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.
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.
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.
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.
Last September I took the plunge on Patreon, not knowing whether I’d find a single supporter. As it happens, I attracted a small but dedicated group of brilliant people who have been consistently wonderful and encouraging, in their support and patronage of my writing endeavours. I offer this article as a transparent attempt at encouraging more patrons (should you be so inclined), and also as an encouragement to other writers considering attempting a similar endeavour.
How should one go about starting a Patreon page?
I offer this advice purely from an experiential perspective, not as any kind of expert. Goodness knows, I’m hardly businessman material, nor am I part of the know-it-all “hustle-bro” contingent (I despise that term, so will put money in the swear jar for using it). But if I consider it worth giving something a go, I tend to try my absolute best. So here are my thoughts on starting a Patreon page, to be taken with a pinch (or sack) of salt, due to my limited credentials.
To start, I recommend laying out a clear case for support, to which you can be held accountable. My “About Simon Dillon” page has a little about myself, where I live, my interests, and the case for supporting me on Patreon under the headings “What Do I Write?”, “What Will You Be Funding?”, and “What Do You Get In Return?” The first discusses what I write, and why I need financial support. The second lists clear goals for the first year (to be updated in the second), which I am working through. As for the final section, it details what I offer patrons, depending on their giving levels.
Regarding giving levels, I know some pages have umpteen different support levels, but I kept to four in the end. And in truth, I probably should have kept it to three (I’ll get to why in a moment). These need to offer clear perks for supporters.
I’d also recommend having a video at the start, welcoming people and asking for support. I hate talking on camera, but I do think this is a necessary evil, as it helps people connect with you better, no matter how awkward you might feel. I also recorded a video message to welcome those who support me. Nice graphics on your profile also help. It is important to present yourself well.
After that, it’s a matter of consistently updating patrons, providing what you promise to benefit-wise for each giving level. Most importantly, it is vital to remain accountable, explaining to your supporters exactly where you are at in your stated goals. This demonstrates that you are using their money to productive effect, and not merely sitting on the sofa watching Netflix.
What do I offer on Patreon?
Returning to my earlier comment on giving levels, I opted for four: Ally of the Dillon Empire (£2 per month), Free Citizen of the Dillon Empire (£4 per month), Knight of the Dillon Empire (£8 per month), and General of the Dillon Empire (£25 per month).
No one has taken me up on the latter giving level yet. The reason for the big cost is at that level, I offer ”a monthly 30-minute one-to-one discussion over Zoom, where you can ask any questions about my writing, pick my brains for writing advice, or simply chat about favourite novels or films.” I think, in retrospect, that isn’t the biggest draw. People get quite enough of my wittering in print, so experiencing it one-to-one for that cost is perhaps a bit much. Still, I’ll keep it up there for now. Some people do ask for advice from time to time, and my wife and various other encouraging people around me insist my time is valuable.
As for the other levels, I’ve had plenty of success. Here’s a brief look at some of the perks I offer. I’ve made the example items concerned public, for the purposes of this piece, but normally they’d be encrypted for patrons-only access.
Regular update videos: These invariably feature me looking awkward whilst my eldest son adds snarky remarks in post-production. Here’s one from a couple of months ago, as an example. For some reason, these are my most popular posts on Patreon.
Insights into my writing process: These exclusive articles offer my thoughts on exactly how I go about writing novels, short stories, and so forth. Here’s a short piece I wrote on my bad writing habits.
Interviews with my characters: These are fun pieces intended as a bit of a laugh for my patrons, especially if they are familiar with the novels or short stories in question. Here’s an example, in which I interview a supporting character from my horror-thriller novel The Irresistible Summons.
Exclusive unseen material: Short stories and novellas are previewed in draft form to patrons, either in full or in part. They also get all my fiction writing news first, with first looks at covers, as well as discarded concepts, deleted scenes, and other short fictional bits and pieces that will never be seen anywhere else. For instance, here’s a piece written for an online writing course I recently attended at the Curtis Brown Literary Agency, run by One Day author David Nicholls.
Exclusive serialised chapters of entire novels: This is, I suspect, the biggest draw for supporters. I’m currently serialising my mystery thriller The Balliol Conspiracy, a novel that rather sits outside my usual gothic horror oeuvre. As I say, at the start of the preface to Chapter 1:
“It’s a somewhat unusual story that begins as a psychological mystery, evolving into a romantic spy thriller of sorts akin to novels such as John Buchan’s The Thirty-Nine Steps and Hitchcock films like North by Northwest. This proved a real change of pace for me when I wrote it, as frankly, I wanted to write a novel that (for once) wouldn’t give my mother nightmares. As such, I strove to keep events at a PG level, even though it is a grown-up thriller with a strong, suspenseful narrative.
At its heart, this is a history-based treasure hunt tale, leading to a new lease of life for its bereaved protagonist, who has a mysterious compulsion for purchasing and cataloguing suitcases left in airports. I don’t want to say too much more, except that it also involves Balliol College in Oxford, the infamous “Galloping Gertie” Tacoma Narrows bridge disaster, and the head of Oliver Cromwell!”
Several chapters are now up on Patreon, and I’ll keep serialising this draft novel until it is finished. Afterwards, I shall start serialising another unpublished novel draft in my back catalogue. To read chapter one of The Balliol Conspiracy, click here.
I hope that has provided an insight into what can be done on Patreon, as well as enticing some of you into supporting me, if only out of morbid curiosity for my inept video updates. To find out more, check out my Patreon page here.
Me looking moody next to some of my novels, trying to hide how badly I need a haircut. Photo by author.
I have a new Patreon page, and I’d love you to take a look at it.
Why Patreon?
I’ve resisted having a Patreon page for some time, because of the begging bowl baggage with which I associate it. However, I believe I have found a way to give potential supporters back something of value. If I am serious about this full-time writer malarkey, especially with my ambition to land a mainstream publishing deal for my novels, I need to be realistic about the costs involved. My Patreon page is a means of (hopefully) addressing this reality. I lay out my writing goals over the next year in some detail, so potential supporters can see exactly what their contributions will fund.
What am I offering?
On my Patreon page, I offer various levels of monthly support (plus a link to a newly created Ko-fi account, for anyone who wishes to go the one-off donation route). Those who support me will get certain exclusives, including writing updates, video updates, film of the month recommendations, alternative cover imagery, interesting deleted segments, and early access to short story and novel chapter drafts (in some cases, a year or more ahead of official release). I’m going to serialise one (and possibly more) of my novel drafts, exclusively on Patreon, though my first literary preview will be for my upcoming ghost story, Vindicta (part 1 is already up).
I’m also offering the chance for Zoom interactions, either to offer my writing expertise (such as it is), or else to simply chat about books, films, and so forth.
Image by author (Cover design credits: Charles Bown, Yasmine Nuoraho, Denisa Trenkle, Simon Dillon).
Please do check out my Patreon page here and consider supporting me. If nothing else, have a good laugh at the video of me at the edge of Wistman’s wood on Dartmoor, in desperate need of a haircut.
(This is a shorter verison of an article originally published on Medium).
I’ve a new short story entitled Sweet Dreams currently being serialised in Fictions on Medium. It concerns a journalist investigating a tech company that manufactures nightmare suppressing nanotech for children. I’ll talk more about this story once all five parts are published, but for now, you can check out part one here. Enjoy!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I’ve had a highly unusual year in 2021. For one thing, I’ve made the awkward transition to full-time writer. Much remains uncertain. However, I don’t intend to bore you with the cycle of fear and self-doubt that are the inevitable concomitant of any writer who takes such steps. Instead, I’ll dive right in with what I’ve been up to over the past twelve months.
Perhaps most excitingly, this collection of scary shorts was released. Infestation: A Horror Anthology included 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 White Horse is a standalone prequel to my gothic mystery novel The Irresistible Summons.
Infestation is set in the near future, at a time when mysterious giant spider nests have appeared. No one knows where these 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.
For information about the plots in the other stories, simply click on their respective links, and it will take you to articles about each of them. I’ve had some very positive response to this story, and to the collection in general, which is encouraging. At 77,000 words, I feel this anthology represents a good value selection of my shorter horror pieces.
Gothic Mystery New Covers
Some of my gothic mystery horror thriller novels were reissued with new covers. Check them out below.
Work in Progress: Sequel to The Faerie Gate
The Northern Lights feature in The Faerie Gate. Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash
Yes, I know I’ve not yet released my very dark and scary children’s 2015 novel The Faerie Gate, despite talking about it a great deal on this blog. However, in early 2021 I started writing not one but three sequels. It is a hugely ambitious project that in some ways is The Lord of the Rings to The Faerie Gate’s The Hobbit. I’m very pleased with it so far, though I halted once I completed the first of the three sequels. I have a very clear plan for the remaining novels, but there are other projects I wish to complete first. Since I am acutely aware of the dangers of “doing a George RR Martin”, I’m going to hang on to the three sequels until all have been fully written. However, The Faerie Gate I may well release before that, since it stands entirely alone.
Medium
Yours truly, in a rare smiling photo (as seen in the interview mentioned below).
As part of my expansion into full-time writing, I am building an audience on Medium (currently 1.6 thousand followers and climbing). I’ve proud of the many articles I have on that site, often placed in prestigious publications. If you have a Medium subscription, please consider following me. In addition to articles on film, music, literature, television, and the odd rant, I have published a number of novellas and short stories there, and will continue to do so.
Here are a few Medium pieces from the past year of which I am particularly proud.
Leave – One of several short stories written and published this year. Life takes an unexpected turn for a young wife desperately missing her royal marine husband during the recent Afghanistan War.
The principles for penning a passionate, sinister, satisfying page-turner. (Apologies for the use of American English; The Writing Cooperative publication insists on it.)
I shudder to think of anyone discovering these for the first time on the small screen.
And just because I can’t resist including it, here’s my interview with The Writing Cooperative: Write Now with Simon Dillon
The Guardian
I also managed to get an article published in The Guardian this year, which makes a nice addition to my writing CV. It’s a short, slightly tongue-in-cheek piece exploring why so many of my childhood films are having their BBFC ratings upgraded from PG to 12A in the UK. You can read it here.
The Tangent Tree
Finally, for those of you wondering what has happened to film podcast The Tangent Tree (which I co-host with Samantha Stephen), I hope this will be resurrected in 2022. Various spanners in the works this year prevented the creation of new episodes.
To finish, I want say a big thank you to all of you, for your ongoing readership and support. Thank you so much for reading my novels and short stories. I hope you enjoyed them. Also, thank you for leaving reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and elsewhere. For those of you who follow me on Medium, thank you for reading and supporting me there too. It has been a tumultuous year, but there are exciting things ahead. I will revealing my plans for 2022 on New Year’s Day, so watch this space.
My recently released book Infestation: A Horror Anthology features my Infestation novella – a six-chapter sci-fi horror tale – along with five other short stories. In my final entry in this series examining each story in the collection, here’s a closer look at White Horse, which like Influencer is exclusive to this volume.
Raven is a snarky, ambitious young camera operator/editor working for a production company specialising in documentaries that usually debunk the supernatural. Whilst on a location scout/research excursion with her producer, they meet a woman claiming her house is haunted. Although initially thinking her an opportunist after television fame, Raven comes to believe there might be something to her claims. Also, the woman’s face is unsettlingly familiar…
White Horse is a prequel to my gothic mystery horror novel The Irresistible Summons, in which Raven is a supporting character. Here she is the protagonist, working alongside a different producer, investigating a sinister and apparently supernatural mystery with a link to Raven’s childhood. I should add that no prior knowledge of The Irresistible Summons is required to read White Horse. It is entirely standalone, though it does hint at what is to come for Raven in the dying embers of the story.
Like the other stories in this collection, White Horse is a variation on the running theme of guilt, in this case involving a moral dilemma in Raven’s past. Where did the idea come from? Fellow author and friend Claus Holm had been pestering me for years to write a spinoff from The Irresistible Summons featuring Raven, and eventually I had an idea I considered worthy of development. White Horse delves more into Raven’s background and motivations, and is, I believe, a fine companion piece to the novel. I’m rather pleased with it, and I hope you like it too.
Incidentally, the title refers to the Uffington White Horse, an extraordinary piece of minimalist Bronze Age art in which a large chalk horse is rendered on a hillside. There are several White Horse hills in the UK, but the Uffington White Horse is the most famous. The story takes place near said hill, and aside from the geographic setting, there are (fictional) occult elements linked to the hill that prove relevant to the narrative.
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.
My recently released book Infestation: A Horror Anthology features my Infestation novella – a six-chapter sci-fi horror tale – along with five other short stories. In the penultimate instalment of this series examining each story in the collection, this week I take a slightly deeper dive into Spinner.
Graphic designer Isabel is trapped in an abusive relationship with her bullying business owner partner Tyler, which is exacerbated once Covid lockdown hits in early 2020. They have recently moved into a new home; one which the son of the previous owner, Maud Spinner, was particularly keen to get off his hands. Never a good sign. Nor are the sinister sounds coming from the basement…
As a fusion of abusive relationship drama and supernatural horror, Spinner is dark, claustrophobic, and frightening. The running theme throughout the Infestation anthology concerns guilt, real or perceived. In the case of Isabel, she is constantly gaslit and made to feel guilty by Tyler. This set-up feeds into her later paranoia over the malevolent supernatural presence in their home, and whether maybe, just maybe, it might all be in her head.
Spinner almost didn’t get included in this collection, as I had concerns it wasn’t quite up to scratch. However, when I tested the story on Medium, I received some very strong positive feedback, here for instance, from people for whom the story resonated on a personal level. It is worth adding that Spinner is partly informed by the experiences of two people I know personally, besides a few obvious literary horror giants such as MR James and Stephen King.
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.
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