Cold fear gripped my spine as I read the words, Author Bio.

Let’s back-track a moment. I’ve been offered an author interview as a reciprocal to an interview I am leading as part of my author interview series, which is fine. A little nerve-wracking and it goes against the grain of my introversion and the imposter syndrome I continually suffer from, but fine nonetheless. The questions are also fun too and they suit my style, so no real issue there either. Until I see the bit at the bottom of the page. Submit author bio.

I don’t have an author bio.

Why don’t I have an author bio, I hear you ask?

I’ve known for a while that I need an author bio but I don’t like talking about myself.  I’ve been with the same company since I graduated university so I haven’t ever had to write a CV for maybe twenty years, which was fine by me. I like to let my actions do the talking. I like to let my deeds show me off, so it matter who is sitting at the keyboard, where they grew up and what they look like?

Unfortunately I know the answer is yes. I know people want to get to know other people and I know that putting yourself out there, the real you, can help to make a connection and ultimately make you more likeable, and as vulgar as it might sound, help you to sell more books.

So I did it. It’s not in-depth, it doesn’t tell you all about my childhood. No daemons are set free and there’s not too much insight there, but it’s a start.

Then I thought to myself, I should be the first person to lay it bare and I also thought that you, my WordPress followers, should be the first people to see it so you can let me know if it stinks or if it’s in the right timezone.

So here it is below in all it’s glory. Read it if you want. Let me know what you think if you want. Don’t be kind for kindness sake. Let me know what you really think!

GJ Stevens started writing fiction at the age of thirty. He describes his style of writing as popular fiction which usually has some sort of Sci-Fi or paranormal element, but he is on a journey and won’t pigeon hole himself into one genre. Even as a degree level engineer with a large family and a full time career in a serious profession with plenty of adult responsibilities, he has always had an artistic and creative side. After years of self-suppression, the flood gates opened and his novel, In The End, is the culmination of many years of finding time from nowhere to learn the craft.

Whilst working to self-publish his first novel, GJ, real name Gareth, chose to document his publishing journey in an open-book and honest fashion and through his blog he lays bare his journey, detailing his mistakes and the findings of his research as he treads his way into publishing.

As a lover of the outdoors, every year he spends weekends out in the desolate countryside of the UK hiking and camping with his long-time friends which he uses as inspiration for both his creative fiction works and the subject of many a blog post. GJ Stevens is on the beginning of his publishing journey and wants to share the highs and lows with anyone who will listen.

As I said before you read it, let me know what you think.

I have only one more thing to say and it’s about profile photos. I’m not a good looking guy. I’m not hideous either. I’m somewhere in the middle, hopefully. To that end I don’t think my face should play any part in selling myself or my work. I maybe convinced this is the wrong decision and relent in the future, but for now we’ll just keep it that way.

What if you woke to find the electricity off, the internet down and the streets deserted? What if you were forced to run for your life, no longer top of the food chain? What if the government had no interest in keeping you alive, but you’d found a reason to struggle on, a new meaning to this life, those around every corner intent on hunting you down?

Could you survive the end of civilisation?

Meet Logan. That’s me. The first to believe the world had changed forever. The first to urge our friends to run. The first to kill, but not the first victim. I was the first to see for myself as nature bent before my eyes. With death surrounding, getting ever closer, they looked to me for answers.

This is my story.