Father, son, uncle, friend, colleague, reader, semi-scientist, cricket tragic - and writer.

My upbringing was on a sheep farm in the deep south of New Zealand/Aotearoa, the eldest of six children.

After graduating from Lincoln University (near Christchurch, quite a bit further up the South Island), I worked, travelled (doing my O.E. [overseas experience] as many New Zealanders do in their 20s and 30s) and worked, lots more.

By my imprecise reckoning I have been employed, or self-employed in 36 and a half jobs. The ‘half’ was taking a metre high pile of science research papers and writing “400 Plus - a guide to improved lamb growth for farmers and advisors”‍ .

Among these roles have been labouring, oil rig roughneck, salesman, executive director, journalism and marketing. I am unsure whether it is a good or bad thing that I was never fired from any of them. ‍

My four children are all adults, and along with four grandchildren, scattered around New Zealand and the world.

I have been blessed to have had relationships with some wonderful women (whether they feel the same way in reverse… well there’s always room for debate more particularly on their side).

Finally, in my last year at high school I told my mother “I want to be a writer when I grow up.”

This seems to have taken a long time and an extraordinarily short life span!