Unreformed hoarder I grew up in and around Burnley, Lancashire which is in the North of England. I spent a lot of time in the local library and the bookstore, mostly reading SF and Fantasy. Having taken so much from the genre, I think it`s about time I put something back - at least that`s what I tell my wife. I like big ideas infused with realism and I`m inspired by fantastic themes set within a realistic context; e.g. Sandman, Lucifer, Fables. These treatments fascinate me. I`m also a fan of Golden Age SF and admire works such as Dune, Starship Troopers and Lord of the Rings. Sometimes I showcase my stuff on my blog. I`ve no agent or publisher (diy doesn`t count) and I write under my real name. In a parallel life I`m a CIMA qualified Management Accountant which means I get to use spreadsheets (yippee!). I have four children, three dogs, two cats and a long suffering wife. For the really anal, I do process mapping, spreadsheet modelling, management reporting and costing systems. ©

I have been a knowledge enthusiast since I was a boy.The new discovery of concepts like programming and other computer technology has provided me new opportunities to implement my hobby of continual learning and problem solving. ©

Data manager with Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Work with the USIO of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, a National Science Foundation supported scientific deep sea drilling effort. ©