Category Archives: Books

Swear Fealty to the Dillon Empire: Support Me on Patreon

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Me looking moody next to some of my novels, trying to hide how badly I need a haircut. Photo by author.

I have a new Patreon page, and I’d love you to take a look at it.

Why Patreon?

I’ve resisted having a Patreon page for some time, because of the begging bowl baggage with which I associate it. However, I believe I have found a way to give potential supporters back something of value. If I am serious about this full-time writer malarkey, especially with my ambition to land a mainstream publishing deal for my novels, I need to be realistic about the costs involved. My Patreon page is a means of (hopefully) addressing this reality. I lay out my writing goals over the next year in some detail, so potential supporters can see exactly what their contributions will fund.

What am I offering?

On my Patreon page, I offer various levels of monthly support (plus a link to a newly created Ko-fi account, for anyone who wishes to go the one-off donation route). Those who support me will get certain exclusives, including writing updates, video updates, film of the month recommendations, alternative cover imagery, interesting deleted segments, and early access to short story and novel chapter drafts (in some cases, a year or more ahead of official release). I’m going to serialise one (and possibly more) of my novel drafts, exclusively on Patreon, though my first literary preview will be for my upcoming ghost story, Vindicta (part 1 is already up).

I’m also offering the chance for Zoom interactions, either to offer my writing expertise (such as it is), or else to simply chat about books, films, and so forth.

Image by author (Cover design credits: Charles Bown, Yasmine Nuoraho, Denisa Trenkle, Simon Dillon).

Please do check out my Patreon page here and consider supporting me. If nothing else, have a good laugh at the video of me at the edge of Wistman’s wood on Dartmoor, in desperate need of a haircut.

(This is a shorter verison of an article originally published on Medium).

Opening Chapters: The Birds Began to Sing

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This month on Medium, I’m showcasing some of the opening chapters from my novels. These will be primarily from my gothic mysteries, though there may be one or two others. This week I feature the first part of gothic psychological thriller The Birds Began to Sing.

I wrote this novel back in 2012, and in all honesty, I think if I were writing it today, I’d open the book differently. Yes, I have a bit of satirical fun with the publishing industry, but I fear it comes off as a little petulant. Still, I love the book overall, and am proud of it. Here are the opening paragraphs.

Rejection is normal. Everyone experiences rejection at some time in their life, so there is no point getting upset about it. Don’t give up. Just move on. Tomorrow might be better.

That’s what Alice Darnell kept telling herself. Yet having her writing rejected again and again by agents and publishers was beginning to feel worse than getting dumped by a boyfriend. She had just received another rejection letter from a literary agency through the post, and every time she read one it felt like something inside her died. Her bedroom now had an entire wall plastered with rejection letters of one kind or another, all of them saying more or less the same thing:

Dear Alice,

Thank you for your sample chapters and synopsis which we read with interest. Unfortunately we don’t feel this is one for us, but we wish you the best of luck elsewhere.

Kind regards

The Publisher/Agent

Alice thought a more honest summary might read as follows:

Dear Alice,

I’m not sure why you bothered to send us your sample chapters and synopsis, as you are not an established author. Obviously, we didn’t bother reading it. You might want to try elsewhere and see if anyone is foolhardy enough to take on an unknown author, but don’t count on success.

Indifferent regards

The Publisher/Agent

Alice pinned the most recent rejection letter alongside the others, and glanced at the alarm clock at the side of her bed. Almost half past nine. She had a cold, and had already called in sick so wouldn’t be going to work. That meant a day alone trying to rest, recuperate and watch daytime television whilst trying not to feel too depressed.

From The Birds Began to Sing by Simon Dillon.

You can read the whole of the chapter here, and read my companion piece article on this series here. Alternatively, to purchase a copy of The Birds Began to Sing (ebook or paperback) click here (for the UK), here (for the US), or here, if you wish to purchase via Smashwords.

Opening Chapters: Phantom Audition

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This month on Medium, I’m showcasing some of the opening chapters from my novels. These will be primarily from my gothic mysteries, though there may be one or two others. This week I feature the first part of gothic psychological thriller Phantom Audition, which begins like this:

What Mia noticed most was the silence.

She kept expecting to hear Steven’s voice, or the insistent thud of his feet, as he rehearsed his lines, pacing up and down. She expected to hear him on the phone to his agent, publicist, or to a director.

In the mornings, she no longer heard his absurd singing in the shower. His seat at the breakfast table stood empty. Mia would avert her eyes, unable to bear staring at the space he should occupy. He should be sipping his tea, scrolling through his phone, crunching his cereal… Silence chewed the room instead, like wind and rain gnawing an eroding landscape.

At nights, Mia would awaken and roll over, hoping to warm herself on his body. But Steven wasn’t there, and he wasn’t coming back. He had been replaced with the same terrible silence that screamed, clawed, and tore at her mind whenever she entered the rooms that still had his smell. The memory of her husband had stained the entire house.

Mia had always thought the mansion ludicrously big for the pair of them, but now more than ever she felt the size of the place. A curious unease lingered, as though the carpets, furniture, paintings, and ornaments had turned against her. She felt like a stranger in her own home, imagining everything around her glared in frowning disapproval. Perhaps her presence was a desecration.

One Monday morning a month after the funeral, the unpleasant sensation of feeling watched by the house became too much, and Mia yelled out into the silence.

‘It’s my bloody home too!’

The house responded without mercy, making every tiny tick of the clock an intolerable cacophony. Mia put her hands over her ears. She knew her behaviour was absurd, but the curious mixture of anger and fear that stirred within her had taken her by surprise. Sadness at Steven’s passing was to be expected, but she had not expected to feel so defensive or fearful. Perhaps bewilderment at the events leading up to his suicide by drug overdose still had her on edge.

From Phantom Audition by Simon Dillon.

You can read the whole of the chapter here, and read my companion piece article on this series here. Alternatively, to purchase a copy of Phantom Audition (ebook or paperback) click here (for the UK), here (for the US), or here, if you wish to purchase via Smashwords.

Opening Chapters: The Thistlewood Curse

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In a brief series on Medium, I’m showcasing some of the opening chapters from my novels. These will be primarily from my gothic mysteries, though there may be one or two others. Kicking off the series is my supernaturally tinged whodunnit The Thistlewood Curse, which opens with these words:

In spite of the peculiar circumstances surrounding the death of Jacob Price, Detective Sergeant Laura Buchan had all but convinced herself there was no foul play. That he died as the result of a bizarre accident had become the accepted version of events for her and most of her colleagues. Only the senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Ethan Roland, had any further inkling that Price’s demise was in any way suspicious.

Laura kept pinching the bridge of her nose in a nervous reflex. The questioning of her lifelong friend and occasional colleague Lawrence Crane should have been mere formality; an interview that would establish beyond all doubt that he had no involvement in Price’s death. But Roland kept treating him like a criminal. No doubt he considered his actions thoroughness, but Laura thought he was just being rude. Through the two-way mirror, Laura watched as Roland continued to question Crane in the interview room.

‘Are you glad he’s dead?’

Lawrence Crane leaned forward and stared for a moment at the mirror. His eyes met Laura’s and although he could not see her, she experienced the familiar sensation of discomfort, as though she were standing before him naked. His gaze seemed darker and colder than usual, no doubt because he didn’t suffer fools gladly, and Ethan continued to behave like one.

Crane returned his piercing, steel blue stare to the Detective Inspector sitting before him. Although his back was turned, Laura could imagine the dogged, determined expression on Ethan Roland’s face. He had a stocky, bulldog build that intimidated most people he questioned. But Lawrence Crane was not most people. He replied with an icy calm.

‘Obviously, I’m glad he’s dead.’

From The Thistlewood Curse by Simon Dillon.

You can read the whole of the chapter here, and read my companion piece article on this series here. Alternatively, to purchase a copy of The Thistlewood Curse (ebook or paperback) click here (for the UK), here (for the US), or here, if you wish to purchase via Smashwords.

Medium Update September 2022

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Photo by Bence Szemerey on Pexels

Apologies for the recent dearth of information on my writing. I’ve not posted anything other than film reviews on this blog for a couple of months, as I’ve been extremely busy – both working on novels (expect an update on those soon) and working on Medium articles. Regarding the latter, here are just ten highlights from the past two or three months.

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 for supporting my writing endeavours, and I hope you enjoy the following.

What Kind of Cinemagoer Are You?

Which of these ten archetypes best describes your film viewing persona?

Stop Spoiling Films and TV Series in Trigger Warnings

When content alerts contain spoilers, the Dillon Empire goes nuclear.

Top Twelve Mad Scientists in Cinema

My all-time favourite big screen lunatics indulging in because-we-can playing God shenanigans.

I Feel Sorry for People Who Read Books or Watch Films Only Once

Why “I know what’s going to happen” is an absurd reason not to revisit a classic.

Seven Books I’d Take to a Desert Island: The Dillon Empire Edition

After a truly excruciating selection process, here are my literary essentials.

Ten Key Science Fiction Films from the 1950s

Fears about the atomic age, communism, psychosexuality, and feminism permeated sci-fi in the Truman/Eisenhower era.

Avatar Avarice? Yet Another Reason Why Physical Media Is Best

Disney removes James Cameron’s 2009 smash from its streaming service to a chorus of entitled whining.

Ten Film Noir Favourites

My picks from the golden era of gumshoes and femme fatales.

Once Upon a Time in the West Stuns on the Big Screen

My first time seeing Sergio Leone’s masterpiece at the cinema.

My Ten Favourite Gangster Films: An Offer You Can’t Refuse

The Dillon Empire’s top tales of organised crime from cinema history.

That’s it for this Medium update. I’ll be back with another soon. Thank you again for all your ongoing support of my writing.

Sweet Dreams: All Parts Out Now

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Credit: Pixabay

Medium publication Fictions have recently serialised my new short story Sweet Dreams. A science fiction thriller set in the near future, it concerns a journalist investigating a tech company that manufactures nightmare suppressing nanotech for children. “Sweet Dreams” refers to the technology involved, which Ali, the journalist, comes to believe may be linked to an increase in suicidal tendencies among young people. Her investigations uncover conspiracies, cover-ups, and eventually murder.

Themes of playing God and the dangers of mollycoddling are inherent in the subject matter, but quite honestly it isn’t meant to be terribly deep. My main motivation in writing was to create a gripping tech-murder mystery. I’ve had lots of great feedback on Medium so far, and I hope you enjoy it. All five parts are now available for your reading pleasure.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

New Short Story: Sweet Dreams

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Credit: Pixabay

I’ve a new short story entitled Sweet Dreams currently being serialised in Fictions on Medium. It concerns a journalist investigating a tech company that manufactures nightmare suppressing nanotech for children. I’ll talk more about this story once all five parts are published, but for now, you can check out part one here. Enjoy!

New Short Story: In-Between

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Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

The Fictions publication on Medium published my short story In-Between. Originally conceived as a supernatural satire, this evolved into something far more personal. It concerns a recently deceased man whose attempts to haunt his family are constantly interrupted by ghost politicians attempting to secure his vote in an afterlife by-election. Check it out in full here. I hope you enjoy it.

Medium Update

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Photo by Ergo Zakki on Unsplash

First, my apologies for the lack of Medium update in April. I have been exceptionally busy elsewhere, mostly writing short stories. However, here’s a selection of my more notable Medium pieces over the past couple of months.

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 for supporting my writing endeavours, and I hope you enjoy the following.

The Authentic Eclectic

Ten Things You Don’t Know About Me

The Dillon Empire is not all it seems.

Plethora of Pop

Sixteen at 16: The Dillon Empire Circa 1991

Underage drinking and top tunes from a halcyon teenage heyday.

The Writing Cooperative

The Chosen One Trope: Is It Played Out?

In defence of fantasy fiction’s most derided cliché.

Fan Fare

A Shop Assistant Told Me Return of the Jedi Wasn’t Suitable for Children

How a childhood encounter with a thoughtless “it’s-the-rules” bureaucrat yielded a gleeful viewing of an entirely age-inappropriate film.

Own Nothing and Be Happy? No Thanks

Klaus Schwab can stick his Orwellian nonsense where the sun doesn’t shine.

Moses Supposes His Movies are Doozies

Three unique cinematic takes on the Exodus story.

Three Very Different Films About Jesus

Whitewashing, blasphemy, violence, anti-Semitism, and other controversies.

My Son’s Thoughts on Citizen Kane

Is the ‘greatest film ever made’ still relevant to Generation Z?

Intermissions: Invaluable or Interminable

Should we bring back the mid-film break in cinemas?

My Ten Favourite Time Travel Films

Paradoxes, pandemics, existential crises, AI assassinations, fish out of water comedy, meeting your teenage parents, and more.

My Ten Favourite Cinematic Car Chases

An adrenaline-surging selection of high-octane vehicular thrills.

My Ten Favourite Disney Animated Films

Does your favourite make the Dillon Empire cut?

High Noon: 70 Years On

McCarthyism allegories and contemporary resonance in a celebration of Fred Zinneman’s classic western.

The Godfather Part II: The Greatest Sequel Ever Made

Francis Ford Coppola’s masterful sequel enjoys a welcome cinema rerelease.

Romancing the Stone: The Film That Inspired The Lost City

A look back at Robert Zemeckis’s 1984 romantic comedy adventure.

Blow Your Stack

Put Pixar Films Back in Cinemas

Disney’s release plans for Turning Red makes me see red.

Movie Recaps: An Abomination to Any True Cineaste

A wretched so-called innovation that will be treated with contempt by anyone with an iota of cinematic and artistic integrity.

That’s it for this bumper Medium update. I’ll be back with another next month. Thank you again for all your ongoing support of my writing.

More Five Star Reviews

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I’ve recently had a few more encouraging five-star rave reviews for some of my novels, on Amazon and Goodreads.

Peaceful Quiet Lives

“A futuristic book about a post-civil war America. The east is ultra-liberal and the west is ultra-conservative. What I loved about this book is the detailed thought Mr. Dillon put in about what an extreme society would look like. In my personal life, I live mainly on one side of the aisle. The description of the other side’s extreme made sense to me. The description of the extreme side of my ideals was shocking. It made me understand what the other side of the aisle is so afraid of. Quite an eye-opener. I’d like to believe the proverbial “slippery slope” will never end in the extremes described in this book. And hope this book is a warning to us all of what could happen if we continue to widen the gap and refuse to compromise.” – Heather K, Amazon.

Children of the Folded Valley

“Dystopian sci-fi with a high level of haunting creepiness that begets humans in some situations. Interesting character development and interactions.” – Aimee Gramblin, Goodreads.

The Irresistible Summons

“An extraordinarily imaginative tale, the supernatural infused with technology, love and hatred and an intense sense of dread and mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend you check out more of Simon’s extensive body of work both here and on Medium.” – Alison, Amazon.

Spectre of Springwell Forest

“Great read! I enjoyed it immensely. The tension was great and I was engaged from the start.” – Jennifer Brewer, Goodreads.

Phantom Audition

“Simon Dillon has done it again with this gripping story full of intrigue and mystery. Characters full of emotions that a reader can invest in.” – AM Cummins, Goodreads.

If you enjoy my novels, please do leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you picked them up. They are an encouragement to me, but much more importantly, they mean the algorithms show my work to more potential readers, which is a great support to me as an independent writer. Reviews literally help me put food on the table, so a huge thank you to everyone who shows their appreciation in this way. Even a one-liner helps (as you can see from the above), so they don’t have to be long.

I know I’ve not written a great deal of book/writing related articles here over the last month, but I expect that to change soon. I’ve been busy on a number of other fronts, including writing a new short story which I hope to announce here soon. Watch this space.

All titles are available from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). Some of the above titles are also available from Smashwords.