Duncan Bradshaw is witty, funny, kind, smart and a damn good writer. I met Duncan not that long ago on Facebook. Hit it off right from the start. He’s happy to be talking about books, friends, family and just plain joking around with everyone. He will stand behind you and beside you.
Duncan has a long list of books available …stories in a few anthologies, and ebooks. You can find a complete list at Duncan’s author page on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Duncan-P.-Bradshaw/e/B00OH6EVGC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1478571799&sr=1-1
When not writing, Duncan can be found spending time with family and friends, and at some of UK’s book conventions.
Duncan’s newest release is “28 SECONDS LATER: A ZOMBIE SHORT STORY”. Which was released at the end of last month. Available on Amazon.com. Kindle price $3.95
“28 Seconds Later” is taken from the upcoming zombie collection, Chump, by Duncan P. Bradshaw, released on 12 November 2016.
Finally, the true story behind the Eastern Bloc boycott of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics is revealed. Brace yourself for an inspection of the top secret Khimki Sports Preparation Facility in the Novogorsk district, near Moscow. Just another normal day of injections, feats of sporting excellence, and a Scottish super-spy.
There’s a fine line between infection and zombism.
A popular anthology that features a story by Duncan is EASTER EGGS & BUNNY BOILERS: A HORROR ANTHOLOGY. Kindle price is $0.99
Matt Shaw invites you to learn the true meaning of Easter. Yes. That’s right. Easter. Learn the true meaning of Easter in this anthology featuring some of the biggest names in horror right now with authors from across the globe. Come, take his hand, and experience demented rabbits, chocolate obsessed children drowning in their own greed, serial killers, resurrection and more in this collection guaranteed to kill the cravings of your sweet tooth. Featuring the authors: Matt Shaw Graeme Reynolds Luke Smitherd Jim Goforth Stuart Keane Kit Power Jack Rollins David Owain Hughes Rich Hawkins Duncan Ralston Kyle M. Scott Duncan P. Bradshaw J R Park Glenn Rolfe Chantal Noordeloos Kindra Sowder Matt Hickman Neil Buchanan Mark West Michael Bray And an introduction from Gingernuts of Horror’s head honcho, Jim Mcleod
Duncan has a zombie story collection coming our way 11/12/2016. Kindle price $2.99 and it can be pre-ordered NOW. CHUMP: A COLLECTION OF ZOMBIE STORIES…..
All of these stories are unpublished and have never seen the light of day before. A mix of humour, brutality and over-the-top mayhem, which Duncan P. Bradshaw is becoming famed for. Pick it up, and shamble inside some unique takes on the zombie genre.
I really hope you give Duncan a try. Him and his books are pretty amazing. Duncan was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for us.
1. How old were you when you discovered books?
My brother and I were really lucky that our parents read to us from time to time when we were little, and encouraged us to read when we were able. I’d say the first two I can really remember, (and still own), were Puff the Magic Dragon and a pop-up book called Duncan the Dinosaur.
2. What was your favourite childhood book?
My favourite author was Roald Dahl when I was a kid, I loved the mad stories, and the barmy illustrations by Quentin Blake. It is tough to pick just one, but I’d have to go with The Twits. To me, it encapsulates the zaniness of both of them, and is a perfect book for any child.
3. Do you have a current favourite author / book?
Oh yes, all-time favourite, is World War Z by Max Brooks. It is rare for me to re-read the same book, as I just have so many ready and waiting for me in my TBR pile. However, once every couple of years, I’ll pick up WWZ and read it again. I just love the way Brooks approached it, reporting after the events, each interview paints a small part of a larger picture, and I just love it.
4. How many books do you have available?
At present, I have six released in the world. My first was zombie-comedy CLASS THREE, followed up by the first book in the CLASS FOUR series, THOSE WHO SURVIVE. Not wanting to be labelled as ‘Zombie Boy’, I then wrote a bizarro novella called CELEBRITY CULTURE, which is probably the weirdest book I’m ever going to write, it’s also quite tough to wade through. Then I released sci-fi/horror novella PRIME DIRECTIVE, following the first astronauts to land on Mars. My last release was HEXAGRAM, which is part horror, part sci-fi and fantasy. Six stories set across five hundred years of human history.
5. What are you currently working on?
At the moment, I’m just about to release a new book, but have two more ready for editing. One is called DEADLOCK, and follows a retired jewel thief pulled back for one last job. The other is called SUMMONED, and is a multi-narrative book that is going to take a little while to come to fruition. This is because it has loads of design elements which I need to work out.
6. Do you have new releases coming up?
I do indeed, next up for me, and the final book of 2016, is my zombie collection, CHUMP. I’ll be releasing it at the Festival of Zombie Culture on 12 November, and contains eight stories on the undead. Each is vastly different, and I really loved writing some different angles on what is probably one of my favourite things in the world, zombies.
7. If you could live in a book for a day, what book would it be?
Hmmm, most of the books I read, you wouldn’t want to live in, as I’m partial to post-apocalyptic worlds and nasty people. I reckon it would be Scardiff though. The place is permanently stuck in the seventies, and completely odd. I’d love to have a mooch around and see just how mad the place is. One day would definitely be enough!
8. What do you love / hate about being a writer?
I think the thing I love the most, is that I finally have an outlet for my imagination to run wild. I’m quite a unique person, and being able to sit down and form into something tangible my weird and wonderful thoughts, does help. I think. As for the worst thing, it’s not having enough time. I have so many ideas that I want to get down, but realise that the likelihood of being able to, is slim and none.
9. How do you come up with titles / character names for your books?
I know some people that come up with a title first, and won’t start until they do. For me, I don’t stress it. I come up with a provisional name, but most change. Hexagram for instance, was called Stardust. Prime Directive was The Entity. When I write my zombie books, I call them after rivers, until I come up with a title. Character names are in two camps. One is the name which my brain has already come up with, mainly because the dialogue which has gone around my head has already decided on a name. Others just come out depending on gender and the era or setting that the story lives in.
10. Which book of yours would you like to see on the big screen?
I’d love to see my debut novel, CLASS THREE, being made in the flesh. It’s just a little out there, gory and silly. To see those characters come to life, would be pretty damn cool.
11. Ever had writer’s block? How did you get past it?
Not really, though I think this consists of two things. You can get a complete and utter block, where you are bereft of any ideas, which has never happened. Then you get the minor blocks. I am a pantser, in that I don’t plan what is going to happen in my stories. I have a rough idea of what I want to happen, and certain scenes, but in the main, I just sit down, type and see where it goes. Sometimes though, I realise I’ve written myself into a dead-end, or missed something out. Then I come to a grinding halt, as I work out how to correct it. That can be annoying, as it takes me out of the flow.
12. What would be the title of your autobiography?
I think it would have to be something majestic, utterly befitting a man of my talents and whims. So, I think it would be called ‘IDIOT’. In capital letters too.
13. If you could be one of your characters, would you and who?
Most of my characters are not very nice people, even the ‘good’ ones have annoying flaws, which I think helps people to try and identify with them. After all, we are all flawed people, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I think I’d be the nameless narrator from CELEBRITY CULTURE, just to see what a bonkers world it really is, getting diseases from celebrities, and turning into shower cubicles.
14. Do you have a favourite time of day to write? Favourite spot?
I tend to work best mid-late afternoon or evening. I’ve taken days off to work on books before, and find that in the morning, I’m no good at all. I need to wake up a bit, ponder on what I’m going to do, then just sit down and do it. One of the spare rooms has been turned into a man cave, and I have a desk up there, that I use when I’m doing the first draft. When I edit or do design stuff, I’ll sit downstairs on the sofa, where distractions no longer matter.
15. How do you think the Classics inspire today’s authors?
I think that Classics falls into two categories again. In genre fiction, people like King, Barker etc write what are arguably ‘classics’, and it’s good to read some, should you wish. Personally, in amongst the fiction which is released throughout the year, I like to throw in the odd book which I’ve always wanted to read, but never have. So, for example, this year, I’ve read 1984 and Animal Farm, by George Orwell, The Price by Machiavelli and Fear and Loathing…by Hunter S Thompson. I can’t say that I try to emulate people, so for me, it’s more about seeing how other books are constructed, and the language used.
16. Is there any topic you won’t write about?
I wouldn’t say there is, though within a book, I wouldn’t write any sex scenes, as I have yet to read anything yet which has been done well. Most come across as misogynistic or completely out of place. I’d also probably steer clear of rape or child abuse, as I tend to find that these are used in ways which just become tropes, and again, aren’t done very well at all.
17. If you could have any super power, What would it be?
I’d love to be able to freeze time. Either to mess with people, move stuff around, that sort of thing, but mainly so that I could get more stuff written. Be quite cool to get something done by freezing time for an hour or so, would mean that I could work on all of those shiny ideas I get.
18. How much research goes into your books?
Really depends on what I’m writing. My zombie stuff tends to need research when it comes down to geography, weapons that sort of thing. Then you get HEXAGRAM where each and every story needed to be looked into. Again though, in the main, it is done when I come up against something, rather than planning. Though, for THOSE WHO SURVIVE, I read up on survivor guilt before I started, as that was a big theme, and for an upcoming book, I’m reading up on Voodoo.
19. Do you keep anything handy in case an idea hits you?
No, though I’m thinking I should. In the main, I remember little flashes of ideas, and if it really is too good to ignore, I’ll email myself. What I tend to find is that a lot of ideas are quite fleeting, so they tend to just get stored away. When I wrote PRIME DIRECTIVE, I ended up putting in loads of these little ideas, as they all fitted together, that was pretty cool.
20. Past or Present author, who would you love to meet and get to know?
To be honest, I’m not that fussed about meeting a King, or a James. It would be cool, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not as if I’m trying to be them, so wouldn’t do much for me. The absolute best thing about being an indie author, is meeting all of the writers that you meet through social media. It really is cool to shake the hand of someone who has shared your posts, or chatted to about something weird. I’d take that any day of the week.
21. Do you …. Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Newsletter?
I gave Twitter a go and hated it. I’d liken it to standing on an orange box, talking at people. I love Facebook, as you can engage with people, though there are a minority that use it as a ground to bully others, or just be a dick, which is annoying. Once in a while I’ll blog, about progress on projects or something big coming up. Shameless plug right here…
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/duncanpbradshaw/
Blog – http://duncanpbradshaw.blogspot.co.uk/
Website – http://duncanpbradshaw.co.uk/
22. How do you celebrate after finishing a book?
I always do one thing, okay…two. When I finish a first draft, I go and get a bottle of prosecco, and me and the wife will have a drink to celebrate. I’ll do the same when a book is released too. The second thing, is take a day off writing, clear my head, as the next job is to open the document at page one, and start to edit it. I love editing first off, though when I can recite it verbatim, then it bugs me.
23. Congrats on your new adventure, please tell us about EYECUE PRODUCTIONS.
Thank you! All of my physical books have a degree of design elements to them, more than most I’d wager. So when I started out, I wanted to make a little ‘thing’ to represent this, so EyeCue was born. When we originally started the Sinister Horror Company, we were each going to do something similar, with the SHC brand just being an umbrella. I opted to continue with EyeCue. Now that I’m going solo, I’m able to do things my way, and push out, eventually, into new areas.
Here and now though, EyeCue is all about putting my books out, and, a couple of secret projects which I’ll be announcing in the new year. This is the beginning of something exciting, for me at least, and though I wished it had worked out with the guys in SHC, I’m not going to let it slow me down. Find this quote sums it up well:
‘Always a little further it may be, Beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea’
24. Any advice for future authors?
Just one, you will achieve nothing by talking, if you want to be a writer, write. You can spend your entire life procrastinating, putting it off until tomorrow, or when you feel the time is right. The best time is now. It’s all any of us ever have.
Thank you Tina, really appreciate your time.
Please was all mine Duncan. THANK YOU !!!! You are a rock star!!
Happy Reading!
~TMB~
Tina's Bookcase 
Great stuff, Tina. Bloody good chap that Duncan Bradshaw.
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Yes he is!!!
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