HAPPY HELLOWEEN

As Halloween creeps menacingly towards us, I wanted to give a quick update on what has been going on for the past few months, let you know how my stories are doing, and share the current situation with my next release.

HOW ARE MY BOOKS DOING?

I have been truly blessed the past few months. Sales and KU reads have been better than ever, with my latest horror tale, Formulation, currently leading the pack. The way things are going, I expect Formulation to overtake RED as my most popular story by the end of the year. It’s been a while since I commented individually on my stories, so follow me into the darkness, and I will share my thoughts with you.

OBSESSION

When I released Obsession in 2022, I did so just as a tester to see if anyone would read my work. I had been experimenting with different writing styles, but felt more comfortable in the first-person narrative. During that process, Obsession was born. Obsession had an unsassuming release, followed by a spike in sales in 2023, and things have gone quiet again more recently. Obsession is currently free to anyone who subscribes to this website, and is (in my opinion) the perfect story of mine to start with.

PACT

After Obsession, I wanted to write more psychological horror, so I returned to the drawing board and dreamed up this nasty little story. Of all my work, I have been most surprised by how well Pact has been received. I didn’t have high hopes for it when I wrote it, but readers seem to love this one for whatever reason. With Pact, I have learned to listen to the readers who enjoy my work, which helps me decide on future projects. Thankfully, Pact continues to find more readers and has recently overtaken Obsession in terms of popularity.

SEE YOU LATER

See You Later was my first attempt at writing horror. I carried the idea for many years before penning the first draft (out of the blue) in 2020. My own experience of sleep paralysis influenced this story. When I returned to See You Later, immediately after releasing Pact, I decided not to alter the writing style too much, as I wanted it to have its own ‘feel’. In hindsight, and after several re-reads, my only criticism is that it is perhaps too wordy. Don’t get me wrong, I love the flow and structure of the story, but had I written it now, it would be a slightly different beast. I am confident that I made the right decision, as it is nice to look back at my work and see where it all started. Regarding my first steps as a writer, See You Later will always have a special place in my heart.

RED

In my opinion, RED is my strongest work in terms of writing. I set out to create something dark, suffocating, and genuinely original, and I am confident that I achieved that with RED. This was me writing well within my comfort zone, and I loved every single minute of the process. Even when RED received a one-star review the day after its release, I had faith in this story, and it certainly did not disappoint me. Writer’s block consumed me after RED, but only because I was determined to write something different and step outside my comfort zone. I promised this year that if Red gets 100 ratings on Goodreads and 50 on Amazon, I will stop whatever I am doing and write a second tale in this world.

SINS OF THE WRONGED

With SOTW, I decided to switch to a different writing style to challenge myself and develop my writing skills. SOTW has a love/hate vibe, and this is something I expected from the first chapter. The story won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the feedback has been fantastic for those who have stuck with it and immersed themselves in this world. I was close to shelving this story several times, but something kept me going here, and I am so glad that I saw the process through. SOTW (like See You Later) will appeal to a different audience than my more well-established work.

FORMULATION

After my seemingly endless battle with SOTW, I was incredibly keen to return to my comfort zone. Formulation manifested from a concept I initially considered but was missing a key element to bring it to life. Fast-forward a few months to when a spider bit me on the hand, and suddenly, I had a story! As already alluded to, I foresee Formulation soon becoming my most popular story. The paperback has sold more than all of my other paperbacks combined, and none of my other stories have had so many reviews in such a short time.

WILL I EVER WRITE A NOVEL?

I continue to be asked this question, but my answer differs from the last blog. I now have five WIP options for a novel, one of which is 75% complete! The only issue is time, motivation, and fewer excuses! I won’t confirm any planned release dates yet, but… something is coming!

WRITING PROCESS

I do not work well with structure when commencing a new WIP; believe me, I have tried over the past few months. Since releasing Formulation, I have played around with story structure templates, spreadsheets, and brainstorming, but all that does is cause me a headache. Therefore, I will return to my routine of sitting down to write, putting on some ambient music, and seeing what story spills out of the dark corners of my mind.

WORK IN PROGRESS

I am fluttering between five WIPs, waiting for one of them to fill me with enough dread and motivation to go full guns blazing. This usually happens at this time of year, but I am much closer to deciding than I was for the last two years, so I am in a good place. I will let you know as soon as I fully commit to my next venture.

Until next time…

See You Later…