DJ Burnham

interviewed by Martin Cooper for the Brighton Evening Argus

October 2007

MC: When and why did you decide to try your hand at science fiction writing?

DB: I grew up watching Kirk-era ‘Star Trek’ and reading sci-fi, so with an accompanying science-based education it was a logical progression. I started writing poetry in the early 80’s and then progressed to sci-fi stories about 8 years ago. It allows you to incorporate many of the other literary genres. For instance, in the new book there’s romance, crime, satire, tragedy, history, detective fiction, a touch of horror, all sorts. I think it’s also healthy escapism, playing around with ideas, realizing the improbable in story form with no boundaries other than the imagination. I love doing it. There’s a great sense of freedom.

MC: Who or what influences your work?

DB: Philip K. Dick, Ian M. Banks, Robert Sheckley, William Gibson, Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov and many more have all been literary influences. The singer-songwriter Roy Harper has been one of the greatest musical and poetic influences in my life, as well as engendering focus and clarity of independent thought in the way that I see the world. As to what triggers the story ideas themselves? It can be a variety of things; previous examples are as diverse as celebrity chefs, Sudoku, anti-aging products, biometric ID cards and the futility of war. Something just sparks off an interesting train of thought.

MC: How long did it take to write the stories for ‘Test Drive’?

DB: They took about four years to write, mainly because my only chance at uninterrupted flow is when I’m on holiday in Greece, sitting under the shade of a tamarisk tree on a sandy beach with pen and paper.

MC: The book cover has ‘Volume 1 of the collected stories’ on it. Can we expect a Volume 2?

DB: Yes, absolutely. There are another nine or ten stories written already and about thirty working ideas on the back burner; so…another two trips to Greece should do it, so probably in 2009/2010. (laughs)

MC: Do patients at your dental practice know the other side of David Burnham?

DB: A few know about the writing and they’ve all been really interested and encouraging, or maybe they just want to keep me in a good mood. (Laughs)

MC: Now you have had your collection of short stories published, is a full-length novel in the pipeline?

DB: Short story writing fits in with my busy life and that’s what I will probably continue to concentrate on. However, I have written a novel and I plan to go back and take another look at it, work on some edits and possibly publish it in a year or two.

MC: Profits from your book go to the WWF, what influenced you to do this?

DB: In 2005 I travelled to India with my wife Sue and we were lucky enough to see tigers in the wild, which was a thrilling experience but also a major motivating factor. I was already planning to release the first volume of the collected short stories and decided that I’d like to do something positive with it, hence helping The World Wide Fund for Nature. As the world’s largest independent organisation of its kind it works in more than 90 countries, conserving endangered species and habitats, researching, educating, and protecting the environment.MC: Any plans to give up the day job?

DB: Ha Ha, not in the near future, but it’d be nice to have a bit more free time to write.

MC: Where is the book available from?

DB: ‘Test Drive’ is available from City Books, 23 Western Road, Brighton and on-line at: http://www.lulu.com/content/823956