Well...they actually very politely suggested that I come over here and introduce myself.
I'm a bit of a sad old hippy I guess, early fifties (God I hate typing that!), software engineer by trade now running digital photo lab in partnership with another guy (I do all the software, web site etc. and for my sins the accounting). Live 25 miles North of Inverness in the Highlands (though I confess to being English
)
I am a bit of a mountaineer - hence the Vertigo handle
(though since starting up the business I seem to find absolutely no time). I have climbed in the Alpes, the Andes and the Himalayas as well as the UK. I love skiing and have seriously considering moving out to live in the Alps.
I dropped out of reading for a lot of years (decades) and got back in seriously about three years ago. I read both SF and Fantasy though probably tend more to the SF side of things. Current favourite authors in no particular order (I say current to avoid listing all my past favs like Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke etc. no less diminished but mostly fully read)
Alastair Reynolds - even if he does make me pick up the dictionary all the time
Peter Hamilton - love his commonwealth stories and don't mind the length of them
Neal Asher - just getting into him but I'm already convinced he should be up here
Iain Banks - Just love all his stuff - his books are really the ones that got me hooked back into reading again
Terry Pratchett - what can I say - genius - how cruel can life be, that a man with his obvious intellect should be so afflicted.
Dan Simmons - a bit dark but engrossing
David Eddings - though not so keen on his later stuff
Kate Elliott - thoroughly enjoyed the Crown of Stars series
Robin Hobb - just getting into her stuff but looks promising
Tad Williams - just loved his otherworld series - was that SF or Fantasy?
And let's be honest here - I love a bit of slap bang, swashbuckling all action adventure so I guess I have to include David Weber, Elizabeth Moon, Jack Campbell and others of their ilk.
Some others I have not yet read but am hoping to add to that list are (many noted just from my short time on this forum):
Richard K Morgan
Joe Abercrombie
Paolo Bacigalupi
Raymond E. Feist
China Mieville
Paul J. McAuley
Charles Stross - I don't know why but I have had his Accelerando knocking around for some time now but haven't got around to reading it
I'm sure there are others but that just off the top of me head!
So Hello from Vertigo aka Mike Franklin!
PS - I apologise now but I have a terrible habit of not proof reading my posts before I post them full of tyyyyppoooos