Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage...

Well then, first post on a new blog whose readership, if I'm lucky, might one day breach double digits. Where do I begin? Normally an introduction would be in order, at least that's how I've been led to believe these things usually begin. I imagine, however, that everyone who reads this at its inception is likely already familiar with this scatter-brained young scribbler.

One day though, some unlucky stranger might wander onto this page and, perhaps out of morbid curiosity, begin to read the ramblings contained therein. I'm not sure why. Maybe his or her web browser malfunctioned, leaving our hypothetical sap trapped in the digital equivalent of that weird kid's subconscious. You know the kid I mean, and if you don't he's probably you (congratulations, welcome to our club, please leave your dreams of normality by the door). Alternatively, because fate has a diabolical sense of humour, this blog might somehow be unearthed in the distant future by our post-human descendants and used to create a tapestry of our strange civilisation. In the case of the former, I suppose my unfortunate victim has the right to know a little about his or her captor. If the latter, it would probably be beneficial if these futuristic archaeologists realised just how unimportant and unrepresentative their discovery is. Also, sorry about the whole global warming thing. I hope that didn't screw things up too terribly for you.

My name is Andrew, though you're welcome to call me Andy if you enjoy shallow graves. You might find me elsewhere on the interwebs masquerading as one Dr Wilhelm; a thoroughly misleading moniker as I am neither a deposed 20th Century German Kaiser, nor have I earned a doctorate that wasn't cobbled together using re-purposed scrap paper and crayons.  I'm 23 years old and I have the hopeless aspiration of one day deceiving an unwitting publisher into giving me money in exchange for the random assortment of words that I occasionally vomit onto paper and attempt to pass off as fiction. A veritable rogue’s gallery of friends, family members and teachers have done a sterling job over the years convincing me that writing is my greatest talent. Assuming they’re right, it would also be my only talent. The only marketable one at any rate, at least until sleeping, eating and aggravating ones closest and dearest become professional sports. Should be any day now.

Naturally I have a fair number of hobbies. I’m an avid reader of just about anything I can get my mitts on, though my tastes trend mostly towards the fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction side of things. While books might be my favourite method of idling the hours, my consumption of all forms of media can best be described as ravenous. Films, television, video games, music and the internet; my preferences are largely non-discriminatory. I’m also a desperate addict of the plastic and pewter heroin peddled by various miniature war gaming companies. Games Workshop has had me hooked since I were but a wee pre-teen, and several of the new up and comers that have sprung to prominence have begun drawing my interest over the last few years. I’ve already begun dabbling in Warmachine and Hordes, and I’m looking to test the waters of Infinity and X-Wing before the end of the year. I love animals, and I currently live with a Labrador, a Welsh-Collie cross, and a feisty feline of indeterminate heritage.

There. Now that I’ve spewed my guts I suppose it’s high time that I explained why I’ve decided to set sail into the strange and storm racked seas that are the world of blogging. You see (and I’m sure this will come as a complete surprise) I have something of a problem with self deprecation. Or rather, in more honest terms, my confidence in both my abilities and myself are downright appalling. Being the aforementioned weird kid with solitary hobbies and a mild case of Aspergers Syndrome tends to do that to a person. At any rate, I’m tired of my dysfunctions dictating my life for me. I’ve tried a number of methods to rectify my poor confidence, some of which have been successful, others less so. There is of course no magic bullet. No single “remedy” is ever going to instantaneously transform me into the gregarious, self assured extrovert I desire to be, and regression comes easier than progression.

This is where my shiny new blog steps in. My intention is to create a platform from which I can expose myself and my interests to folks outside of my close circle of friends and family. And what shall ye find here, o weary traveller? My primary intention is to regularly post the fiction that I’ve been writing, free for the perusal of anyone who happens to pass by. I’d like to say at least one, roughly thousand word story a week, at least at first. It could well be more, and it might be less. It depends entirely on how quickly I can improve my output, which has been scattered and sporadic of late due to the issues I’ve already dragged on about. You’ll also hopefully find pseudo-reviews of the books, films and television shows that I’ve been watching and reading, as well as dissections of my own work.

Alongside my writing I shall also be posting about my miniatures addiction. Here I intend to chronicle my various collections, posting pictures of my painted models and telling tales of their exploits on the field of battle. I’ll try to keep the two aspects of the blog largely separate in the interests of not alienating any visitors whose interests extend only to one or the other. That said there are bound to be cases where the two overlap. Games Workshop for instance, actively encourages fans to tell their own stories within their pre-established settings, and there are a fair few writers making good livings writing for GW’s Black Library imprint. I’d be a fool not to try my hand at doing the same now and then.

Well I guess that about covers everything. For those who manage to slog their way through all this drivel you have both my congratulations and my sincerest apologies. If for some reason you’ve found yourself intrigued, even mildly, by this monster of an introduction, I ask only that you keep an eye on my humble little blog. I’ll try to reward your interest with as much interesting content as I can.