AUGUST UPDATE
This month, I talk about my new story, Isolated, how I handle negative reviews, and why I had the best month for sales and reads since I started writing!
ISOLATED
My latest novella dropped quietly on 3 Aug 26. I chose to do this because the story is very different from my previous work. I have been overwhelmed by the early response to Isolated, both in terms of sales and reviews. Considering I haven’t advertised it, it has performed exceptionally well, a testament to my supporters and loyal readers. Amazingly, Isolated was my best-seller of the month!
Raising a hefty glass of the RED stuff to you all!
If you have yet to grab a copy of Isolated, I have included a link below, and here is the customary blurb:
“Isolated is a genuinely chilling supernatural horror novella by the author of Formulation and RED”
When Edwyn visits the remote cottage where he and Ella spent their honeymoon, he uncovers dark secrets about the mysterious forest that dominates the snow-covered horizon. A malevolent thought intrudes on his mind, suggesting that his wife’s peculiar illness was somehow linked to that place and to the tree she had cut down for Christmas. As the truth unravels, it does so in a cruel and malicious manner.
“An unexpected treat from an emerging master of the macabre”
NEGATIVE REVIEWS
Ratings of 2 stars or fewer are often considered negative, but I don’t view them that way. Every rating and review reflects someone else’s experience of the story, and I embrace them all.
RED received a 1-star rating (my very first!) on Amazon and Goodreads on release day, which wasn’t the greatest start for my personal favourite piece of work, but it went on to become my most popular horror tale. I actually ran a promo for RED with my 1-star seal of approval, which helped me shift a ton of copies.
If a reader did not enjoy my story, at least they gave it a chance. Some reviews can also serve as free feedback to help me grow and develop as a writer, while others may prove less useful.
I have my own opinions about all my work, and I very often find myself nodding along gleefully to the reviews and comments. Some of my stories have been described as overly wordy or written in an uncommon voice, and I absolutely agree with both assessments. As for writing style and tone, I simply do what’s right for the story, knowing that my choices will often be polarising, and I can guarantee this will continue. Although I may have a comfort zone in psychological horror, I intend to keep testing myself as an author. As I ‘pop out of different holes’, I expect many more ‘negative’ reviews and will continue to embrace them with a positive mindset.
Raising you another glass of the RED stuff, with an unsteady hand.
MY BEST MONTH OF SALES
August 2026 has been my best month for sales and reads since I started writing horror in 2022. After a bit of digging, here are a few things I did differently this month.
AMAZON KEYWORDS
I spent some time reviewing my back catalogue and keywords on KDP. Next, I entered terms such as ‘Psychological Horror’ and ‘Supernatural’ into the Amazon search engine to identify the top searches. Finally, I used the most relevant top searches (e.g., Psychological Horror Kindle Books, Supernatural Thriller) across all my stories to help ensure they reach readers searching for a particular genre.
NEW RELEASE
As already stated, I chose to ‘ghost drop’ my new horror tale, Isolated. Although this is by no means an advisable marketing strategy, I feel that people have found this story through Amazon Keywords and through my already-mentioned faithful readership.
PROMOTION
In July, I ran a free book promotion for Formulation, so it is possible that readers who enjoyed it went on to check out some of my other stories afterwards.
WHAT’S NEXT?
As I deliberate over which story to work on next, I am torn between returning to psychological horror and trying my hand at folk horror. The latter seems a much more suitable project, given the recent response to Isolated. Either way, you can rest assured that my intent is to produce something fresh, exciting and truly memorable.
I continue to be asked about the paperback edition of Isolated and whether I plan to promote the story. I will ensure the paperback is ready in time for October and will begin promoting it then. For those who have read it, please feel free to share it on social media as you wish.
Yours in horror
Daniel Lorn