Grover Snodd was a little older than Tim, and a boy genius. Within limits, anyway. A boy genius with flaws.

I'm not a genius (or are I?), but I have plenty of flaws. I'm a beginning novelist with a background that comprises a curious mixture of engineering, transportation planning and science writing. I used to work as a technical writer (and have only now realised that this paragraph used to say I "currently work as a technical writer in the past"...). The need to get a publishable novel out of my writing limits my activity on Wikipedia, as do increasingly severe bouts of depression. Most of my contributions so far have been on matters of transport history, including some pretty obscure ones. Although I've written on some Irish subjects, I refuse to get involved in the associated nomenclatural disputes.

Lately, I've concentrated primarily on airship matters (this doesn't mean I write steampunk fiction, though I do happen to think Against the Day is the second best thing Pynchon ever wrote). Apart from writing, I'm an enthusiastic reader; aside from Pynchon, Flann O'Brien, Don DeLillo, Joseph Conrad, Philip K. Dick, Raymond Chandler and Mervyn Peake (another curious mixture) are particular favourites, though I never seem to do any literary stuff on Wikipedia. The only writer (and anthologist) I have the pleasure of knowing personally is Jonathan Oliver.

The boxes offer further clues to my preferences—some of them very obscure.

• CIÉ No. CC1; created.
• CIÉ 2600 Class; created.
• Herbert Carmichael Irwin; created.
• George Herbert Scott; created.
• Irish railway accidents; significantly expanded (9 accidents to 40) and revamped.
• Airship Industries; significantly expanded.
• AEREON III; significantly expanded.
• AEREON 26; significantly expanded.

Grover's Userboxes

This user is a Marxist of the Groucho variety. PET CAT This user has a pet cat.

V This user is a vegetarian. This user is a bibliophile.

Last Night This user will make every effort to keep the gas flowing right until the end. This user is an admirer of Borges.

42 This user has the answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything. This user adores the works of James Joyce and yes I said yes I will Yes.

This user reads the dense and complex works of fiction written by Thomas Pynchon. This user writes novels.

DD They made this user do it. wes This user loves the films of Wes Anderson

This user is not interested in gold mines, oil wells, shipping, or real estate. This user warns: If you mark that frame an 8, you're entering a world of pain.

Good news, everyone! This user is a fan of Futurama! d'oh! This user thinks The Simpsons is simply... excellent.

Curb This user Curbs His or Her Enthusiasm SEIN This user is obsessed with Seinfeld... not that there's anything wrong with that!

T M B G This user is your friend, he's not your only friend, but he's a little glowing friend, but really, he's not actually your friend. This user believes Brian Wilson was the Beach Boys.

MS This user has a Master of Science degree. PhD This user has a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

This user identifies as a centrist. This user is a resident citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

This user wears corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, without which he'd be as blind as a bat! This user has depression.

AS This user has Asperger syndrome. This user holds the tenets sacred that ramify the creeds of Gormenghast.

This user misses David Foster Wallace. This user did not arrive in the townland upon a bicycle.

This user thinks it's the insects' turn.