I wasn’t expecting the advanced copies of the 2nd Editions of both the “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies of Australia” and “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Frogs of Australia” to arrive so soon. So when I received a notification that I had to pick a package up at the local courier’s office I was scratching my head about what it might be; I wasn’t expecting any deliveries.

These two additions to my portfolio now make 20 published works. It has been an incredible journey. Back in 1993 I was asked to contribute some text to the National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife title “Cuckoos, Nightbirds & Kingfishers of Australia”, the ninth volume in an amazing ten volume series. A year later, I was then asked to write a larger amount of the final volume “Finches, Bowerbirds & Other Passerines of Australia”. Another year after that I got my first book contract “A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Australia”, and then another “The Green Guide to the Birds of Australia”. The latter of these earning me a Whitley Award.

A short time later I was asked to contribute to the “Encyclopaedia of Australian Wildlife” and was then commissioned to write “The Bowerbirds”. I took a break following this to focus on my family, but was travelling, researching and collecting images of Australian wildlife.

In 2016 I was fortunate to meet the great Steve Parish on a photography masterclass course, and then met a guy called Yong Ding Li on a pelagic birding trip. Ding Li introduced me to John Beaufoy Publishing and contracts for three new wildlife titles followed shortly afterwards.

Now, as I place these two latest editions on my bookshelf, I am simply stoked to see 20 books (and 20 magazines) that I have written or contributed to all lined up in a row. There is still room for more on the shelf, and I am indeed working on a 2nd Edition of “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Dangerous Creatures of Australia” as well as a few new titles. So watch this (bookshelf) space!

As each new title is released, I feel so very humble. My book-writing journey has been a long and wonderfully rewarding one, and it has been incredible to have made so many acquaintances and friendships with like-minded people along the way. There are pieces of you all on every page.

These two wonderful new editions were co-authored with Scott Eipper (Frogs) and John Nielsen (Butterflies), who were the major contributors to them (thanks guys!), and both titles should be on sale in Australian stores and through my website store by early May.