“Before that fateful night, I had always avoided that small cupboard with the blue door. For a ten-year-old boy, it seemed like quite a scary place. Sometimes I would take a quick peek inside that hellish abyss when my mother would open the small door to store some firewood. The tiny dark room was dusty and covered in cobwebs and all kinds of creepy crawlies scurried around inside. I used to have nightmares about a monster coming out of that blue door as I slept, creeping up the stairs and dragging me from my bed to some evil place underneath our house.”

UltraLondinium Blues by Stephen Cox

My writing career really started at university when I was in my 40s. I was studying psychotherapy and counselling and this required the writing of a lot of long essays on counselling theory. Sigmund Freud, hello old friend.

Most of my class mates hated writing these long essays but I found that I really enjoyed it and I realised that over those Uni years my writing got better and better. I scored high marks and got my BAs degree with honours.

When I left university the work just wasn’t there for counsellors, it was the big recession. So, I decided to use my free time to write my first book, ultimately called UltraLondinium Blues.

It was a retro style science fiction novel about a man given powers of immortality and strength to save the universe from an evil alien cult. Standard sci fi stuff. It was not brilliant but it was ok and sold a few copies. Its still available on Amazon.

What was good about this was it introduced me to the world of being an author and publishing a book. This first book I self published. It was a good start and led the way to my true vocation.

“Unaware of Dyasi’s activities on Mars, I was taking the monorail towards the university district of Ultralondinium. After the terrible events of that evening, the train journey had given me time to take stock of everything that had been going on. The death of Julia Grisham was a terrible blow and I was feeling dead inside. I should have gone straight to the cops after they killed her but shortly before her death I had witnessed LawGivers working in league with the Seekers, so who could I trust?”

UltraLondinium Blues by Stephen Cox

After I finished that first book I started creating my blog, and ‘Hippie Kushi Waking up to Life’, the brand, was born.

I wanted to write about my life because I knew it had been an interesting one. My difficult early years living with a psychotic violent father. My rent boy days living homeless in London. Better times in Brighton and Brixton before my wanderlust took hold and I started to have my travel adventures.

Then I was diagnosed with a serious illness and my grey, full stop years began, which lasted for at least ten years.

But what followed this dark period was something spectacular. Two things happened that changed my life for good. I went to India and returned a changed man and then I returned to an old friend: Whirl-y-Gig.

The blog started doing really well and that’s when I got the idea to write the first Hippie Kushi book. I thought, what if I expand on the blog posts and write a factual book, half autobiography, half inspirational guide.

I feel like the book practically wrote itself.

Imagine my excitement when a top international publisher wrote to me and said they loved it and wanted to publish it and it would come out all over the world!! I nearly fainted.

Sadly, then Covid came along and the publishers were furloughed, the publication has taken two and a bit years to complete but in a way I’m glad it did not come out when we were all in lockdown and not able to live the life I write about.

I am very pleased with this book and you can buy it here:

waterstones.com

www.amazon.co.uk

Its also available at other book stores and on Amazon worldwide.

Here are some extracts:

“The Whirly club played all kinds of interesting and exciting music, including lots of world music beats and it was eccentric, colourful and laid back. They had bongo drummers, dancers and live bands and at the end of the night a huge parachute would be pulled above the crowd and hundreds of balloons would be floated over the top of it as it was lit with psychedelic lights; it was a moment to chill after a crazy night of dancing and the effect was amazing.

After being a regular for months I was offered the role of ‘Balloon Man’ and my job was to blow up the balloons and give them out to the crowd ready for the parachute finale’.”

Hippie Kushi Waking up to Life book one by Stephen ‘Hippie Kushi’ Cox

“I can honestly say I was 100% a changed man after attending this festival; my whole outlook changed and I felt I could achieve anything I wanted, my dreams were within reach. I had been told how wonderful it was, how the people were, about the hippie vibe, the love, the kinship; but I never expected the emotional affect it had on me.

Everybody at the Fayre was living a hippie Kushi life, they looked amazing and I felt we could really change the world. I cannot recommend the Whirl-y Fayre more. If you go you will embrace the community as I have.“

Hippie Kushi Waking up to Life book one by Stephen ‘Hippie Kushi’ Cox

My first Hippie Kushi book is finally out on 31st March 2022.

Because of the delay due to the pandemic of the publication of Hippie Kushi book one, I have actually finished book two.

Book two is slightly different to book one. It is still semi autobiographical but focuses more on wanderlust and world travel and it also features some amazing Kushi Stories.

I asked people on Facebook to send in their stories of how their lives have changed due to an amazing experience. The response was fantastic and I collated some really interesting stories of peoples amazing lives they now live. I am very proud of this book too and believe it will do well.

It should be out by the end of the year.

Here are some quotes from it:

“To travel the world is to find beauty, to experience, to feel elation. There are some breath-taking places around the globe waiting to be discovered. Travel is about meeting new people, exploring new cultures, religions, and traditions. If you want to find a way to expand your mind, change your mindset. Stop with the two-week package holidays that only give you a sterile glimpse of a place, instead, choose to really travel; for weeks, months, years…or even indefinitely.”

“When I got to Goa though my initial opinion started to change, I went to a couple of trance events while I was there just for the party vibe and started to listen with a clearer ear. I realised that behind the fast melodic beat there were all kinds of Indian spiritual sounds going on, with anything from Hare Krishna chanting to Hindu mantras. Dancing to this music on the beach for several hours with other hippies quickly had me feeling elated, positive, and upbeat; it was starting to grow on me.

Since then, I have got to know psytrance a lot better and have come to realise it comes in many forms. I know exactly the type of psytrance I like, and the tracks I don’t, and I now have a fabulous collection of great psytrance tracks that have me feeling optimistic and excited about life’s possibilities. If I listen to a psytrance track now I instantly think of Goa, which is an elated feeling in itself, but I am also transformed and transported in my mind to clubs like Whirl-y-Gig and Psymera.”

Hippie Kushi Waking up to Life book two by Stephen ‘Hippie Kushi’ Cox

“During this period, I travelled widely, travelling across America by Greyhound bus, and another bus from London to Morocco. I have also taken long train rides all across Europe, gone horse trekking through the swamps and jungles of Brazil and even had a stint as a teacher in a remote village in Africa. After my difficult childhood I used to fantasise about putting a backpack on and just going – just setting off to explore the world.”

Hippie Kushi Adventures Around the World by Stephen ‘Hippie Kushi’ Cox

I am now working on my third book, ‘Hippie Kushi Adventures Around the World’.

I have travelled to many many places over my life time and have had many adventures. So, this book will focus on just that. I have barely started but I think its going to be great.

So, the writing bug has definitely got me and I’m hoping my career as a published author will finance my ongoing travel adventures.

I hope you will buy my latest book, here are those links again:

waterstones.com

www.amazon.co.uk

Until next time, lets stay strong in this dark world and think positively about your next fantastic adventure too.

“What I’ve learnt is that no one will encourage you to have a different or interesting life. Doing a dream is what makes life interesting and exciting, but it can be a lonely pursuit in the beginning. And that’s another reason I share what I do. So if you relate to how I felt a few years ago, know that you’re not alone.”

How to live in a Van – Mike Hudson vandogtraveller.com”