“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus

After a lifetime defined by movement — as a keen runner, swimmer, and cyclist — my world changed in an instant. On 8 December 2023, I was involved in a cycling accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, paralysing me from the waist down.

The journey through the pages of this book mirrors my own. After more than a hundred days in hospital and a gruelling two-year climb toward recovery, I began trying to make sense of what had happened to me. Writing became the way I processed it all. I wanted to capture more than a plot; I wanted to bottle the essence of the people who held me up when my world shifted beneath me.

What followed was a period of profound transformation — physically punishing, emotionally exhausting, and yet illuminated by the extraordinary people who stood beside me. My family, and those who entered my life during my recovery and became the steady hands that kept me moving forward. It was during this time that Faelan’s Anchors slowly took shape, as I tried to honour the people who helped me rise when I could no longer stand on my own.

I live with my wife and daughter, and I hope that my story shows others that even when the body is broken, the spirit remains unbreakable. This is my first novel and these are the faces behind the characters:

First and foremost, comes Arya: The Heart of the Story

​If this book has a heartbeat, it belongs to Arya. Her character is a direct reflection of my wonderful wife Michelle, whose love and unwavering tenacity have been the bedrock of my life, both before and after my spinal cord injury.

​Before my world changed, my wife was a successful accountant, defined by her sharp mind and her ability to find order in chaos. When the injury occurred, she applied that same fierce precision and devotion to my recovery. She became my advocate, my strength, and my own ‘North Star’.

​While no words on a page can truly do justice to the monumental role she has played in my life. Arya is my attempt to capture a glimpse of her spirit. Through Arya, I wanted to show that true heroism isn’t just found in grand gestures, but in the quiet, daily persistence of someone who refuses to let you go. She is the reason I can tell this story, and she is the reason Arya exists.

Elara: A Study in Resilience

​The character of Elara finds her roots in my beautiful daughter Penelope. When my injury occurred, she was at a pivotal moment in her own life, having just made the transition to secondary school. While she was navigating a new world of her own, she was also forced to navigate the sudden, shifting landscape of our family life.

​Watching her grow through this experience has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Her resilience isn’t the loud or boastful kind; it is the quiet, steady love that kept our home bright during my darkest days.

​Elara reflects that journey; the transition from the innocence of childhood to the formidable strength of a young woman who understands the true meaning of perseverance. I am proud of Elara, but I am extremely proud of my daughter beyond words. She is a reminder that even when things break, we can grow back stronger and more beautiful than before.

Kael: The Faithful Guardian

​The character of Kael is a tribute to my faithful brother Gary, whose role in my recovery was as immediate as it was selfless. In the traumatic first months following my injury, when the world felt like it was spinning out of control, he was the one who dropped everything to make sure the ground stayed firm beneath our feet.

​Kael represents that rare kind of devotion, the person who doesn’t just ask how they can help but simply steps in and does the work. By supporting my wife and daughter while I was in the hospital, he allowed us to focus on the battle of recovery, knowing the home front was safe.

​In this story, Kael carries my brother’s spirit: a man of action, a source of unwavering inspiration, and a reminder that the bond of brotherhood is a force that can weather any storm. He wasn’t just a witness to my journey; he was a pillar that helped hold up the sky.

The Amberwood Council: The Guiding Wisdom

​The Council of Elders: Brambleknot, Thornhoof, and Quickthorn were directly inspired by the dedicated legal team at Fletchers Solicitors: Siobhan, Lisa and Lauren who took up my cause after my injury.

​Navigating the aftermath of a spinal cord injury is not just a physical battle; it is a complex journey through a thicket of legal and systemic challenges. These characters represent the solicitors who stood by us. Their deep knowledge, empathy, and years of experience provided a roadmap for my family and me when we felt most lost.

​I chose to portray them as the Elders of Amberwood because, in my own life, they were the keepers of wisdom. They didn’t just handle a case; they protected our future, ensuring we had the resources and the guidance necessary to focus on my recovery. They were the steady hands that helped clear the path ahead.

Ysabet: The Architect of the Path

​The character of Ysabet was directly inspired by my case manager Sian, a woman who became far more than a professional contact; she became a friend and an essential guide.

​Adjusting to a spinal cord injury isn’t a single event; it is an ongoing process of navigating countless layers of change that affect every aspect of your life. Ysabet represents the steady hand that helped me manage those complexities. She was the one who saw the whole map when I could only see the obstacles, helping me find my way through the medical, practical, and personal shifts that defined my “new normal.” Through Ysabet, I wanted to honour the person who ensured that, no matter how complicated the journey became, I was never truly lost.

Morric: The Catalyst of Strength

Morric is a direct tribute to my physiotherapist, Charlotte — the woman who stood at the centre of my physical world during recovery.

When paralysis enters your life, the road back to movement feels like standing at the base of an impossibly huge mountain. At Motion Rehab, the neurological physiotherapy centre where I began my rehabilitation, I met Charlotte. She quickly became the lodestone of my physical recovery. She was one of those rare people who refused to let me fail, no matter how many times my legs gave way beneath me. She handed me the climbing gear I didn’t believe I could use and said, with quiet certainty, that we were going up the mountain together.

Morric embodies her unique combination of deep compassion and relentless drive — the ability to push me beyond what I believed were my limits while never losing sight of my humanity. It was Charlotte’s unwavering belief in my potential that gave me the courage to fight for every inch of progress.

If Arya is the heart of this story, Morric is the strength: the one who demanded I find the power still living in my own body. Because of Charlotte’s expertise and her spirit, I regained function in my legs. Because of her, Morric carries the torch in these pages — a light I hope will inspire others to reach for the stars.

Lyra: The Guide to a New Life

​The character of Lyra was born from the combined spirits of the nutritionist, Sophia and personal trainer, Ali who guided me through the long journey of my recovery.

​While others focused on the initial crisis, they focused on my longevity and my quality of life. They helped me navigate the daunting and often complicated world of living as a disabled person, teaching me how to fuel my body and find its new capabilities.

​Lyra embodies their friendship and compassion. They provided more than just a regimen; they provided me the confidence to step back into the world. Through Lyra, I wanted to honour those who help us to rebuild our sense of self, proving that a disability does not mean a lack of vitality, but rather a new way to define strength.

Caelen: The Guardian of the Mind

​The character of Caelen is a tribute to my psychologist Dane; a man whose wisdom and understanding were my mental compass during the darkest parts of my recovery.

​A spinal cord injury isn’t just a physical break; it is a psychological earthquake. Caelen represents the guidance I received while navigating the complex maze of mental trauma, the daunting tests of spirit, and the many emotional hurdles that followed my injury. He provided the tools to process the “before” and the “after,” helping me find clarity when the path forward was obscured by grief and fear. Through Caelen, I wanted to honour the vital work of those who help us mend the mind, ensuring that even when the body is tested, the spirit remains unbroken.

Bramble and Thistle: The Spirit of the Fight

​Finally, the characters of Bramble and Thistle are a metaphor for the internal battle. They represent my own sense of determination, resilience, and tenacity throughout this long recovery.

​In nature, brambles and thistles are stubborn; they take root in difficult soil, they protect themselves, and they refuse to be easily cleared away. During the hardest days of my rehabilitation, I had to find that same prickly stubbornness within myself. These characters embody the grit required to keep pushing when the body is tired and the mind is weary. They are a reminder that while support is vital, the spark of the fight must ultimately come from within.

The Shadows: The Battle Within

​While the heroes of this story were inspired by the lights in my life, the antagonists: the Maw-Wolves, the Shadow-Weavers, and ultimately Virion; represent the darker reality of my recovery.

​They are the personification of the depression, the relentless physical pain, and the deep, hollow sense of loss, grief and helplessness that followed my injury. These are enemies I still face today. I wanted to show that these forces are not easily defeated; they are predatory and persistent. It was only through the combined efforts of the “fellowship” of my family, friends, and professionals that I found the strength to hold these shadows at bay. In the world of this book, as in my own life, victory over despair was and still is a collective triumph.