Happy New Year! Yes, according to my research, it is accepted etiquette to say that till the end of January. I’m cutting it a bit fine, but the sentiment is sincere.
How has my year been so far? Well, I have three major updates for you. Firstly, I’m hard at work writing my next novel (about 43,000 words into the first draft). This is the second in a series of supernatural mystery thrillers that constitute the most ambitious writing project I’ve ever undertaken. My protagonists are an ex-police officer and her young assistant. The latter has a sideline in writing light-hearted short stories that contrast with the darker themes raised by the main narrative. Each novel in the series stands alone (a significant chunk of this one is set on the north Cornish coast, hence the above image), but there’s a bigger mystery that gradually develops. At first, it hides in plain sight, but it becomes clearer as the novels progress. In book two, however, it’s still very much lurking in the background, not drawing attention to itself.
Obviously, I’m not going to spoil the plot or say any more than that at this stage, so let’s move on to update number two. My horror mystery novel The Hobbford Giant has now been fully serialised on Substack, exclusively for those who opt for the paid tier (a mere $5 per month) rather than the free tier. This novel isn’t available anywhere else, nor will it be in the immediate future, so do check that out if you haven’t already. The first chapter is available for free, as a taster. To whet your appetite on this suspenseful nail-biter, click here.
Finally, the Dillon on Film podcast is back. Michael Kenny and I had a break for a few weeks over December, but we’re now recording weekly episodes once more. Do catch up with all we’ve been chatting about here. Our discussions of recent cinema releases are interspersed with many film-related tangents. I hope you enjoy listening.
That’s it for now. I’ll be back next month with further updates, including progress on the new novel, and perhaps an update on when new short stories will be published. Watch this space.
According to my wife, when I try to smile, I look evil. Photo by author.
Given that this annual review will inevitably come off as smug and insufferable to some, to begin, I’ll attempt to stem at least some of the cynicism by thanking the most important person: You. All of you who read my novels and short stories, and especially those who are kind enough to leave rave reviews. Thank you. I am immensely grateful to every single one of you. Your encouragement means the world to me, and I am so glad you enjoy my stories. I’m also just as grateful to all those who support me on Patreon, or who subscribe to my exclusive material on Substack. Again, it is hugely, hugely appreciated.
Here’s a brief rundown of what I’ve achieved over the past year.
New Anthology Release: The Dark Forest Within
Following the release of my first-ever fantasy novel, Ravenseed , last year, this year, I released an anthology of fantasy short stories and novellas entitled The Dark Forest Within. Featuring six tales of magic and mystery, darkness and danger, adventure and romance, triumph and tragedy, this volume is both a companion piece to Ravenseed and a carefully curated collection of tales in its own right. One of the short stories is a direct prequel to Ravenseed, with the knights Sir Matthew and Sir Peter returning as supporting characters to a new protagonist: The mysterious Lady Amelia.
Totalling around 100,000 words, each story features literal journeys into forests of one kind or another, and each story’s protagonist also features an inward journey, hence the umbrella title for the anthology. Some of these stories were previously available to Substack or Medium subscribers, but 40,000 words worth of material (specifically the stories Wulfric’s Quest and Winged) were previously unpublished and are exclusive to this volume. Another entirely new short story, entitled Offline Dream was initially selected for inclusion but ultimately omitted for various reasons. However, I have made it available exclusively to paid Substack subscribers (except part 1, which I made available free, as a taster).
More on the short stories in The Dark Forest Withinhere. It is out now in ebook or paperback via Amazon here (in the UK) and here (in the US). For Draft2Digital and its various outlets, you can pick up ebooks and paperback copies here.
Substack: Short Stories, Novellas, and Exclusive Serialised Novels
I’ve written half a dozen short stories and novellas this year, most of which remain under wraps for the time being. One of these was the aforementioned Winged; four more are horror stories, and one other is top secret, for the time being. The horror stories will make their way onto Substack in 2026. Outside of anthologies, I’ve decided to publish short stories and novellas only on Substack from now on, so that’s another exclusive benefit to paid Substack subscribers.
For $5 per month, readers now get access to my entire short story and novella back catalogue (as well as syndications of almost every film-related article I publish on Medium), plus two serialised novels: Supernatural thriller The Thistlewood Curse (now fully available) and horror mystery The Hobbford Giant (new chapters available every Friday). The latter is not available anywhere else and won’t be for the foreseeable future. For more information about The Hobbford Giant, click here. As a taster, I’ve made the first chapter available for free, here.
New Novel First Draft Written: Title TBA
On the subject of novels, I wrote the first draft of a new one this year. It’s the initial story in a planned long-running series of supernatural mystery thrillers. I’m being extremely tight-lipped on details, but so far, I have revealed that the series is about an ex-police officer. She’s wondering what to do next in her life when a friend finds herself at the centre of a truly baffling, seemingly ghostly mystery, and asks for her help. A bigger mystery in the background is gradually revealed as the series progresses, but each novel in the series will feature a standalone story, including this one. I’m not putting out the title yet, or even a false placeholder title.
New Novel Rewritten: Killer Prank (not the real title)
This is the novel I wrote in early 2024, initially with the working title False Witness. The real title I had in mind was Killer Prank, but I’ve changed my mind about that, as it sounds too much like a Stephen King-style horror, rather than a mystery crime thriller. After further thought, I have a much better, more appropriate title, but I’m keeping it to myself for now. At any rate, this manuscript has now undergone a thorough spit and polish, as well as beta-reads and some great editorial feedback. I am presently submitting this to literary agents and publishers, so watch this space.
What’s it about? A prank that goes wrong, as well as a dark secret in the protagonist’s past that comes back to haunt her present. And yes, I know that’s vague and the dark secret in the past bit could apply to pretty much every thriller I’ve ever written, but I really don’t want to say too much more at this stage. Just believe me when I say this dark secret is exceptionally dark.
Novels Submitted to Agents and Publishers
In addition to the above novel, I also submitted another mystery thriller, A Thorn in Winter, to certain agents this year, but I’ve now withdrawn it for the time being for strategic reasons. I might choose to do another publishing exclusive on Substack, or I may self-publish it more widely, or I may approach other agents and publishers. Instinct tells me to hang onto it for now, so my focus with literary agents is now the aforementioned Killer Prank manuscript.
What’s A Thorn in Winter about? Again, it’s top secret, but I will reveal that the first act features a tangled web of blackmail, before a decades-old unsolved murder comes into the picture. I like it very much (as did my beta-readers), so when it finally sees the light of day, I hope you will too.
Other Achievements in 2025
My most significant non-writing achievement this year is the start of my new film podcast, Dillon on Film. I discuss new UK cinema releases, along with my co-presenter, Michael Kenny. We’re currently taking a bit of a break from it, but it will return in the New Year. Watch this space. In the meantime, all episodes to date are available for your listening pleasure here.
I’m also still Patreon, offering exclusive early access to short stories, sneak previews of artwork, exclusive insights into my writing processes, video updates, novel draft previews (including serialised unpublished novels), interviews with some of my characters, deleted scenes (sometimes entire chapters), and other material found nowhere else (for example, some of my Patreon supporters know the title of the novel I wrote this year, but they are all sworn to secrecy). Level of access depends on whether you become an Ally of the Dillon Empire, Free Citizen of the Dillon Empire, Knight of the Dillon Empire, or General of the Dillon Empire. Check out my Patreon page here for more information.
Finally, in case you missed it, here’s a short film I recently made to promote my mystery thriller novel Death Nest, released a couple of years ago. It’s a meta-mockumentary in which I have mysteriously vanished. Investigative reporter Tommy Rogers looks into my disappearance, interviewing friends and former colleagues, uncovering scary reasons why I might have been “silenced” by sinister forces. Hopefully, it will give you a giggle.
In summary, 2025 has been a productive year, and I achieved many of my annual goals. I’m still chasing that elusive mainstream publishing deal, but there have been many flickers of interest, and I will keep pushing those doors. One day, they will open. Perhaps next year. In the meantime, I’m taking a short break this month. It only remains for me to say thank you again. I wish you all a peaceful and restful Christmas.
Writing-wise, most of this month has been spent planning the next novel. Character profiles. Research. Chapter outlines. Given that this is the second in a planned series (I wrote the first draft of the first novel earlier this year), my planning process is doubly important. I have solid outlines of where this series is heading in the overarching narrative, but each novel will be a standalone supernatural mystery thriller.
I’m extremely pleased with the first novel, which remains top secret, much as I’m bursting to tell you about it. All I can say is the protagonist is an ex-police officer. She’s wondering what to do next in her life when a friend finds herself at the centre of a truly baffling, seemingly ghostly mystery, and asks for her help. The second novel also begins with an inexplicable, possibly supernatural puzzle. However, at this point, the breadcrumbs are starting to drop, indicating the bigger story lurking in the background.
How many breadcrumbs of this sort get dropped is an important skill, I think. The last thing I want is for people to read the first book and feel it is incomplete, teasing them with half-baked cliffhangers. It needs to be complete in and of itself, with a satisfying resolution. To that end, I took a bit of an editorial hacksaw to the first draft (which was around 110,000 words; it’s now down to about 96,000) before giving it to beta-readers (I received elated responses, which is hugely encouraging). I’ll doubtless continue polishing the first novel next year, once I’ve written the first draft of the second.
Again, the second novel must also be its own entity, not beholden either to the first novel or subsequent novels. Therefore, the breadcrumb dropping is judicious. A name dropped here, a location mentioned in passing there. That sort of thing. But nothing that detracts from the specific mystery of that novel. The aim is not to raise questions that detract from the main narrative, but to sow plot seeds for future instalments that can gradually grow in the background.
Sometimes, when it is vital to introduce a mysterious element that will be important in subsequent novels, it is possible to disguise it and make it appear resolved when it isn’t. Based on beta-reader feedback, I managed this in the first novel. By the conclusion, one particular plot point, although it appears explained, actually remains unsolved and will be important in the third novel.
Anyway, that’s a vague and doubtless frustrating glimpse into the fictional world in which I am presently residing. I’ll be taking a break over Christmas, before hitting the ground running in January to write the second novel in this series. But I’ll be back next month, with my annual summary of what I’ve been up to in 2025.
What have I been up to lately? Several things, as it happens. Here’s a quick rundown.
The Hobbford Giant
As of today, eight chapters of the above horror mystery novel are available exclusively to paying Substack subscribers. The Hobbford Giant concerns young journalist Mira Webb, who, against the wishes of her parents, moves in with her estranged uncle after getting a job at the local paper in the southwest England town of Hobbford. Her first assignment involves a piece on archaeologists digging in the grounds of a children’s home closed years previously in the aftermath of an abuse scandal. Their discoveries may shed light on the legend of a giant that once menaced the area, but after she experiences ghostly visitations, and the archaeologists start winding up in comas, Mira comes to believe an ancient curse may be at work; a curse to which she has a horrifying personal connection.
This story explores, among other things, repressed memories, childhood trauma, and what happens when lies are covered by more lies. The ultimate revelation of the truth is far from a blessing. Indeed, it results in horrible moral quandaries and even worse. The first chapter can be checked out absolutely free here. I hope it whets your appetite for me. To read later chapters, and for full access to the rest of my archive on Substack (including several novellas, short stories, film retrospectives, top tens, exclusive videos, and more), upgrade from being a free subscriber to a paid subscriber at $5 per month.
Short horror stories
Further to my updates last month, I’m still writing short stories at the moment. Most of these are horror. Four are completed, and three are pretty dark. One is a ghost story of the kind I’ve written before, and two get into body horror territory, which is a little bit of a new area for me. The fourth story isn’t horror, but that one is top secret at present. I shan’t give titles or say any more yet, but these will eventually appear on Substack, I expect. Probably next year.
The next novel
In addition, I’m still planning my next novel. It’s the second in a supernatural mystery series. Having completed the first draft of the first novel earlier this year, I’m excited to return to this world. I love the returning characters and I’m enjoying introducing new characters. I hope to have a completed outline, character profiles, and completed research by the end of November. I plan to write the novel in earnest from January of next year.
Dillon on Film is back
Due to technical problems and subsequent illness from both me and my co-host Michael Kenny, Dillon on Film has been absent recently. However, we are now back with more reviews of new cinema releases and other film-related discussion. Click here for the most recent episodes on Spotify.
That’s about it for now. Look out for another update next month.
This will only be a brief update, as I’m juggling several writing plates at present.
For a start, I’m deep into the planning of my next novel, to be written in earnest early next year. This is the second in a long-running supernatural thriller series I’m planning. The first novel was written earlier this year, and I’m going to revisit that manuscript next year to start polishing, testing on beta-readers, and so forth. I’m very excited about this series, which introduces a couple of recurring investigator characters I’ve rather fallen in love with. I hope you do too, when you get the chance to read them. But that’s probably at least a couple of years away, at this point.
In the slightly nearer future, paying subscribers to my Substack page will get to see the horror short stories I’m currently writing, possibly as early as next year. One is a ghost story (first draft finished), the other a sort-of body horror piece that perhaps someone like David Cronenberg could make into a suitably twisted film (currently halfway through the first draft). These will be released after I’ve finished serialising The Hobbford Giant, a horror mystery novel currently being released in weekly instalments. To whet your appetite, why not read the first chapter here, absolutely free?
There’s more I could say, but I’m sure you’d prefer that I was hard at work writing, so I’ll get back to it. I’ll return with another update at the end of next month.
I’m thrilled to announce my horror mystery novel The Hobbford Giant is now being made available to paying Substack subscribers. It will be serialised over the coming weeks, but to whet the appetite, the first chapter is available to everyone. I do not plan to release The Hobbford Giant in any other format at this time. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, this novel is a Substack exclusive. Here’s a brief tease of what lies ahead, plot wise.
Against the wishes of her parents, Mira Webb moves in with her estranged uncle, after getting a job at the local paper in the southwest town of Hobbford. Her first assignment involves a piece on archaeologists digging in the grounds of a children’s home closed years previously in the aftermath of an abuse scandal. Their discoveries may shed light on the legend of a giant that once menaced the area, but after she experiences ghostly visitations, and the archaeologists start winding up in comas, Mira comes to believe an ancient curse may be at work; a curse to which she has a horrifying personal connection.
The Hobbford Giant belongs at the darker end of my fiction. It opens like a mystery thriller, but evolves into a psychological horror story with (possible) supernatural elements in play. It explores themes of repressed memories, childhood trauma, and what happens when lies are covered by more lies. The tagline “Some secrets can claim your soul” feels apt, for reasons I obviously won’t spoil.
The first chapter of The Hobbford Giant is available to read now, entirely free of charge. Head over to my Substack page by clicking here. To read later chapters as they are released, and for full access to the rest of my archive on Substack (including several novellas, short stories, film retrospectives, top tens, exclusive videos, and more), upgrade from being a free subscriber to a paid subscriber at $5 per month.
The Dillon Empire hereby wishes you a very Happy New Year, and hopes you have a splendid 2025. Tradition dictates that l set out my main writing plans for the year ahead, so here’s what I hope to achieve.
Since August, I’ve been researching, outlining, and creating character profiles for my next novel. It’s the first in a series of dark mystery thrillers with a supernatural edge featuring a private detective and her assistant investigating a particularly baffling murder. Each of these novels will be a standalone mystery, but a bigger mystery will start to reveal itself in the background as the novels progress. As you can see, this is a hugely ambitious project as I’ve not consciously undertaken the writing of a series before (The George Hughes Trilogy was an accident in that respect, so doesn’t really count). At any rate, I am about to start writing the first draft of the first novel, so I’ll keep you updated on progress.
Also, this year, I might release another of my novels: horror-thriller mystery The Hobbford Giant. I’m still shipping that one around agents and publishers, but if I draw a blank, I may self-publish it. Alternatively, I might self-publish another volume of short stories (probably some of my fantasy tales, a few of which have previously appeared on Medium and Substack, and some of which have never been published before). I can’t say for sure which way I’ll leap, but one or the other of those will hopefully be available by the end of the year.
On top of this, I aim to write a clutch of new short stories, as well as pen another significant segment of my epic sequel to an as-yet unpublished children’s fantasy novel I wrote ten years ago, tentatively entitled The Faerie Gate (though that title will change). I had hoped to make progress on that novel last year, but that didn’t happen for various reasons; mainly, I’d bitten off more than I could chew, and something had to give. However, this year, I hope I’ll have the window to get another chunk finished. The novel is about half finished at present, and if I can get to two-thirds finished by the end of the year, that would be splendid. It’s turned into a bit of a monster in terms of length, so this novel could wind up being divided into separate volumes akin to The Lord of the Rings. But we’ll see. At present, I still think of it as one novel.
Beyond all that, I plan to revise and polish the mystery novel I wrote last year. I call it False Witness at present, even though that isn’t the real title (I’m keeping it a secret, for now). In addition, if The Hobbford Giant fails to get snapped up by agents and publishers, I’m going to send out A Thorn in Winter; another mystery novel which I originally wrote in 2022. As you can see, I’m not giving up on that front. Who knows? Perhaps this will be the year I find a mainstream publisher (I’ve had novels traditionally published in small indie presses before, but not by any of the big guns).
It will be interesting to see where I get to with all the above by the end of the year. I’m sure I’ll be immensely busy. In the meantime, thank you for supporting my writing. Again, I wish you all a very Happy New Year.
A rather forced smile makes me look a bit evil by the Christmas tree.
The first and most important thing to say in opening this lookback over 2024 in my fiction writing is thank you to everyone who has bought my novels and short stories or reviewed them (or both). I’m also thankful to everyone who has supported me in other ways, whether via Patreon, or through Medium, or by subscribing to read my work on Substack. I’m extremely grateful to all of you. I know this is already sounding like an Oscar acceptance speech, so before it degenerates into such nausea, I’ll move on with a quick glide through my fiction work in 2024.
New Novel Release: Ravenseed
After years of dithering, I finally released my first-ever fantasy novel: Ravenseed. An epic adventure of love, lust, betrayal, and vengeance primarily set in the Dark Ages, with a parallel plot in the present, this novel has been warmly received so far. I’m extremely proud of this story, and I’m thrilled to finally have dipped a toe into the world of fantasy, as it is such a difficult genre to get right. For years I was scared of putting off non-fantasy readers, whilst not getting it right for those who eat, sleep, and breathe such tales. But it turned out well in the end. Ravenseed represents what I’m most proud of in my fiction writing this year.
Ravenseed is available on Kindle or paperback from Amazon here or from Draft2Digital and other outlets here.
New Novel First Draft Written: False Witness (not the real title)
This year, I’m also extremely pleased to have written the first draft of a new novel. It’s not really called False Witness (too generic, and too many other novels already have that title). I’m keeping the real title a secret for the time being, but that will do as a placeholder to discuss it in public. The plot concerns a prank that goes wrong, as well as a dark secret in the protagonist’s past that comes back to haunt her present. And yes, I know that’s vague and could apply to pretty much every thriller I’ve ever written, but I really don’t want to say too much more at this stage. Just believe me when I say this dark secret is exceptionally dark.
New Novel Rewritten: A Thorn in Winter
I originally wrote this mystery thriller in 2023. I’d intended to prepare the second draft this year, so that was another annual goal duly ticked off. I plan to submit it to mainstream agents and publishers probably next year in the hope of finally cracking into bigger markets (I have been traditionally published before, but with smaller indie publishers). So far, feedback on this novel has been positive, so who knows? Perhaps this will be the one. The story? It’s still mostly under wraps for now, but I will reveal the first act features a tangled web of blackmail, before a decades-old unsolved murder comes into the picture.
Novel Submitted to Agents and Publishers: The Hobbford Giant
You’ll get to see this horror-thriller novel pretty soon, I daresay. Why? Because I will almost certainly release it next year – unless the remaining mainstream agents and publishers I’m waiting to hear back from snap it up. I’ve had some hugely encouraging feedback about The Hobbford Giant, but it is now looking unlikely that it will land a traditional publisher. I’m not discouraged, as I have many other novels lined up to try. Besides, this way you’ll get your hands on it sooner. What’s it about? Here’s part of the pitch I’ve been using:
Is it sometimes better not to know the truth? This question lies at the heart of The Hobbford Giant. Set in 1997, it concerns a young journalist investigating an unusual archaeological dig, an abuse scandal at a former children’s home, an ancient folklore legend, and a dark family secret that connects her to all three. The story also explores repressed memories, childhood trauma, and what happens when lies are covered by more lies. A tagline for the novel: “Some secrets can claim your soul.”
Against the wishes of her parents, Mira Webb moves in with her estranged uncle, after getting a job at the local paper in the southwest town of Hobbford. Her first assignment involves a piece on archaeologists digging in the grounds of a children’s home closed years previously in the aftermath of an abuse scandal. Their discoveries may shed light on the legend of a giant that once menaced the area, but after she experiences ghostly visitations, and the archaeologists start winding up in comas, Mira comes to believe an ancient curse may be at work; a curse to which she has a horrifying personal connection.
I hope that whets your appetite. More on this novel soon.
Short Stories
In between writing, rewriting, or submitting novels, I’ve penned half a dozen short stories and novellas. Some of these were published on Medium and Substack, as well as a couple I wrote last year which were held over for this year. Here’s a complete rundown of those released this year. The titles link to Medium. Links to subsequent parts are included at the end of every instalment. Each story is also available on Substack.
Horror. At a private girls school, an English teacher fond of shoplifting and married men stages a cursed play linked to a centuries-old ghost story. Also available on Substack.
Fantasy. A young woman tries to contact her comatose father on a spiritual plane between life and death. Also available on Substack.
Other Achievements This Year
You may have noticed I’ve slightly changed things on this site. I’ve made some visual tweaks, and I’ve also disabled comments. It is easy to interact with me on other platforms – on the Simon Dillon Books Facebook page, Medium, Substack, and Patreon, for instance – so I felt this site ought to be more like a brochure, showcasing my fiction work.
On the subject of Substack and Patreon, I’ve started running exclusives on the former, with monthly videos, and the serialising of my supernatural thriller novel The Thistlewood Curse available to those paying $5 per month. For that, paid subscribers also get access to my full film review archive, plus classic film analysis, top tens, and more besides. There’s a free subscription level too, purely for new release film reviews, but those disappear behind a paywall after four weeks. If you’re considering subscribing to my Substack page, but haven’t done so yet, take a closer look here.
As for Patreon, here I offer exclusive early access to short stories, sneak previews of artwork, exclusive insights into my writing processes, video updates, novel draft previews (including serialised unpublished novels), interviews with some of my characters, deleted scenes (sometimes entire chapters), and other material found nowhere else. Level of access depends on whether you become an Ally of the Dillon Empire, Free Citizen of the Dillon Empire, Knight of the Dillon Empire, or General of the Dillon Empire. Check out my Patreon page here, for more information.
All things considered, 2024 has been a challenging and fulfilling year, with many (though not all) of my annual goals achieved. As usual, I’m taking a short break over Christmas, but as per my tradition, I’ll reveal my goals for 2024 on New Years Day. Watch this space.
It only remains for me to thank you again and wish you all a Merry Christmas.
(All images by author or created by author in Canva, unless otherwise stated.)
What have I been up to lately? Lots, as it happens.
New novel
Most of my recent writing time has been spent working on the outline, character profiles, and research for my next novel. I’m very excited about this one, as I hope it will be part of a longer series, featuring the same protagonist. It’s a supernaturally tinged whodunnit, which will come as no surprise to any of you, given that mystery horror-thrillers are my bread and butter. But this is the first time I’ve planned a series of novels in that genre. It’s a challenging project, but one I can’t wait to share with you all. I begin writing the first draft in January.
New short story: An In-Between Christmas
Outside the next novel(s), one of my recently written short stories, An In-Between Christmas, is now being serialised in Fictions on Medium (see part 1, here). As a taster, here is the logline for this bittersweet dark fairy tale: “A young woman tries to contact her comatose father on a mysterious spiritual plane between life and death.”
An In-Between Christmas is also being serialised on Substack (here). It will appear in weekly instalments, every Monday, with the final part appearing on the 23rd of December. However, if you can’t wait that long, or if you want to read the story outside of Medium and Substack, all six instalments are available on Patreon, but at a price. I’m taking advantage of their new “buy a one-off post” scheme, so that’s available too, at a cost of £3 per instalment. I agree, that’s a bit steep, but that’s Patreon’s minimum price per post. All Patreon support is hugely appreciated, of course.
Substack or Patreon?
If you want full access to my short stories and novellas, as well as classic cinema articles, top tens, film review archive, and more, then Substack is probably a better bet at $5 per month (the free version gives you new release film reviews only, though after four weeks they disappear behind a paywall). Patreon provides more exclusive behind the scenes material, and exclusives such as video updates, story previews, deleted scenes, unseen designs, more in depth articles about my creative process, and so forth. But if you simply want to see the finished products, Substack is better value for money. Of course, if you’re on Medium, much of what I publish on Substack is there too. However, there are going to be exclusives on Substack very soon, so do bear that in mind if dithering over where best to view my work.
Subscribe to me on Substack here or support me on Patreon here.
Another new short story
Beyond all this, I’m working on yet another new short story. This time it’s a comedic detective story, the details of which I’m keeping under wraps at present. This story also has a connection to my new novel, but I’m keeping quiet on exactly how for now, except to say the light tone here will be in stark contrast to the much darker edges of the new novel.
That’s about it for now. Expect my final update for 2024 next month.
Over the last month, most of my fiction writing activities have centred around short stories. The first of these, a new fantasy tale presently untitled, is set at Christmas and concerns a young woman with a father in a coma. At the hospital, She meets a mysterious man who transports her to another dimension where she might be able to contact her father, if she undertakes a perilous journey. That’s all I’m going to say about the plot for now (I’m being deliberately vague on details) but I hope it will run on Medium and Substack this December.
The second short story is about a private detective investigating the murder of a much-loathed man involved in an online scam. However, this story might not see the light of day, because I wrote it mainly as an exercise in getting to know the protagonist of my next novel. I may write two or three more short stories involving this character in other cases, and might publish them further down the line, if all goes well with the novel, and if the short stories are compelling enough in their own right.
All of which brings me to the next novel. The preparations for writing the manuscript in earnest are presently underway. I’m preparing plot outlines, character profiles, undertaking research, and generally getting ready for the big push to write the first draft, early next year. Hence, the short stories being centred on the private detective protagonist.
That’s pretty much all I can say at present about my fiction writing. I’ll keep you updated with further news when I have it. However, if you are a Medium subscriber, or if you subscribe to me on Substack, do check out my ghost story presently being serialised on both platforms: Rachael.
Created by author in Canva.
A spooky, supernatural horror tale, Rachael is in five parts, the first four of which are now available to read. Here’s the subheading I’ve used: “At a private girls school, an English teacher fond of shoplifting and married men stages a cursed play linked to a centuries-old ghost story.”
Check out part one here (on Medium) or here (on Substack). The end of each instalment features links to subsequent parts, of the final part will be published on the 31st of October.
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