Biography

Pic by Kirstyn McDermott

I grew up on a Queensland cattle property and worked as a newspaper journalist from 1989 to 2021. When at Brisbane’s Courier-Mail I wrote about and reviewed books, music and live entertainment.

My wife and fellow writer Kirstyn McDermott and I moved to Ballarat in 2013.

In 2011-15, I was the editor for Queensland Writers Centre’s magazine Writing Queensland, and also provide freelance editing, proofing and manuscript appraisal services.

I’ve written four novels (the first expanded from a novella written with my then girlfriend Mil Clayton; it has also sold to Germany) and more than 20 short stories. Please see the bibliography page for my publishing history.

Academic qualifications

In 2019, I was conferred with a PhD (research) in creative writing, centred on climate change fiction, from The University of Queensland.
In 2008, I was conferred with a Master of Arts (research) in creative writing, with a focus on Australian vampire Gothic, from the Queensland University of Technology.
I graduated from what is now Central Queensland University in Rockhampton with a BA with distinction in 1989.

Community involvement

My wife and I founded Words Out Loud, a monthly spoken word event in Ballarat, in 2016, and continue to run it.
I’ve served on the committee of Ballarat Writers as communications officer, and helped establish the weekly Write Club that still runs.
I was director of the Aurealis Awards in 2004 and have served on various judging panels as convenor and member.
I maintain memberships with the Australian Society of Authors, Writers Victoria, Ballarat Writers and Ballarat Arts Alliance.

Workshops, panels and presentations

I have run workshops on aspects of writing for Bendigo Writers Council, Logan libraries and Bundaberg’s WriteFest, been a guest at events including literary festivals including the Brisbane WF, Melbourne WF, Newcastle WF and Emerging WF, and been a panellist at many genre conventions, including the World Science Fiction Convention, World Fantasy Convention, Continuum, Conflux and Conjure.
I’ve also presented at academic conferences in Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane and Auckland.

Audio appearances
I’ve been a guest on radio in Brisbane, Melbourne and Ballarat, and on podcasts. Here’s a sample: