A playwright, author, and historian, Connor worked in bookselling and publishing in Melbourne and Sydney and operated his own literary and speaker's agency. With an interest in theatre he was involved (usually offstage) with St Martins Theatre, Melbourne, the South Australian Theatre Company and Theatre 62, both in Adelaide, and was assistant House Manager at Sadler's Wells theatre in London. Born in Queenscliff, Victoria, he moved to Tasmania in 1998. He was historical consultant for the 2004 premiere production of the musical 'For the Term of His Natural Life' by Don Gay and Mark Hulsman and in November that year his own play 'Colonial Ways: A comedy of BAD Manners' was performed by the Old Nick company at the Peacock Theatre, Hobart. Another play 'Excellent Excellency' was produced as an acted reading, directed by Don Gay, by Mainstage Theatre Company at the Hobart Drama Centre in August 2005. Connor has published several books including two volumes on the early days of the Sydney Gazette - 'Pig Bites Baby' (2003) and 'More Pig Bites Baby' (2004), and 'The Invention of Terra Nullius: Historical and Legal Fictions on the Foundation of Australia' (2005). Connor's 2002 University of Tasmania PhD thesis is entitled 'The Politics of Grievance: society and political controversies in New South Wales 1819-1827'. Since 2008 he has been a contributing editor to Quadrant magazine.