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Wonder and Magic
The Tale of Capri centers around a wounded mermaid who washes into a tide pool and the young lifeguard who finds her and changes both of their lives. Where did the idea behind this novel come from?
The idea for this book came from the global drawing phenomenon, MerMay, started by former Disney animation legend Tom Bancroft. The challenge encourages artists and creatives around the world to develop their drawing and storytelling skills during the month of May by drawing mermaids, following a designated series of prompts. I’d been following the challenge for a number of years, but in 2019, I decided to fashion a serialized story based on the prompts. The story eventually fashioned into what became the skeleton for The Tale of Capri. The story sat in the back of my mind for a few years, and in early 2026, I revisited the tale and overhauled it to create the deeper, more fleshed-out story it deserved to become.
Were there fairy tales, films, or ocean stories that influenced the tone of the novel?
I’ve always been a fan of fairytales, and ultimately, I think The Tale of Capri became a modern fairytale. The Little Mermaid was certainly an influence in the process, but it was merely a springboard into what the story eventually turned into. I’d also interviewed a diver who shared some of his experiences, including a run-in with a cranky moray eel. Elements of that encounter appear in a scene in the book. There is also a small side character, Mr. Cuthbert, who is Eden’s kindly neighbor. He is based on the real-life Mr. Cuthbert, a close friend who lived in Huntington Beach, CA, which inspired the locations in the book in the first place. This sweet man passed away a year ago, but his personality and characteristics are preserved in this book.
Capri sees human life as both beautiful and tragic. What interested you about exploring humanity from an outsider’s perspective?
I’m on the autism spectrum (high functioning), and the world around me always feels bright, fresh, and new all the time. I wanted to give readers a taste of that experience by presenting it through the lens of a mermaid who’s new to the human world. Readers have found the perspective refreshing, joyful, tragic, and altogether interesting to explore everyday moments and environments with a sense of wonder and magic that was always there waiting to be discovered.
Can you give us a glimpse inside the next book in The Capri Saga? Where will it take readers?
The next book in The Capri Saga is The Mermaid Without Scales. The story will pick up one year after the events of The Tale of Capri. Eden discovers a homeless girl named Skye who’s been wandering the beach, and he refers her to his friend and fellow lifeguard, Adam, and his sister, Gabby, who have a guest annex at their beach house. Skye is on the autism spectrum and sparks a connection with Adam, who is also on the spectrum. When Adam wakes up one day with a fish tail in place of his legs, and Skye wakes up with scales on her upper body, Eden steps in to piece together what might be going on, especially after receiving a strange, unsigned message in a bottle which washed ashore with his name on it. Eden guesses Capri might be behind this somehow, and he sets off with Adam and Skye to solve this mystery, and maybe get them back to their original forms…whatever those might be.
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She mistrusts humans. He hides a dark secret. One wish will change everything.
Eden is a kind but lonely young lifeguard whose world comes to a sudden halt when he encounters something impossible in the tide pools along the southern California coast—an injured mermaid who goes by the name of Capri. She’s beautiful, but she’s bitter and wants nothing to do with humans after what they’ve done to force her and her pod to move out into deep and dangerous waters in order to survive. Now, after narrowly escaping death and with no chance at survival at sea, Capri must rely on the human kindness of Eden for protection, finding refuge in his secluded saltwater pool until she can recover.
As the two spend time together in secret, Capri’s guarded heart begins to melt as she discovers a different side of humanity…and Eden finds himself reluctantly falling in love with someone he can never truly be with. Even worse, Eden is hiding something—a secret from his past that, if revealed, could shatter the fragile trust he’s developed with the mermaid.
To express her gratitude for saving her life, Capri offers Eden the gift of a lifetime—a wish! Eden’s unexpected choice could forever change his life and hers, binding their worlds together in a way neither of them anticipated, and reveal far more than either of them ever bargained for.
With direct inspiration based on the official 2019 prompts from Tom Bancroft’s worldwide phenomenon MerMay, this charming mermaid fantasy is sure to delight readers with its slow-burn, no-spice romance, cozy coastal vibes, and gentle ocean conservation messaging.
The Tale of Capri
Kathleen Solis’s The Tale of Capri is a tender fantasy romance built around an inviting premise: a wounded mermaid washes into a tide pool, and the young lifeguard who finds her changes both their lives. The book began as a MerMay-inspired story, and that origin shows in the way it thinks visually, with scenes that feel sketched in light, water, scales, gardens, and moonlit coastlines.
At its center are Capri and Eden, and the story works because their connection grows through care before it grows into romance. Eden doesn’t just rescue Capri once. He feeds her, tends her wound, gives her space, listens to her, and slowly becomes someone she can trust. Capri, in turn, brings him closer to the ocean he already loves but doesn’t fully understand. Their bond has a soft, earnest quality that fits the fairy-tale setup without making the emotions feel empty.
The strongest parts of the book are the moments when Capri experiences the human world with fresh eyes. Her wonder gives everyday things, like sand, food, swimming pools, seat belts, and sunsets, a new texture. One of the loveliest lines comes when she says, “Being human sounds…beautifully and tragically wonderful.” That sentence captures the book’s whole mood: curious, romantic, a little sorrowful, and deeply attached to the natural world.
The environmental thread gives the romance more weight. Capri’s pain isn’t only personal. It’s tied to polluted coastlines, ghost nets, and the way human carelessness reaches creatures humans never see. Eden’s guilt and Capri’s anger make the second half more emotionally complicated, especially once wishes, transformation, and the wider mer world come into play. When Capri tells Eden, “I forgive you,” the moment really works because the story has spent so much time building both the wound and the tenderness around it.
The Tale of Capri is a sincere, ocean-soaked fantasy about rescue, trust, and learning to love across a divide that seems impossible at first. It’s romantic in an open-hearted way, but it’s also about stewardship, grief, wonder, and the strange beauty of being seen by someone from another world. Readers who enjoy mermaid stories with gentle intimacy, environmental feeling, and a dreamy coastal atmosphere will find a lot to enjoy here.
Pages: 225 | ASIN : B0GYQF91BP
A Hug and an Open Hand
Origin Earth: Book One follows humanity’s last survivors as they land on a new planet, where a curious young girl, her scientist mother, and a divided crew must decide who will lead and whether history will repeat itself. How did you approach balancing the science and environmental ethics with the human drama?
First and foremost, a novel has to entertain. That is its primary function. Without entertaining the reader, the story will not be read. So, introducing science and environmental ethics into a story at the beginning was something I considered at length. It is the main reason Anu is eight years old – innocent, yet old enough to understand, and her innate curiosity would ask questions. My thinking was, if I can get the reader to embrace Anu, she can explain the science with simple clarity. For me, it all rested upon Anu’s shoulders right from the first line. Every novel I have written, I have placed complete trust in the main character(s). In the first novel I wrote, Raw Nerve, I learned quickly that, as the author, I needed to sit back, shut up, and let the characters get on with telling their story.
As an author, I’ve learned to set the stage, people that stage with characters and trust in the creative process. Put a bunch of people together and you’ll end up with drama.
For me, every aspect of a novel has to be believable, regardless of genre. If a reader can believe, then the writer can capture the imagination, and through the imagination, the characters can tell the reader anything, literally – excuse the pun, couldn’t resist.
Juno’s distrust of authority feels timely. Were you consciously drawing from modern political tensions?
Absolutely, and also historical leadership, or rather, lack of. I recall a line in another novel I wrote, where the character stated, “There’s no such thing as good and evil, there’s just people.” Juno is clearly a bully, and, not wanting to spoil book two for the readers, but that stems from a bullying father. His ego blinds him. In my life, I’ve met many very interesting individuals, and the few who have left the most powerful imprint on me are the people, men and women, who don’t have anything to prove to anyone. These are individuals who can sit in the midst of chaos and smile and offer a helping hand where needed. I call them powerful, because they are people who have no desire to impose their perspective or opinion on anyone else, unless asked, and then they’ll offer it with a hug and an open hand without attempting to influence or control any particular outcome. These people are powerful because they are comfortable in their own skin. On the other hand, there have been dangerous individuals I’ve met who feel they have everything to prove to everybody and use their own ego to batter others over the head with their opinion, their hate, and their neurosis in whatever form that neurosis takes.
The human community on Earth 2 faces huge challenges, and when we confront challenges, bonds are forged. I personally fought in a war, and the bonds that were forged with the men I stood shoulder to shoulder with are unbreakable; the strongest relationships I have yet experienced. Regardless of faith, political ideology, or race, the bonds are forged upon respect. In the First and Second World Wars, men and women forged bonds on the battlefields and at home in the communities. Immediately after the conflict had ended, the people helped each other (I’m considering community/society in the UK). They pulled each other up, often by the scruff of the neck, and the whole family/community would benefit. In large part, I would argue, that was due to the bonds forged during serious hardship. Communities and society as a whole grew stronger due to those brutal times. Back to the community on Earth 2, or The Sanctuary, as the phen call the planet. They have a blank canvas, a new page, if you like. These people really do begin a new life and have the freedom to write their own future. And as I write, the conflict within the community grows – how do they set up this new society so they can all live together in freedom? One individual wants to pull in one direction and another in the opposite direction… I don’t want to spoil the story for the readers, but I’ll explain one very simple scenario to clarify:
A couple of people are killed by alligators or crocodiles. Individuals stand up and demand weapons. These are people who stand up with good in their hearts because they consider it their duty to protect the community. Anu is their only contact with the phen people, who have very advanced technology, and they have seen that the phen people have shared some of their technology with Anu. So, it is through Anu that they demand the phen people help them with weapons. Anu simply asks how many other individual life forms do they want to kill…?
Just as an aside: only the other day, I was reading an article about Gaza. I imagined Anu asking me what it was about. I scratched my head and tried to explain as best I could about hate about what causes hate, and how it drives people to do awful things. I began to explain the word genocide, but she stopped me. She had tears in her eyes and just looked at me in the inimitable way she does and said: “Humans. I don’t like humans.” Then she leapt up into the trees to be with the mantou. Anu has the gift of telling me in very few words what the problem is.
Phoos, the phen president in the novel, says, “With knowledge comes understanding…” Is that true? I think in a future novel, she’ll need to revisit that statement.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’ve been redrafting a novel I wrote over ten years ago. It’s a thriller set in Wales. Actually, it’s more about preparing a second edition rather than a redraft. I used terms like smartphone, which is very dated now, so it’s been about cleaning up little things like that. I’ll publish the second edition within the next week or so, and then it’s onto book four of Original Earth. I’m hugely excited about where Anu is taking the story in book four, because, spoiler alert! We’re returning to Original Earth around about one hundred and fifty years in the future. What will she discover? Is Earth a cinder? Have humans survived? If so, how have they survived? What sort of societies are there? Are humans still at war? Is there any habitat left for other life forms (beings)? … So many questions, and it’s going to be great fun to spend time on, what I can only imagine will be a very different planet Earth than the one we exist in today. And, of course, I get to spend a lot of valuable time with Anu and Sonri … My plan is to publish early next year. Possibly January.
And, yes, there will be a book five, six, seven, eight, etc.
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Now, armed with some knowledge of the complex relationships that exist between both fauna and flora – all life with whom we share this incredible planet – what lessons have we learned?
This is a story about a new beginning…
Anu has a gift: her personal vibration is in perfect harmony with the natural world.
A Frequently Misunderstood Sea Creature
Pontus and Electra: To the Depths of the Sea follows two lonely great white sharks who find purpose and connection in each other. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It started with a single shark fact: Great white sharks are often solitary creatures, though there are exceptions (sharks are occasionally found travelling in pairs). I wanted to explore the idea of loneliness through the lens of a frequently misunderstood sea creature. Initially, I had no clue what the book was going to be about other than that. But as I progressed with the concept, I began to incorporate themes of adoration and resilience, eventually settling upon a heartwarming and tragic tale of two sharks. The more I researched the issues plaguing sharks, the more the underlying messages began to shape the story—but originally, it started from a singular fact I happened to come across online.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Ultimately, the most important and relevant theme in Pontus and Electra to the Depths of the Sea is the environment, and the senseless havoc wreaked upon it. When I began writing the book, I knew little about shark finning. It was only when I did my research on the most prominent issues affecting the species that I discovered the practice—and realized this book was so much more important and so much more necessary than a silly book about two sharks. It became imperative that I shine a light on this matter, painting it in a way that allows the reader to sympathize with the beautiful creatures and approach the topic first and foremost with empathy.
The writing in your story is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?
Yes and no! Pontus and Electra to the Depths of the Sea is my second novel in verse, and my third collection of poetry overall. It is both a reflection of my prose writing and a newfound style I needed to lean into in order to write this book. Writing Pontus and Electra to the Depths of the Sea as a full-length novel in prose felt as though it would not work for me, as the poetic manner allows for a more dream-like and whimsical experience for the reader (it also allows me to experiment more with my methods of storytelling). In a way, I made the poetry flow like the ocean.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
For the last year and a half (alongside other projects), I have been working on Good Kids, Bad Choices, a long and timely novel combining the high school experience with modern-day American politics (and a sprinkle of my personal experiences as well), exploring themes of bullying, injustice, power dynamics, and rebellion in the school setting. So far, I’ve been releasing two chapters a week on my Patreon, but when it is finished, I plan to self-publish. It is still unclear whether it’ll be my next release or if I’ll publish a book from my backlog in between, but either way, readers can expect it to be released in 2026 (or late 2025).
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Welcome to the lonely life of Pontus. Until the most pivotal moment of his life (other than the day a thick darkness consumed the waters), he believes he is the only great white shark in his underwater world.
Welcome to the lonely life of Electra. Until the most unexpected moment of her life (other than the day a monster snatched her mother from the waters), she believes she will never find comfort in another again.
Together, Pontus and Electra find meaning in their lives through unconditional love and the hope and joy of company in an expansive ocean. But plagued by humanity’s horrors and a drizzle of existential dread, their bonds are tested, and the innocence of a romance under the sea will never be so simple again.
As unconventional as it is captivating, Pontus and Electra to the Depths of the Sea is both a romance and a tragedy told in poetry. It is a testament to the terrors of our habitats and a story of true love outside human norms. As an award-winning teen author’s third work of poetry, it stands out as a book every person who cares about the environment should experience at least once.
A Character People Can Respect
Daughter of Light and Dark follows a young woman and orphan with the rare ability to see Jinn without the aid of a ring who searches for a stolen artifact belonging to her mother. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The idea for Daughter of Light and Dark first came to me while reading the true historical story of Zarqa’a Al Yamama, a woman known for her extraordinary eyesight. This inspired the character of Mina, a unique girl with the ability to see Jinn without needing any rituals.
Another source of inspiration was the Lord of Chains, modeled after a terrifying children’s tale “Abu Al Salasil / Man of Chains”, a horror folklore story from the Arabian Peninsula, particularly popular in the northern region historically known as Jilfar. While the original figure was frightening, I wanted Ashrush to be more of a guardian figure. His grumpy demeanor is one of the few remnants of the original Man of Chains.
I really wanted to write about these popular stories known here in the Arabian world, that not many know about out of this region, the Arabian peninsula folklore is rich with stories of Djinn and overpowered people like Zarqa’a, Antar Ibn Shaddad and so many more.
In a lot of contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
This is kind of embarrassing to say, but that would probably be Mina’s attempt to subdue her emotions. Human emotions are really hard to control, especially negative ones. When you are angry, you shout, when you are sad, you cry, when you are anxious, you can’t sit down. Mina has to control her negative emotions, she has to subdue them so she won’t feed the dark thing within her. That would be the most “me” thing I would do, that’s probably true for a lot of people too. But in Daughter of Light and Dark, while Mina has to control herself, she also has to find a way to be free, to break from the chains holding her back and express her feelings like normal people.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
My main theme was to emphasize not letting others dictate what you should do. Ashrush is a popular character among readers, but if you notice, he often holds Mina back. He represents the people you love—whether a family member, close friend, or colleague you respect and adore—who have your best interests at heart but might discourage you from pursuing what you truly want. I wanted Mina to find her own voice, to stand up against being talked down from doing what she wants to achieve, and that’s why I think she’s a character people can respect or admire.
When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
I’m planning to have book two ready before May (hopefully). Book two will have Mina at her lowest, losing control and trying to find ways to gain back that control. There are new places to discover, new people to meet, and new stories to share. And for those wondering about all the unanswered questions left at the end of book one, don’t worry—you will find some of the answers in book two. I promise, just trust the process.
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An Enchanting Journey of Discovery, Belonging, and Liberation.
She wanted one thing and one thing only, to free her mother’s Jinn from his golden ring, but to free one is to free them all. Accompanied by her Jinny Companion, the Lord of chains, and a dark presence stirring to free from within her, Mina sets on a journey to find all the eleven golden rings of the Kings of Jinn, her main mission overshadowed by scheming royals, a troubled friend, and a crumbling world.
Trials and Tribulations
In Dark Clowder Cats, a young cat faces high expectations and comparisons to her father’s success as she finds it within herself to become a leader in her own right. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The first book in the Clowder Cats series was a straightforward adventure/fantasy story. From the outset, I intended the Clowder Cats series to be for a young adult audience, and when Bushytail had a kit it was the perfect opportunity to focus in on the trials and tribulations all young adults have as they pass through being a teenager and becoming an adult.
I find your characters to be fascinating. Did any of the characters’ development occur organically throughout the story?
Storm’s dour attitude at the beginning of the story comes as a bit of a shock to readers I think. Being the main character, the reader is expecting that she will develop into a heroic character, but as we all know these things don’t happen quickly. When finally Storm begins to show some more admirable qualities, the editor’s comment was, “Thank goodness!”
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I really enjoyed writing the scene (spoiler alert) where Storm finds stillness through dance. I was inspired by watching someone do martial arts forms at my local gym and the beauty of it. The theme of “stillness” being a state of mind that we all need to bring us peace runs through both books, and Storm is a perfect example of how hard it can be to find that, especially when you are a teenager.
Can you give fans a peek into the next book in the Clowder Cats series?
I am really hoping to have book three out in another 12 months. I have planned four books for this series – one for each of the four clowders: High Clowder, Dark Clowder, Tree Clowder, and River Clowder. Storm is the main character for books 2, 3, and 4. In book three, we also finally get to find out more about Bristle, Brave, and cat magic!
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When the guardians charge her with a mission to help the leader of Dark Clowder she is confused and disappointed. After the harm Brokenear caused she had hoped that Dark Clowder was disbanded for good, but the Guardians insist that all four clowders need to be strong for the Stone to be strong. She dutifully tries to play her part but is filled with doubts about whether or not she is doing the right thing. It is not an easy journey, but along the way she discovers that although she is not good at being still, she has other skills to offer.
In the end she is forced to make hard choices. Does she follow in her father’s footsteps or not?
