IT ALL BEGAN WITH SOMEONE BELIEVING IN ME
Since my parents were both bibliophiles, I grew up surrounded by books. Books opened up a world of wonder and adventure to me, not just within the sphere of the imagination, but they also presented gateways to exotic countries, at that stage unreachable to me, since I was born in an era when my country was cut off from international travel. I needed a means of transport that could transcend political borders and fly me over the horizon to the far-off lands.
In the mythical realm I found Pegasus, who manifested in my love for horses. My equestrian adventure began at the age of ten, and soon my father bought me my first horse. In books I discovered the existence of the untamed white horses that roamed the shores of Camargue in France. Armoured with childhood innocence and unwavering determination, I forged a telepathic connection with these magnificent equine beings and I made a solemn promise to them, “One day I will find you”. The solid foundation of my belief in this dream was my mother’s constant whisper to me: “You can become anything you want to, I believe in you”.
MY ODYSSEY UNFOLDED…
I embarked on a voyage of knowledge, evolving from a curious seeker of truth into a storyteller as a journalist. Later, I embarked on a path of deeper understanding, studying the human psyche to become a psychologist and ultimately, a criminal profiler within the South African Police—navigating the dark labyrinth of criminal minds. Spurred on by my crusader ancestral blood, I followed the footsteps of my mythological hero, Odysseus, and others such as Aeneas, Orpheus and Theseus, descending into Hades, tracking killers. My quest into the abyss was perilous, encountering many Minotaurs. My childhood dream of meeting the white horses on the beaches of Camargue, was not forgotten as I could hear them neighing through the mist enveloping the metaphorical battlefields of my life.
The gods intervened and one day I was invited by the Centre des Science Criminelles et Penales in France, to share my insights on profiling in the grand city of Paris. It became a recurring pilgrimage, a yearly voyage to teach European profilers and law-enforcers. Amidst the bustle of Paris, I received an unexpected request from Paris Match, who sought to capture me in a moment with the winds of fate tousling my hair. Yet, that day, the winds whispered from the south of France, and so, I was flown from Paris to Camargue.
Standing up the beach of Camargue, as the winds caressed my hair, the prophecy came to pass. A herd of the wild horses of Camargue, as if guided by the ancient oracles, approached me with affection and playfully they nuzzled my hair with their softness. “We awaited your arrival,” they seemed to convey, “for you promised, and you have fulfilled your promise.” That day, my childhood dreams transformed into reality, a metamorphosis as profound as those witnessed in mythic tales.
“Someone believed in Me, so I believed in Me and You can believe in You, even if you had to descend into Hades, to find the spark of divinity inside you.”
My academic background comprises a BA, BA honours in Psychology, Masters of Psychology and DPhil Psychology. I have lectured at many universities globally, as well as on international podia, conferences and training institutions and have featured in countless television documentaries.
At 48, I admitted I have always wanted to become an archaeologist. So, I enrolled and completed an honours degree in Biblical Archaeology. I packed my bags and explored the globe, tracing the footsteps of Alexander through the Indus Valley in what is today Pakistan. I searched for Theseus in the labyrinths of Knossos, paid homage to the Greek gods in their various temples, stood in the megaron at Mycenae where the Trojan War was planned, and like Odysseus I looked up from the Troad plains at the strong-built Walls of Troy.
I have gazed from Mount Nemrut over the battle plains of the Hittites, and dipped my hands into the Tigris and the Euphrates. I have followed my crusader ancestor Tancred from his birthplace in Rouen France, to a fortress at Edessa. I have visited the Kings of France in their opulent palaces and danced at Stonehenge.
Like a winding river, my career path meandered through different landscapes, from journalism, to law enforcement, to television documentaries, scriptwriting, to authoring seven books.
My books are my autobiography, Catch me a Killer; Strangers on the Street; Fatal Females; Profiling Serial killers and Other Crimes; Skimme in die Skadu – an Afrikaans translation of Catch Me; Sorg- a magical-realism novel in Afrikaans on the era of the Ostrich feather Barons in Oudtshoorn and Heroes an Insight into Men’s perspective on relationships.
In 2024, my autobiography Catch me a Killer was turned into a television series of the same name, streamed globally and the British actress Charlotte Hope was nominated for an Emmy Award in her role as me in the series! I am so proud of her.
The global interest in the series inspired me to launch a YouTube channel, which led to Substack and Patreon and other social media outlets, for I realized the public is in need of an academic, intelligent voice that can deliver an authentic real-life experience and knowledge on the topic, without disappearing down the rabbit hole of synthetic sensationalism, characterised by so many so-called ‘serial killer” sites.
Remembering the echo of my mother’s oracle, “You can become anything you want to be”, I formulated a vision where, like an alchemist, I could alloy the elements of my passions for writing, psychology and archaeology into my articles, videos and interviews with other experts in the field. I invite my readers and followers to an eclectic view of crime throughout the ages, blending modern and historical case studies set against the backdrop of lost civilizations, forgotten gods, myths and legends, but with a solid psychological foundation.
But my vision for a new life did not end there, I needed a safe harbour from where to set sail. After emerging from Hades, as a Thalassophile, I dreamed about living on an island where I could satiate all my senses and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. Inspired by Odysseus’ courage, I embarked on an Odyssey and found my Ogygia in Mauritius. Mauritius is not subtle in her seduction. Her elements are in excess; not just fire but Hephaestus forged a volcano; not just water, but Poseidon rules an ocean, not just wind, but Aeolus unleashes cyclones; not just earth, but Demeter the fertility goddess enriches the soil covered with blooms and lush vegetation.
Since settling in Mauritius a few years ago, the island has regenerated my passion for life, inspiring me to reconnected with my purpose to invest and share my intellectual capital. As an executive member of the Emotional Wellbeing Institute I am involved in several community projects on local and global scale. I believe we can all make this world a better place and leave a legacy. I have developed several courses, blending neuropsychology and mythology, for if you can know the workings and power of your own mind, you can map your destiny and rewrite your own story. My story is continuing…
WORDS TO LIVE BY:
“It’s the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
– Albert Einstein