User:Gerard J Roffey

Gerard J Roffey
Photograph of Gerard J Roffey
Born	Gerard James Roffey 1954 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Language	English
Nationality	Australian
Education	St Patrick's College, Sutherland
Years active	1992-present
Website
https://www.facebook.com/GerardJRoffey/

Gerard James Roffey (born 1954) is an Australian writer. For 32 years he was an IT professional then owned his own Mortgage Brokering business. He became a bus driver in 2018, and retired in late 2020.

Career

Gerard Roffey was born in Sydney, Australia in April 1954, growing up in picturesque Woronora. Gerard was educated at St Patrick's College, Sutherland.

During the early 1970's, Gerard worked in the IT department of an Australian commercial bank. He travelled to New Zealand in 1975, where during that time he worked at two companies in their IT departments. In 1980 he moved to Melbourne, Australia. He later joined an IT professional services company rising to General Manager Professional Services, which he left in 1999 to pursue an IT contracting career until 2002 when he diversified as a sales representative for a local real estate agent for a year. In 2003 he again diversified his career into being a mortgage broker, starting his own company in 2008. He ceased mortgage brokering in February 2020, but before this time he became a bus driver, finally retiring in late 2020.

Personal life

He has been married for over 35 years to his wife Deborah. They have two sons, Carl and Dean. They live in Melbourne.

In 1998, Gerard started what was then the internet's first online review site for Australian caravan parks.

Since 2021, Gerard and Deborah have been touring Australia in their motorhome.

Touring Australia. Photo taken July 2021 between Geraldton and Kalbarri, Western Australia

Becoming a writer of fiction novels

Gerard's first foray into fiction writing began in 1994 when his children were very young; Carl was around 2 years old and Dean was still a baby. Even though his first novel, A Timeless Adventure, was started in 1994, written on a lowly AMD 486-DX33 Personal Computer running Windows 3.1 with a "whopping" 174 MB disk drive, it wasn't finished - polished, edited, and proofread - until 2014. Even then, it was amended here and there, whilst he wrote the succeeding two novels for it to become the Tilbert trilogy.

Even then, the three novels were not published until after the mammoth 984-page Where On Earth was completed.

Initially, he decided to only provide eBooks through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. The three Tilbert novels, plus Where On Earth, were published in 2015.
Also during 2015, he published a further 9 works: a stand-alone novel and a novella; the four-novella Marvin series; and 4 short stories. Apart from the Marvin series, which were wholly written in 2015, the other works had been undertaken during 2014. By the end of 2015, the Tilbert trilogy and Where On Earth were released as paperbacks.

2016 saw two additions to the Tilbert series, with The Beginning and The Author's Notes & References. The The Author's Notes & References explains how the Tilbert series was written, and also details every character throughout the series and every peculiarity and place within the series. Such things as buildings and military uniforms are minutely detailed, as well as the historical background of the story's time period.

2016 also saw the release of a stand-alone novella, plus the Bossley series of novellas, which follow on from the 2015 release of The Centurian Courier.

2017 was the year Gerard released his first children's story in the form of a novella. A fantasy novel was next where the story uniquely spans two millennia. To wrap-up the final half of that year, two fantasy novels were released, both based on a fictional Micronesian island - the first is a murder thriller, and the second is a romance novel involving characters from the first novel.

2018 saw a hiatus in Gerard's writing while he concentrated on improving the already published works. Only one new work was published that year.

2019 and 2020 was another hiatus in new works while further enhancements to certain novels was undertaken. At the end of 2019, a novel that follows on from the Bossley series was released.

In 2021, the Marvin novellas were combined into one novel, cleverly called Marvin, The Novel.

2022 saw two stand-alone short stories added to Three Short Stories and that book's name amended to Short Stories. Also, another Marvin novella was produced, as well as a novel about Marvin's son.

2023 saw him enhance all four Marvin novellas, plus add a References section to the combined Marvin novel.

Bibliography

List of short stories, novellas, and novels

All available as eBooks. (PB) denotes also available in paperback. Page Count is based on a 5" x 8" paperback.

Title	Published	Page Count	About
A Timeless Adventure (PB) ISBN: 978-1549908095	2015	566	The first novel on the Tilbert trilogy of sci-fi time travel novels with some romance and love interest along the way. Tilbert is a time traveler on the planet Eridani, the third planet orbiting Epsilon Eridani, a star in Earth's southern constellation Eridanus, 10.5 light years from Earth. Eridani has an extraordinary likeness to Earth, except for some teensy-weensy differences, such as its inhabitants can time-travel, they can fly around in vehicles without a pilot license, real wizards do exist, and a planet-famous astronomer can plot courses through space that sends an inhabitant for a brief trip to Earth, where he finds Earth's inhabitants look just like him. And this is just in the first novel of a trilogy, which includes A Time for Truths and The Coming of Age. There is also a prequel called The Beginning.
A Time for Truths (PB) ISBN: 978-1973117209	2015	500	The second novel on the Tilbert trilogy. It's time for a few home truths amongst the close-knit group we met in A Timeless Adventure.
The Coming of Age (PB) ISBN: 978-1973117155	2015	714	The third novel on the Tilbert trilogy. Tilbert travels home, only to find things are in disarray. He must deal with the problems before he can bring his betrothed to his "home" for their up-coming wedding. Once you have finished reading the series, you might enjoy Author's Notes and References released in 2016.
Where On Earth (PB) ISBN: 978-1520478333	2015	918	A companion novel to the Tilbert trilogy. Robert is an insurance claims officer who unexpectedly finds himself standing on another planet. When he's finally convinced, by a beautiful Eridanian inhabitant called Selma, that he has traveled through space, he at first wants to head back to Earth, but then he starts to experience all the wonders that the planet Eridani has to offer and Earth suddenly seems dull indeed. Most of the gang from the Tilbert trilogy make an appearance, but we mostly follow Robert as he copes, mentally, with being on another planet that would send the physicist Brian Cox, or even the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, into euphoric spasms.
A Planet to Explore (PB) ISBN: 978-1976941870	2015	437	A different twist on the space travel theme, where an alien from another planet (nope, not Eridani) travels to Earth, where he is supposed to stay incognito from its population. Of course, things go awry and he needs to befriend a young couple, who at first have no idea who, or what, he is, and whose life he both improves and complicates when dead bodies start piling up. Strange as it sounds, this is a semi-humorous novel.
Power of Imagination	2015	182	A fantasy novella weaved around some of the author's actual childhood and young adult experiences, carrying you from rural Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, to England.
The Centurian Courier	2015	74	A short story that is an introduction to the Bossley series. Bossley first appears in the Tilbert trilogy. This short story and the series of novellas focus on a Centurian Courier who travels around time delivering messages, parcels, and even people. Think of a FedEx courier come Uber driver, but this guy can travel across centuries. Through the series, he gets into all sorts of difficulties, but not on his own planet. This short story is not part of the complete works released in 2024.
The Reluctant Elf	2015	231	The first novella in the Marvin series. Marvin is an adorable but accident-prone elf living in an era of dragons, trolls, dwarfs, ogres, and goblins, yet the one he fears is Lord Averon, the father to Marvin's new bride, Bethena. The series of novellas following the extraordinary adventures and misadventures of Marvin as he stumbles from one mishap to another, somehow coming out a hero each time. The biggest hurdle he has to face is the initial hatred his new bride has for him. (Note, this novella plus The Valur, The Strange Meetings, and The Valurian City also come as a combined novel called Marvin The Novel released in 2021.)
The Valur	2015	227	The second novella in the Marvin series. War comes to the peaceful elves of Averon and other Elven realms. (Note, this novella plus The Reluctant Elf, The Strange Meetings, and The Valurian City also come as a combined novel called Marvin The Novel released in 2021.)
The Strange Meetings	2015	206	The third novella in the Marvin series. Marvin is appointed region overseer and now regularly travels the western lands of Averon, where he must contend with creatures he had previously assumed belonged only in Elven children's books. (Note, this novella plus The Reluctant Elf, The Valur, and The Valurian City also come as a combined novel called Marvin The Novel released in 2021.)
The Valurian City	2015	198	The fourth and final novella in the Marvin series. Now at peace with the Valur, Marvin and his heavily pregnant wife travel to the Valurian city to tend to the pregnant wife of Marvin's good friend, Leaptin. As usual, ill fortune follows Marvin. (Note, this novella plus The Reluctant Elf, The Valur, and The Strange Meetings also come as a combined novel called Marvin The Novel released in 2021.)
Relocating	2015	36	A short story thriller. NO LONGER PUBLISHED - See Short Stories.
The Neighbors	2015	24	A humorous short story about a troublesome neighbor. NO LONGER PUBLISHED - See Short Stories.
Short Stories	2015	97	Previously called Three Short Stories when first published as a collection of 3 short stories, in 2018, 2 more short stories were added, then in 2022 I added the standalone short stories, The Neighbors, and Relocation, to have seven short stories in the one book.
The Beginning (PB) ISBN: 978-1520852331	2016	475	The prequel to the Tilbert trilogy. It covers the younger years of Tilbert's life from 11 (and even younger) to the time at the start of A Timeless Adventure when he is 24.
Author's Notes & References (PB)	2016	300	A reference guide to everything and anything you wanted to know about the Tilbert trilogy and the novel Where On Earth.
On Trebulas Three	2016	141	The second in the Bossley series. Bossley uses a special device, previously used by Selma (Where On Earth), to travel through space to a planet they call Trebulas Three, which we know as Earth. Unsure of Earth's culture, Bossley has somewhat of a hard time of it, when he thought it would be an easy trip of a lifetime.
Harold and Daphne	2016	100	The third in the Bossley series. Bossley returns home from Trebulas Three. Unfortunately, two Earthlings have unexpectedly traveled back with him. The disruptive couple make life almost miserable for Bossley, until the time comes when he can safely return them to their home planet.
Where Did They Go?	2016	108	The fourth in the Bossley series. Oops. Harold and Daphne disappear during the journey back to Earth and now Bossley has to journey to another planet where it is hoped they have landed. He has to dodge strange creatures which take a keen interest in eating him.
Kathleen and Isabel	2016	128	The fifth and final work in the Bossley series. Selma and Robert (Where On Earth) have twin daughters who have no idea that their parents used to zip about the galaxy for fun, and certainly did not know that their father is an alien from Earth. Once they find out, the space-travel bug hits them hard.
Time for Justice	2016	152	A sci-fi time travel novella when a man seeks justice for wrong doings in the past or tries to stop them from occurring.
Creatures in my Garden	2017	101	A children and adult's fantasy novella about a mysterious creature in the garden of a farm in rural England.
A Lifetimes of Lives (PB) ISBN: 978-1549618154	2017	375	Randle, Nick, William, Paige, Flavius, and Robert. Lives that intertwine across two millennia into a thrilling adventure where you will be unable to stop at the previous chapter.
Battle for Polulapo Island (PB) ISBN: 978-1980571612	2017	339	Two Australian Federal Police officers investigate the deaths of three construction workers building a multi-million-dollar resort on an otherwise supposedly deserted island in Micronesia.
Romance on Polulapo Island (PB) ISBN: 978-1980579229	2017	541	The sequel to Battle for Polulapo Island, where one of the AFP officers returns to the island 18 months later where an unusual romance entwines the officer, other resort guests, and people from the Micronesian island of Kosrae.
Mind Over Matter	2018	104	A fantasy suspense thriller dealing with psychokinesis.
Eridani, The Future Begins	2019	222	A sci-fi space travel novel following on after the Kathleen and Isabel novel of the Bossley series.
Marvin the Novel	2021	897	The Marvin books started as a single novella in 2015, but grew to a series of four novellas by the end of that year. In late 2021, the four novellas were combined into this novel of four books. The novel has the addition of a comprehensive reference section at the rear covering all four novels.
Marvin, The Nephaphe	2022	266	Elf Marvin must meet his hardest challenge to date, with a race called Nephaphe (Nef-a-fee) invading Elven lands, but his next challenge still awaits.
Marvin, Wirenth	2022	435	Taking up after The Nephaphe and The Valurian City, we follow Marvin's adopted son, Wirenth, as he faces his own challenges.
Bossley the Novel	2024	513	The Bossley books started as a single short story in 2015, but was expanded to a series of four novellas by the end of 2016. In mid 2024, the four novellas (not including the original short story) were combined into this novel.

External links

• St Patrick's College, Sutherland
• Australian Caravan Park Reports