Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1953. Graduated from Aberdeen University, then came to Canada to do a master’s degree at Queen’s University, Kingston. Spent 14 years as a writer and editor at the Kingston Whig-Standard during that paper's “golden age” under editor Neil Reynolds, and was also very active in Kingston's amateur and professional theatre scene. Attended Massey College, University of Toronto, as a Southam Fellow in 1991–92, then joined the staff of the Stratford Festival in 1994, where he wrote for and edited the Festival’s many publications. Retired from there in 2020. Other professional association memberships include Editors Canada, the Canadian Freelance Guild and Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.