The Author – Ha, Spirit

Bio Interview

The art of storytelling has always played a major part in the life of Ha, Spirit, commencing with the proverbial folk tales emanating out of the mystical Jamaican Countryside, told to him in his formative years by his parents, aunties and others who regaled such stories with avuncular affection. Those said stories, some amusing some a tad frightening, but altogether instructive, triggered his young fertile imagination to imagine without boundaries, so it is of little wonder that writing now takes centre stage in his well travelled life.

Born in Clapham South, London England in the early sixties and brought up in neighbouring Acre Lane Brixton, Ha, Spirit's creative streak was strongly encouraged from an early age by his mother Mavis and a particular schoolteacher in his Junior years named Mr Vallis, who taught him how to project his voice by including him in the School choir, a vocal skill which served him well later on in his adult life when he worked the Hurly Burly square mile of Eighties Soho Nightclubs and had to calm down many a out of control patron and the odd fellow bouncer with a few well spoken choice words.

After completing his lengthy tour of duty standing in and outside numerous nocturnal venues of entertainment, Ha, Spirit found himself involved in the pursuit of becoming a professional wrestler under the tutelage of the star of British Wrestling in its 1960's and 1970's heyday Jackie Pallo. He recalls those days back in the Nineties as being great fun and physically exhilarating.

It was whilst learning his craft as a grappler in the Mid Nineties that his promo photo was spotted by two well known West End casting directors, who went on to cast him in a hit Carlton TV series of the time called "Thief Takers," and although it was only a small part with several lines, the acting bug well and truly took hold. To date he has played characters on "EastEnders", "Casualty", "The "Bill" and the "Fast Show" to name but a few.

These days Spirituality plays a very important role in his life, as well as the continued search for deeper knowledge of the world around and beyond us. Hence he has a voracious appetite for books, and lists "The Prince" by Niccolo' Machiavelli and Carlos Castaneda's "Tales of Power" as his two favourites, he also derives much creative inspiration for his writing from daily meditation and some silent contemplation. Music and food are his other great passions and cites the international Reggae superstar Bob Marley as the most inspiring Musical artist of the last fifty years, he also makes more than a nodding reference to the likes of John Mayer, Dennis Brown and that songbird of a songstress Anita Baker, his words. Caribbean cuisine and authentic Spanish Paella satisfy his epicurean palate.

He still resides in his much loved South London, only a stone's throwaway from the home of his favourite Football team Crystal Palace, affectionately known as the Eagles, and is currently working on his next book, which is about the true concept of spirituality, and hopes it will help to make this belief system more easy to understand, by breaking down many of the preconceived taboos, and myths that still surround this ethereal path. As he says "A persons creative possibilities are limited only by their own imagination, so inspire the artist within".