About

You know, I always dread it when people say, ‘So, tell me about yourself.’

Ummm . . . okay . . . what exactly is it that they would want to know? And why do they want to know it?

Well folks, to be honest, I’ve never really been the type of person who could talk about himself easily, mainly because I’ve never really thought that there was much to talk about! I’m willing to try anything once though . . . so we’ll see how we go, huh?

I guess the answer to those questions will depend on a lot of things . . . like the setting or the company being kept at the time.

And then, how much exactly does one share? Should we start at the very beginning and give every little detail, right down to shoe size? Or do we just throw out a few facts and figures, just enough to let folks get a general idea and form an image in their mind; then perhaps leak a few more tidbits if and when the interest level proves great enough?

I have to say, being the reserved kind of person that I am, I think I much prefer the latter of those two options. So now, for better or for worse, here is my story . . . or as much as you’re going to find out in one sitting . . . as one of my newer characters says.

First things first . . . I’m Australian. I’m a country boy. I’ve spent most of my life living on a small farm near to the town where I did most of my growing up (pop. about 20,000) and most of my stories are set in rural places just like this town. These days I like to travel around a bit and have been stopping in various locations I’ve taken a fancy to and spending some time there, before setting out in search of the next gem.

For as long as I can remember I loved reading and even as a kid I liked writing . . . one time I even tried to get one of my school exercise books into my mothers typewriter so I could write a book! Go figure!

During high school I did quite a bit of writing, though always under the pen-name of ‘Anonymous’. I remember being quite chuffed when something I had written was accepted for the School Year Book (a couple of poems I think it was). This was all before the days of computers and my girlfriend of the time would type them up for me (practice for when she would become a secretary she said — she later became a nurse instead! lol).

Girlfriend, I hear you ask? Yeah, well, what can I say! Of course I knew I was gay back then, but hey, there are images to uphold, you know!

After high school the need to earn a living became apparent and so I moved away for about three years to work in a department store. The only writing I seemed to do during that time was to my girlfriend, but like most long distance relationships that didn’t last for long, so that writing quickly dried up as well.

In the mid-1990’s I changed jobs, into one where computers were an integral part, discovered the internet and thought, ‘Wow!’

In the late 1990’s I stumbled across the Nifty web site, being both excited and at the same time occasionally appalled at what I read there, and so I decided to give writing another go, with my first story, ‘After We Danced’ being posted not long after that!

As most of my readers would know, my stories tend to be more about the story than the sex. As a rule they don’t contain too much graphic sex and are more about love and hope and understanding and acceptance.

Like most writers I have ambitions of one day being published, one way or another, but I’m not holding my breath waiting for that to happen. In the mean time, my main desire is to provide readers with an enjoyable story that takes them on a ride to some place they haven’t been before!

If you read my stories I can only hope that you enjoy them!

Oh, and by the way . . . my shoe size is 10 ½!  😉

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Over the past few years (since I first started posting my stories) I’ve been asked quite a few questions, so what I have done is put some of these into a Q & A type format, which will also tell you a little about me. I’ve also added a link to my LiveJournal (although that will most likely be shut down once this new blog starts up!)

There’s nothing here to go and get excited about really… trust me! I just hope that it isn’t too boring for you all…

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Q. How old are you?
A. Far too old! Actually, I will hit the Big 5-0 in 2013! Scary ain’t it?

Q. Do you really live in Australia? Or do you just like writing about it?
A. Yup. Sure do. I spent most of my life living in a country town in the northern part of the state of New South Wales (the state that Sydney is the capitol of).

Q. So, what’s with the ‘Ponyboy’ thing?
A. C’mon now… get your minds out of the gutter! It’s not what you’re thinking! Unless of course you were thinking about a book called ‘The Outsiders’ (hehe). See, we read that way back when I was in school, and there was a character in there named ‘Ponyboy’… and seeing as my family owned horses (and still do), some smart-arse called me that once, and it kinda stuck… not that I minded that much… it was a good book (and a great movie). So there you have it… that’s where it came from.

Q. What made you start writing?
A. It was something that I enjoyed doing years ago, but never ever kept going with. But when I first found these type of stories on the internet I got the bug again. I guess that I reckoned that this was something I could enjoy doing! I was right!

Q. Do you have a boyfriend or partner?
A. Well, let’s just say I’m still living in hope! lol

Q. Where do the ideas for your stories come from?
A. Well, some of the things that have happened in my stories have actually happened to either myself or to people I know, but most of it is just from my imagination… which sometimes tends to work overtime.

Q. Are you going to continue with the characters and storyline that started with ‘After We Danced’ and finished with ‘Thompsonville’?
A. For the time being I’ll just sit tight with these. As of now (July 2012) ‘Thompsonville’ is almost finished, with the last two chapters set to be posted this month. After that I’m going to take a break from these guys for a little while at least, so I can work on some of the other unfinished stories I have. I do have some big plans in mind involving these guys and these stories though, which will be announced when the time is right! 😉

Q. So, does Thompsonville actually exist?
A. Not really. It’s sort of modelled on a town I visited a few times as a kid, with a few other bits and pieces of other coastal towns I know thrown in for good measure.

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These were just a few questions that I’ve been asked, so I hope that’s enough for you for starters. If anyone has any other questions they want to ask, please feel free to send them to me . . . I’ll do my best to answer them.

If you want to contact me you can email me at . . . mp_ponyboy@hotmail.com