The most important questions anyone should ask when deciding to read something are who is the writer and why should you care enough to read what they’ve written. Or at least, that’s the assumption I’m going with. Time is short, and most people don’t want to read everything on the internet. Knowing the author, knowing they have something worth saying gives a reader the sense that what they write is worth reading. That’s an important distinction, because no one likes to start an article or blog posting, get halfway through, and realize what they’re reading is total rubbish and stop. Hopefully, if you’ve come this far, you think what I’ve got to say might be worth reading. If not, well, knowing a bit more about me might make it seem that way to you. Or you might run away screaming, but that’s between you and your pharmacologist really.

As for who I am and why you should read what I write, that’s no easy pitch to sell. There are countless writers out there, many quite good, no few quite terrible. They tell us when we are children that we are all unique and special, but they also tell you that the Tooth Fairy takes your teeth and gives you cash. Let’s face it, I’m not special or unique, but I do think I’ve got an irreverent humor, an introspective approach, and a wide and varied experience to base my writing on.

I’m going to go out on a limb and try to profile my audience a bit. If you’re reading this, you probably scale more to the ‘nerd’ side than not. You probably have at least some interest in space, science or just good stories that take place a long time ago or somewhere far far away. What that means to me is… well, you’re probably a little like me. You might go to work at a normal day job, but in your free time, you like to escape to other worlds. Like me, you’ve probably lived vicariously through movies, books and even games in countless adventures, journeys and battles.

Frankly, that’s what stories are all about, for me. The stories that grip you by the throat and don’t let go until you turn the last page. The stories that make you laugh, or cry, or just giggle a little maniacally. In real life we can’t be an eight-limbed alien who tries to live by a moral code not his own or a psychic who bends people to her will, or even a bioengineered assassin who cooks like a gourmet chef. But we can stand in their shoes and see the world through their eyes. Sometimes all we need is to live like that for a few moments in our own minds; to go to a distant place and be someone else for a few moments.

This is why I write. I can go those places in my own (sometimes twisted) imagination and (hopefully) share them with dozens or hundreds of people. I can take things I seen and people I know in my own life, mix and mash them with bits of science or news I’ve read, and spit out settings and characters that feel real; ordinary yet drawn to the extraordinary. And yeah, at a certain point, I end up laying my heart, mind and soul bare for strangers I’ll never meet… because, well, it’s just amazing to have an entire universe inside my head and I want to share it with you.

What do I offer? I write stories to be entertaining, maybe a little educational, and even to give a little inspiration. I love the stories of the underdog, the born loser who fights back against the unbeatable foe. I value vivid storytelling, detailed settings, strong characterization and elaborate plots. That’s what I offer from my writing and I think that’s what people want to read: a good story that has awesome characters in an exciting world where life and events aren’t always simple.

So, step into my world, and let me know what you think.