I am an optimistic cynic and dark fantasy author, based on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. My writing is primarily based in the magical, the spiritual, the religious and the arcane with tendencies towards horror, depravity and battles between light and dark. Above all, I try to tell a good yarn with my fiction but I would also like to make people think. Not enough people actually stop to think these days, to make informed decisions for themselves about everything from the brand of soap they buy to the version of deity they choose to believe in.

However, despite many reaffirmations that the large majority of people are complete idiots, I still meet enough good, honest, thoughtful people to maintain a healthy level of optimism. Sometimes it’s hard, but I struggle on. I have two novels published through my own independent publishing company, Blade Red Press, as well as a bunch of short stories published in various places. Along with my fiction writing, I’m a regular contributor to OpEd Magazine, Publetariat, Publishing Renaissance and Metal As Fuck. I’m a member of the Australian Horror Writers Association and The NSW Writers’ Centre.

This website serves two purposes really. One is the obvious shameless self-promotion where I can write about my writing. What more satisfying pastime for a writer is there than that? I publish short stories here, after they’ve been bought by someone else if I’m lucky (Dark Shorts page), there’s a serialised novella called A ‘Verse Full of Scum available for nothing (Serial Novella page) and I keep my legions of fans up to date on what’s happening with my novels (RealmShift page and MageSign page) and any of my other projects (the blog).

(Yes, there are legions of fans, if I say so, and you can’t prove otherwise.)

In the blog, when I have no news of my own to report, I take the opportunity to lampoon idiocy, especially the word abuse so prevalent in our society, and I ramble on about anything writing or story-related. Our world has been built on a foundation of story-telling, from the earliest creation myths to the modern parables found in books and movies, on television shows and the internet. These days story-telling is all around us, in numerous mediums and I love them all.

My first novel, RealmShift, was originally self-published in early 2006 to considerable critical acclaim. It has now been re-issued through my independent publishing company Blade Red Press. You can read a number of reviews and the first three chapters by clicking on the Novels button in the Navigation panel at the top of the sidebar on the left. Or just click right here.

After considerable delays, the sequel to RealmShift was finally released. It’s called MageSign and you can read reviews and opening chapters via the Novels page by clicking the button in the Navigation panel or just click right here. MageSign is available for purchase now, from Amazon and all good book stores.

The front covers of RealmShift and MageSign

I’m always shopping stories out to various magazines (online and print) in the hope that they’ll buy something and publish me. The things on the Dark Shorts page are stories that have been published in some form or other somewhere.

As for other things that fulfill my life, I’m a Personal Trainer and Kung Fu Instructor. Helping people to get themselves in shape and live longer, healthier lives is an extremely satisfying way to earn a living (because, believe me, writing alone doesn’t pay the bills just yet). I’ve been a martial artist for as long as I can remember and can’t imagine a life without Kung Fu. Check the Kung Fu button in the Navigation panel to learn more about that stuff.

This is me at the Choy Lee Fut Ancestral School, in King Mui, China

I also enjoy photography at an amateur level. I’m a huge music fan (by which I mean I really like music, not that I’m huge and a fan of music) and I play guitar. I was in a band for some years, but not any more. There’s simply not enough hours in a day or days in a week to do all the things that I’d like to do.

My band Boneshaker in the early ’90s. That’s me on the right.

I’m a keen motorcyclist. There is no better way to travel as far as I’m concerned and no better way to see a place. I’ve done thousands of kilometres all over Australia and Europe. My next big plan is to ride across the Nullabor. It’s just one of those things that needs to be done.

The other love of my life, my beautiful Yamaha XJR1300

And finally I should mention my long-suffering, ever-supportive wife, Halinka. Why is this suddenly sounding like an acceptance speech at a Narcissists’ Convention? Other than publicly thanking Halinka for putting up with me, I also want to give her another free plug. She’s an outstanding artist and you can see her work on her website, halinka.com.au.

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