I’m someone who likes to get their feet wet in a number of creative outlets. You might consider me something of a creativity explorer. Over the years, I’ve performed stand-up comedy in two countries (Australia and Malaysia); filmed short films, music videos, travel footage, and stand-up comedy; written short film screenplays (and one feature), a one-act play (with a friend), short stories, fiction, and non-fiction; blogged particularly about my travel experiences; photographed a lot on my travels, and put together albums with photos; and acted in a few plays. I’ve taken numerous comedy and improv workshops, and currently perform primarily in an improv show I developed, So You Want a Job. Previously, I also performed improv with YUM!, one of Leela’s Performing Improv Ensembles, and LiGht BrighT, an LGBT improv troupe I helped put together with other Leela performers.
My first novel, Adrift, was released in September 2013, and I’ve had various short stories published published in anthologies edited by other people, as well as two I put together, Amok: An Anthology of Asia-Pacific Speculative Fiction, and Marked by Scorn: An Anthology Featuring Non-Traditional Relationships.
Diversity in media is important to me, not least of all because I identify myself under numerous under-represented in the media areas (woman, bisexual, autistic), but also because I value the voices of other under-represented persons that carry other labels (particularly in the areas of racial and sexuality diversity, as I know a lot of people who fall under those umbrellas). I’ve felt adversely affected by the lack of representation in the media, so I know how much representation matters from that point of view. But I also think it matters from a societal stand-point, as positive representation in the media can lead to greater community acceptance of minorities.
Though now based in Oakland, California, I was born and raised in Western Australia, to American parents, then moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2008, where I lived until June 2014. These factoids are the main reasons I’ve travelled so extensively in my life. I’ve been to over 35 countries on 6 of the 7 continents in the world. My main lifetime travel goals are:
1. Go to all the Disney theme parks around the world (which I had done, until the one in Shanghai opened)
2. Visit all 50 US states (I have 7 left)
3. Go to all 7 continents (1 to go; Antarctica)
My extensive experience travelling helped me gain a career as a tour guide in San Francisco, which is my primary source of income.
I have two kids, born in 2007 and 2010. They’re the most important part of my life, even if I don’t talk about them much.
My tertiary education qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Internet Computing, with minors in Media Studies and Multimedia Information Systems, followed by a Graduate Diploma in Media Production.
Favourite TV programmes
3rd Rock From the Sun, Angel, The Blacklist, Boston Legal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Chaser’s War on Everything, Doctor Who, Firefly, Frasier, Good News Week, Glee, Hawaii Five-O, House of Cards, Just Shoot Me, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Lost, Medium, Once Upon a Time, Orange is the New Black, Red Dwarf, Ringer, Scrubs, Sense 8, Smash, Supernatural
Favourite video games
Donkey Kong Country 2, Donkey Kong Country 3, Donkey Kong 64, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts III, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Final Fantasy XV, X-Men Legends
Favourite films
Bottle Rocket, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Kate & Leopold, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Favourite Disney films
Mulan, Tarzan, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast
Favourite directors
Wes Anderson, Kevin Smith
Favourite actors
Sandra Bullock, Edward Norton, Ryan Gosling, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jensen Ackles, David Spade, Ryan Reynolds, Owen Wilson
Where else on the Internet you can find me
Facebook: Dominica May page and Jaclyn Rousseau [Adrift‘s protagonist] page
YouTube: Video Channel
Twitter: @dominicacreates
Goodreads: Author profile
Instagram: dominicacreates
Google+: Profile
Amazon: Author page
Gravatar: dominicamalcolm
Klout: dommalcolm
Kickstarter: Because I like supporting other creative projects/artists
Indiegogo: Ditto, but this is a site I have campaigned on
Dominica May 