Delve into the world of Stephen Benjamin’s ‘Humility & Humour’, a fascinating insight into military culture across many years through the medium of original poetry and archived materials…

Happy Tuesday, authors!

There is nothing more we love here at Publishing Push than really connecting with our writers about the story behind the story they publish, and today we are focusing on the wonderful Stephen Benjamin. His collection of military poems, artworks and caricatures will resonate with many within that field, and we loved finding out more about what exactly led him to creating this collection.

All About Stephen…

I grew up in a loving family in northwest London. I enjoyed speed skating, martial arts, scuba diving (in the UK and various other parts of the world.) mountaineering, trekking, and travelling.

I then studied to become a Chartered Surveyor and eventually ran, and project managed my own successful shop fitting and development company.

I have always had an interest in Military, my father having been in the RAF, my uncle in the Army and my grandfather in the Navy. I have also had the privilege to socialise with many Special Forces personnel at charitable functions, dinners and in the pub!

The Process of Creating the Book…

When it comes to writing, words seem to appear in my head, and I think, “what’s that all about” I will then relate those specific words to a subject and go from there. I may be driving on a motorway and have had to pull over, on a plane and need to find pen & paper or walking or trekking. I have now learnt to carry pen and paper! I have been put on the spot a few times and have had 5 minutes to write a poem for a eulogy which was difficult but achieved.

Tell Us More About the Book Itself…

The book is called Humility & Humour which consists of military poems, caricatures, drawings, and pieces of artwork relating to UK Special Forces operations, training, reflections, and leisure pursuits. Most of which can be found on open-source media platforms.

The main characters in my book are all highly trained Special Forces personnel. A few of the poems are based on fact and some are fictious. I have been extremely careful to protect the Integrity of UK Special Forces as a Group and the privacy of individuals.

Inspiration is Key to the Heart of a Book…

My Nan inspired and encouraged me to write poetry from an early age. She was always jotting down notes to formulate individual poems which were subsequently printed in many books of poetry. I went onto to have my own individual poems published too.

I owe her so much and she will always be remembered, with great admiration and affection.

No writer or author other than my Nan has inspired me when writing my book- I have always been individualistic, which is a real strength that shines through my work.

What the Reader Should Walk Away With…

I am hoping to show that although serious issues are undertaken both operationally and for fun there is a lot of humour and banter between operators. This is extremely necessary to relieve and deal with the enormous pressure and stresses that they, as operators, are exposed too daily. 

All Special Forces operators are only human like you and I but are highly trained, specifically to protect our country and the British Citizens of the United Kingdom.

We have loved working with Stephen on this collection, and learning exactly what has led him to this moment- it’s incredibly inspiring when a loved one can influence our lives and form our paths to creating something extremely special to us, and we feel very privileged to have played a part in Stephen’s journey!

Let’s Inspire Each Other!

If like Stephen, you are inspired to create something truly unique and have a story to share, please contact our lovely team today with the response “let’s create together” and we can discuss kickstarting your publishing journey today!