My new mystery thriller novel Death Nest is out on the 1st of October and available for pre-order at Amazon and Smashwords. Here’s the first of a few teaser images counting down to the release.
A spoiler-free comment on this image: The story features a cave on the north Cornwall coast, in the fictional village of Corthpothan (loosely inspired by the real Cornwall coastal village Porthcothan).
My new mystery thriller novel, released on the 1st of October. Watch this space for more details.
One of my major goals this year was to write the first draft of my new gothic mystery novel. I can tell you that I have now completed this. It’s a twisty-turny murder mystery thriller with hints of the supernatural, and I’m rather pleased with how it turned out.
Drumroll… The title is A Thorn in Winter. This title not only sounds suitably sinister but has a hidden meaning that only becomes apparent as the plot unfolds.
It concerns a young woman who is being blackmailed. Upon learning her blackmailer is linked to a decades-old unsolved murder, she discovers an alarming personal connection to the victim, and consequently finds herself in deadly peril.
I don’t really want to get more specific than that at this point, as this is one of the most twist-laden novels I’ve ever written. At the same time, it delves into themes of infidelity, revenge, and even reincarnation. It ticks many of my gothic mystery trope boxes: Imperilled heroine, sinister locations, buried secrets (literally and figuratively), and supporting characters who aren’t quite what they seem. It’s a rollercoaster of suspicion and suspense, and I think it has some emotional heft too (there’s a melancholy romantic subplot of sorts).
The bulk of the novel is set in the fictional town of Modbridge, with occasional visits to Plymouth. Modbridge is a small town based on the real town of Modbury. The name combines the two local towns of Modbury and Kingsbridge. The steep main road running through Modbury, with shops either side, is also a key location that inspired a similar location in the novel.
Not for a while, as I’ll probably sit on this manuscript for at least a year, per my standard procedure, before looking at it again with fresh eyes. On the other hand, I’m about to polish up the novel I completed this time a year ago, The Hobbford Giant, with a view to submitting it to agents and publishers. So you are one step closer to seeing that one. Watch this space.
I sometimes mention reviews for my novels received in places like Amazon or Goodreads. However, I’m thrilled to see a pair of great reviews for Spectre of Springwell Forest and The Irresistible Summons on Medium, by the excellent Arpad Nagy. Word is spreading, and soon my nail-biting horror-thrillers will take the world by storm. Or at least, that’s always the aim.
In the meantime, here are a few of snippets from these greatly encouraging reviews. First up, concerning Spectre of Springwell Forest, Arpad says this:
“A fright-inducing, panic-charged paranormal mystery… Putting the book down is nearly as impossible as stopping the horror the story reveals.”
“With each turn of the page, unease swims in your stomach, and your throat goes dry. The reader wants to know what’s beneath the veil and needs to see the truth revealed, all the while wishing the main character would relent in pursuing the mysterious secrets of Springwell and the abnormal behaviours of its citizens.”
“Creepy, dark, shocking, and spooky from beginning to end… Don’t forget to take a long look at the book’s cover when you’ve finished reading.”
Ah, yes. The cover. Anyway, for the full article, click here. On to Arpad’s other piece, this time concerning The Irresistible Summons. Here are a few of his thoughts.
“An unstoppable descent into a paranormal nightmare.”
“From romantic nuance and religious references, Dillon drives the story into dark places. Horror arrives in various forms, and all of them are unnerving and most frightening is the possibility of some of them being real issues we could be facing soon.”
“The story makes you think, unwind and rewind the implications of what is happening, and you quickly lose faith in which characters you can trust. Dillon delivers the right amount of twists and turns, none of which I could accurately predict, and one of them is a real “didn’t see that coming” doozy.”
Arpad’s full review of The Irresistible Summons is here.
To pick up an ebook or paperback of either of these novels, click here (for the UK) and here (for the US). Alternatively, click here to obtain copies via Smashwords and their associated distribution channels.
This year has been an exciting one, as I continue to make sense of my new profession: Full-time writer. Some of what that has meant I won’t bore you with. The duller freelance assignments are hardly worth mentioning, though they help pay the bills. However, in this piece, I will review the goals from my New Year post and see how they compare with what I actually achieved.
This gothic mystery novel was top of my year’s writing goals, and I’m pleased to say I now have a first draft. Next year, I will look at the manuscript with a more critical eye, having had a bit of distance from it, and start to polish it up.
A dark and sinister tale to sit alongside the likes of Spectre of Springwell Forest, The Irresistible Summons, The Thistlewood Curse, Phantom Audition, and The Birds Began to Sing, The Hobbford Giant is set in 1997, and concerns a young woman, Mira, who gets a job as a journalist at a local newspaper in the (fictional) town of Hobbford in southwest England. Years earlier, a huge abuse scandal caused the closure of the local orphanage where her parents grew up, revolving around the man in charge, Gregory Barry. Although he was due to be put on trial, Gregory Barry vanished without a trace before he could be prosecuted.
Mira stays with her reclusive uncle Artemis (her mother’s older brother), until she can find a place of her own. Art is a therapist to rich clients. He lives in a large house and seems to have done very well for himself, but for reasons I won’t get into here, he is estranged from Mira’s parents, who are less than keen on her staying with him. Once in Hobbford, Mira reports on an archaeological dig investigating a local legend about a giant buried in a nearby hillside. What took place in the Hobbford orphanage rears its ugly head as the plot thickens, and Mira soon discovers she has a highly personal connection to the mystery.
For this story, I was somewhat inspired by the real-life Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset, and the legends surrounding it. In my story, local legend states this giant was sent by a witch to take revenge, after the witch in question was persecuted. The giant was slain, and the body supposedly buried inside the hill. What bearing this has on the main narrative has to remain under wraps for the time being.
Another writing goal this year was simply to continue with my Medium output. This I have also achieved, having published well over a hundred exclusive-to-Medium articles. Here’s a sample of some of my favourites.
What Kind of Cinemagoer Are You?
Which of these ten archetypes best describes your film viewing persona?
Every stage of my writing process challenges the notion that plotters cannot be spontaneous.
My Ten Commandments of Film Reviewing
The Dillon Empire’s sacred tenets for aspiring film critics.
When writing fiction, if you’re going to upset readers, do it intentionally, not accidentally.
Is It Ever Acceptable to Use a Phone in a Cinema?
Short answer: No. After a recent extraordinary confrontation, I can’t believe I’m still having to say this.
The final piece in the puzzle of a well-told story is the audience.
An agonisingly selected smorgasbord of scariness.
Once again, I set myself the goal of restarting this film podcast series. And once again, this didn’t happen. My producer and co-presenter Samantha Stephen also wants to restart this, but our paths in life have rather diverged of late. Samantha is busy pursuing her academic goals with great aplomb (currently working on her Masters) and no longer lives nearby, so that’s part of the reason we’ve not yet pulled our fingers out on this one.
Has The Tangent Tree had its day? I don’t know. I hope not. I’ll talk to Samantha again and if there is any news, I shall announce it here. But I don’t think it’s fair to include this on my annual goals list next year when a new series failed to materialise two years in a row.
My writing goals for 2022 also included releasing another short stories anthology. This didn’t happen either, but I still plan to do this, ideally early next year. On a more positive note, I wrote a handful of new short stories this year, some of which I’m holding on to for the time being, as they might wind up as exclusives for the aforementioned anthology. Three others were published in Medium publication Fictions.
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.
Sweet Dreams
A science fiction thriller set in the near future, about a journalist investigating a tech company that manufactures nightmare-suppressing nanotech for children. Check out part one here. (NOTE: Links to subsequent parts are included at the end of each instalment.)
Vindicta
A spine-tingling ghost story set shortly after the end of World War II, concerning a jewel thief and murderer whose past catches up with him whilst fleeing for South America. Check out part one here. (NOTE: Links to subsequent parts are included at the end of each instalment.)
The final goal in this year’s list was to keep pursuing mainstream publication. This I did for my grown-up fantasy novel Ravenseed; an epic set mostly in the Dark Ages. Alas, this full-blooded tale of love, lust, betrayal, and vengeance didn’t get any bites. I’m hanging on to the manuscript for now, as I’m hopeful I may be able to generate interest in the future.
However, more hopefully, I have had a certain amount of interest shown by literary agents in my gothic mystery The White Nest (not the real title – I’m keeping that a secret for now). Here’s a snippet of my agent pitch, to give you a taste of the plot.
A widower fears his young son is cursed when he shows disturbing behaviour akin to that of his younger brother, before he vanished without a trace twenty years previously. Gnawing dread that history will repeat itself is inherent in (title redacted), my 99,000-word modern gothic mystery novel. It’s also a coming-of-age romance with hints of the supernatural, exploring traumatic sibling relationships, parental worries, false guilt, and the misleading nature of memory.
After his young son Ben writes a disturbing story about murdering a boy in a forest, widower Nick Unwin is alarmed by eerie parallels between his son’s behaviour and that of his younger brother Jason, prior to his inexplicable disappearance twenty years previously. This tragic past returns to haunt Nick when he sees an image of his long-lost brother in a newly released film. Fearing a repeat of history, Nick decides to investigate, along with Tanith, an old flame from his early teenage years, with dark secrets of her own connected to Jason’s disappearance. But as they delve deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of their past, long-buried memories resurface. Nick is forced to face the terrible fear that has plagued him for decades: Was he responsible for the death of his brother?
As I said, I’m hearing positive noises, and have good feedback post-full manuscript requests, but certain details need to be ironed out. I’ll keep you updated once I have definitive news, so watch this space.
One of the reasons I didn’t publish a short story anthology this year is because I chose instead to focus on the rewrite, retitling, and rerelease of The George Hughes Trilogy. As I’ve explained elsewhere on my blog, this trilogy of sci-fi adventure novels were originally titled George Goes to Mars, George Goes to Titan, and George Goes to Neptune, but I decided to withdraw them because I felt the titles didn’t do them justice (they sounded too much like picture books for very young children). I also wanted to polish the manuscripts up to my current standards, as the first novel, in particular, needed a shakedown, having been written well over fifteen years ago (I’ve improved a lot as a writer since then).
I rolled my sleeves up and did a big push on rewrites. The new titles are The Martian Inheritance, The Titan War, and The Neptune Conspiracy, each of which I much prefer. I’m enormously proud of these three stories, and always have been (the stories themselves haven’t changed). I designed new covers too. As a result, I’m doing a big push on these stories at the moment, as you’ve probably noticed. I have also released all three novels in a special omnibus volume that’s three for the price of two.
Finally, I decided to launch a Patreon page this year, to help with funding my writing endeavours. I offer people the chance to support me at four different levels (Ally of the Dillon Empire, Free Citizen of the Dillon Empire, Knight of the Dillon Empire, and General of the Dillon Empire), and so far, I’ve had over ten supporters. I post exclusive material for supporters, including exclusive sneak peeks at covers, images, title announcements, and so on, plus early access to short stories and novel samples, writing updates, video updates, film of the month recommendations, interesting deleted segments, and more. At present, for Knight of the Dillon Empire support level and higher, I’m serialising the draft version of my thriller novel The Balliol Conspiracy (the title may change if it is ever released).
Please have a look at my Patreon page here and consider supporting me. If nothing else, check out the hilariously awkward video of me at the edge of Wistman’s wood on Dartmoor last September, in desperate need of a haircut.
As you can see, I’ve certainly been busy during the last twelve months. I’m taking it a bit easier throughout the rest of December, as I’ve been rather flat out this year and could do with the break. What are my goals for 2023? I shall expound on that further on New Year’s Day. Watch this space.
It only remains for me to wish you all a Merry Christmas.
I recently had a couple of great five-star reviews for two very different novels: One for children’s adventure story Echo and the White Howl, and another for horror-thriller The Irresistible Summons. I always feel immensely encouraged by such reviews, as nothing makes me happier than knowing I’ve entertained the reader in the manner I intended.
Echo and the White Howl is a story about wolves in Alaska that I originally wrote for my youngest son. I was pleased to see the reviewer below picked up on the influence of Watership Down, one of my all-time favourite novels, though as he says, this is also very much its own beast.
“This is an exceptional story written by a brilliant author. My favourite book is Watership Down and whilst this has similar themes it is an original story on a slightly darker tone mixed with a bit of fantasy. Beautiful descriptions of the habitat of wolves and a wonderful adventure of family and revenge on an evil act. This is a must for any lover of Watership Down.” (MA Holburn, Amazon)
The Irresistible Summons is the scariest novel I’ve written, or so I’m told. I’m pleased it kept this reader on the edge of her seat.
“An extraordinarily imaginative tale, the supernatural infused with technology, love and hatred and an intense sense of dread and mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed it.” (AlisoninOz, Amazon)
You can pick up The Irresistible Summons and Echo and the White Howl from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US) or here (on Smashwords). If you do read and enjoy my novels, please consider leaving a short review. Not only are they a great encouragement, but they encourage Amazon’s algorithms to show my work to more readers. That’s why reviews – even just a one-liner – really help independent authors like me. As for all who have left reviews, thank you very much. It is immensely appreciated.
My latest short story Vindicta, a spine-tingling tale about a ghost ship, is now available for your reading pleasure, having been published by Medium publication Fictions. Set shortly after the end of World War II, it concerns a jewel thief and murderer whose past catches up with him whilst fleeing for South America.
What inspired this story? Initially my youngest son, who said I hadn’t written a ghost ship story before, so I should have a go. Because I’d been researching British merchant navy losses to German U-boats during World War II, I was struck with inspiration for the time period, as well as some of the other subject matter. This included Jewish treasures looted under Nazi occupation, sold through dubious sources. The title is Latin for vengeance, so a certain amount of guesswork concerning the narrative can be extrapolated from that. Although I hope the finale still surprises.
All three parts are now available to read.
I hope you enjoy it.
Things have been exceptionally busy for me on multiple fronts lately, with ongoing articles on Medium, short stories, Patreon, and further writing opportunities that have come my way. However, I thought it high time I gave an update as to the status of the novels I’m actively working on, or actively showing to literary agents and publishers.
This Dark Ages-set fantasy of love, lust, betrayal, and vengeance rather hit a dead end when I submitted it to literary agents and publishers earlier this year. I considered self-publishing, but my instinct is to hold on to it for the time being. I have a sneaking suspicion I’ve not exhausted mainstream publication possibilities. I suppose I’m disappointed by the initial response, but then again, the novel is quite unconventional in a number of ways. It has three points of view – one present tense first person, one third person, and one past tense first person, depending on which part of the story is being told (there are two additional framing device narratives in the present day, though the bulk of the story is the Dark Ages stuff). On top of this, the story is fantasy, with a hefty dash of forbidden romance, which genre-wise falls outside my primary gothic mystery oeuvre.
This gothic mystery thriller is currently being considered by literary agents, and I’m pleased to report some interest has been shown, so there is potential hope on that front. If I manage to land an agent and publisher, naturally I’ll break the news here, so watch this space. I should add The White Nest isn’t the real title. I’m hanging on to that information for now. Well, I was, until I accidentally let it slip in a video update on Patreon. So, if you’re a Patreon supporter you know the real title. Please keep it secret for now, like we discussed.
I previously published what I call the George Hughes trilogy under different titles: George Goes to Mars, George Goes to Titan, and George Goes to Neptune. These novels are science fiction adventures aimed at the Harry Potter/Alex Rider demographic (and the young at heart) packed with interplanetary action and thrills. I’m very proud of them. However, I’m not proud of the titles they were originally released under, as in retrospect, it makes them sound like books for much younger children. Hence why they are currently unavailable. I’m retitling them, and also taking an opportunity to do a hefty redraft, to tidy up the manuscripts. These novels were some of the first I wrote, and having learned a great deal since those days, I want to bring the text up to my current standards. But the stories themselves have not changed. I hope to have the newly titled versions out by the end of the year, which is a deadline I may not manage, but I shall certainly aim for it.
I’ll add an update soon concerning the status of the various short stories I’ve worked on this year. It will include where you can read my latest ghost story, Vindicta, and my plans for a second short story anthology. Watch this space.
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 horror-thriller The Irresistible Summons.
This opening comes directly after a short prologue touching on a tragic and mysterious incident in protagonist Naomi Levinson’s teenage past. Naomi has gone on to become a TV producer making documentaries that debunk the supernatural, but she and her TV crew are in for a nasty surprise when they interview a supposedly demon-possessed murderer in a prison. Here’s are the first three paragraphs.
Naomi Levinson sat in the driver’s seat of the company Citroen Berlingo, watching light drizzle splatter on the windscreen. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, staring at the walls of Holloway prison. Judging by the silence among her colleagues, she wasn’t the only one feeling on edge.
They had interviewed prisoners before, including the worst kinds of rapists, child molesters, and murderers, but on this occasion, there was something particularly chilling about the individual they had come to film.
Naomi recalled Tanya Sutton’s mug shots from the television news, along with footage of her walking calmly to and from the court during her trial. Elegant and attractive, Tanya Sutton came from a wealthy background. She had founded what promised to be a very successful cosmetics business. During the trial she had been softly spoken, never once raising her voice. Somehow that had made her appalling crime, and the reasons behind it, all the more frightening.
From The Irresistible Summons 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 Irresisitible Summons (ebook or paperback) click here (for the UK), here (for the US), or here, if you wish to purchase via Smashwords.
Herewith an update on where you can read my currently available short stories and novellas. Most are online in Medium publications such as Fictions and Illumination.
Here are the stories currently available:
Dystopian Sci-Fi/Thriller. A journalist investigates a tech company manufacturing nightmare suppressing nanotech for children. “Sweet Dreams” refers to the technology involved, which 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.
Fantasy. A Dark Ages knight undertaking a quest to rescue the young woman to whom he is betrothed. She has been captured by a mysterious Beast and taken into a mysterious and dangerous uncharted forest. On his quest, the knight encounters bandits, witches, and strange supernatural beings, journeying ever deeper into the forest, and ever deeper into himself.
Horror/Sci-Fi. The near future. No one knows where the giant spider nests came from, but nations are adjusting to the challenge of living alongside dangerous oversized arachnids. A mercenary desperate for money to purchase medical treatments that can save his wife is hired by an influential businessman. His objective: Infiltrate a spider nest on a mission of vengeance.
Fantasy/Satire. A recently deceased man is harassed by ghostly political campaigners whilst attempting to haunt his family.
Vindicta (in three parts)
Horror. In the aftermath of World War II, a cargo ship carrying a murderous jewel thief is menaced by a supernatural force.
Horror. After inexplicably awakening inside another home with a different wife, a man experiences an existential crisis, as new memories replace old.
Romance/Fantasy. A lonely teenage boy living with his strict Jehovah’s Witness mother is visited in dreams by a mysterious paper girl.
Call the Number On Your Screen
Thriller/Satire. A corrupt televangelist takes ruthless steps to find his blackmailer.
Romance. Life takes an unexpected turn for a young wife desperately missing her royal marine husband during the Afghanistan War.
Drama. A former publisher and his subordinate form an unlikely friendship whilst working for a herbal remedy company.
Spinner (in four parts)
Horror. A woman trapped in an abusive relationship during lockdown investigates a malevolent supernatural force in her basement.
Regression (in four parts)
Psychological/Supernatural Thriller/Horror. An English teacher is haunted by a terrible secret from his past.
The only short stories of mine currently available in paperback/e-book are those selected for Infestation: A Horror Anthology and Love and Other Punishments: A Dystopian Anthology.
The former also features two short stories, Influencer and White Horse, exclusive to that volume. Copies can be ordered here (in the UK) and here (in the US). Digital versions are also available from Smashwords here, as well as the various outlets to which they distribute (Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo, for instance).
The latter features exclusive stories The Thought Improvement Programme, Driverless, Bleed with Me, The Traffic Warden, Apocalypse 1983, and Love and Other Punishments (as well as Sweet Dreams, which can be read on Medium). Copies can be ordered here (in the UK) and here (in the US). Digital versions are also available from Smashwords here, as well as the various outlets to which they distribute (Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo, for instance).
Papercut and Once in a Lifetime were originally traditionally published by Dragon Soul Press for their First Love and All Dark Places anthologies respectively. These collections are now out of print, though copies can be obtained via sellers. Papercut is also available to read in both short story and adapted screenplay form on this blog, here.
Thank you very much for all your ongoing support.
Simon Dillon Books 
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