[1] Originally a police officer[2] then private investigator in Adelaide, South Australia, working predominantly on homicide cases, he turned to writing in 1998.

[13] His 2008 novel, Moonshadow: Eye of the Beast, was an Australian bestseller,[14] was shortlisted for the 2008 Aurealis Fantasy Award and subsequently published in the United States, Germany, Indonesia and England.

[15][16] As a result, Higgins was invited to appear on Australia's highest rating children's TV show, Saturday Disney, to discuss the book and demonstrate swordplay.

[25][26][27] His novel, Moonshadow: Eye of the Beast, was subsequently made a recommended school curriculum text by the Asia Education Foundation.

[28] In 2013 Higgins received an Australian Government Endeavour Executive Fellowship Award to live and study ‘Screenwriting for Film & TV Animation’ in China.