Notes from Behind the Veil

The inspiration behind my first book stems from a mix of subjects, designed to deliver pieces of myself through different aspects of my life's experiences and ideas. The reason for doing this, I suppose, was to showcase future books, larger additions to come, spanning both poetry and philosophy. It essentially serves as a sneak peek into six more substantial books, though others are planned, and their order isn't entirely known even to me yet.

It acts as a starting point to build an audience, a foundation to build a website around, and a way to learn lessons ahead of my most heartfelt writing, in the hope that mistakes made here will guide a better path forward, or at the very least, fewer of them.

Bad habits & Brutal Truths

There is so much content to be had here. We all have habits we are aware of, and others only those around us notice. Some are totally fine in private but not in polite company, while other habits are a part of what make us, us,  part of our individual charm, and some are the complete opposite. So when it comes to writing, the material is endless, probably for anybody.

One issue for me is not so unusual, but it's a little worse than the normal irritations caused by misophonia. That mild irritation of someone chewing is, for most people, a brush off moment, for me, it's a physical reaction, discomfort, a feeling of disgust and illness. Actually, it's very hard to put into words, and unless you suffer from it, you likely just won't understand. 

That one is very specific to myself, though. Other everyday habits, quirks, and social frictions mentioned in the book are universal. How often have you or someone you know argued about which way a toilet roll should be hung up? Or how some people can wear odd socks without a care, while it will bug the hell out of someone else that you'd dare. It’s the endless little things, from habitual pen clicking and constant throat clearing in a quiet room to playing phone videos on loudspeaker in public spaces, that test our patience and give us endless material to write about.

Don't Worry, Deaths Not Real

This section features a selection of poems drawn directly from my upcoming first philosophy book, set to release in early 2027.

Unlike standalone pieces born from everyday moments, these poems were written as deliberate bridges. Philosophy can often feel dense, abstract, or overly academic, while poetry operates on emotion, rhythm, and direct human connection. By placing these poems between the core chapters, they serve as conceptual stepping stones, translating heavy theoretical arguments into real human experiences. In this sense, the manuscript itself is the primary inspiration behind the writing. 

The title pretty much gives away where the focus lies, looking at what death actually is rather than what we tend to assume it is. Exploring that naturally pulls in a wider look at education, lifelong traditions, and religion. I'll be sharing a lot more details on these specific topics once the book is actually published, but for now, these pieces offer a glimpse into how those ideas take shape. 

Light & Loose

This section focuses on the personal side of things, friendships, shared history, and the everyday experiences that shape us over time.

I’ve taken to capturing these moments in verse largely because so many of them are genuinely funny. Relationships, in all their absurdity and warmth, naturally lend themselves to story, the awkward missteps, decades old inside jokes, late night road trips, and the random turns of events that end up defining a bond. Every close group of friends develops its own unspoken language, running gags, bizarre mishaps, and shared reference points that sound completely absurd to anyone else, but mean everything to the people who were there.

There is also a much more practical reason for putting these thoughts onto the page. My memory is a fading one. Over time, dates slip away, specific locations blur, and the sharp edges of past moments begin to soften. But while a dry journal might record the hard facts, poetry captures something far more valuable, the actual vibe and feeling of the room. It remembers how a moment felt, long after the exact timeline is forgotten.

Writing these poems acts as an anchor, a way to preserve those memories before they drift off completely. More than just keeping a record for myself, it gives me a unique way to share these stories back with the people who were actually there, as well as the rest of the world. It lets us look back at the same old memories together, but reframed through a slightly different light: part nostalgia, part humor, and entirely grounded in real human connection.

War On Evolution

War on Evolution is another future philosophy collection I currently have in the works, following on from Don't Worry, Death's Not Real.

Just like that first book, these poems are written in the exact manner, crafted to create deliberate areas where you can pause, take a breath, and really feel the emotion behind the words. It’s an approach to writing that gives heavy ideas the space they need to settle.

The reason I wanted to write this collection comes down to a struggle I keep having with how the world is right now and where it feels like we’re heading. It’s not that I don’t understand modern life or the changes happening around us, it’s more about the pervasive apathy that seems to come with it. It bothers me how few people seem to genuinely care about the direction we're moving in, and how many of those who think they care are really just following a script that’s been handed to them.

Naturally, that brings up a lot of friction around politics, corporate machinery, environmental shifts, and everyday ignorance. I don't want to give too much away right now before the book is ready, but these pieces dig right into those uncomfortable questions.

Verse & Field

Inspiration here comes from my obsession with other creatures of the world, a true passion, if you will. Photography is a massive part of that for me, spending time out with a camera brings these encounters and experiences together naturally. Animals are never boring, and I’ve been lucky enough to have some extraordinary moments with them over the years.

That fascination spans everything from the smallest insects working away in the garden to wildlife in flight, across seas, deep in jungles, or high up on mountain sides. It looks like tracking and photographing red deer out in the Cairngorms, encountering the famous sacred sika deer roaming through Nara in Japan, or even meeting a tiger over at Wildlife Park Malta in Malta. It’s rooted just as deeply in my love for horses and the grit of working on an equestrian livery yard, as it is in getting accepted into a troop of macaques while traveling through Cambodia. Put simply, I have a complete inability to stay away from stray animals wherever I go.

It just makes sense for me to write about them, for myself to reminisce and share. My own way of giving something back maybe. Like, the animals won't know, but I will, lol.

Nature

Adventure through nature in all its glory is what fills this section. I love adventure and keeping fit, and hiking, trail racing, climbing, and exploring are my favourite ways to do it. My mind is never more at peace than when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, completely surrounded by the natural world, resetting the mind and stepping away from all the artificial noise of everyday life.

The physical challenge of reaching mountain peaks or completing the most demanding trails I can find is hugely rewarding. That looks like pushing all the way to the summit of Hallasan in South Korea, navigating the humid, dense expanse of traversing the jungle in Borneo, or getting completely soaked and scrambling through gorges, walking out in the Lake District. It comes with incredible views, remote places few people get to see, and a real sense of accomplishment. There are almost always unexpected challenges along the way, whether it's sudden weather shifts, tough terrain, or simply finding a view that takes your breath away.

That raw exertion and solitude provide a unique space for reflection. When you're stripped of distractions and focused entirely on the movement and the landscape, thoughts settle into something clearer. Ultimately, this section is a collection of pieces inspired by those journeys into the wild, capturing both the quiet peace of remote landscapes and the raw energy of pushing your limits out on the trail.