As a child, my mother would give me a gold star if I completed household chores. Five stars could be exchanged for a prize. It took until puberty to realise that this was not a special tradition unique to our household, but a common bribery tactic adopted by many parents. I learnt that my friends would receive candy and chocolate, whereas I would receive golden books.
I pitied my friends. I was lucky – candy and chocolate are temporary. Anyone that has ever read Harry Potter as a child will tell you that books are forever.
I loved my golden book collection. Crouched upon the forest-green carpet of our living room, I would line up my books end to end across the room. I would then start at the top and read my way down the line. My love for books and collecting books has never wavered since.
I never considered writing as a pathway and pursued a career in civil engineering. The rigid, logical, mathematical world of construction proved to be the ideal unexpected environment to prompt me to search for a creative outlet. Presently, I am more George R.R. Martin than Stephen King, as I write my first novel whilst simultaneously circumnavigating Australia in a van, undertaking multi-day hikes and visiting craft breweries.