Rugby man inspired to write book after travelling the world - now he's back home for its launch

Luke Hartnack will be celebrating the launch of his first anthology this month with a showcase taking place at The Barn in Houlton.

The book, called ‘The Evolution of a Soul’ is Luke’s first published works and will be celebrated in an exhibition hosted May 17 and May 24.

Taking place between 10am – 8pm, the exhibition will feature some of the 33 poems from the book, and Luke will be on hand to guide visitors through the work by offering a deeper insight and perspective.

The anthology includes a foreword by prolific peace activist Satish Kumar and illustrations by illustrator Stella Perret.

Luke said: “I am over the moon to be back in Rugby to launch ‘The Evolution of a Soul’.

Rugby is my home, I started out here before leaving home at 19 to travel across the world, and it’s heart-warming to be back in the community to celebrate this achievement and give back to my people.

“I’ve been on quite the journey since I first embarked on my travels, a beautiful exploration of the world and my place within it.

"This book is not only a celebration of that but a reflection of where I’ve come from, the experiences, what I’ve learned and who I’ve connected with along the way.

“My journey and my travels have made me look back and think about where I’ve come from. It’s helped me to reflect and to heal, and I want this collection to do the same for others, to make them stop and think.

“I wrote my first poem ‘The Importance of Reflection’ in 2017 and have collected inspirations since then to curate my first anthology.

"This book will take the reader on a four-year journey in poetry form, and I can’t wait for people to savour and enjoy it.”

On display at the exhibition and available to purchase, will be the original artwork from illustrator and ‘The Evolution of a Soul’ collaborator Stella Perret.

Luke has vowed to donate 20 per cent of all proceeds made from sales of the book to Rugby community initiatives.

Email [email protected] to learn more about booking The Barn for an event.