Tag Archives: The White Nest

Novels Update October 2022

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Things have been exceptionally busy for me on multiple fronts lately, with ongoing articles on Medium, short stories, Patreon, and further writing opportunities that have come my way. However, I thought it high time I gave an update as to the status of the novels I’m actively working on, or actively showing to literary agents and publishers.

Ravenseed

This Dark Ages-set fantasy of love, lust, betrayal, and vengeance rather hit a dead end when I submitted it to literary agents and publishers earlier this year. I considered self-publishing, but my instinct is to hold on to it for the time being. I have a sneaking suspicion I’ve not exhausted mainstream publication possibilities. I suppose I’m disappointed by the initial response, but then again, the novel is quite unconventional in a number of ways. It has three points of view – one present tense first person, one third person, and one past tense first person, depending on which part of the story is being told (there are two additional framing device narratives in the present day, though the bulk of the story is the Dark Ages stuff). On top of this, the story is fantasy, with a hefty dash of forbidden romance, which genre-wise falls outside my primary gothic mystery oeuvre.

The White Nest (not the real title)

This gothic mystery thriller is currently being considered by literary agents, and I’m pleased to report some interest has been shown, so there is potential hope on that front. If I manage to land an agent and publisher, naturally I’ll break the news here, so watch this space. I should add The White Nest isn’t the real title. I’m hanging on to that information for now. Well, I was, until I accidentally let it slip in a video update on Patreon. So, if you’re a Patreon supporter you know the real title. Please keep it secret for now, like we discussed.

The George Hughes Trilogy (new titles to be confirmed)

I previously published what I call the George Hughes trilogy under different titles: George Goes to Mars, George Goes to Titan, and George Goes to Neptune. These novels are science fiction adventures aimed at the Harry Potter/Alex Rider demographic (and the young at heart) packed with interplanetary action and thrills. I’m very proud of them. However, I’m not proud of the titles they were originally released under, as in retrospect, it makes them sound like books for much younger children. Hence why they are currently unavailable. I’m retitling them, and also taking an opportunity to do a hefty redraft, to tidy up the manuscripts. These novels were some of the first I wrote, and having learned a great deal since those days, I want to bring the text up to my current standards. But the stories themselves have not changed. I hope to have the newly titled versions out by the end of the year, which is a deadline I may not manage, but I shall certainly aim for it.

I’ll add an update soon concerning the status of the various short stories I’ve worked on this year. It will include where you can read my latest ghost story, Vindicta, and my plans for a second short story anthology. Watch this space.

Writing Update: The White Nest

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With the exception of a couple of short stories, last year I took an extended break from fiction writing after finishing the first draft of a novel tentatively titled The White Nest. This story proved every bit as “personal” as Children of the Folded Valley. In fact, given the level of raw nerve jabbing involved, it’s safe to say I did something of a “Truman Capote”. What I mean by that is Capote was scarred to such a degree after writing his masterpiece In Cold Blood that he never finished another novel.

I am not comparing myself to such a literary giant, nor did I do anything as drastic as attend executions for my art, as he did, but the painful truth is that writing The White Nest affected me in ways I’m still coming to terms with. For some time, I wondered if my “voices” would ever return. I wrote a bit about that experience in this article on Medium. Thankfully I can report that the voices are back.

This year so far, I have written the first novel in a planned trilogy of fantasy stories that exist in the same Universe as my as-yet unpublished dark fairy tale novel The Faerie Gate. However, despite being pleased that I’ve managed to write another novel, I’m not yet convinced the quality is high enough to warrant being shared with the world. I feared the same for The White Nest, but having finally braved another look at the manuscript, I am pleased to report that is not the case.

The White Nest (I’m keeping the real title secret for now) is another gothic mystery, at least in part. It is also a coming-of-age story, a romance, a conspiracy thriller, and obviously it contains some strong horror elements. It deals in themes of complicated sibling relationships, parental fears, and false guilt. Reading it back, I can see why the process of writing it had such an effect on me, due to some of the painful personal experiences on which I am drawing. That said, I think readers will simply enjoy it as a vivid, gripping, page-turning mystery, which was always my primary intention. I think it might contain the best first act I’ve ever written. I can’t say if the ending is up to the same standard, as I’ve yet to reread it, but so far the signs are promising.

In terms of plot, The White Nest represents something of a departure from my previous gothic mysteries, in that the protagonist is male. I’m keeping the specifics under wraps for now, but I can tell you the story contains a full checklist of my favourite gothic tropes, including a sleepy south-west England village, haunted forest, eerie mansion, secret tunnels, dubious secret experimental facilities, occult secret societies, ghosts, demons, curses, mysterious disappearances, childhood memories buried by trauma, rug-pulling twist ending… you name it. You could even call this novel Now That’s What I Call A Simon Dillon Gothic Mystery if you really wanted to, as it is something of a compilation of my preoccupations, genre wise.

Here are some photographs of locations that inspired settings for certain sequences in The White Nest. The novel is predominantly set in Cornwall, but much of the landscape is based on the rugged North Devon coast. However, the first part of the novel is set in Oxford. One key scene takes place in Port Meadow.

Once I finish a second draft of The White Nest, I am moving on to a new gothic mystery, one that’s been gestating in my mind for some time. It is getting to the point where it is an itch I have to scratch, and I’m looking forward to developing it. In the meantime, I may well release a volume of short stories in the future, as I’ve now got quite a nice pile of these, and it would be nice to have them all together in one place. As ever, watch this space.

2020 In Review

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Doubtless many 2020 year-end reflections will include interminable references to a certain popular plague on world tour. I will spare you such misery, and instead focus only on what happened in my writing world this year.

New Novel: Peaceful Quiet Lives

Firstly, and most excitingly, my dystopian future shock novel Peaceful Quiet Lives was released. Intended as a satire of the political and religious fears of both sides of the so-called US culture wars, the novel follows illegal lovers Sam and Eve, who fall foul of laws in both nations that rose from the ashes of the Second American Civil War.

Written in 2018, I had planned to hold on to Peaceful Quiet Lives for a while, and eventually submit it to publishers. However, current events in America persuaded me an earlier release would prove timely. So far, the response has been largely positive, which is very gratifying.

Work in Progress: The White Nest (working title)

I wrote a new gothic mystery novel this year, which I’m calling The White Nest as a working title (the real title is a secret for now). This book represents something of a culmination in my gothic mystery horror/thriller oeuvre, as it is also a coming of age drama drawing on highly personal baggage. It proved cathartic to write, despite jabbing a lot of raw nerves concerning subjects like regret, parental fears, and lost siblings. In fact, this novel is every bit as personal as Children of the Folded Valley. I’m not sure when it will be released, but I intend to look over the first draft next year (having given myself sufficient distance from the manuscript to be more objective) and we’ll see where we go from there.

New Short Story: Hole in the Wall (working title)

In addition to the above novel, I found time to pen a new ghostly horror tale, the details of which remain secret for now. I’m not sure when this short story will see the light of day, but I’m rather pleased with it. I’ll probably release a short story collection some time soon, as I have quite a pile of unreleased sinister shorts and novellas building up.

On The Blog

As ever, I’ve contributed several blog posts, mostly relating to books or cinema (as well as the ongoing film reviews). I do enjoy tackling a variety of topics, and like to provoke thought and discussion, so here are a few of my favourites that you might have missed.

Why We Need Dystopian Fiction

Are Horror Fans Desensitised?

The Pillars of the Earth: Brilliant Books and Bad Sex

What Makes A Great Fantasy Story

Ten Great Literary Protagonists I Relate To

Ten Great Literary Villains

My Journey of Faith and The Exorcist

On The Tangent Tree

The fourth series of The Tangent Tree, the film podcast I co-host with Samantha Stephen, hit a series of delays this year, but we did release the third series. Here are a couple of my favourite episodes. Well technically three episodes, but one of these is a two-parter.

Musicals Make The Medicine Go Down – Samantha and I wax lyrical about our favourite musicals. Part two here.

Will Media Be The Death Of Us? – Samantha and I delve into the debate around violence in film.

In closing, I want to say a huge thank you to all my readers. Thank you for supporting me by buying (and reviewing) my books this year. I hope you enjoyed them. I will be revealing my plans for 2021 on New Year’s Day, so watch this space.

Coming Soon, Later, and Perhaps Never: October 2020 Update

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A couple of years ago, I posted an article with the same title, expounding on exactly where I was at with my novels, in their varying states of disrepair. Here’s a full update, sort-of divided by genre. Bear in mind one of these will be released very soon, almost certainly before the end of the year.

Fantasy

Ravenseed – This Dark Ages set fantasy novel is now on its third draft, having received largely positive feedback from various sources. It’s a brooding, melancholy tale of knights, sorcerers, and enchantment, simmering with love, lust, betrayal, and revenge. Alongside the Dark Ages story is a parallel framing story set in the present.

The Faerie Gate – My long-delayed, horror-story-for-children is now on its fourth draft. Originally written in 2015, it’s definitely the scariest novel I’ve written that is primarily aimed at children, and it really pushes the envelope in that respect. But this dark fairy tale is also a very compassionate story, about a young adolescent coming to terms with the separation of her parents. I’m also planning an epic sequel which may end up being more than one sequel, set in the same universe. The sequel(s) might be aimed at a more “young adult” readership. I’ll know more once I start writing this next year.

The Deviant Prophet – Another dark fairy tale, but this time for adults. Fantasy and reality clash in a disturbing tale of religious oppression, amid a vivid and surreal world parallel to our own. The initial inspiration for this came from a close friend’s extraordinary dreams. I finished a third draft earlier this year.

Goldeweed – This is an epic, three volume fantasy saga I have been shaping on and off for almost eighteen years. Set in a vast imagined realm on many different planes of reality, it details three love stories that play out against an apocalyptic backdrop at the end of an era. Currently longer than War and Peace, it’s a tale I have rewritten and tinkered with for some time, and I’m still not entirely happy with it.

Gothic Mystery Thriller/Horror

The White Nest – This novel is something of a culmination for me; a summing up of all the tropes, themes, and ideas I have explored in earlier gothic mystery novels. But although there is an element of Now-That’s-What-I-Call-a-Simon-Dillon-Gothic-Mystery about this novel, it is also radically different in two ways. Firstly, it features a male protagonist. Secondly, it is the most intensely personal novel I’ve written since Children of the Folded Valley. Yes, I know all writing is “personal”, but this one really jabbed raw nerves in an ultimately cathartic way, tapping into traumatic fears regarding siblings, parental fears, false guilt, and more. It is also something of a coming of age novel, despite the genre trappings. One more point: The White Nest refers to something sinister in the story, but it’s only a placeholder title. I’m keeping the real title secret for now.

Wormcutter – From something I wrote in 2020, to something I wrote in 2007 (from an idea I had researched on and off since 1996), this detective thriller/horror hybrid begins as an apparently open and shut murder investigation, then escalates into a humdinger of a conspiracy, involving the Freemasons and much more… until it ends up in the most disturbing territory I have ever explored in a novel (definitely 18 certificate stuff). Currently on its fourth draft, and due for another polish.

Miscellaneous

The Balliol Conspiracy – This somewhat old-fashioned, Hitchcockian romantic spy thriller is a conspiracy story of a different kind (much more PG territory, unlike Wormcutter), and proved a real change of pace for me when I wrote it. A strong, suspenseful central mystery results in an historic, fact-based treasure hunt, leading to a new lease of life for the bereaved protagonist. I don’t want to say too much more, except that yes, it does involve Balliol College in Oxford (see above picture). I also wanted to write a grown-up book that, for once, my mother would be able to read without having nightmares. Currently on its second draft, its actually grown on me quite a bit since I first wrote it, and my wife thinks I should attempt more stories of this kind. But I suspect it is a one-off. We’ll see.

Peaceful Quiet Lives – This dystopian tale imagines a bleak American future, satirising the worst fears of both sides in the so-called culture wars. At the same time, it is also a love story, featuring protagonists who fall foul of political extremists of all persuasions. This novel is currently on its fourth draft, and represents a real oddity for me, as it is quite unlike anything I’ve ever written. Like Children of the Folded Valley and The White Nest, it is also a highly “personal” novel.

A Statement of Disbelief – Another satirical novel, this time set in the dubious world of Christian television fundraising. It’s only had one draft, but quite honestly, I’m not sure it will ever see the light of day. However, I will confess it was great fun to write.

Short Stories – It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve written quite a collection of short stories, mostly horror and science fiction (including one of novella length). I may publish a volume of these at some point.

To reiterate, one of the above will almost certainly be released before the end of the year. Can you guess which one? Watch this space for an imminent announcement.

Writing Update: “The White Nest”

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To say 2020 hasn’t gone the way I expected so far would be an understatement. However, in one respect it has gone to plan: I have just finished the first draft of my latest novel.

I won’t announce the title just yet, so let’s call it The White Nest for now. That won’t be the final title, but the White Nest is an element of the narrative. What is the White Nest? Is it something sinister? Obviously. This is a gripping gothic mystery akin to all my previous endeavours in that genre, including The Birds Began to Sing, The Irresistible Summons, Spectre of Springwell Forest, The Thistlewood Curse, and Phantom Audition.

The White Nest has a full checklist of my favourite gothic tropes, including a sleepy south-west England village, haunted forest, eerie mansion, secret tunnels, dubious secret experimental facilities, occult secret societies, ghosts, demons, curses, mysterious disappearances, childhood memories buried by trauma, rug-pulling twist ending… you name it. You could even call this novel Now That’s What I Call A Simon Dillon Gothic Mystery if you really wanted to, as it is something of a compilation of my preoccupations, genre wise.

Like some of my earlier novels, this one also straddles the borders between mystery thriller and supernatural horror. However, one key trope has changed. Instead of a tenacious imperilled heroine at the centre of the drama, this story features a male protagonist. In fact, this novel is different in a number of ways, because it is a highly personal work. Yes, I know, all writing is personal to some degree, but this one really does jab some of my raw nerves in the themes it explores – including the challenges in sibling relationships, parental fears, false guilt, coming of age, and more. In that respect, it is my most “personal” work since Children of the Folded Valley.

The actual plot? Sorry, that remains top secret for now. It’s likely to remain top secret for some time too, as I need the dust to settle on this one, before I return to it with a fresh eye. Although presently a hefty 105,000 words or so, I hope to shave about 10,000 words from that length, deleting a few less essential subplots and/or characters, much like what happened with The Irresistible Summons.

As for what I’ll be writing next, I do have a nifty idea for a fantasy novel, based on a rather strange dream I had last year. When I shared this dream with a colleague, she said that if I didn’t turn it into a book, she would! At any rate, I hope to begin at least outlining this one soon.

In between planning, I’ll probably pen the odd short spooky story, including one (or possibly two) set during the present pandemic. Watch this space.