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Tag Archives: Novella
Bloodmire Revisited: New Ending Exclusively on Substack
Over the next seven weeks, I’m serialising my fantasy novella Bloodmire on Substack. It had previously been serialised on Medium, but this version has a revised ending exclusive to Substack. This is also the ending I prefer, on balance. I don’t generally revise the finales of my stories, but in this specific case, felt I had missed a trick concerning the fate of a particular supporting character. This has now been tweaked.
Bloodmire concerns 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 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. But this is no straightforward tale of a damsel in distress. Nor is the knight perhaps as noble as you might initially believe.
Curious? Why not check it out on Substack, over the next seven weeks (click here for part one). You’ll need to subscribe to me there, but for a mere $5 per month, you get access to multiple short stories and novellas, plus almost every article I publish on Medium is republished there too. On top of that, you get full access to my film review archive. In short, it is great value for money!
Bloodmire is also intended as a companion piece to my recently released novel Ravenseed and features one of the supporting characters. However, I stress Bloodmire requires no prior knowledge of Ravenseed. It stands entirely alone.
Incidentally, you can pick up Ravenseed from Amazon on Kindle or paperback here (in the UK) and here (in the US). Downloads or paperbacks are also available from Draft2Digital, Smashwords, and associated outlets here.
Short Stories and Novellas Currently Available
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:
Novellas
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.
Short Stories
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.
Short Stories and Novellas Currently Available
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, but I am also gradually releasing many of my short stories on new fiction specialising platform Simily. Here’s a link to my profile on that site.
Here are the stories currently available:
Novellas
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.
Science Fiction/Horror. 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.
Love and Other Punishments (four parts)
Dystopian Science Fiction/Romance. In a fascistic future London, a widowed salesman begins to suspect he has repressed memories when he encounters a mysterious woman.
Short Stories
Romance/Fantasy. A lonely teenage boy living with his strict Jehovah’s Witness mother is visited in dreams by a mysterious paper girl.
Horror. After inexplicably awakening inside another home with a different wife, a man experiences an existential crisis, as new memories replace old.
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.
Regression (in four parts)
Psychological/Supernatural Thriller/Horror. An English teacher is haunted by a terrible secret from his past.
Spinner (in four parts)
Horror. A woman trapped in an abusive relationship during lockdown investigates a malevolent supernatural force in her basement.
Speculative fiction. In a parallel universe, A Soviet Air Force officer holds the fate of the world in his hands.
A curious IT technician discovers the truth about traffic wardens in this surreal, sinister, rather silly conspiracy thriller.
The only short stories of mine currently available in paperback/e-book are those selected for Infestation: A Horror Anthology, which also features two short stories 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).
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.
Medium allow three free reads per month for non-subscribers, so for unrestricted access to my work and the work of every other writer on that site (including the many other articles I write, in addition to my fiction pieces), I’d recommend becoming a Medium subscriber for $4.99 per month. This will also give you the ability to write and publish your own articles, and make money doing so, should you wish to go that route. I benefit financially if you use this link to become a Medium subscriber, so if you wish to support my work, subscribing that way is a huge help.
Thank you very much for all your ongoing support.
Infestation Reviews
I’ve had a couple of great five-star reviews from readers on Amazon for Infestation: A Horror Anthology, including one from Danish author Claus Holm (author of the excellent Tempus series).
“Dillon has once again produced a book to make your spine freeze like an icicle, and occasionally make you feel slightly sick to your stomach. The main story in Infestation deals with giant spiders, and it is both gross and great at the same time.
Several stories in the collection are remarkable, and able to bring out various emotions. I literally cried once.
There is also a prequel to the novel The Irresistible Summons, allowing my favourite character Raven some more time on centre stage.
Simon Dillon is one of Britain’s best horror authors and this book is definitely another feather in his cap.” – Claus Holm, Amazon.
I also got this review:
“Each story is a carefully woven journey crafted in riveting excellence. I dare you to stop reading a story halfway – highly doubtful that anyone could. A true imagery craftsman! Compelling and delicious to devour.” – Lisa B, Amazon.
Infestation: A Horror Anthology includes a six-chapter science fiction horror novella – the eponymous Infestation – along with five other short stories: Once in a Lifetime, Spinner, Regression, Influencer, and White Horse. The latter two are exclusive to this volume, and as Claus Holm notes, White Horse is a standalone prequel to my gothic mystery novel The Irresistible Summons. All told, the collection comes to a good value 77,000 words, and constitutes a great opportunity to read a selection of my shorter horror fiction pieces in one place..
Infestation: A Horror Anthology is available on Kindle and paperback from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). It can also be ordered via Smashwords here.
New Novella: Bloodmire
Over the past seven weeks, the wonderful people at Medium publication Fictions serialised my fantasy novella Bloodmire. The plot concerns 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.
Sounds trope-tastic? I can assure you Bloodmire is not a straightforward tale of damsels in distress. In fact, it’s a narrative designed to invite different interpretations and perspectives. Inspiration wise, it draws on everything from Arthurian legend (particularly Sir Gawain) to Heart of Darkness. It is also intended as a companion piece to my upcoming novel Ravenseed and features one of the supporting characters. However, I stress Bloodmire requires no prior knowledge of Ravenseed. It stands entirely alone.
I’ve had some terrific response and comments so far, so do check it out. Part One of Bloodmire can be found here, with links to subsequent parts at the end of every instalment. I hope you enjoy it.
Infestation Unpacked
Recently, I’ve been making a lot of noise about my newly released book Infestation: A Horror Anthology. It features my Infestation novella – a six-chapter sci-fi horror tale – along with five other short stories. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to expound a little on each story, starting in this article with Infestation itself, which I consider the collection’s main attraction.
In 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.
There is a lot more to this story than just giant spiders. The protagonist, Jonah Seymour, is deeply troubled by the nature of his mission, and throughout the story experiences doubts and dithering about whether he should go through with it. Thematically it deals in issues of denial, guilt, revenge, and punishment. The story is also open to a number of different interpretations. I have deliberately designed it with a certain degree of ambiguity, so the reader can bring their own piece of the puzzle that completes the picture.
For instance, I have had it suggested to me that the story is an allegory about Covid. I didn’t intend it as such. For one thing, I wrote the story back in 2017. However, I am pleased that for some readers, the narrative also has contemporary resonance, as a reflection on human attitudes and actions concerning the recent pandemic.
My influences for this story mostly came from cinema rather than literature, with films such as Them! (1954), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), The Fly (the 1958 original, rather than the more famous 1986 David Cronenberg remake), and Aliens (1986) informing the story. There is possibly a touch of Stephen King’s The Mist in there too. I should add that much of the inspiration came from a nightmare I had a few years ago.
For all its loftier aims, in the end, Infestation is a story I wanted to grip, thrill, and disturb, with plenty of action and scares along the way. If you enjoy a blend of science fiction, action, and horror, this story is definitely for you.
Infestation: A Horror Anthology is available on Kindle and paperback from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). It can also be ordered via Smashwords here.
New Release – Infestation: A Horror Anthology
A new anthology containing some of my horror short stories has just been released.
Infestation: A Horror Anthology primarily contains my science fiction horror novella Infestation; recently serialised in the Fictions publication on Medium. The collection also includes two entirely new short stories exclusive to this volume, as well as other previously published tales.
Infestation is set in 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.
Alongside the Infestation novella, this volume also features the following short stories.
White Horse – Raven, a supporting character from my gothic mystery novel The Irresistible Summons, gets her own spinoff here, in a new, previously unpublished story. This is a standalone spooky mystery, with no prior knowledge of the novel required.
Influencer – Another new, previously unpublished tale. This one has a slightly satirical edge, and concerns a social media influencer who takes bending the truth a little too far.
Regression – An English teacher is haunted by a terrible secret from his past. Previously published on Medium.
Spinner – A graphic designer in an abusive relationship investigates a malevolent supernatural force in her basement. Previously published on Medium.
Once in a Lifetime – After inexplicably awakening inside a different home with a different wife, a man experiences an existential crisis, as new memories replace old. Previously published by Dragon Soul Press, as part of their All Dark Places horror anthology.
For those of you that don’t have a Medium subscription, this is an ideal opportunity for you to see some of my horror stories that have been published on that site. I’ve also released this partly in response to those who wanted to get my work as an ebook or in print. The anthology clocks in at around 77,000 words, so is good value.
I’ve selected the stories around the theme of guilt, and will discuss that a little further, as well as provide more information on each story, in upcoming articles. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this collection.
Infestation: A Horror Anthology is available on Kindle and paperback from Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). It can also be ordered via Smashwords here.
Infestation: All Six Parts of My Sci-Fi Horror Novella
Medium publication Fictions recently published my sci-fi horror novella Infestation.
Set in the near-future, Infestation concerns the mysterious appearance of giant spider nests across the globe. Exactly where they came from is unknown, but despite the initial terror, life has settled down somewhat, especially in the UK, where humans have learned to keep away from cities lost to the spiders.
Against this backdrop, covert ops mercenary Jonah Seymour leads a dangerous and unpleasant mission of revenge into a large spider nest, at the behest of a wealthy, influential businessman. Jonah agrees to this potentially lethal assignment because his pay will ensure his wife gets the urgent medical treatment that will save her life. But the deadly ordeal that awaits is beyond anything Jonah could possibly have imagined.
All six parts are available for your reading pleasure on Medium:
For those who don’t have a Medium subscription, look out for an announcement soon, as Infestation is going to be made available elsewhere.
New Novella: Infestation
Medium publication Fictions is publishing my sci-fi horror novella Infestation. You can read the first part of six here.
Set in the near-future, Infestation concerns the mysterious appearance of giant spider nests across the globe. Exactly where they came from is unknown, but despite the initial terror, life has settled down somewhat, especially in the UK, where humans have learned to keep away from cities lost to the spiders.
Against this backdrop, covert ops mercenary Jonah Seymour agrees to lead a dangerous and unpleasant mission of revenge into a large spider nest, at the behest of a wealthy, influential businessman. Jonah agrees to this potentially lethal assignment because his pay will ensure his wife gets the urgent medical treatment that will save her life. But the deadly ordeal that awaits is beyond anything Jonah could possibly have imagined.
The remaining five parts will appear on Medium soon, and I’ll add another post here once the serial is concluded.
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