Meet Matthew Duncan | Sci-fi and Fantasy Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Duncan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by impossible stories that are told so well that you believe they can be possible. It doesn’t matter if it’s historical fiction or sci-fi, a great story will take you on an adventure and become the high point of your day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I write the books that I would want to read. That sounds simplistic, but I have a high standard when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy books. I grew up with a love of sci-fi. Starting with watching Star Wars on the big screen at the age of 7. After that, I was a fan of sci-fi, especially Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Starship Troopers, Enders Game, I-Robot, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, 2001, Firefly, Dr. Who, and so on. Once I made my way through the classic books, I had a hard time finding contemporary sci-fi that lived up to the old-school standards. There are some, but not many. Now, instead of just saying that I could do better, I decided to challenge myself to do just that. I put pen to paper and wrote my story idea out as a novel. Showing it to my wife, she loved it but pointed out that it needed a lot of work. To achieve my goal, I needed to study how to write long-form novels, as opposed to plays which was what I studied in school. I spent two years analyzing the work of successful contemporary novelists and working with my wife on rewrites of my book. It was a lot of work, but well worth it as my first book got great reviews and led into two series that I’m still growing. My tenth book comes out later this summer.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One place I would like to visit again would be the Wrigley Mansion. I haven’t been there in a few years, but the view at sunset is worth the effort.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe my success to my wife Carleesa who encourages me, inspires me, and partners with me as my developmental and content editor on all of my books.

Website: https://matthewoduncanbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mobdpublishing/

Image Credits
Book cover art, all rights owned by Matthew O. Duncan