Bruce Spydar might claim to be unsociable, but his writing begs to differ. With a flair for blending wit, wisdom, and a dash of British cheek, Spydar’s books skip between uplifting self-help and semi-fictional romcoms with ease. Whether he’s poking fun at university life in Educating BJ or sharing unfiltered optimism in Unboxing: The Art of Happiness, Spydar delivers stories that entertain while quietly nudging readers toward joy. In this candid chat, Bruce opens up about his creative quirks, the Oxford experience that didn’t quite go to plan, and why he’s not keen on visiting the murder-prone town of Creekwood anytime soon.
If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would it be?
Mr. S: I don’t know. I have met one or two famous authors, but it was a long time ago and before I had any interest in writing. Perhaps I should say my grandfather, just so I could tell him about the world since he passed away. He once wrote a book of poetry, so I suppose he counts. While he might be impressed with my books on happiness/positive thinking, I don’t think he’d be quite so keen on my naughty humour.
You are planning a dinner party. Which fictional characters would you invite?
Mr. S: I’m naturally rather unsociable … so, even if they’re fictional, I think I might pass.
Do you think you were born in the wrong era? Or are you exactly where you should be?
Mr. S: Good question. I think I’d have been a misfit in any era.
If you could physically travel into a fictional book world, where would you go and why?
Mr. S: I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be Shari T Mitchell’s town of Creekwood. There are too many murders, and I might never come back.
Would you ever want to live in any of the fictional places you have created?
Mr. S: As my writing so far has been of only a semi-fictional nature … I already live it.
As a reader, do you prefer a series or stand-alone?
Mr. S: I prefer stand-alone for any authors I have never read before. But, if it’s good, I usually want to read more.
What do you love about self-publishing?
Mr. S: I enjoy being able to throw my books out to the world, regardless of what anyone else thinks. (Well, except for those quality controllers at Amazon!)
What do you dislike about self-publishing?
Mr. S: The lack of visibility. There’s so little chance of big readership without a massive investment in building profile. For someone who is naturally unsociable and lazy … well, I guess it’s just not going to happen.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Mr. S: For my self-help models, I enjoy seeing a model coming together and making sense … and even more so, when I get feedback from others who find it useful.
For my humorous semi-fiction, I enjoy the re-creation of an alternative reality … and again, when I get feedback from others who find it entertaining.
What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
Mr. S: The seemingly endless process of editing and polishing, and having to judge when something is good enough.
What is your favorite reference book for writers?
Mr. S: I don’t really use any, other than a dictionary and thesaurus (and nowadays it’s mainly online). However, one book that keeps me entertained is Roger’s Profanisaurus … it’s a dictionary of swear words!
Are you a pantser or a plotter? Or a bit of both?
Mr. S: A plotter more than a pantser. My self-help models rely on structural coherence for them to work, while the humour I write builds from real-life events that already have some structure. Then I just pants around, trying to make it all flow.
What’s your go-to beverage when writing?
Mr. S: Usually a mid-morning coffee … I try to stay off whisky early in the day.
What’s your go-to snack when writing?
Mr. S: I try to avoid snacking … doctor’s orders.
What do you do when your characters stop speaking to you? Or when they won’t stop speaking to you?
Mr. S: My primary character is an earlier version of me, and I guess lots of people talk to themselves. So perhaps it’s more of a question for my wife!
What’s an opinion that non-writers have about writers that is completely ridiculous?
Mr. S: I don’t know, but such opinions cannot be worse than those of most politicians.
Do you have a word that you use too much in your writing?
Mr. S: In my semi-fictional humour, there is a lot of conversation. In order to keep it realistic, I frequently use ‘padding’ words, such as well, anyway, anyhow, so, erm, uh-huh etc. Oh, and I do use the ellipsis quite a bit … I rather like the ellipsis.
When or where do you come up with your best ideas?
Mr. S: My ideas come from real life experience. In over 50 years, even a seemingly dull existence can hide a treasure trove.
Do you have a favorite character from your books?
Mr. S: I should say BJ from Educating BJ (and also my Shy Backpacker series) as he is based on me. However, I would choose Megan Turner, the MC from Refining My Dining … she’s so much fun.
How do you come up with cover concept(s)? And do you design yourself or do you have a designer?
Mr. S: I design my own covers, evolving them as I write. When I first started, I found the design elements to be as fun and cathartic as the writing, and ideas from one generate thoughts for the other. Also, after many years of working in more conventional office environments, I have no desire for being too reliant on other people … I’ll just do what I feel like doing.
What do you want readers to know about you?
Mr. S: All the good stuff!
What do you not want readers to know about?
Mr. S: Anything that might negatively impact my family and private life.
Do you use a pen name?
Mr. S: Yes, Bruce Spydar is my pen name.
Do you have a new book coming out? When? Title? Genre? Blurb?
Mr. S: Yes … Educating BJ: Distractions of an Oxbridge Misfit … just out June2025.
Books by Bruce Spydar
| Book Title | Genre | Blurb | Link |
 | British humour, a semi-fictional diary of university l | Do you ever think of yourself as being special? I used to believe that I was … or at least, I thought that someday I could be. Oxford University … alma mater to the elite, and breeding ground for aristocrats, politicians, and academics. Built on centuries of culture and tradition, and pompously proud of it. Its motto, Dominus illuminatio mea – The Lord is my light. Well, if The Lord was guiding me, perhaps He had shone his torch in the wrong direction. I was no scholar, nor anything remotely special … even the label they had, articulated as much. In Oxford, I was merely a ‘commoner’ … lacking the intellect, and with neither the wealth nor breeding to walk among ‘the great and the good.’ I was Studens vulgaris, a common-or-garden student … and, occasionally, a rather vulgar one. Even as a commoner, Oxford promised to open doors; a gateway to opportunity and prosperity, to lifelong friendships and love, and to endless horizontal shenanigans. Frustratingly however, things seldom go according to plan. Educating BJ is a rose-tinted (or tainted) portrait of undergraduate life; a commoner’s experience of fun, friendships, and frustration. Spun from real-life events, and as factual as any government record, Educating BJ is my story … and I hope you enjoy it. | |
 | Self-help/Positive thinking | Re-shape your thinking, transform your life! Simple, practical, and positive, Unboxing: The Art of Happiness combines life experience, logic, and basic psychology to show how we can feel happier and more resilient in everyday life. At times, many of us have our struggles with health, money, work, relationships, self-acceptance, and so on. Becoming happier is not about ignoring our problems and limitations, nor about pursuing the fantasy world of our dreams. It’s about making everyday choices that are right for us. As youngsters, we discover instinctively how to solve simple puzzles. At school, we are taught to unpack questions to clarify our understanding, and to identify any constraints before working towards the solutions. Unboxing takes the same approach to issues we face in everyday life. We discover clarity when we UNBOX our issues. We find direction when we ACCEPT what we cannot change, when we are REALISTIC with our expectations, and when we remain TRUE to ourselves. The path towards happiness is indeed an ART. Unboxing is for anyone seeking to re-boot their positivity. It’s about ordinary life and everyday issues. The ART of Happiness is the tool of a positive mind, and Unboxing reveals how to use it. | https://a.co/d/dsn8g5e |
 | Travel humour/romcom | Book 1 in a 3-part series Graduating from Oxford had promised to set him up for life. BJ should now be starting a rewarding and lucrative career, and living the high-life, surrounded by wonderful friends. He should be settling down with the girl of his dreams for a life of enduring love and fantastic sex. Where had that promise gone? Instead, BJ is back living in the parental home, is unemployed and isolated from his friends. His love-life is a barren wasteland, and his prospects look bleak. BJ is bored, restless, disillusioned, frustrated, suffocated. After reaching a dead-end in his pursuit of environmental jobs, BJ changes direction. With his head over-ruling his heart, he secures a professional training contract with a big City firm … a safe and respectable career now lies ahead. F**k it! … thinks BJ, as he buys an air ticket to Darwin, Australia. He feels the urge to go walkabout. The story is loosely based around the author’s own adventures exploring Australia’s outback and East Coast. Awakening Down Under is the first part of BJ’s travel diary as the Shy Backpacker, in which excitement, hope, desire, and disappointment, dominate BJ’s thoughts and actions as he searches for something better on the far side of the world … if only he knew what he was looking for. | https://a.co/d/1SCgfun |
 | Travel humour/romcom | Sun, sea, sand … and scallops. Refining My Dining is a deliciously sexy romcom which transports you to the other side of the world, before returning in time for dinner. A mouth-watering starter, a satisfying main course, and a dessert to leave you craving more … please, do tuck in! Hi! I’m Megan. I’m a 22-year-old northerner, recently graduated, and just starting a new job in London. Tonight, I’ve invited a friend to dinner. He’s someone I met a few months ago in Australia. I’m cooking seafood and, perhaps, I’m anticipating more than just a three-course meal. Life after university wasn’t what I expected, but I’d been drifting, and hadn’t made any plans. On returning home to Newcastle without a job, I was back to my family, back to my boyfriend, and back to where I started. I was going nowhere. After numerous rejections, I finally secured a training contract with a London legal practice. With a few months before starting, I flew to Australia with my backpack and my best friend … and my horizons were about to change. Refining My Dining is Megan’s story. It’s a standalone tale, but if you’ve read the author’s Shy Backpacker series, you’ll have met her before. Caution: Adults only – contains tasty language and scenes of a sexual nature. | https://a.co/d/3sFuFxI |
About the Author
Bruce Spydar used to wear a suit, work in an office, and get paid to lead teams of staff working for international nature conservation. Today he possesses no suit that fits, has no office nor staff, and he doesn’t get paid … although he still volunteers in support of nature.
For the last few years, Bruce has thrown himself into writing. Perhaps it’s a last-ditch attempt to harness his creativity, before his brain turns to mush. On many an afternoon he can be spotted gazing out of an upstairs window of his house near Cambridge, searching for inspiration.
Bruce describes himself as writing with a kind heart and a naughty mind. Personal experience has taught him that everyday life is rather full of struggles, and that happiness and laughter are too often in short supply. It’s why he now chooses to focus his creativity towards sharing his humour and positivity.
Social Links and Amazon Page
IG: @brucespydar
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17796980.Bruce_Spydar
Website link: https://brucespydar.wordpress.com/
Bruce at Amazon: https://bit.ly/4kfBwin
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Thanks so much for hanging out with Bruce and me. I’ll be back soon with Marnie Reilly Mysteries news.
Take care and see you next time!👋
*applause* Fantastic interview! Mr. Spydar is an absolute delight. I LOVE the Shy Backpacker series and Refining My Dining is a hoot! Educating BJ is on my TBR, too!