Tag Archives: Haunted House

Title Announcement for my next novel (and other news)

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As well as promoting new releases Spectre of Springwell Forest and my short story Papercut (part of the First Love romantic fantasy anthology), I’ve made good use of the grim winter months writing another spooky mystery novel entitled (drumroll…) Phantom Audition.

St Johns Museum, Warwick

I struggled more than usual to find a title for this particular novel, even resorting to testing a few suggested titles on social media. But in the end, my closest friend suggested this title to me, and it stuck.

Phantom Audition revolves around Mia Yardley, a recently widowed bit-part actress grieving for her much more successful actor husband in his ancestral family mansion (like the one pictured above). Cryptic runes, a strange diary, a mysterious medium, and ghostly visions gradually lead to the unravelling of a sinister mystery. Is Mia being given a message from beyond the grave?

This novel sits more at the supernatural/psychological thriller end of my gothic thriller/horror spectrum, though there are still plenty of suspenseful, skin-crawling moments. I intend to beta test it very soon, and once that’s happened (and it’s been through various publisher hurdles), it should be available this October.

Before then I have another scary novel to unleash, called The Irresistible Summons. This is a haunted house story of a very different kind about which I will say no more at present, other than you can expect to have it in your hands in July.

In between those two releases, I might just release another short story. It all depends whether my somewhat offbeat submission to my publisher’s upcoming Coffins and Dragons anthology is accepted. Watch this space.

FREE Children’s Books Month: Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge

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This month is Free Children’s Books Month at Simon Dillon Books. Check back every Thursday for a new free novel. Each book will be available free between Thursday and Monday.

DrGibbles_1600x2400_front cover

This week, Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge is available to download FREE from Amazon Kindle, between the 8th and 12th of March.

A gripping and scary tale involving spies, monsters, haunted houses, mad scientists and lots more besides, with action and thrills to spare, this is fast-paced romp will delight young and old alike.

It was inspired by the nightmares of my youngest son (when he was about three), and the book is duly dedicated to him.

Here is the blurb from the back of Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge:

September 1987.

Curiosity lands Tim Rawling in a world of secrets, spies and a desperate race against time.

The haunted house, the monster and the mad scientist are only the beginning of a terrifying adventure.

Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge can be downloaded FREE here.

Download Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge – for five days only!

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My novel Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge is available to download FREE from Amazon Kindle for five days only.

Of all the novels I have published, Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge remains the one that seems to have singularly failed to find a readership or generate reviews. Besides the obvious possibility that people simply don’t want to read it, I suspect there are a number of factors as to why:

It’s primarily a children’s book. 

I am amazed how many readers are put off for that reason alone, especially as my children’s novels are designed for all readers, not just children. Like all the best children’s books I try to appeal to all ages, and take the CS Lewis view that a great story for children isn’t a great story for children unless it can also be appreciated by adults.

Children’s books (at least mine) don’t seem to find an audience on Kindle in the same way as grown-up books.

This is speculation on my part, but I suspect it is a factor.

I haven’t marketed the novel properly.

This is a given, as I am no businessman or marketing expert. However, I think it is perhaps true that, given how protective I am of the twists and turns in this story, I have perhaps been more reticent to discuss the plot than was wise. I shall therefore attempt to remedy this situation a little in this article.

The plot of Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge begins with a haunted house, a monster, and a mad scientist – and that’s just chapter one! Our hero, the intelligent Tim Rawlings, is then drawn into a thrilling, scary adventure involving spies towards the end of the Cold War.

Tim’s path crosses with the eccentric but mysterious Dr Gribbles. Together they are forced to undertake a dangerous hunt on Dartmoor. Along the way spies British, Russian and American help and hinder, or sometimes both. One such spy is Dr Gribbles’s feisty daughter Emily, who plays an absolutely pivotal role in the story.

Thrills galore ensue, including helicopter chases, monstrous encounters and all manner of narrow escapes, including a nightmarish encounter with a room filled with wasps and a nuclear detonation. Secrets are revealed, characters are double crossed, and ultimately spies of all nationalities prove untrustworthy.

The nail-biting final act includes a homage to one of my favourite fairy tales. I cannot say which, although it might be guessable. At any rate, the overall tone is one of fun and adventure, with some scares (particularly in the first act), and plenty of humour.

In short, I think it is a shame Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge hasn’t had more readers as I think it is a rattling good adventure yarn. The book also features my favourite cover of any of my novels and is even dedicated to my youngest son Thomas, since it was primarily inspired by a very imaginative nightmare he had when he was three.

In short, why not give it a go? Download your FREE copy of Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge here.