Island-based singer-songwriter Simon Whitworth has expanded his creative repertoire with the release of a first novel, Jessie Granton and the Invisible Steps.
This mysterious, fantasy-based tale features a reclusive, orphaned teenage girl who finds herself suddenly propelled into a hidden floating land inhabited by strange little woodland creatures called the Bellas. After receiving the doubled-edged ‘gift’ of being able to see 24 hours into the future, Jessie finds herself thrust into a brutal war and then has to do battle with a wicked creature called Malissouls.
Simon, who with his two older brothers formed the successful band G.I. Orange and sold millions of albums, moved to the Island with the idea of starting a new chapter in his life. Having spent almost 20 years incubating the magical story of the Invisible Steps, he finally put pen to paper after moving to this side of the Solent.
He likens the supernatural mystery – with its themes of good-versus-evil, and the importance of friendship and loyalty – to a kind of “Da Vinci Code for kids”.
The inspiring and uplifting story has proved to be an all-consuming passion for Simon, who has also written a musical of the same name, and is currently working on a sequel novel.
He also hopes one day to turn the story and its music into a film, and has launched an umbrella website www.theinvisiblesteps.com that ties together all aspects of his unique creative vision.