About
I’m an Australian computer programmer and science fiction writer. I love travelling and have visited more than 100 countries.
My Books
My kids’ non-fiction book, Mind-controlling Bugs, was published by Hardie Grant Explore in 2025. It was illustrated by Astred Hicks and features descriptions of real life parasites.
I’m the author and editor of The Writer’s Book of Doubt, a collection of essays for writers with tips on how to deal with rejection and self-doubt. It was illustrated by Kathleen Jennings and has articles by Martha Wells, R.F. Kuang, Fonda Lee and many others.
Along with E. Catherine Tobler and Rachael K. Jones, I co-edited Sword and Sonnet, a World Fantasy Award nominated anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories about battle poets.
The Science Fiction Writer’s Hierarchy of Doubt
I’m also known for The Science Fiction Writer’s Hierarchy of Doubt which shows that a writer’s problems never end.
Short Stories, Articles and Award Nominations
I’ve had over 100 short stories and articles published in magazines, web sites and newspapers. I’ve been a finalist for the World Fantasy Awards, the Aurealis Awards, the Ditmar Awards and the XYZZY awards. Several of my stories have received honorable mentions in Year’s Best SF anthologies and I was the youngest writer to have an entry in the Encyclopedia of Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy.
For a list of my short stories see my Fiction Bibliography. Links to my articles can be found on my Non-Fiction Bibliography.
I’ve had articles and stories translated into Finnish, Mandarin, Romanian, Polish, Hebrew, Catalan and Galician.
Background
I did a computer science degree at Monash University in Melbourne. After university I worked for an Australian computer games company as a programmer and designer. I’ve also worked as a software consultant and web site programmer. I lived in Osaka in for 4 years and worked as an English teacher. In 2009 I attended the Clarion South science fiction writing workshop in Brisbane.
I have an entry in the Internet Movie Database. (For a computer game I worked on). My IF game (written in TADS), Bolivia By Night was nominated for 2 XYZZY awards.
Some of the interesting places I’ve visited include: North Korea, Belarus, the Galapagos and Transnistria (not officially a real country). I did volunteer work in Bolivia for a short time as a journalist for The Llama Express, a Bolivian English-language newspaper.
(Photo by Cat Sparks)
Interviews
Something Bugging You?: Helen Stubbs interviewed me about Mind-controlling Bugs
Bootstrapped: A tech podcast interviewed me about The Writer’s Book of Doubt and self-publishing.
Every Country in the World: A travel web site interviewed me about some of my travel experiences.
Australian Spec Fic Snapshot 2020: Tehani Croft interviewed me as part of an overview of Australian sff writers.
The Writer’s Book of Doubt Interview: Kat Clay interviewed me about habits for writers.
Quick Questions: Charles Payseur interviewed me about editing Sword and Sonnet.
Australian Spec Fic Snapshot 2016: Helen Stubbs interviewed me as part of an overview of Australian sf writers.
Lightspeed Author Spotlight: Beneath the Silent Stars Interview
Australian Spec Fic Snapshot 2014: David McDonald interviewed me as part of an overview of Australian sf writers.
Counting Ninjas: In Conversation with Aidan Doyle: Cosmos interviewed me about Reading By Numbers, writing and my travel experiences.
Goldfish Grimm’s Spicy Fiction Sushi: The Executioner’s Hat Interview
Lightspeed Author Spotlight : Ghost River Red Interview
Flying Monkey Drive-By: Angela Slatter interviewed me on her blog.
Children Sometimes Notice Things Adults Don’t: Fantasy Magazine interviewed me about my Japanese gods story.
Writing By Numbers: Fantasy Magazine interviewed me about my numbers story.