Whilst I carry on writing the first draft of the new novel in earnest (currently about 75,000 words in, closing in on the end of chapter 18), I’ve continued to be as prolific as ever on Medium and Patreon. Here are a few highlights.
On Patreon, I’m serialising the current unpolished draft of my psychological mystery thriller The Balliol Conspiracy. I’ve also kept up with my awkward video updates, and one or two other bits and pieces. Here’s a sample of what’s available to supporters.
Watch me awkwardly bumble my way through a writing update in a woodland, decidedly in need of a haircut, and sounding out of breath. Plus added snark from subtitles added by my eldest son.
Interviewing My Characters: James Harper from Children of the Folded Valley
I thought it might be fun to run a series of short interviews conducted with characters from my novels. First up, the protagonist of my most successful novel to date, Children of the Folded Valley. Here, I imagine him being harassed by a curious journalist in-between the events of acts two and three (which are alluded to in mysterious, hopefully intriguing terms, but not spoiled for those who haven’t read the novel).
Diary of an Alien Invasion Commander
This is a snippet of a satirical sci-fi comedy project I started fifteen years ago, abandoned, and am considering picking up again. It might wind up as a short story or novella, but this is a sample what I’ve written so far. It concerns an extremely reluctant alien invader, mired in middle management apathy.
The Balliol Conspiracy Chapter 5
In this chapter, bridge engineer Stanley Orchard has an unexpected visit from an old friend, who finds himself in an extremely unpleasant situation.
As for Medium, here are a few highlights of what I’ve been up to over the past month.
An interview with yours truly conducted by Ben Human of The Pro Files
Roald Dahl Censored by Sensitivity Readers
Newspeak strikes again. Where does it end?
Schindler’s List: One Person Can Make a Difference
The timeless message of Steven Spielberg’s landmark Holocaust drama.
James Cameron’s romantic disaster epic gets a Valentine’s week cinema rerelease, but the Dillon Empire rages at the absence of 2D screenings.
The Dillon Empire mulls over this year’s Academy Award nominees.
Every Steven Spielberg Film Ranked: Part 1 of 3
The Dillon Empire lists the great director’s films in order of personal preference. (NOTE: There’s a link to the second part at the end, which in turn has a link to the third part at the end.)
How I Brainwashed My Children with Great Films: Part 6
You too can breed smug specimens of cinematic literacy. (NOTE: This is the final part in this series. There are links to all five previous parts at the beginning).
That’s a wrap for this month. Thank you again for all your support, and as always, a massive extra huge thank you to all my supporters on Patreon – Claus, Robin, Eric, David P, Steve, Emma, Sterling, Galina, Ian, Gillian, Yasmine and Ville, plus those who have contributed one-off donations on Ko-fi. Also, thank you to Ruth and Iain, and David S, and to everyone who has bought books, reviewed books, and promoted or supported me in other ways. You are hugely, hugely appreciated, and I couldn’t do this without you.
If you aren’t already a supporter on Patreon, please take a look at this link, which outlines my writing goals for the next year, clearly stating how much I wish to raise and why, and offering support levels of £2, £4, £8, and £25 per month, with different benefits at each level. Please consider supporting me, even if only at the lower level, as every contribution helps.
Those of you who aren’t Medium subscribers get three free reads per month. However, if you decide to subscribe to Medium to read all my work (and the work of many others), please do so via this link, as it means I financially benefit from your subscription.
Thank you again for supporting my writing.
Simon Dillon Books 
You must be logged in to post a comment.