Contemporary, gripping, raw.
Philip Mack is a new author. Born and brought up in Scotland but of mixed ethnicity, he draws on his own personal experiences to form captivating, relatable stories.
He conveys contemporary realities, reflecting modern day relationships, whilst considering day-to-day issues experienced by a twenty-first century generation.
Philip has always had an interest in writing. For him it was always a way to express himself. In his younger days, he'd write poems and short stories or passages.
It wasn't until a short story competition in 2013, that he produced anything of note. He won the competition through Marine Society, under the banner of 'Life at Sea.'
A Watchkeeper's Arms is a short tale of long-distance relationships, and the challenges they pose. The main character is working at sea in the Merchant Navy and his girlfriend is stuck at home in the real world.
After winning the short story competition, Philip was enthused to write his first novel.
Born to a Scottish father and a Filipino mother and growing up in the outskirts of Edinburgh, he is passionate about the beauty and wonder of Scotland and is keen to represent it in the literary world.
Adventure has always been a huge part of his life. In particular, travel is something which he holds in very high regard. Being mixed race also allows him to blend with many cultures around the world and experience life as a local, even in a foreign land.
Those experiences are what inspire him, and where he can absorb life, in order to reiterate it into the pages of a book.
This Past Year is based mostly in the Central Belt of Scotland - between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It's not a traditional romance in any sense. It's full of pitfalls, insecurities and personal demons. It demonstrates that relationships in this day and age are not as straightforward as they used to be.
Bangkok Teardrops is far from the stereotypical travellers story.
Being set in Thailand, it's not what you'd expect to read about regarding a young single man visiting for the first time.
What you'll find is an unexpected story of infatuation, betrayal and tragedy.
Ultimately, it's a story about love.