A MUSSELBURGH mum of three is looking forward to the publication of her first children’s picture book, which started off as a bedtime story she made up for her daughter when she was ill.

Kelly Vural, 36, a former pupil of Campie Primary and Musselburgh Grammar Schools, who grew up on Stoneyhill Rise, has based the main character in her book The Magical Rainbow Adventure on her three-year-old daughter Arabella, who inspired the story.

Kelly explained: “I made up a little bedtime story for my princess back in February. She wasn’t feeling too good and didn’t want a story read, so I suggested I make one up.

“After I had finished, I thought it had a little something.

“I jotted it all down and decided I wanted to turn it into a children’s picture book.

“I wouldn’t have necessarily described myself as a person who fell into the creative character, so I have even shocked myself.”

She added: “The story is based around my little princess and her shy personality.

“She discovers a little ducky lost in her garden and her kind nature and her desire to help this little ducky get back home overpowers her shyness.

“There is a lot of sparkle, a magical rainbow, a talking ducky and a lot of fun throughout my little story.

“It has turned into a complete passion project and I am very proud of how it has all come together.”

Kelly and her husband Hero now live in Newcraighall with Arabella and their other two children Deniz, aged nine, and seven-year-old Demir, who attend Stoneyhill Primary School and Nursery in Musselburgh.

The couple own a delicatessen in the Morningside area of Edinburgh.

Kelly has chosen Musselburgh company Ivanhoe Caledonian to print the book, which features illustrations by Neil Laing, 42, who is also a former pupil of Campie Primary and Musselburgh Grammar Schools.

He lives at Whitehill Gardens with his wife Laura and their two children Sophia and Theo, who are friends with Kelly’s children.

Kelly said that Neil used his talent for drawing to bring The Magical Rainbow Adventure to life after she spoke to him about her vision for the book.

She said: “I told him about the characters, how I envisioned the pages would look, went over the story with him and he got to work.

“I was blown away. Not only did he bring my visions to life but he actually made them even more amazing than I ever thought they could be.

“We worked side by side throughout the whole process and I am so elated with what we have produced.”

Kelly is hoping to release another two stories next year, including a Christmas story.