A head for writing.
Born of immeasurable imagination.
Writing has been a passion and a skill that served me well through my childhood, schooling days, and the various industries I’ve worked through adulthood.
Unfinished novels, story ideas, notes, and a collection of poetry litter my digital and physical storage spaces. But the author in me kept alive for decades, steadily growing and maturing, until I could wade into my hoard of material and transform them into completed works. Nothing unusual there for writer-type people, I’d wager.
The intention to be published as an author proper was realised in 2018 when Being Dusty was released, followed by Creation begins with you in 2021, and Level Up in 2022.
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Origins
How did it begin?
As a child, books were my go-to place of safety. There I found my adventures, my experiences, and my knowledge. I hid from the world, an introvert of fairly epic proportions, shying away from the drama of childhood and finding reprieve in the stories spun by wordsmiths as Roald Dahl, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Jules Verne, the variety of fantasy world stories from the DragonLance series, the kids tales spun by Enid Blyton, and the various authors who were Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dickson.
I started my first novel, a fantastic sci-fi saga, as a child and have penned a variety of stories, shorts and longs, and poems from then until now.
To date, I’ve published a few works, and have earned my keep penning articles, shorts, poetry, and ghost-writing.
The first book
I began my first novel when I was about six years old. It was originally a futuristic sci-fi tale, detailing the origins of a team of young heroes who I would develop over the next decade and a half. In time, some of the plot points were loosely inspired by the RoboTech saga. Fantasy elements joined the story later, influenced by my fanatism with the DragonLance series of books. The story has of course evolved and has yet to be completed, and simply serves to demonstrate a common trend with my work; for decades, nothing ever got finished.
I did publish some poetry and short stories in anthologies and magazines, but it wouldn’t be until 2018 that I finally released a book as a fully fledged author.
My first publicly available book is called Being Dusty. It was initially provided for free through email, before being published as a Kindle ebook.
Enter a different world
published books
short stories
poems
Biography
I am a bit of a mimic. Depending on what I’m currently reading, my writing style adapts accordingly. Over the course of my life, and as I’ve uncovered my skills, these various styles have become a part of me. Mostly, nowadays, I write from a first-person perspective in a flitty and exaggerated manner, often liberally sprinkled with humour, aggressively compounding sentences with reckless abandon and an abundance of commas.
Various books have been in the works for a long, long, long time. In 2018, however, I got a bee in my bonnet and decided it was time to get my work out there. Being Dusty was something I wrote over a couple weeks from start to finish, to publish for the burner community. A few years after, Creation begins with you was made available on Amazon (as an ebook and soft cover) on my birthday in 2021.
Level Up was added to the Creation begins series, together with a revised edition of the first book, in 2022.
Being More Dusty may follow, as an expanded and revised version of the original with a greater focus on other key, influencing events in my life.
The journey continues
Writing has always been my first love and passion. The ability to forge adventures and worlds, wielding words like an edged weapon or a mystical wand, journeying through imagined lands, and sharing those tales; this is a power I hold in high regard.
There are many novels awaiting completion, eager to fly forth into the arms of potential readers, and since 2020, I’ve been committed to seeing that dream true, with the intention of releasing at least one new book every year going forward.
Life as a writer
Writing has always been an integral part of my life, coming in handy in virtually every aspect, whether it was communication with clients, documenting projects, or creating and editing content.
To keep the composition muscles firmed and toned, I write micro-blog snippets weekly, meant to humour and inspire. These are posted to as Idle Thoughts and Creation.begins inspirations.
I also love writing the odd short just for the fun of it and to keep the composition muscles firm. If you have any ideas that you would like formed into story, please send in your ideas. I’ll write them up and post them publicly on this website, crediting you, of course.
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Below you will find a timeline of my noteworthy writing exploits to date.
“Under the Autumn leaves, I wait, hidden from the world. Prone, silent, intently watching you walk by. Closer. Waiting.”
October 2022Level Up
Published my third book to Amazon Kindle.
A companion to Creation begins, this book is a love note to myself and others, encouraging us to live our fullest lives.February 2021Creation begins with you
Published my second book to Amazon Kindle.
Bringing together my experience as a coach and mentor, this book is a foundational guide to getting back into the driver's seat of your own life.August 2018Being Dusty
Published my first book to Amazon Kindle.
A summary of the principles that underlie the AfrikaBurn event, held annually in the Karoo, Western Cape of South Africa.1983The Author Awakens
Inspired by the writings of the era, I desired, for no reason other than the love of writing, to one day publish my own works.
1977Sploosh
breathed my first breath
