. It was like having my own private tutor."
That willingness to keep asking is its own kind of courage, the same kind her prince needs to face the Storm Giant. She didn't wait until she felt like an expert. She started, got stuck, asked, and kept going.
Holding the Finished Book
Prince Griffin and the Secret of the Whispering Shell is now published on Amazon KDP.
"In the end I felt fulfilled and quite frankly could not believe that I created my beautiful children's book."
She isn't the only grandparent to start writing for a new generation. Read about Elvis Ganda, who has published nine books inspired by his grandson.
You can find Kathryn's book on Amazon here: amazon.ca/dp/B0H6VZSQQ1
What's Next for Prince Griffin
Thaloria isn't finished with Kathryn yet. She's already working on the second Prince Griffin adventure.
What Kathryn's Story Shows
Kathryn spent a lifetime writing stories for no one but herself. It took a grandchild, an island full of whales, and one very persistent round of questions to change that.
If you've got a story you've always kept private, her book is a good reminder: being new to something isn't a reason to wait. It's just where everyone starts.
Ready to Start Your Own Story?
If Kathryn's story has you thinking about the tale you've been keeping to yourself, Neolemon is a good place to begin. Create your characters, keep them consistent on every page, and bring the world in your head to life.
