Writing is one of the big loves of Cody Simpson's life. For years he's crafted his words into hit songs that saw him build a name for himself in Hollywood.
This year, Simpson harnessed his love for writing to bring to life the children's picture book titled The Sea In Me.
It's a project that Simpson says came naturally to him. "I've always written short stories, poetry and prose as well as songs," he tells 9honey.
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Cody Simpson harnessed his love for writing to put together his children's book The Sea In Me. (Instagram/ @codysimpson)"So to me I see it as something that springs from the same creative place as writing my songs and music do. I'm just the kind of person who is always creating and writing, and so I like to share whatever comes from that."
For the book, Simpson drew on one of the other loves of his life – swimming.
Outside of his music career, Simpson has been a passionate swimmer, with family ties to the professional sport. Recently he switched tacks taking up the sport himself and joining the Australian swim team - where he met his girlfriend Olympic champion Emma McKeon.
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After joining the Australian swim team Simpson met his Olympic champion girlfriend Emma McKeon. (Getty)"The inspiration was garnered from my renewed love for the water and for swimming, which was reignited when I began training and competing again in 2020," he says.
"It made me nostalgic for my early days of childhood growing up in and around the ocean and the solace and peace I found there. It's something I wanted to share with other kids in hopes of inspiring them to have and feel the same things."
The book, with sparkling illustrations by Amadine Thomas, welcomes readers into the gorgeous underwater world that Simpson has fond memories of.
"Snorkeling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef as a child, my grandparents used to live on a sailboat up on the reef and as a kid we'd go and spend summers up there amongst all the vibrant wildlife - which is where the inspiration for all the colours and creatures in the book came from."
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"The beach is still crowded but I feel free," is a passage from Simpson's children's book The Sea In Me. (Instagram/ @codysimpson)In the book a particular quote stands out. It reads: "The beach is crowded but I still feel free." This encapsulates exactly what being by the sea means to Simpson - it's his place of solace and provides him with peace that lasts long after he dries off.
"I find that when you have an experience that brings you peace, the peace can often stay with you long into your day or following days, regardless of the environment you're in," Simpson says.
"So I find if I have a peaceful experience or do a meditation and then go out into the world I still feel a lot calmer amidst the hustle."
Through The Sea In Me, Simpson hopes to promote the importance of finding space for this mindfulness in our lives – whether that is at the beach or elsewhere. And it's something he's particularly passionate about teaching the younger generation.
"Mindfulness is present-day society is becoming ever so important because we're constantly at odds with being 'in the moment'. With our fast-paced, consumer driven, digital society it's easy to get lost, anxious and not very mindful," Simpson says
"Particularly children on their devices these days. That's why I hoped the book would inspire them to get off screens and out into nature. Or, at least, reading this book!"
But why a children's book? Well Simpson's answer is simple.
"Children are the future custodians of this planet, the recipients of all that has been created before them and for them. And they will dictate what happens to this earth and to this world after we are gone.
"They're the most important people on earth."
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