Allan Hands is a pen name borrowed from the author’s grandfathers (Allan McPherson and Claude Hands). It is a more convenient handle on his book than is his real name, which you can find listed in the book’s front matter as owner of the copyright.

Allan is 66 years old (2022), which is younger than you might think and much older than he feels. He was born in Sydney, Australia. His parents divorced when he was twenty-one, and both passed away during the COVID catastrophe, but they are always together in his thoughts, and Mirrored Sword is dedicated to their memory.

Allan graduated from Macquarie University in 1976 with a B.A. specialising in English literature. He has worked in a variety of jobs as driver and labourer, and he ended up in Queensland, where he obtained a diploma in education from the Carseldine College of Advanced Education. He then commenced a career as school teacher, mostly in south-east Queensland but also with a two-year spell in the outback as part of the distance education program.

He now lives on four sunny acres with his library and his dog, enjoying the space and time to study at leisure, including the classics in Latin, Greek and English, some physics, philosophy and Christian studies. A jack of all trades and master of none, he likes to think his first novel will establish him as a master of something.