PRIDE MONTH FEATURE PITCH: HOW WRITING THE HOLLOW VALE SAVED MY LIFE: Queer Author Alexander Paul Burton on Mental Health, Masculinity, and the Power of Fantasy
Thursday 29 May, 2025
PRIDE MONTH FEATURE PITCH: HOW WRITING THE HOLLOW VALE SAVED MY LIFE
Queer Author Alexander Paul Burton on Mental Health, Masculinity, and the Power of Fantasy
For Men’s Health, Mental Wellness & Pride Features
Writing as Healing: Alexander Paul Burton opens up about estrangement from family, mental health struggles, and using storytelling as a form of psychological resilience.
Neurodivergent and Proud: Living with focus and spelling challenges, he uses AI tools and alternative routines to stay productive — reframing tech as a support, not a crutch.
Emotional Fitness for Men: Burton advocates for redefining masculinity through softness, vulnerability, and creative strength — a perspective inspired by his own journey.
What Is The Hollow Vale?
A queer fantasy novel set in a post-Roman Britain inspired by Burton’s childhood in Somerset. It blends myth, memory, and mental health in a lyrical, character-driven story about grief, survival, and chosen family.
“I didn’t write The Hollow Vale to be successful. I wrote it to stay alive.”
Masculinity, Reimagined as a Gay Male
No macho posturing — just quiet bravery.
Characters cry, make mistakes, heal.
Fantasy that lets boys and men feel deeply.
Queer identity and male tenderness are front and centre.
Topics Journalists Can Explore
How self-publishing gave Burton a voice after years of silence
The link between estrangement, depression, and creative breakthrough
What it means to be a neurodivergent man in a hyper-competitive industry
How fantasy worlds can offer therapy without stigma
The rituals and routines he uses to stay mentally well — from music to movement
Quotes to Pull
“Masculinity doesn’t have to mean silence.”
“There’s no mental gym for young queer men — so I built one in a book.”
“Focus, grief, shame, survival — The Hollow Vale is where I put it all.”
“Self-publishing saved me. It gave me structure when nothing else did.”
“Being queer and neurodivergent doesn’t make you broken — it means you build things differently.”
Wellness Extras
Burton has composed original music albums to accompany the book — soundscapes for meditation, emotional regulation, and focus.
He’s launching a podcast called Marketing For New Musicians: Stop Pissing Your Money Up the Wall, discussing mental clarity, budgeting, and self-belief for creative men.
Interview Availability
Alexander now lives in Toronto and is available for interviews by Zoom or podcast, especially around:
Distributed by Pressat
