About the Book
Fiction comes and goes in droves, but one thing is constant: remembering the feelings that bind us to the words. 14 stories within these pages each urge you to face the imminent terror and dismay of their unfortunate and cruel situations. From eerie clown-children to blood-draining aliens – including the pre-cursor to his forthcoming supernatural horror novel, Bethany Chiller® – this is Steven Deighan giving us a glimpse into an unforgiving world that’s harshly fragmented and frequented by the unmerited and unworldly. These tales are the culmination of a decade filled with real-life trials and tribulations found, perhaps, only in [his] horror fiction.
About the Author
I’m Steve Deighan. I am an Edinburgh-born, Lanarkshire-based writer of horror fiction. I have had stories published in national and international publications since the late 90s. But there was a time – twice, actually – I almost didn’t get to write about any of the following…
In 2015, I privately published my short story The Tent as a limited-edition, landscape hardback with illustrations (it landed on every major UK publisher’s desk!), and it introduced me to Bethany Childs, my forthcoming fictional demoness, and the eponymous protagonist of my/her 2020 novel. She is a trademarked entity, so there is that to consider regarding [her] ownership. Do not dismiss her beauty and passive nature; she has had a ‘hell’ of a time, and she’s still only a teenager.
In July 2017, I suffered a massive stroke. This was at a time I was beginning to stretch out Bethany Chiller® beyond a word count I only ever dreamed about. Eventually making steady progress on and off the page, I spent many evenings emailing prospective publishers in and out of the UK until mid-2018. I spent many subsequent afternoons reading their replies that were in the way of “Thanks, but no thanks…” until Glasgow’s Ringwood Publishing sat on the manuscript for a bit. A period of indecision ensued but, in that time, American publisher Dreaming Big Publications emailed me with an acceptance. I had committed a cardinal rule: submitting a manuscript simultaneously! I approached Ringwood with the situation and their advice was to go with DBP, since they still had other projects to contemplate before considering mine wholeheartedly.
February 2019: doctors at the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank told me on my first ever visit there that I needed to stay for a few days. My congenital cardiomyopathy had worsened to the point I was in advanced heart failure and had been for some time. I was placed on the list for heart transplantation. The operation followed on Easter Sunday. I had been brought back to life. Saved, again, by the amazing NHS. I was only 35.
Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your book What is it about?
It personally served as my temporary “goodbye” to the short art since my full length book was coming out. This was my time to release the older tales that had been with me through the years, including one or two old favourites rewritten and republished for this title.
Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested in this book, is it directed at any particular market?
Adult supernatural fantasy/horror. Definite fans of Stephen King and Clive Barker should enjoy this!
Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?
My top 3 before you die:
1) The Exorcist
2) IT
3) The Silence of the Lambs
Favourite authors mentioned in your previous question. It’s likely their film adaptations of their works are what I remember better about their tales, though. But, picking up a tome like IT or The Stand back when I was a pre-teen really got my imagination working! Plus, re-reading the Hellraiser novella and taking in Barker’ language opened me up!
Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?
Please know what you’re writing about. And stick to it. Then have fun with it. It is important to make your fiction believable, so do all the relevant research required to make your tale a success!
Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?
Correspondence can be carried out via my publisher (Dreaming Big Publications) by contacting Kristi King-Morgan; alternatively, I have a Twitter thing at @DeighanSteve. But I’m rarely there.
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