About Duncan Whitehead:
Award-winning writer Duncan Whitehead was born in England and is the author of the best-selling and award-winning GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB Trilogy. The series, inspired by the quirky characters and eeriness in the real-life Savannah neighborhood in which he once lived, is a humorous mystery that boasts an assortment of characters and plot twists. The first book in this series won the 2013 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Comedy.
He has also written over 2,000 spoof and comedy news articles under various aliases for a variety of websites both in the US and the UK. Duncan now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has written further novels, including the four-book FOREST PINES MYSTERY SERIES and a stand-alone comedy, THE RELUCTANT JESUS, which won the 2014 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Comedy.
The final and fourth book in the FOREST PINES SERIES was released in December 2023, written after a four-year hiatus from writing. He is the author of the parody A COZY MYSTERY…WITH ZOMBIES!, which was released in January 2024. He has recently completed his next book, a comedy, and parody entitled MURDER, SHE HOPED and has commenced work on his next comedy/mystery, THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT FLETCHER'S END.
Duncan is well known for his charity work and kindness to animals, children, and old people. His charity, 'Habitat for Hotties,' where he finds housing for retired Hooter's waitresses, was recently voted the least likely charity anyone would ever donate to. He has donated several organs to puppies and kittens and, to help save the planet, does not leave a carbon footprint, as he only wears slippers. In February 2040, he invented time travel and now spends much of his time in either the future (where he has won the lottery an astonishing 117 times) or the present day. Attempts to return to 1985 and write The Harry Potter series of books have thus far failed.
What inspires you to write?
I am inspired to write because I enjoy it. Even if my books were never published, didn't sell, or were ripped apart by reviewers, I would still write because it genuinely makes me happy!
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
My favorite authors include Agatha Christie, Ben Elton, and John Kennedy Toole. I also enjoy JK Rowling, C Terry Cline, Jnr, and Richard Osman. My favorite genres to read are dark comedy and mysteries. However, a combination of both is my ideal genre.
Tell us about your writing process.
I write a first draft by the seat of my pants. I just put all my original thoughts and ideas onto paper. Then, I go back and add to the plot or character development. If I am writing comedy, I will ask others to read each subsequent draft. Usually, by the time I get to the tenth draft, I am ready for the book to be edited. It is a long process but it works for me.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don't actually talk to them, but I imagine them so vividly that when I go from draft to draft, it does feel as though I am listening to them.
What advice would you give other writers?
My biggest mistake when I started writing was not using an editor. The best advice that I can give is to use a professional editor. I wish I had when I first started out.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Initially, I self-published but was lucky enough to get 'discovered' by a traditional publisher. However, I prefer to self-publish my latest books because I have more freedom. If I could go back, I would have turned down the opportunity to be traditionally published and would have stuck with self-publishing. Anything I do in the future will be self-published.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
More and more writers will see the benefit of self-publishing. Technology has advanced so much that it is easy to do. I feel that traditional publishers focus on big names, and at one time, they were the 'gatekeepers.' I think the gates have been well and truly breached!
What genres do you write?: Mystery, Comedy, Parody, Dark Comedy
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Duncan Whitehead Home Page Link
Link To Duncan Whitehead Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
