About M.P. Norman

Matthew Paul Norman is a speculative fiction writer originally from the UK and now based in New Zealand. He began writing in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011, when the upheaval of the real world inspired him to create imaginative stories.

His writing is highly visual and character-driven, unfolding like a film on the page, with cinematic set pieces and emotional intensity. Influenced by the wonder of Amblin-era Spielberg, a love of B-grade cinema, and creators such as Howard Overman, Gareth Edwards, M. Night Shyamalan, Simon Pegg, and Edgar Wright, his work blends horror, science fiction, and fantasy.

Matthew is drawn to flawed, morally complex characters fighting to survive extraordinary circumstances. His debut novel, Road Trip Z (Severed Press, 2019), launched a zombie-apocalypse series, with the second instalment released in 2023. In 2020, he was awarded the Wright–Murray Residency for Speculative Fiction Writers. He also has stories in multiple anthologies.