becoming a writer

“Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was in vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.” (T.E. Lawrence).

Lawrence’s words have long inspired me to pursue a passion for writing, the genesis of which has shaped my creative process for decades. I have been writing fiction a very long time. I wrote my first short story as a twelve year old, when I was housebound for a number of months due to ill health. The story was about strange green slime and the mysterious disappearance, one by one, of the siblings who stumbled upon the substance. Writing was a form of escape for me back then, processing emotions experienced in ‘real’ life within the landscape of my overly active mind. The isolation fed my imagination. I created my first world – aliens, languages, culture - as a fourteen year old. I wrote my first ever novella as a parting gift for my favourite librarian and it still sits on the shelves of her old haunting ground at my former high school.

Moving to Melbourne in late 2004 motivated me to shift from HP Lovecraft style published short stories and poetry to full length features, though I continue to write short stories when my mood demands that form of artistic outlet. My favourite short story composed in recent years was about a giant spider that believed it was a cat. My first novel was published in late 2009, a philosophical piece contemplating the question what defines the core essence of an individual. I am now writing my second novel in the fantasy genre exploring the mythology of gods. I have to admit I write under a pseudonym as a way of keeping my professional career and my other passion separate. That, and it is really hard to explain what the hell Barney the giant spider says about me.