Many writers have shared their thoughts with the public:

"There are two kinds of writer: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder." - Brian Aldiss

"Writing is not a genteel profession; it's quite nasty and tough and kind of dirty." - Rosemary Mahoney

"Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own." - Carol Burnett

"Those who write clearly have readers. Those who write obscurely have commentators." -Albert Camus

"If writers stopped writing about what happened to them, then there would be a lot of empty pages." - Elaine Liner

"When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing." - Enrique Jardiel Poncela

"Proofread carefully to see if you any words out." - Anon

My Non-Fiction

Most of the writings listed below are included in my ebooks. See the 'My Books' tab.

I write my own material - I don't hire ghostwriters or use AI software.

Articles are often edited before being published, sometimes in consultation with the writer but usually not. If you look up one of my articles online, it may have some changes from what I originally wrote e.g. an editor may have moved a paragraph to the start or removed some material. Often, an editor will have chosen or changed the title.

Some publications pay for contributions; some don't. I've labelled entries with a $ sign below where I was paid. In recent years, I've also received an annual payment from the Copyright Agency Ltd (CAL). They have an Annual Writers Distribution scheme.

• Sliding Door Moments (memoir, 800 words, 2025)
• Parallel Lives (memoir, 500 words, 2025)
• Our Team: Inadvertent Rebels\Trailblazers (memoir, 1764 words, 2025)
• Improv article 5 (165 words, 2025)
• Improv article 4 (197 words, 2025)
• Improv article 3 (178 words, 2025)
• Improv article 2 (177 words, 2025) published
• Improv article 1 (186 words, 2025)
• Xenohunters New Improved Rulebook v2 (32,382 words, 2025) - click to download
• Christmas Newsletter 2024 (588 words, 2024)
• Don't Talk at Kindergarten! (memoir, 796 words, 2024)
• Christmas Newsletter 2023 (485 words, 2023)
• Christmas Newsletter 2022 (425 words, 2022)
• Christmas Newsletter 2021 (575 words, 2021)
• Christmas Newsletter 2020 (505 words, 2020)
• Life With a Ragdoll (609 words, 2020) - published in NWG anthology 2020
• Long-Haired Cats (4291 words, 2020)
• Steve Jackson's Game Design Workshop (492 words, 2020)
• Christmas Newsletter 2019 (494 words, 2019)
• Christmas Newsletter 2018 (578 words, 2018)
• Tapestry article (2000 words, 2018)
• Anaesthesia for Operations (15,249 words, 2018)
• Christmas Newsletter 2017 (598 words, 2017)
• Writers' Handbook (10,334 words, 2017)
• Book Review of To Love, Honour and Betray by Kathy Lette (362 words, 2017)
• The Danger of a Small Rock (memoir, 11,100 words, 2017)
• A Question of Informed Consent (memoir, 18,548 words, 2017)
• A 20 Year Mystery (memoir, 7658 words, 2017)
• Christmas Newsletter 2016 (554 words, 2016)
• Kittydotes: a collection of cat anecdotes (5991 words, 2016)
• Grandma Violet (memoir, 794 words, 2016) - published in ZineWest 2016, but I later corrected a small portion
• Christmas Newsletter 2015 (454 words, 2015)
• Travelling Across the USA Three Months After 9/11 (3962 words, 2015)
• The Difference Between Fiction and Reality (708 words, 2015)
• A Special Trip to Canberra (1095 words, 2015)
• I Tied an Onion to my Belt (2015)
• Christmas Newsletter 2014 (505 words, 2014)
• A Glimpse Into Islam (1201 words, 2014)
• Christmas Newsletter 2013 (588 words, 2013)
• Ironic Observations (199 words, 2013)
• Book Review of 2048 by Richard Lawrence (361 words, 2013) - published on the NSW Writers' Centre blog
• Zoo Report (439 words, 2013)
• Jaz (204 words, 2013)
• A Failed Romance (memoir, 396 words, 2012)
• Book Review of From Dinosaur to Dynamite: The Secret of Joyful Sex by Patricia Murray-Chute (408 words, 2012)
• Book Review of Turquoise by Ayshe Talay-Ongan (360 words, 2012) - published in the Newsbite e-newsletter 14/2/2012
• Christmas Newsletter 2011 (265 words, 2011)
• Book Review of Born to Run by John M. Green (449 words, 2011) - published in the Partners In Crime newsletter Sep 2011
• Book Review of Blotch by Monica Lizama (156 words, 2011) - published in the Newsbite e-newsletter 25/7/11
• Modernised Phonetic Alphabet (79 words, 2011)
• PIs Vs Police Detectives (457 words, 2011)
• Losing the Plot (and Re-creating It) (1024 words, 2011)
• Book Review: Demichat and the Kent St Mystery by Toni Brisland (161 words, 2011) - published in the Newsbite e-newsletter 18/4/11
• Christmas Newsletter 2010 (161 words, 2010)
• Character Building Exercise (792 words, 2010)
• Novel Writing 2: Nice Day for a Murder (1073 words, 2010)
• Novel Writing 1: Sarah's Adventure (815 words, 2010)
• "Oh No, You Can't Do That!" (699 words, 2010)
• Where Writers Get Ideas From (343 words, 2010)
• Getting Published: Some Statistics (274 words, 2010)
• Computer Game Review: Avatar (250 words, 2010)
• Christmas Newsletter 2009 (208 words, 2009)
• How Eating a Vegetarian Diet Makes Other People Go Crazy (817 words, 2009)
• Doing Dunedoo (626 words, 2009)
• Book Review of Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell (323 words, 2009)
• Book Review of Shadows in the Ice by Des Hunt (288 words, 2009)
• Media Release on Scarlet Stiletto Win (457 words, 2009) - published in Auburn Review and as 'Top to Tail a Winner' in Parramatta Sun
• The Future of the Workplace (457 words, 2009)
• Renting With Pets (1124 words, 2009)
• The Great Flat Hunt (1117 words, 2009)
• An Act of Wild Rebellion (memoir, 500 words, 2009) - published in Writers Connect e-newsletter 2009 and NWG Anthology 2013
• Cop Shop Open Day (1166 words, 2009)
• Book Review: Shattered by Gabrielle Lord (192 words, 2009) - published in Stiletto #29
• Christmas Newsletter 2008 (965 words, 2008)
• The Secret to Free Travel (635 words, 2008) - published as 'Psst... I'll Let You in on a Little Secret' in Australian Senior Traveller Mar 09 $
• A Year as a Journalist (1864 words, 2008)
• Flying Free (877 words, 2008) - published in Australian Traveller Feb/Mar 09 $
• Tigers, Teacups and Terror (745 words, 2008) - published on the Pure Travel website 2011
• Foxy Crimes (629 words, 2008)
• Villawood - Victims or Villains? (1530 words, 2008) - published on Journal of Politics and Culture website 2008
• Poetry Receives a Second Life (408 words, 2008) - published in Newswrite Dec 08/Jan 09
• Building Fantastic Worlds (607 words, 2008) - published in Newswrite Aug 08 and NZ Author Aug/Sep 08 $
• Dark Lives (1480 words, 2008) - published on Hecate's Australian Women's Book Review website 20.1 $
• Searching for Nemo on the Great Barrier Reef (767 words, 2008)
• Becoming a Shopping Spy (670 words, 2008)
• Book Review: The Dark Part of Me by Belinda Burns (198 words, 2008)
• Hotel Review: Magnolia Court Boutique Hotel (423 words, 2008)
• Gaoled! (908 words, 2008) - published as 'Gaol Tour Intimidating Experience' in Australian Senior Traveller May 08 $
• Hotel Review: Victoria Hall Accomodation (642 words, 2008)
• Book Review: Intertwined Lives by Marilyn Holly and Donald Broadribb (467 words, 2008)
• A Millionaire in Bucharest (623 words, 2007)
• Liala (3122 words, 2007)
• Threats and Opportunities (1277 words, 2007)
• Humanist Economics (774 words, 2007) - published on Thylazine website 2007
• Flight and Asylum (808 words, 2007)
• Making Dreams Come True (802 words, 2007) - published in NZ Author Aug/Sep 07 $
• UTS Anthology Launch (999 words, 2007) - published as 'New Collection a Showcase of Talent' in Festival News #3
• Inspiring Creativity (724 words, 2007) - published in Festival News #2
• Slums of the Future? (589 words, 2007) - published as 'Future Shock for Apartment Dwellers' in Festival News #1
• Patrick White's Beautiful Mind (668 words, 2007) - published in Newswrite Feb 08
• Sneaking Around (699 words, 2007) - published in NZ Author Dec 07/Jan 08 $ and UTS writers' ezine 2008
• Aussie Spec-Fic Markets (625 words, 2007) - published as 'Why it Pays to be Speculative' in NZ Author Apr/May 07 $ and as 'Speculative Fiction' in Newswrite Aug 07
• Doggywood (796 words, 2007)
• Brian Peters Inquest 2 (600 words, 2007) - published on UTS Reportage website 2007
• Brian Peters Inquest 1 (600 words, 2007) - published on UTS Reportage website 2007
• How Not to Get to Niagara Falls (984 words, 2007) - published as 'Let Good Sense be Your Guide' in Australian Senior Traveller Oct 07 $
• Horses Win Prizes in Dog Show (301 words, 2007) - published as 'Pony Wins First Place in Mardi Gras Dog Show' on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Inquest Into Death of Cremorne Journalist (450 words, 2007) - published as 'What Really Happened in East Timor: Cremorne Local Forces Inquest' on Village Voice website and in e-newsletter $ (paid contractor) and as 'Enduring Struggle for Justice' in North Side Courier $
• Auction Numbers Up but Sales Stay Down (2007) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Residents' Anger Grows as Trees are Pruned (2007) - published on Village Voice website and as 'Pruning Opens Old Wounds' in Wentworth Courier $ (paid contractor)
• Fisherman Dies After Falling Off Cliff at Diamond Bay (2007) - published on Village Voice website and as 'Fisherman Dies at Diamond Bay' in Wentworth Courier and e-newsletter $ (paid contractor)
• Police Close Kings Cross Hotel After Finding Underage Drinkers (2007) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Police Hunt Down Man Over Double Stabbing in City (2007) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Christmas Newsletter 2006 (336 words, 2006)
• Nuclear Waste Trucked to Botany Bay Under Cover of Dark (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Sales Drop as Hunt Switches From Houses to Presents (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Weekend Auction Sales Sluggish (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Car Slides Into Botany Bay (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Woman Pushed Onto Train Tracks at Circular Quay (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Teenager Arrested After Attack Puts Police Officer in Hospital (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Two Men Attacked With Bottles at Bondi Junction Hotel (2006) - published on Village Voice website $ (paid contractor)
• Notes on the Daily Telegraph (935 words, 2006)
• Journalism notes (1260 words, 2006)
• Movie Review: My Neighbours the Yamadas (78 words, 2006)
• Grant (93 words, 2006)
• Sneaky Gozzip (2196 words, 2006)
• Cracking Open Investigative Journalism (1076 words, 2006)
• Sydney Life Photographic Exhibition 2006 (368 words, 2006) - published on UTS Newsday website 2006
• Creepy Man (memoir, 983 words, 2006)
• Max Kelly Forum 2006 (787 words, 2006) - published as 'Historian Says Party is Over for Sydney' in Precinct #2 2006
• Max Kelly Medal 2006 (406 words, 2006) - published as 'Award is Music to Emily's Ears' in Precinct #2 2006
• Standing Up To Centrelink (1010 words, 2006)
• Book Review: Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts (448 words, 2006) - published in Stiletto #28
• The Harry Potter Phenomenon (881 words, 2006) - published in NZ Author Feb/Mar 08 $
• Speculations (Conflux 3) (1455 words, 2006) - published as 'Taking Slipstream to the Mainstream' in NZ Author Feb/Mar 07 $
• Changes to ASIO Act (3138 words, 2006) - published as 'ASIO - Protector or Threat to Freedom?' in Full Bench #1 2007
• Secrets and Murky Truths (1081 words, 2006) - published in Newswrite Oct 06
• Katrine Narkiewicz profile (257 words, 2006)
• What Makes A Civil Society (Sydney Writers' Festival) (726 words, 2006) - published on Festival News website 2006
• Jem Poster at the Sydney Writers' Festival (600 words, 2006) - published as 'Relationship Thrives in Destruction of Nature' in Festival News #4
• Andy Borowitz at the Sydney Writers' Festival (700 words, 2006) - published as 'American Comic Set for a Grouse Time Here' in Festival News #3
• Margaret Olley at the Sydney Writers' Festival (601 words, 2006) - published as 'From a Black Hole to a World Rich in Colour' in Festival News #2
• Book review: Origin in Death by Nora Roberts/JD Robb (422 words, 2006) - published in Stiletto #29
• Do Plump People Have Plump Pets? (1225 words, 2006)
• A Journey of Discovery (477 words, 2006) - published in Newswrite Jun 06 and Polestar #13
• A House in a Week (725 words, 2006)
• Habitat for Humanity (789 words, 2006)
• Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing (548 words, 2006) - published in Inner West Courier as 'Contest Draws Winner' but the editor rewrote nearly all of it
• An Unwilling Queen of Crime (1161 words, 2006) - published on Hecate's Australian Women's Book Review website 18.1 $
• Book review: Dirty Weekend by Gabrielle Lord (400 words, 2006) - published in Stiletto #27
• Movie review: North Country (505 words, 2006)
• Back to Basics at the Bay (662 words, 2006)
• Cute Crazy Kittens (985 words, 2006)
• Movie review: Get Rich or Die Tryin' (296 words, 2006)
• Movie review: Ek Ajnabee (333 words, 2005)
• African Safari (1129 words, 2005) - published in Australian Senior Traveller Sep 06 $
• Book review: Sympathy Between Humans by Jodi Compton (416 words, 2005) - published in Stiletto #27
• Book review: World of Chickens by Nick Earls (439 words, 2005)
• The Passion Behind A Writer (Popular Fiction Festival 2005) (791 words, 2005)
• Thrills and Chills (Popular Fiction Festival 2005) (800 words, 2005)
• My Journey To Publication (1225 words, 2005) - published in UTS Fine Print and NZ Author Aug/Sep 06 $ and as 'Choosing to Self-Publish' in Newswrite Nov 06
• The Fascination of Crime Stories (Popular Fiction Festival 2005) (1105 words, 2005)
• Book review: The Man Who Understood Cats by Michael Allen Dymmoch (403 words, 2005)
• Jonathan Harley at the Sydney Writers' Festival 2005 (524 words, 2005) - published in Newswrite Oct 05
• Gabrielle Lord at the Sydney Writers Festival (491 words, 2005)
• Research and Writing (914 words, 2005)
• Movie review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (558 words, 2005) - published on the IMDB website 2005 and in the H2G2 The Post e-newsletter 2005
• Book review: So You Want to Work in Travel and Tourism? by Margaret McAlpine (862 words, 2005) - published in Screen Education #49
• Book review: Spiking the Girl by Gabrielle Lord (281 words, 2005) - published in Stiletto #27
• Computer Game Review: Grand Theft Auto Vice City (1264 words, 2005) - published in the H2G2 The Post e-newsletter 2005
• A Bizarre Lesson (memoir, 513 words, 2005)
• Book review: One Man Running by Clive Egleton (514 words, 2005) - published in the H2G2 The Post e-newsletter 2005
• How to Colour Your Hair With Henna (342 words, 2004)
• Book review: Fetish by Tara Moss (467 words, 2004) - published in the H2G2 The Post e-newsletter 2005
• Movie review: Bridget Jones 2: The Edge of Reason (253 words, 2004)
• An Evening With Chris Isaak (394 words, 2004)
• This Is Not An Article (Newcastle youth arts festival, 2004) (950 words, 2004)
• Movie review: The Bourne Supremacy (509 words, 2004)
• Web Communities for Photographers (635 words, 2004) - published in Capture Jan/Feb 05 $
• Seeing Your Words in Print (1338 words, 2004) - published in Writing 4 Success e-newsletter $ and as 'Closer Editorial Relationships' in NZ Author Feb/Mar 05 $ and as 'Stepping To Success' in Newswrite Feb 06
• Organising Your Digital Photos (887 words, 2004) - published in Capture Nov/Dec 04 $
• Writing Compelling Narrative (Byron Bay Writers' Festival 2004) (812 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite Nov 04
• Writing for Performance (Byron Bay Writers' Festival 2004) (791 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite Nov 04
• How I Didn't Marry Douglas Adams (memoir, 776 words, 2004)
• Aussie Women Whodunnit (Popular Fiction Festival 2004) (1024 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite Sep 04 and Stiletto #26
• Making the Impossible Possible (Popular Fiction Festival 2004) (850 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite Sep 04
• Book review: Lethal Factor by Gabrielle Lord (215 words, 2004) - published in Stiletto #26
• True Crime at the Sydney Writers' Festival 2004 (1386 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite Aug 04 as 'Criminal Writers Bare All' $ (CAL royalties)
• Bestsellers (1082 words, 2004) - published in Newswrite July 04
• Watawieh? (1035 words, 2004)
• Forensic Science (1277 words, 2004)
• Book Review of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1149 words, 2004)
• Speech review: Spotty-Handed Villainesses by Margaret Atwood (245 words, 2004)
• Book review: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (1994 words, 2004)
• Article review: Writers on Writing: Opting for Invention Over the Injury of Invasion by Carol Shields (292 words, 2004)
• Article review: Why Bother? by Jonathan Franzen (148 words, 2004)
• Article review: The Present in Fiction by Drusilla Modjeska (239 words, 2004)
• Article review: The Layered Art by Amanda Lohrey (252 words, 2004)
• Article review: My Heroin Christmas by Terry Castle (301 words, 2004)
• Book review: The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner (417 words, 2003) - published in Stiletto #26
• A Modern Hazard (642 words, 2003) - published on UTS Vertigo poster 2006
• A Beginner's Postmodern Thoughts on Postmodernism for Beginners (2225 words, 2003)
• Wha Place Yourley Es Comen From? (1179 words, 2003)
• Norfolk Island Writers' and Readers' Festival 2003 (4300 words, 2003) - published in Newswrite Oct 03 and on H2G2 website
• Book review: Better Than This by Stuart Harrison (474 words, 2003) - published on the H2G2 website
• Article review: The Inmate World by Goffman (529 words, 2003)
• Article review: Doing Time by Withnell (554 words, 2003)
• Article review: A Matter of Identity by Sacks (485 words, 2003)
• Book review: Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing by Gabrielle Lord (483 words, 2003) - published in Stiletto #25 and on The Radii website 2003 and on the H2G2 website 2003
• Sydney Mardi Gras Parade 2003 (1762 words, 2003)
• A Beginner's Guide To Digital Cameras (2508 words, 2003) - published on the H2G2 website 2003 and on the Photozo website 2004
• Jury Duty for Criminal Trials (1680 words, 2002)
• Book Review of In Search of the Sahara by Quentin Crewe (883 words, 2002)
• Book review: First Fruits by Penelope Evans (291 words, 2002) - published in Stiletto #24 and on the H2G2 website in 2003
• Impressions of Honolulu (1497 words, 2002)
• Do You Know Where Your Towel Is? (The History of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy) (3017 words, 2002) - published on the H2G2 website 2003
• Les From Detroit (494 words, 2002)
• You are the Light of the World (World Youth Day 2002) (744 words, 2002)
• Fatal MVA (11,321 words, 2002) - published on the H2G2 website 2005
• Corporate Email Policy (222 words, 2001)
• Short Story Review: The Personal Touch by Chet Williamson (395 words, 2001)
• A Night Out (938 words, 2000 edited 2017)
• Book review: Bright Lights Big City by Jay McInerney (1166 words, 2000)
• Guide to Good Management (832 words, 1999)
• Funny Observations (five anecdotes, 1998 - 2015) - Published in Column 8 of the Sydney Morning Herald
• Internet Tutorial (1998) - published on The Chimes website $ (paid contractor)
• Lesser Known Web Browsers (1221 words, 1996)
• Surfing the Net (3108 words, 1996, co-authored with Patrick Pang)
• OSI Model (1715 words, 1996)
• Data Communications notes (6610 words, 1996)
• The Tort of Negligence (2493 words, 1996)
• Computer and Information Law (2460 words, 1996)
• Court Report (1405 words, 1996)
• The Importance of Operating Systems (1766 words, 1995)
• Multi User Dungeon Communities Report (7339 words, 1995)
• NOWSA 1995 (182 words, 1995)
• Women In Computing (772 words, 1995) - published in Athena
• Group Exercise on Learning (1278 words, 1994, co-authored with Farhina Idris and Nelly Stanton)
• Accounting notes (2023 words, 1994)
• Report: BBS Software (3768 words, 1994)
• An Introduction to C Programming (2105 words, 1993, 1994, 1996)

Here is a list of some publications that accept non-fiction contributions.