My desk is changeable. My wife and I live on a natural bush property of just over 120 hectares - that's about 320 acres - I often take my writing with me and find myself sitting in nature surrounded by trees, rocks, birds, wild flowers - trying to create the conditions where the words flow naturally.

I work full time and in my lunch time I find somewhere in the park or a secluded spot where I can get into my natural thought mode of mind.

When I work at the desktop computer then my workspace is a natural pine computer desk - quite simple really - not greatly cluttered - just enough space for my notes and a clear mind. There is a window directly giving me a view to the natural world outside.

I grew up in South East Queensland - in and around Brisbane. To give a hint on what my young life was like - I attended some 26 primary schools. My family shifted a lot. When I was 28 years of age I found out why and I'm afraid to say what I learned was not good. My brothers and sisters and I were victims of child abuse.

This introduction to life led me on an interesting journey of discovery and is the main catalyst for my interest in numerology, tarot, spirituality and psychology. It's been a fascinating experience and I look forward to the next episode.

I have always enjoyed the English language. At the age of 11 I entered and won a crossword competition. I have written poetry since I was very young and at the age of 14 I was given a guitar and I started writing songs. I always admired anyone who wrote and it has been something I wanted to achieve for a long time.

After 18 years as a police officer I wasn't very impressed with my writing style - too much like a report. About 10 years ago I started writing what became "A New Way to See Things". This began a series of writing something and then wanting to say something and then having to research my next statement so I was sure I could say what I wanted to.

At one stage I had the manuscript well up over 150 pages then I edited and rewrote. I have learned a lot about me and my writing and I now love that place where your mind goes to when you are writing. It is a very creative space and tremendously good for the soul.

As I mentioned earlier I work full time and don't market myself and my books as well as I should. My two main books I have published are "A New Way to See Things - Theory & Practice of Numerology" and "Tarot for Self Analysis & Counselling". Since then I have written three shorter books on topics drawn from "A New Way to See Things". These short books are intended to draw people in to my new Numerology and hopefully attract readers to my main books. The results suggest this is working.

I am a new author in the Numerology, Tarot and spirituality market and I am interested to put my ideas and methods forward because they are new and different to the main stream. Being a new player in the market I expect to take some time for readers to find me - particularly understanding readers who can see where I am coming from and going to.

I am currently preparing my next short book in the series - "Numerology Personality Profiling" - and i hope that my continued presence and innovation in the market will eventually be noticed and I will make headway. It's a labour of love and every step forward is a bonus. My book downloads and sales are trickling along and I am constantly impressed with the way things are going.

I don't generally read fiction. Spirituality, numerology, tarot, psychology. I like Wayne Dyer. Always seeking further insight into my favourite interests of numerology and tarot.

"Numerology Personality Profiling & Myers Briggs" is one aspect of Numerology that is covered in my main book. I received some very good feedback on "A New Way to See Things" and I was also told that for a small book of only around 60 pages there is a lot in there. Going back and revisiting each chapter and process of numerology - one by one - and dealing with each aspect in particular detail has been enjoyable and rewarding for me. It has reinforced for me that what I put into my first book was good and I'm happy with it - always will be. In time to come I will enjoy combining all of my writings again into the one volume as a special edition. I know that as I go I am writing better, understanding and explaining things more clearly.

This is perhaps because in "A New Way to See Things" it was important to explain the whole thing and show a complete model. Writing that story and maintaining simplicity when dealing with a complicated subject was difficult. Now that I have that done then I can write these shorter articles without having to make the universal connections so each one is clearer and perhaps deeper.

Myers Briggs is a personality profiling system based upon the psychology of Carl Jung. It is formed around the 4 human functions of intuition, thinking, feeling and sensing which have a direct correlation with the 4 modes of expression of numerology and the 4 suits of the tarot and the 4 worlds of the Kabbalah. There are 16 personality types and this is easily associated with the 16 court cards of the tarot.

The book provides clear instruction for anyone who wants to analyse their birth date or other people.

I wanted to get my writing out there. I didn't want it to cost me a fortune and have a pile of books sitting in the shed that nobody could access. I couldn't afford it to cost me a lot of money. I researched other methods of publishing. I couldn't find anything better than Smashwords and the opportunity offered. Mark Coker provides an honest platform that is second to none.

It was important for me not to give up any of my rights or ownership of my publications. Other publishing methods left me feeling threatened and vulnerable. With Smashwords I feel secure.

Currently I have 5 books in the Smashwords Premium Catalogue. This means that when I google "Mark Carter Numerology" I get hits at Smashwords, Sony, iTunes, Nook, Kobe, Barnes & Noble and more - around the world. I'm on websites in Canada, Brazil, Spain - I have distribution I couldn't otherwise dream of achieving. It's amazing how simply Smashwords has allowed me to achieve this. Mark Coker's free manuals and guides are excellent. His advice is realistic and down to earth. Smashwords is the enabler that has powered my dream.

Reading a book takes your mind away to another world. Writing a book also achieves this wonderful freedom. When my mind is involved in the creative, writing phase I am at peace. If what I have written enables another person to find that same peace in their life then I have achieved an added bonus.

I have been through some interesting stuff in my life and if I can do something that benefits me or some other person by using that experience and understanding of life then it makes everything worthwhile. My purpose - my reason for being - is substantiated.