Since its Christmas, I have made three of my novels FREE for download on Kindle at Amazon – for five days only!

The FREE novels are:

1) The Birds Began to Sing – a gripping thriller that draws inspiration from Agatha Christie, Daphne Du Maurier, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Susan Hill, the Bronte Sisters and Michael Crichton, but also unique in it’s own right – at least reviewers. One reader at Barnes and Noble praised it thus: “Mystery, drama, conspiracy theory, and some supernatural intrigue. A real page turner!”

From the back of the book:

When aspiring novelist Alice Darnell enters a competition to write the ending for an unfinished manuscript by late, world famous author Sasha Hawkins, it appears she might have her big break at last.

However, upon arrival at Sasha’s former home – the sinister Blackwood House – Alice is unsettled by peculiar competition rules, mysterious dreams and inexplicable ghostly visions. She begins to question her sanity as she is drawn into a terrifying web of deceit, revenge and murder.

Download your FREE copy of The Birds Began to Sing here.

2) George goes to Mars – The first part in the thrilling Geoge Hughes trilogy, this science fiction adventure can stand-alone, or be read as part of the wider saga. It’s not just for children either. Throughout the trilogy, amid the excitement, humour and thrills I touch on everything from murderous religious fundamentalism to sexual equality, civil rights, slavery as well as more metaphysical elements.

From the back of the book:

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary holiday homes. But sabotage, assassination attempts and the possibility of an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure…

Download your FREE copy of George goes to Mars here.

3) George goes to Titan – The action-packed second part of the George Hughes trilogy, which again works as a stand-alone adventure, although I do recommend reading the first novel beforehand.

From the back of the book:

The thrilling sequel to George goes to Mars…

A year on from his adventures on Mars, George Hughes faces an even deadlier peril as he travels to Titan on an urgent rescue mission. The mysterious Giles returns to help him, but assassins are once again on his tail, and a new, far greater alien menace lurks in the shadows waiting to strike.

Download your FREE copy of George goes to Titan here.

Make sure you download all these novels before the 30th December.

Happy Christmas from Simon Dillon Books!

Continuing this series on suggested Christmas presents, today’s suggestion is Children of the Folded Valley – by far my most successful novel to date.

Intended Readership: Adults.

Children of the Folded Valley was shortlisted by the SpaSpa Book Awards in 2014, coming third in the fantasy category, though I personally think of it more as a coming of age memoir set against a “light” science fiction backdrop.

Here is the blurb from the back of the book:

During a journey to visit his estranged sister, James Harper recalls his childhood growing up in a mysterious valley cut off from the outside world, as part of a cult called the Folded Valley Fellowship.

In this seemingly idyllic world, the charismatic Benjamin Smiley claimed to be protecting his followers from an impending nuclear apocalypse.

But the valley concealed a terrifying secret.

A secret that would change Smiley’s followers forever.

A sample of the many rave reviews:

“I don’t usually leave reviews but I felt so strongly about encouraging people to read this fantastic book. It had me captured from start to finish. At one stage in the book I actually thought it was a true story.” – Paul, Amazon.

“The use of re-written religious doctrine to control, govern and frighten is particularly chilling… Full marks to Simon Dillon for this creative and highly readable novel.” – Around Robin, Amazon.

“Creepy and unnerving. Kept me gripped the whole way through.” – Lucyboo, Amazon.

“I couldn’t put it down.” – Bukky, Amazon.

“I had so much adrenaline flowing by the end that I couldn’t get to sleep!” – Hells Thomas, Goodreads.

“Well thought through, compassionate… Full of empathy.” – Over, Amazon.

“So well written, you could believe it was a memoir.” – Shelley, Amazon.

“A perturbing and very original story… The ending is magnificent.” – Joan, Goodreads.

Children of the Folded Valley can be downloaded here, and print copies can be ordered here.

Here’s another Christmas present suggestion from the Dillon back catalogue: The Birds Began to Sing.

Intended Readership: Adults.

The Birds Began to Sing is a mystery novel inspired by the likes of Agatha Christie, Daphne Du Maurier and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with a dash of Susan Hill, the Bronte Sisters and Michael Crichton but hopefully also original in its own right (you decide). It is dedicated to my wife, who loves a gripping, page-turning thriller.

Here is the blurb from the back of the novel:

When aspiring novelist Alice Darnell enters a competition to write the ending for an unfinished manuscript by late, world famous author Sasha Hawkins, it appears she might have her big break at last.

However, upon arrival at Sasha’s former home – the sinister Blackwood House – Alice is unsettled by peculiar competition rules, mysterious dreams and inexplicable ghostly visions. She begins to question her sanity as she is drawn into a terrifying web of deceit, revenge and murder.

Some review snippets:

“Mystery, drama, conspiracy theory, and some supernatural intrigue. A real page turner!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Well written, poetic in places, funny at times and with a plot that will keep you turning the pages…” – Al Gibson, Amazon.

“This was really a great read and I loved the twist. Did not expect it at all.” – Jennifer, Amazon.

The Birds Began to Sing can be downloaded here, and print copies can be ordered here.

In this second part of my Sentimental Simon blog post, I examine books I have cried at.

Perhaps it is less common to cry at books than films, but because I find a good novel so immersive, there have been a number of occasions when tears have been provoked. Here are five examples, in no particular order (warning – some spoilers):

Life of Pi – The ambiguous epilogue, where Pi converses with the Japanese insurance people who want to get to the bottom of what really took place at sea, brought a tear to my eye when I read it. The prose is subtle, but the trauma Pi feels, not to mention the grief at having lost his family, is quietly devastating.

One Day – Anyone who has suddenly lost a loved one out of the blue will relate to the aftermath of the shocking, out-of-left-field death in the final act of this romantic and often funny novel (avoid the anaemic film version, by the way). Tears were forthcoming.

The Kite Runner – Flippantly referred to as the Afghan Great Expectations, as with One Day, I recommend reading the book rather than seeing the film. One scene in a hospital late in the novel (a sequence inexplicably removed from the film), leads to the protagonist crying hysterically. And me, whilst I read it.

Watership Down – This story is a landmark trauma event for most people from my generation, largely because of the notorious animated film version (one commenter on Mark Kermode’s blog memorably described it as “a one-way ticket to post traumatic stress disorder”). But it was the novel that first made me weep, especially the epilogue, when Hazel essentially passes into the rabbit afterlife.

The Lord of the Rings – It is all but impossible to explain the profound impact this novel had on me the first time I borrowed it from the school library, not to mention every subsequent time I read it. Although I had read The Hobbit, nothing prepared me for the emotional impact of the final chapters of The Lord of the Rings. After everything our heroes go through, on their many adventures, their ultimate partings were almost too much to bear.

Here are three brief excerpts to give you an idea:

“Farewell, my hobbits! You should come safe to your own homes now, and I shall not be kept awake for fear of your peril. We will send word when we may, and some of us may yet meet again at times; but I fear that we shall not all be gathered together ever again.”

“With that they parted, and it was then the time of sunset; and when after a while they turned and looked back, they saw the King of the West sitting upon his horse with his knights about him; and the falling Sun shone upon them and made all their harness to gleam like red gold, and the white mantle of Aragorn was turned to a flame. Then Aragorn took the green stone and held it up, and there came a green fire from his hand.”

“Then Elrond and Galadriel rode on; for the Third Age was over, and the Days of the Rings were passed, and an end was come of the story and song of those times. With them went many Elves of the High Kindred who would no longer stay in Middle-earth; and among them, filled with a sadness that was yet blessed and without bitterness, rode Sam, and Frodo, and Bilbo, and the Elves delighted to honour them.”