Interview With Author A.C. Dunne
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A.C. Dunne is a pen name for a husband and wife team. We have always wanted to write books together and always tried to figure out what would be best. The husband has a background in Maritime Archaeology and loves history. The wife did not like history growing up. Just like many people, she saw it as stale dates and dry facts. Together they decided to write history books that brought it to life and made it witty and enjoyable for everyone. So far, we have written 11 books, but only two are published at the moment.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Our latest book is called “Oppenheimer: Master of Atomic Mayhem.” As you may guess, the Christopher Nolan movie inspired us to write it. Oppenheimer is certainly a fascinating figure in history that many people don’t know about.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think the two-author approach is probably our most unusual writing habit. In anything we write, we try to infuse wit, humor, and a touch of sarcasm. We both love unsuspecting and clever humor, and so we try to show that through our books.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Our writing style was probably most influenced by A Series of Unfortunate Events. We love the ridiculous situations and subtle humor in the books. Douglas Adams is another of our influences with the dry British humor.
What are you working on now?
We are currently working on revising our book called “Ancient Greece: Those Guys Knew a Thing or Two.”
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon is probably our best method, but we also have our website, wittyhistory.com.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Our biggest advice would be don’t take shortcuts. Writing is fun and rewarding by itself. But if you take shortcuts and think you’ll make it big, you are wrong. Unless you’re incredibly lucky, in which case, kudos.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you want to be a great writer, you have to be a great reader. In other words, in order to be the best writer you can be, you have to read a ton.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading a book about the early church and the church fathers. It is called “Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine.”
What’s next for you as a writer?
We are going to keep trucking with our series Witty History. We want to be able to provide as much interesting and fun history as we possibly can.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Physician’s Desk Reference…hollowed out, inside: waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Author Websites and Profiles
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