The Story of Stephen Reding


'Self-portrait in a Blue Room' by Stephen Reding (2006). Chalk pastel, charcoal pencil. Featured in the book HIT: Once Upon a Field by James Walker.

“What also went on as I grew through my teens was epilepsy. Seizures. Dislocation of joints. EEGs. Brain scans. Pods stuck all over me to monitor my heart. I started to really dislike hospitals. I was sports captain all through school and played basketball for several teams. I most certainly would have been driving as soon as I was old enough. Instead, I was a guinea pig – put on an extremely high dose of anti-epileptic drugs.”

– Stephen Reding, journal entry

About this book

HIT: ONCE UPON A FIELD shines fresh light on the important issues of epilepsy and addiction with a narrative that spans three decades and two continents. This is a book about family. This is a book about Manchester. This is an underground adventure story, in full colour.

Interested in reading more? Buy the book or read a preview online.

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'Untitled 67’ by Stephen Reding (2006). Oil paint on canvas. Featured in the book HIT: Once Upon a Field by James Walker.

'Untitled 41' by Stephen Reding (2004). Oil pastel, pen and ink. Featured in the book HIT: Once Upon a Field by James Walker.

“I used to go out with all my friends, and they would be all experimenting. Not me, though. This was completely out of the question. This went on for some years, where I would watch my friends go wild and have fun. My mum and family would say how strong I was – how well I was dealing with it all. But something was gnawing at me inside. I hated this. I would rebel.”

– Stephen Reding, journal entry

Charities and useful resources

The following organisations may be useful to anyone impacted by the issues addressed in this book:

Epilepsy Foundation logo.

The Epilepsy Foundation is a non-profit that helps people with epilepsy and funds research to stop seizures and save lives.

Frank logo.

Frank is a plain-English drug information service that includes a substance A-Z and safe use guidance, along with other help and advice.

Mind logo.

Mind is a national charity that provides a wide range of support services to people experiencing mental health issues.


About the author

James Walker is an editor, journalist, and author from Manchester, England.

James Walker is the author of HIT: Once Upon a Field.

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Contact

Email contact@paintingtheartist.com.

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