Every profile I’ve written for myself sets out by stating that I was born in Norwich, Norfolk in 1978, that I have a degree in Physics with a European Language from the University of Liverpool and that I am an avid supporter of Scunthorpe United Football Club. Beyond that, I’m never quite sure what it’s important to know about me that can’t be inferred from my writing, but I’ll give it a go.

I think of myself as a writer, even though my writing has, to date, earned me less than the price of a new pair of jeans. I’m currently putting the finishing touches to a sixth speculative fiction novel, despite the fact that none of the previous five has yet seen the light of day. On my personal blog, The Iron-On Line, I’ve been writing for nearly two years about various political and philosophical topics, along with light-hearted descriptions of football matches I’ve watched.

Politically, I’m quite far to the left, possibly as a result of having lived all my life in the UK, where socialism has never been the dirty word it seems to be in the US. I see feminism much as George Orwell saw socialism: as simply meaning justice and common decency. I’m pro-choice, pro-SSM, opposed to the uncritical acceptance of gender roles and violently opposed to prejudice and wishful thinking passing themselves off as logical debate. I like nothing better than constructing an argument, unless it’s dissecting an opponent’s argument and pointing out all its weak spots.

My gender is a strange grey area which I’ve been exploring ever since a chance meeting with a trans woman got me thinking about sex, gender and transsexuality. I have an official diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a well-respected psychiatrist, but fear of taking an irrevocable step means that online is the only place I’m living in anything resembling male role. What’s more, since I will never have a fully-functioning male body, I want to take full advantage of the female body I have: I see no conflict between my gender questioning and my pregnancy.

I’m due to become a single mother in November, and I intend to raise the child the genuinely traditional way - with the help of my entire tribe. From the age of ten, I grew up under the care of a lone father; I have first-hand experience of how non-gendered parenting can be. Seeing my two young half-brothers grow up has taught me the futility of trying to plan out child-raising, so I haven’t made any cast-iron parenting rules. I hope I can be consistently loving and honest with my child, and for the rest, I trust to nature.

Most of my hobbies are creative in one way or another. I knit - my father knitted all my sweaters when I was growing up, so I see it as a male occupation - and sew - patchwork and counted cross-stitch. I brew my own wines from fruits and flowers that grow locally, and I plant the seeds of any fruit I eat in the hopes that they will germinate. When I have time, I play the guitar rather indifferently and write the occasional angsty song.

The books I love are too many for me to even attempt a list, but favourite authors include Terry Pratchett, Josephine Tey, John Wyndham, Ellis Peters and Lawrence Block. My musical tastes range from Eminem’s Stan to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, although my CD collection reveals a strong preference for artists formerly in manufactured pop groups, such as Robbie Williams and Melanie Chisholm.

The way I see myself doesn’t come across well in photographs, so in lieu of a picture of me, I present the cutest little parasite in Lincolnshire, from my 20-week scan.Photobucket.com“>