I remember loving stories from an early age. Not surprising considering both my parents were (and still are) avid readers. A chalk-toting, guitar-slinging teacher and a koala in a green and gold tracksuit initiated me into the craft of story telling aged ten. Since then the hunger for words has never truly been sated.
As Writer
In 2008 I returned to writing after working my way through a kaleidoscope of jobs which never cut it like writing did, freed from the daily grind of making money to care for my son.
Famous for saying “But I don’t write sci-fi” my efforts now centre on penning short speculative fiction, in a unique genre known to those close to me as ‘dark, weird shit.” My stories continue to be influenced by the themes of love, loss, betrayal, the dynamics of power, time travel and the eternal question what if?
Forever mystress to the voices in my head, my stories have appeared in anthologies in four countries, including The Best of Friday Flash, Thieves and Scoundrels, 50 Stories for Pakistan, Dead Red Heart and Hope.
In 2011 the Chair of Fabulous Queensland named me the 2nd recipient of the Kris Hembury Encouragement Award for Emerging Artist at the Aurealis Awards in Sydney.
As Editor & Publisher
In 2008 Paul Anderson and I founded eMergent Publishing with the vision of providing new writers with an opportunity to not only be published, but to work collaboratively with other writers and in close partnership with an editor. In 2012 we enter our fourth year of making books which push the boundaries of collaborative writing and the short story and anthology forms under the Chinese Whisperings and Literary Mix Tapes. eMergent Publishing also hosts the writing blog Write Anything.
My passion for big ideas has seen me create and co-edit Chinese Whisperings’ The Red Book and The Ying & Yang Book, Literary Mix Tapes’ Deck the Halls, Nothing But Flowers and Eighty Nine. In 2011 I edited E.J. Newman’s From Dark Places and provided editorial and publishing support for the charity anthology 100 Stories for Queensland.
In 2012
The Year of the Dragon is my year for putting the pieces together (thus the change of name for my blog). Of writing dangerously, creating a harmonious relationship between writing and editing/publishing, while ensuring there is plenty of sweet relief to compliment life on and off the page.
I plan to complete my birthpunk novella, compete regularly in the Form and Genre Challenge and submit stories to anthologies here and abroad, in concert with editing new anthologies from the Literary Mix Tapes and Chinese Whisperings imprint, co-producing a film project with Devin Watson (@dklon) and maintaining my position as Deputy Editor and contributing columnist at Write Anything.
Share the Passion…
Are you a writer?
Read my 21 tips for all genres and forms of writing, peruse the year’s Form and Genre Challenges or sign up for a writing workshop.
A reader?
Enjoy some free fiction or stop in at the bookstore to peruse the shelves and consider supporting emerging writers and small press by buying a book.
