What if there never was a Neverland!
In the warm blue waters off the coast of Palawan—a long, slender island in the western Philippines—we set sail on a simple catamaran. The kind with outriggers lashed to the sides, a painted hull, and a crew who knew the ocean better than they knew the land. There were no tour guides. No filters. Just salt wind, distant limestone karsts, and rope-worn hands hauling us toward the horizon.
It was on that boat that The Stardust Pirates was born.
The Story Within the Story
At the heart of The Stardust Pirates is Baby Boy, a brave, stubborn, wide-eyed sailor with curls kissed by sun and salt. He’s searching for answers—about his missing father, about his place in the world, about what happens when love leaves but memory stays. With him is Jerry, his loyal friend and reluctant protector, whose past is tangled up in secrets he’s tried hard to forget.
Together, they set off across a sea filled with strange magic: boats shaped like sea monsters, islands that appear only when mourned, rooms suspended in time, and memories stored in star-shaped flasks. But the treasure they’re chasing isn’t gold. It’s truth. And it’s not easy to hold.
This is a story about:
• Grief that rides the tides
• The difference between remembering and repeating
• And the moment a child realizes stories don’t always end the way they’re told
It’s a Filipino sea myth built from fantasy—but anchored in real emotion.
Inspired by Real Adventures
The idea for the story came during a real-life journey through the islands of Northern Palawan—from El Nido to Linapacan to Coron. We slept in stilt houses, drifted beneath limestone cliffs, and rode from island to island with a crew of young Filipino sailors who knew the names of every reef and every moonrise.
There was one boy in particular—barefoot, tattooed, always smiling, always climbing the ropes without fear—who left a mark. I didn’t know his story. But something in the way he laughed with the wind made me wonder:
What if he was more than a boy on a boat?
What if he was guarding a secret?
What if this was his story, and we were just passing through?
That spark became Baby Boy.
The rest unfolded like a dream. Each island inspired a chapter. Each real conversation became part of the map. And somewhere between storms and stars, the real world blurred into myth.
Why The Stardust Pirates Matters
Because not all heroes are destined for crowns.
Because grief and magic are more connected than we realize.
Because stories—especially the ones we inherit—can trap us or free us.
And because somewhere out there, in a village perched above turquoise water, a boy with salt in his hair and stardust in his blood is still waiting for someone to remember his name.
Set Sail With Us
The Stardust Pirates is just the beginning. This world is growing—one wave at a time—with new characters, illustrations, and side-stories on the horizon. Whether you’re here for the adventure, the heartache, or the healing, we’re glad you’ve found your way to this shore.
Want to read the first story?
Download The Stardust Pirates
http://thestardustpirates.com
