West: A Pete Geall Anthology

'West' is a collection of ten short stories set amongst the coastline of my home in West Cornwall. Visually it is bought to life by the work of Imogen Allen, Luke Gartside, Jack Johns, Al Mackinnon, Maisie Marshall, and Will Ritson.

In the introduction I describe the Penwith peninsula as a ‘Petri-dish’ of concentrated Cornwall - I find its blend of contradictions and natural beauty endlessly fascinating. Above all, 'West' is a celebration of local surf culture which has bought me so much joy in my life.

The concept for the book was hatched over a pint at the Swordfish in my home of Newlyn, with Cornish publisher James Meredew. By the second beer we already had a working title, a list of contributors we wanted to get involved and an idea of how we wanted to present the work. The paper stock we used for the cover actually has spent brewer’s grain in it, so it’s a kind of nod to that moment of conception.

Every contributor has their own personal connection to the County and I love how that is conveyed through their individual work. My hope is we have produced a modest little book that will serve as a portal to transport people to a clifftop overlooking the roaring Atlantic.

‘Man Down’ provide informal peer-support talking groups all over Cornwall for men with mental health concerns. I believe in normalising conversations about mental health and more broadly about what modern masculinity means. It is my sincere hope that my support of this cause can help contribute to that discussion.

During the past year my mental health took a knock when a long-term relationship came to an end. Up until that point I’d lived a fairly charmed life: middle-class upbringing, cruising from one good thing to the next. Without much thought, the persona that I chose to present to the world was one of strength without much space for vulnerability: An athletic lifeguard, fearless surfer or talented writer. It wasn’t until I was confronted by one of the major storms of life that I realised how fragile those constructs were.

Producing this book has been a way of owning that vulnerability and presenting it as a part of me. A part of me that is much more indicative of the kind of masculinity I want to represent than any big wave I’ve ridden. Embodying tolerance, empathy and self-compassion are far higher ideals for us all to strive towards than any physical prowess, I think many blokes struggle with that. I certainly did.

I think that specialness is incredibly difficult to define and is, in part, why Cornwall has been a source of creative inspiration for so many. In a way, the stories and artwork in West are a collective attempt to capture that spirit.

My hope through my words is that I’ve been able to present tight vignettes of the Cornish surf experience that really resonate with people. Whether that is the springtime smell of gorse and suncream or the sight of a winter wave contorting itself down the reef at Porthleven in a plume of spit and frothed anger.

The scope of the book is intentionally narrow. By really zero-ing in on the subject of local surf culture we have been able to create a book that is far more expansive than I’d originally envisioned.

In regards to my personal favourite, I think two stories stand out for me. One details a secluded cove that has become synonymous with social-media fuelled overcrowding during the summer months. The concept of technological change picking at the seams of our shared spaces and identity is a topic that speaks to many people.

The final story ‘A Harbour Affair’ is about my relationship with the surf break at Porthleven and a broader reflection of aging and things coming to pass. It’s a place and community that has given me so much and I feel its an accurate portrayal of the collective dedication of the ‘Cornish Surfer’.

We are a committed bunch, that much I know.