Virtual Writers discussion

Hi!

I'm an independent fiction writer born and raised in Derbyshire in the U.K.
I still live there with my wife, son and gentle, yet simple minded, retired greyhound.

My love for books came at a very early age and has never ceased. Writing was a later development, although not by much. My first memory of writing stories was on an old typewriter with half of the keys missing.

Apart from writing and reading, I enjoy sports, particularly cricket. I've never given up on the hope that one day I'll get a call from the English chairman of selectors.
"Dave, we've got a problem. Can you get down to Lords and open the batting?"

"I'll just finish writing this chapter, then I'll be there."


Anyway, I've currently got two books published. See the below two posts for a bit about them.

Four short tales of Victorian terror, each bound to the other by a chilling thread.

The date is January 10th 1866 and the snow is falling thick on the blood soaked streets of a murderous London…

Mask of The Macabre – A travelling magician appears with a gruesome show. But what secret does it hide?

Doctor Harvey – Bethlem lunatic asylum’s newest patient has a story to tell, but how will he tell it to his doctor?

Memento Mori – A photographer is given a mysterious assignment with disturbing consequences.

The New Costume. – The entertainer discovers a new string to his bow and gives the finest performance of his career.

(13,000 words in total)

George Roberts believes that when he was nearly four years old he flew; not in an airplane, helicopter or other man made device and not exactly like a bird but he flew nonetheless.

Join him sixteen years later as he takes a road trip across Europe to find the only person who can help him do it again… the only problem is, that person has been dead for three hundred years.

Humour, love and kismet gone mad throw him into an adventure where he learns the true meaning of his flight.

Part road trip, part comedy and part coming of age. The story takes in Brittany and Paris before ending in Copertino, Southern Italy which just happens to be the birth place of St Joseph - the patron saint of flight!

If your cricket career doesn't take off as hoped, David, it looks like your writing career is well on its way.

haha! I'm hoping my writing is slightly better than my cricket!

Wow, an old broken typewriter. That brings back some memories!

It was horrendous. Sometimes the keys stayed down and you couldn't budge them! Typing anything more than hello became an intense, physical and frustrating experience.

The Boy Who Kissed The Sky is FREE 2nd and 3rd March

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Boy-Who-K...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Boy-Who-Kis...

I've got a new book out!

Ballet of the Bones (77p/99c)

Four short tales of Victorian terror, each bound to the other by a chilling thread.

London suffocates under the festering reek of its bursting graveyards.

Ballet of the Bones – The curtain goes up on the greatest show on earth, but is everything all it seems?

The Bone House – The grave digger reflects on his morbid life, but what does his future hold?

The Engineer – His creations are beautiful, intricate and for a discerning palate.

Encore – The director makes ready for the end of the show.

13,700 words.

It's available here : http://authl.it/4k

The Swimmer - Thriller
2nd Edition.

The book was edited in March 2013.

A battered and lifeless body is dragged from the stormy Atlantic Ocean onto an isolated cove in West Cornwall. Only one man has a clue about his identity and he’s trying his hardest to turn away from the human race.

October 1919 - Thirty one men lose their lives in a horrific accident in an exposed Cornish tin mine.

How are the two incidents linked?

Local journalist May Jones and writer, turned hermit Joseph George form an unlikely partnership and attempt to find out

Set in a wild, coastal landscape famed for murderous smugglers and ghostly tin mines. The story weaves through the backdrop of far West Cornwall, a land drenched in the blood of forgotten men.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Swimmer-e...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Swimmer-ebo...

Why is it that Horror lit is sometimes disregarded as 'neither serious or legitimate' as works of modern literature? Recently I was having dinner with some relatives and we were discussing books.

I told them what I'd written recently and was greeted with. 'Ah yes, but when are you going to write another proper book?'

'A proper book?' I asked, confused.

'Yes, you know, a thriller or something. Even better' what about some romance!'

Hmph! It's not the first time something like that has happened either.

Until I started writing horror, I didn't know people felt like that. Disappointing and disappointed.

I am about half way through the first draft of my new book, entitled A Séance of Souls. It is likely to be novella length on completion and will continue my current theme of Victorian/gothic horror. The cover has been commissioned and will also continue the theme, although subtly different to reflect the length and also the differences in structure. I'm not giving away the plot but this story concentrates on one man and his family rather than from differing viewpoints.

There are some threads from both Ballet of the Bones and Mask of the Macabre in there, but as before, is also a stand-alone book.

I'm enjoying writing it again and the depth of material and inspiration from that era is incredible. Is it any wonder that many Victorian writers on both sides of the Atlantic wrote some truly wonderfully dark tales?

I'm not setting a release date in stone, just yet, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks Ill be able to give a more accurate time scale.

The Boy Who Kissed The Sky is available in the following stores now.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id62...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-b...

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Bo...

I'm delighted to say The Swimmer was chosen by the Kindle English Mystery Bookclub as their bargain read for May!

Here's the Good reads link if anyone wants to follow it.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Although to join in with the discussion you have to join the group.

For the first and last time I’m running a free promotion on Mask of the Macabre. It runs from today until the end of play on the 5th May (3days)

Four short tales of Victorian terror, each bound to the other by a chilling thread.

The date is January 10th 1866 and the snow is falling thick on the blood soaked streets of a murderous London…

Mask of The Macabre – A travelling magician appears with a gruesome show. But what secret does it hide?

Doctor Harvey – Bethlem lunatic asylum’s newest patient has a story to tell, but how will he tell it to his doctor?

Memento Mori – A photographer is given a mysterious assignment with disturbing consequences.

The New Costume. – The entertainer discovers a new string to his bow and gives the finest performance of his career.

(13,000 words in total)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mask-of-the-M...

http://www.amazon.com/Mask-of-the-Mac...

David wrote: "For the first and last time I’m running a free promotion on Mask of the Macabre. It runs from today until the end of play on the 5th May (3days)

Four short tales of Victorian terror, each bound to..."

David,

I've added your promo to my blog under FREEBIES, please check it out and see if you like it.

I'd be honoured if you were to choose to be one of my blog followers

http://www.thestoryreadingapeblog.com

:)

Belting stuff, Chris! Thank you. Duly followed!

Hi,
I'm delighted to announce the release of my new book.



Seance of the Souls

January 7th 1855

A boy weeps beside the grave of his dead father; his infant sister clings to his leg. It is another pitiless blow for a life already stained with blood.

When all those you hold dear have been taken from you, where do you find solace?

In the arms of the dead, for the living no longer care.

This is novella length and totals approximately, 21,500 words

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seance-of-the...

http://www.amazon.com/Seance-of-the-S...

Oh and it's 99p or $1.99

is now available at the following stores,

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id64...
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/id64...

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books...

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Mask-o...

Thank you
Dave

I'm very excited to say I'm the "Author of the Day" on Indie Book Bargains.
http://www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk/...

Seance of the Souls is the featured new release too!

I've started creating a new blog for my writing. Here it is and if you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free!

I'm still waiting for the official banner.

http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk/

David wrote: "I'm very excited to say I'm the "Author of the Day" on Indie Book Bargains.
http://www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk/...

Seance of the Souls is the featured new release too!"

That is so utterly cool! Congratulations, David.

Thank you, Bridget!

Three reviews, all at the same time from someone who read the books one after the other!




5.0 out of 5 stars Masterfully macabre, May 23, 2013
By Martin - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Mask of the Macabre (Kindle Edition)
Mask of the Macabre sets the scene for your journey to the sordidly time-worn and foggy streets of Victorian London. You will soon wonder at the magician's grisly sleight of hand, and be shocked by the change of scene taking you within the walls of the Bethlem lunatic asylum. Then, the photographer's hideous job will make you wonder at the evil within human nature; depositing you, finally, with the entertainer - looking to expand his gruesome repertoire.
This is a deliciously gruesome collection of four short stories by David Haynes which intertwine cleverly. A compelling read!



5.0 out of 5 stars Chilled to the bone May 23, 2013
By Martin
Format:Kindle EditionWelcome to the Ballet of the Bones. Will you appreciate the hideous displays in The Gallery of Wax? If so, you will be ushered into The Bone House, to experience first hand the bare bones of the gravedigger's existence. You will then meet The Engineer, who will astound you with his baroque, intricate creations, operating with the strange grace of precision; yet somehow quite wrong. And finally, with an impending sense of doom, the Director will prepare you for the final curtain. Good luck!
This is the follow-up to Mask of the Macabre by David Haynes, and is a similarly atmospheric and intriguing collection. The stories are all related, but work just as well as stand-alone tales. Chillingly entertaining!
Don't miss Seance of the Souls too, the novella which follows on from these collections.



5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect penny dreadful May 23, 2013
By Martin
Format:Kindle EditionDear reader, let yourself be drawn, almost against your will, into the swirling, misty alleyways of the past to experience the Seance of the Souls. With a growing sense of unease, you'll recognise some of the hideous characters from your previous travails in the Mask of the Macabre and Ballet of the Bones.
Beginning with a funeral where Matthew Napier is confronting the loss of his family, you will stumble through the bloodstained gutters of Victorian London to witness a fortune teller giving him and his sister a bleak reading indeed. Once Matthew's sister is ripped from him too, his despair is complete; and he is vulnerable to the advances of pure evil. This is embodied by members of a spiritualist church, and he is confronted by the past in ways even you could not imagine. Is it magic, or murder? Who can Matthew trust? Amid corpses, skulls and ever-shifting masks, you will not know which way to turn. Be sure to keep your own senses sharp as those around you descend into madness!
David Haynes's novella carries on from his two short story collections, but also stands alone as a great read. Highly recommended.

Great reviews and much appreciated!

To celebrate the official launch of my new blog, complete with new banner, I've interviewed the hugely talented artist Michaela Margetts. Michaela designed all three covers for The Macabre Collection and the banner for the site.

http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk/

Congratulations David!

Cheers, Max

In a change of direction I've had some rather lovely reviews for The Boy Who Kissed The Sky recently.


5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, 25 May 2013
By Andy Barrett
This review is from: The Boy Who Kissed The Sky

Review for The Boy Who Kissed The Sky by David Haynes.
This is the story of George who, many years after an extraordinary event, goes to extreme lengths to recreate it. His journey takes us across Europe and grants us access to some wonderfully-drawn characters, all with splendid foibles that will see you cringe or laugh. I thoroughly enjoyed going along for the ride, and would add that I found George's destination absorbing and thoroughly satisfying.
The writing is clear and crisp, and David has a very pleasant and reassuring style. Before you realise it, you have formed an emotional attachment that the ending rewards aplenty.
5-stars. Wonderful. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars The Boy Who Made Me Smile, 8 May 2013
By B J Burton
This review is from: The Boy Who Kissed The Sky

This is an out-of-the-ordinary book that provided a very enjoyable read. It has a wonderful collection of vividly-drawn characters. I loved them all - even the cringeworthy Van. And there's a warm, engaging, very human feel about the story. It takes the reader on an entertaining journey in delightful company. Treat yourself; negotiate The Great Clap Outbreak of 1991 and join George in his two-tone Ford Fiesta on his European mission.

Thanks Andy and thanks B.J.

I was interviewed by fellow writer, Michael Brookes on his blog yesterday. Thanks Michael! Here's the link,

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...

The Macabre Collection is the box set of my three books of Victorian horror, Mask of the Macabre, Ballet of the Bones and Seance of the Souls. It's available to buy on Amazon at the price of £1.99 or $2.99 which makes it great value and a saving if you bought all three separately.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7EJQUQ

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D7EJQUQ

I've blogged about it on my site,

http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk

I'm please to say Ballet of the Bones is now available on

Nook -http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/balle...

Kobo -http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Ballet...

I was interrogated by top book reviewer Joo. Here's the link to her blog

http://joobook.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06...

I quite like the Mr Macabre moniker!

Hi David,
I enjoyed your interrogation by Joo. (I've been interviewed, but never interrogated.) How does one get interrogated?
Thanks,
Toni Seger
author, The Telefax Trilogy


David wrote: "I was interrogated by top book reviewer Joo. Here's the link to her blog

http://joobook.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06...

I quite like the Mr Macabre moniker!"

David wrote: "Hi!


I'm an independent fiction writer born and raised in Derbyshire in the U.K.
I still live there with my wife, son and gentle, yet simple minded, retired greyhound.

My love for books came at ..."

Hi Toni,
Thanks for taking a look. I hang around on a forum called Kindle users forum - http://www.kuforum.co.uk

Joo is a moderator on the forum and she liked the cut of my jib so she asked if I'd like to be interrogated!

You ought to come along and introduce yourself. It's a lovely forum and very friendly. We don't have lots of members from the USA but there are a few, also from Australia and South Africa too.

Thanks David. I'm happy to look at the forum. I own a Kindle and I enjoy it a lot, but most of my work that's available online is not available on the kindle.

It's just for people who enjoy reading books. There are authors on there talking about writing but we all love to talk about books! Its not a massive promotional based site.

It's just for people who enjoy reading books. There are authors on there talking about writing but we all love to talk about books! Its not a massive promotional based site.

OK. I like talking about books.

Great stuff!

is now available on the Apple store!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id66...

Fantastic news!

I’ve been awarded 2nd place in the inaugural Cult of Me short story competition. My entry was titled, "Pick a Cup."

Follow the link to see the winning stories.

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/j...

I'm delighted!

I've blogged about creating the paperback version of The Macabre Collection

See the photos here,

http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk/

The Book hasn't been linked on amazon but the links below take you directly to the paperback.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490364498

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1490364498

I'm nearing the end of the first draft for my new novel. I only settled on the title last week, although I've had one or two ideas floating around for a while.

The title is "The Scream of Angels"

The story takes place in Paris 0f 1900 when La Belle Epoque was in full swing. When Montmatre was a haven for artists and thinkers, for drinkers and for killers.

To name drop a few locations in the story - le Grand Guignol theatre, Cabaret du Neant, Pere Lachaise cemetery, Paris Morgue and of course Le Moulin Rouge!

I hope to have the first draft finished in a week or so. After writing shorts and novellas for the last few months this has been a challenge but an enjoyable one. I hope readers enjoy it!

I've done a bit of a blog about some of the locations from my forthcoming book, The Scream of Angels.


http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk/

I had an incredible, beautifully written review for The Macabre Collection published here.
Take a look and see what it says.

http://digerbop.ca/2013/07/macabre/

Congratulations, David. Here's wishing you many sales.

Thanks, Bob. I wish for that everyday!

I've posted a look at the cover for my upcoming release, The Scream of Angels.

Have a look here - http://macabrecollection.blogspot.co.uk

and here's the blurb!

Montmartre, Paris 1901

The city is alive with the spirit of La Belle Epoque - the beautiful era. It is a decadent time of artists and thinkers, of poets and dreamers.

It is also a time for blood.

The mysterious aristocrat Lord Cresswell offers struggling writer, Robert Bishop a position within Le Grand Guignol theatre, an ancient establishment famed for its bloodthirsty productions and the tortured cries of terror from its patrons.

When he accepts the position, Bishop is thrown into a horrifying mystery. A mystery in which the demons from his own dark past threaten to destroy his soul.

Montmartre, Paris 1901

The city is alive with the spirit of La Belle Epoque - the beautiful era. It is a decadent time of artists and thinkers, of poets and dreamers.

It is also a time for blood.

The mysterious aristocrat Lord Cresswell offers struggling writer, Robert Bishop a position within Le Grand Guignol theatre, an ancient establishment famed for its bloodthirsty productions and the tortured cries of terror from its patrons.

When he accepts the position, Bishop is thrown into a horrifying mystery. A mystery in which the demons from his own dark past threaten to destroy his soul.

UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Scream-of...

US/AUS - http://www.amazon.com/The-Scream-of-A...

I hope you enjoy it!

The Macabre Collection is on sale for just 99c or 77p until the end of the month.