About me

I am a writer. I would like to be a better writer. That’s what this blog is about.

I studied a variety of courses trying to find my way through uni. Eventually I settled on a Creative Writing Major (with Philosophy and Cinema Studies minors). My English study found its way unexpectedly into a study of Old and Middle English, Chaucer and ultimately to a translation of “Beowulf” from the original Anglo-Saxon text. I think these studies have influenced my writing, or perhaps my interest in these areas has influenced both my study and my writing.

I was raised in rural Victoria, but now live in Melbourne, Australia. After nearly two-decades of city living I still consider myself a country-boy. I have a wife, two kids, a full-time job, and a stubborn commitment to amateur football (of the Australian variety).

My first published short story, “A Choice of Kings”, appeared in Dark Edifice magazine, and “Abiogenesis” appeared in Roar and Thunder (both discontinued).
“Enfolded” and “The Beast that Laid the Crystal Eggs” both appeared in Aurealis (#78 & #103). My flash-fiction “The Stories of Your Name” appeared in Arsenika#3.

3 responses to “About me”

  • dgrixti
    June 29th, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    You have a very insightful blog and I look forward to seeing more of your writing. I really enjoyed ‘A Choice of Kings’ and look forward to putting it up in virtual “print” soon.

    Reply
  • Stephen Hitchings
    December 31st, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    Hi. I have just had the horrifying realisation that I have collected this whole year’s crop of Aurealis and have read none of them, so I have been reading through them – not finished yet. Generally I was disappointed with the standard of the stories, but your “Enfolded” stood out above all the rest (of what I’ve read) as a powerfully original and professionally written story. I have just now found your website and been blown away by your prolificacy; how do you ever get time to do all this?

    I look forward to reading more or your fiction.

    Reply
    • J Michael Melican
      December 31st, 2015 at 10:48 pm

      Thank you so much. What a great way to round out 2015!
      I was mostly focussed on longer-form this year, but I have a few shorts I’m putting back out into the submissions grinder, so hopefully some more published work to come in 2016.
      Updates will be available here, on my Twitter (@jmmelican) and on Facebook (where I have an author page as J M Melican)

      Reply

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