About M.P. Norman

Matthew Paul Norman writes speculative fiction where ordinary people collide with impossible worlds—and survival is never guaranteed.

Originally from the UK and now based in New Zealand, he began writing in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes.

His stories are cinematic, character-driven, and unapologetically visual. Inspired by the sense of wonder of Amblin-era Spielberg and the scrappy charm of B-grade cinema, he blends horror, science fiction, and fantasy into fast-paced stories with heart.

He's fascinated by people pushed beyond their limits—heroes who aren't always heroic, monsters who aren't always the villains, and impossible situations that reveal who we become when everything falls apart.

His debut novel, Road Trip Z, 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. His short fiction has also appeared in multiple anthologies, magazines, and podcasts.

When he isn't writing, he's usually watching films and wondering how to make life just a little weirder on the page.