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 another teaser image as we count down to the release.
I won’t comment on today’s image for fear of spoilers, except to say, probably needlessly, that the novel features sinister, nail-biting, suspenseful events.
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.
Seven years ago, this month, my most successful novel to date, Children of the Folded Valley, was self-published by yours truly. The novel is a first-person memoir, about a man recalling his childhood growing up amid a strange, seemingly utopian cult, cut off from the rest of the world. The cult leader has gathered his followers in a mysterious valley because he believes they will be safe there, from a coming nuclear Holocaust.
The precise nature of the hidden valley is revealed later, but this science fiction ingredient is the least important part of the narrative. What is important are the coming-of-age elements, involving the protagonist’s relationship with his parents, friends, and the traumatic events that ensue as terrible secrets at the heart of the cult are gradually revealed. I should add at this point that although entirely fictional (obviously, given the sci-fi aspect), the novel did draw from some of my own personal experiences growing up. However, I must also add that the death of my father did not inform the novel, as some mistakenly claimed. The first draft was written a year before that, in the summer of 2011. The death of the father in the novel was an essential element of the plot, foreseen from the outset.
Once I had the finished draft, I shopped Children of the Folded Valley around major publishers. I came frustratingly close to success, but in the end, the door closed. Somewhat disappointed, I decided to self-publish. To say I was surprised by the result is an understatement. I had self-published a few novels already – mainly children’s adventure stories like Uncle Flynn – but this was my first grown-up book. I did not expect it to be a big success, yet in the end over 11,000 copies (most of them free downloads) flew off the digital shelves, landing me at the number one spot on Amazon’s free novels on the science fiction chart.
The decision to make the novel free for a couple of months was a strategic one, and at the time I didn’t think getting to number one on the free science fiction chart was a big deal. But apparently, it was. Later when I tried to replicate the success with other novels, I didn’t come anywhere close. This is despite the fact that my marketing and promotion was much better organised with subsequent novels (including those traditionally published rather than self-published).
What am I to conclude from all this? Was the success of Children of the Folded Valley down to good timing? Subject matter? An act of God? I honestly couldn’t say. For some reason, it struck a chord. If I were writing it today, there are a couple of things I would do differently (at least one chapter is a bit of an info-dump), but it is a good reflection of my skills at that time, and as an author, it is important to always strive for improvement (my second foray into dystopian fiction, Peaceful Quiet Lives, I think is a significant improvement). On the other hand, with over a hundred mostly five-star reviews on Amazon, and about a hundred and seventy on Goodreads, I clearly did something right seven years ago.
Children of the Folded Valley is available on Amazon Kindle or paperback here (in the UK) and here (in the US). It can also be purchased from Smashwords here.
Much of my recent focus has been on my latest novel Phantom Audition. However, I have had two extremely encouraging reviews for my previous novel The Irresistible Summons which I’d like to share here.
The first is from a fellow author, the excellent Galina Trefil (do check out her work here). She amusingly describes the novel as a “
In my experience, “high-powered businessmen” really are the ultimate monsters. That axe-wielding moment is a reference to something that happens right at the very end, by the way. Check out her full review here.
The second review I wanted to mention is from Aaron Channel. I was especially pleased about his article, because in addition to praise, he also made some entirely valid criticisms. I liked this because 1) it shows my work is being taken seriously, and 2) I am always on the lookout for ways to improve. He sums up The Irresistible Summons in this manner: “A story of letting go… or else!” Very apt. I also like the way he describes my protagonist’s quest: “Naomi believes that she wants to see what is on the other side, but she doesn’t realize that it’s the other side that wants to see what is inside of her…”
Do check out his full review here.
The Irresistible Summons is out now. Click here to get your copy.
It’s here! My new gothic mystery novel Phantom Audition is officially released today!
I’m very pleased with this one, to be honest with you. Of all the novels in my “Spooky Quintet”, this one has a very special place in my heart, because I took some big risks with the narrative. Mercifully, these seem to have paid off, in view of the superb reviews I have received so far.
Don’t forget to join in today at 6:30pm UK time (1:30pm Eastern time) for the online launch party for Phantom Audition on Facebook. Click here at that time to catch me and other talented authors celebrating this new release with games, giveaways, a Q&A, and other fun stuff. Talented authors Zoey Xolton, Galina Trefil, and AM Cummins will be co-hosting, and my “headlining” slot is between 8:00pm and 8:30pm UK time (3:00pm – 3:30pm Eastern time). I’ll have a new post popping up every two minutes, so do stick around.
Although this gripping psychological/supernatural mystery is definitely a suspenseful page-turner, it is worth re-emphasising that this is much less scary than some of my previous novels, so much so that I’m reluctant to class Phantom Audition as horror (despite that scarily brilliant blood-splattered cover). To be honest, my notoriously easily alarmed mother could probably brave it, and if she could, anyone could.
Here’s the blurb from the back of the book:
Small-time actress Mia Yardley, recently widowed wife of renowned actor Steven Yardley, discovers her late husband’s secret acting diary.
The diary details appointments made with a psychic medium, who advised Steven on which roles to take. It also raises questions about his mysterious and inexplicable suicide.
Seeking answers, Mia speaks to the medium, but in doing so is drawn into an ever- deepening mystery about what happened to her husband during the final days of his life. Eventually, she is forced to ask the terrible question: was Steven Yardley murdered by a vengeful evil from beyond the grave?
Phantom Audition is published by Dragon Soul Press. Click here to get it on Kindle or in paperback.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve posted various blogs about my latest horror/supernatural conspiracy thriller novel The Irresistible Summons, often delving into inspirations, the writing process, and so on. In this article, I’m going to talk briefly about the themes and ideas it explores, whilst as ever attempting to skirt around spoilers.
Firstly and most obviously to anyone who has read the book, there is definitely an inherent warning about the dangers of playing God. The frightening possibility of morally and spiritually catastrophic technological innovation isn’t necessarily a new theme, but here I offer my own take on a subject that has proved increasingly of interest to those with half an eye on scientific developments. I can say no more about the specifics, for fear of spoilers.
Secondly, I wanted to explore some of the more outlandish ideas contained in both the Bible and other religious texts (the Book of Enoch for instance) involving what supposedly took place between mankind and supernatural forces in the First Age, pre-Flood era. Anyone familiar with the mischief the fallen angels caused in this era will already have an idea of where my story goes.
Thirdly, in keeping with my fascination for niche religious movements, I wanted to write a protagonist from a fairly strict Messianic Jewish background. My protagonist Naomi has since turned her back on the beliefs she was brought up with. The confusion and alienation she experiences trying to come to terms with what she actually believes is a recurrent theme in much of my work.
Finally, like all good ghost stories, for all the spine-tingling spookiness, The Irresistible Summons is actually a meditation on grief and it’s potentially far-reaching effects. Many of the finest ghost stories are about comfort and catharsis, beneath all the scares, and those lofty ideals are what I aimed for in this novel.
If that all sounds terribly worthy or even preachy, it certainly wasn’t my intention to grind an axe when I wrote the story. My primary motivation was simply to write a really gripping supernatural conspiracy thriller that took gothic horror haunted house tropes and transferred them to a more modern setting. I sincerely hope readers will primarily read The Irresistible Summons to be entertained by a page-turning, nail-biting, ghostly, emotionally resonant mystery.
The Irresistible Summons is published by Dragon Soul Press, and is out now. Paperbacks or Kindle downloads can be ordered here (in the UK) and here (in the US).
In the process of writing and rewriting my latest horror/supernatural conspiracy thriller novel The Irresistible Summons I cut or rewrote a substantial amount of material from draft to draft.
The initial draft weighed in at around 109,000 words, with the final version pared down to just over 93,000. The polishing of this novel proved a particularly interesting process this time, in that whilst the mechanics of the main plot didn’t change, key scenes, subplots, and sometimes entire characters were removed. The epilogue was also entirely rewritten. Here’s a brief rundown on some of the more interesting elements of what was cut or changed (I shall skirt around spoilers).
Naomi’s ex-fiancee – During the opening act, after the disastrous prison interview but before Naomi’s visit to her parents and her brother, we are introduced to Naomi’s depressed alcoholic ex-fiancee Richard. He features in two chapters where he turns up in her flat, attempts to commit suicide, and is saved at the last moment by an apparently supernatural premonition. This spooky incident is subsequently linked to what is going on in the top secret Persephone corporation experiments. It also turns out Richard’s mother Hilary has links to the coven which comes into the story later on.
Originally I wanted the character of Richard to suggest that Naomi had a compassionate side that was drawn to “broken” people that she thought she could fix. However, this compassion was a mask for her own grief resulting from losing her teenage lover Toby, whom she couldn’t “fix”. In the end, I decided this character development was unnecessary so deleted Richard, Hilary, and the entire subplot.
Murders in Persephone – I have to skirt around spoilers a bit here, but there are certain characters that come to a sticky end that did so much earlier in the story, precipitating murder investigations that complicated the main plot. In the end, I felt the police aspect of the story cluttered the narrative, so I removed these murders, and instead restricted police involvement to the first mysterious disappearance.
The Left Luggage Official – This funny scene I was very reluctant to delete, since it was inspired by something that once happened to me in Paddington station. Naomi loses a vital piece of luggage on her return from the West Country, which is important to the plot. In the finished version of the novel, the interactions with the left luggage official are brief and to the point. However, in earlier drafts, a lengthy comic sequence ensued, in which Naomi gets into a hair-clutching, Basil Fawlty-esque argument with an imbecilic, those-are-the-rules, officious jobsworth. Although amusing, the scene belongs in a much more comedic narrative, and not in this novel.
The Dove Society – In earlier drafts, those from Persephone investigating the mysterious disappearances and apparitions have formed themselves into a secret society of sorts. They use a few peculiar “dove” gestures to greet one another, which a baffled Naomi witnesses. Eventually I decided these people didn’t need to be in a secret society. They just needed to be concerned individuals with a shared goal, and there was no need for superfluous mystery where plenty already existed.
Romantic subplot – The chemistry between Naomi and Eric was much more fully explored in the original draft, with several more conventionally romantic scenes. However, this all felt out of place, especially given Naomi’s ongoing obsession with the departed Toby. I ended up cutting these scenes, and instead having more of an undertone that Eric might be someone with whom Naomi could ultimately strike up a romantic relationship – if she ever gets past what happened with Toby.
Return to Paranorm Productions – I need to skirt around plot details here for fear of spoilers, but after Naomi obtains footage of a certain shocking incident towards the end of the story, instead of immediately heading into the basement and forbidden levels, tunnels, etc, she returned to Paranorm Productions. Here she showed Paul (her boss) the footage, and he is understandably appalled and terrified. But Paul then receives a mysterious phone call – which Naomi overhears his side of – indicating that mysterious forces are about to come down on him like a ton of bricks and hush everything up. Before that can happen, Naomi rushes out again, returning to the Persephone building with the footage. The entire incident seemed pointless in the end, just over-egging the pudding, when really it made more sense to move directly to the finale.
The Finale – Again, I have to be careful what I reveal here, but in earlier drafts, the finale involved a great deal more detailed explanations that screamed “Look, I’ve done my research”, along with more getting lost in dark tunnels and corridors, and generally gruesome mayhem. Even full-on thrills and scares can get a bit tiresome and repetitive, plus I didn’t want to overwhelm the reader with my research credentials, so I eventually cut these chapters down a great deal.
The Epilogue – On reflection, the epilogue in earlier drafts was absurdly optimistic, and tonally felt like it belonged more in a romantic novel. For the final version, this was replaced entirely, closing on a much more melancholy note that brought the novel full circle.
The Irresistible Summons is published by Dragon Soul Press, and is out now. Paperbacks or Kindle downloads can be ordered here (in the UK) and here (in the US).
Here’s a more detailed introduction to my upcoming novel The Irresistible Summons, to whet your appetite.
In a brief prologue, teenager Naomi Levinson laments the death of her boyfriend, Toby Lane. Toby and his entire family perished in a mysterious house fire, which Naomi comes to believe may have been started deliberately.
Several years later, Naomi is now an accomplished television producer making documentaries debunking the supernatural. When a shoot interviewing a possibly possessed killer in prison goes terribly wrong, the production company Naomi works for faces a lawsuit and possible closure.
Offered what could be her last job, Naomi is initially reluctant to take on filming a promotional video for computer game company Persephone. She considers the task beneath her talents. However, after production gets underway at the Persephone office block on London’s Canary Wharf, strange things begin to happen.
One member of staff inexplicably disappears. Ghosts are sighted, one of whom appears to be Toby. This re-opens old emotional wounds for Naomi, bringing back bittersweet memories of her strictly religious messianic Jewish parents, who disapproved of her teenage romance with him.
As Naomi continues to investigate, she begins to believe she might have stumbled onto a genuine haunting, one with disturbing links to her past, and possibly her future.
A horrifying conspiracy is gradually revealed. Cutting edge technology and ancient evil meet, leading to the discovery of a shocking and terrifying secret – one that could change the nature of life and death as we know it.
The Irresistible Summons is published by Dragon Soul Press, and is officially released on the 27th of July. However, paperbacks are already out, and Kindle versions can be pre-ordered. Click here (in the UK) and here (in the US).
Check out this brilliant cover for my upcoming novel The Irresistible Summons, published by Dragon Soul Press.
I’m absolutely thrilled by what the artist at Salvation Creations did with this. The imagery perfectly captures the sinister tone.
Here’s the blurb from the back of The Irresistible Summons:
The nail-biting new novel from the author of Spectre of Springwell Forest…
How far would you go to bring your loved one back from the dead?
Television producer Naomi Levinson makes documentaries debunking the supernatural.
When asked to film a promotional video for computer game company Persephone, she considers the task beneath her talents. But as production gets underway at the Persephone office block on London’s Canary Wharf, a mysterious disappearance, ghostly sightings, and lingering tragedy from Naomi’s past lead her to believe she might have stumbled into a genuine haunting.
As Naomi continues to investigate, past and present collide in a horrifying conspiracy. Cutting edge technology and ancient evil meet, leading to the discovery of a shocking and terrifying secret that could change the nature of life and death as we know it.
The Irresistible Summons is available for pre-order now. Click here to pre-order in the UK and here to pre-order in the US.
STOP PRESS: Paperbacks are already available, so if like me you prefer dead tree versions to digital formats, you can order your copy today!
Simon Dillon Books 
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