Cyber Monday SALE from Darren Dash!

It's Cyber Monday, and I decided at almost the very last minute to do a Cyber Monday sale. Up for grabs is the ebook of my most recent Darren Dash release, An Other Place, a sci-fi novel like no other, that (much to my surprise, because it's a WEIRD little number!) has had lots of great critical reviews and found an ever-growing and enthusiastic fan base. It's a strange, disturbing, darkly funny story about a guy who winds up in a nightmarish, fantastical city, where the rules of our world are turned on their head. Definitely NOT for children! For 48 hours only, from 00.00am Monday to 11.00pm on Tuesday (PST in the States, GMT in the UK), the ebook of An Other Place will be on sale on Amazon USA for just $0.99 (a third of its normal price), and Amazon UK for just £0.99 (half its normal price). This is the first time I've offered this book at a reduced price, and I don't do sales like this very often, so act quick if you want to nab a bargain! Here are the buying links. Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Other-Place-Darren-Dash-ebook/dp/B01MXNBE8O/ Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Place-Darren-Dash-ebook/dp/B01MXNBE8O/

PRE-ORDER: "An Other Place" by Darren Dash

An Other Place by Darren Dash​ (the alter ego of Darren Shan Official​), is available for pre-order! It will go live December 1st and is so, so worth the read! Definitely the best book of 2016 in my opinion.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Other-Place-Darren-Dash-ebook/dp/B01MXNBE8O/
Amazon UK:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Place-Darren-Dash-ebook/dp/B01MXNBE8O/

There is An Other Place... where time and space are fluid... where the moon changes colour and savage beasts run wild... where love is a perilous proposition and the dead are swiftly forgotten... where sandmen offer sanctuary and the Alchemist rules over all.
When Newman Riplan’s flight into the unknown turns into a nightmarish slide between worlds, he must explore an unnamed city where unpredictable terrors are the norm. By the end of his first day adrift, his life has spun completely out of his control, but the most mind-twisting and soul-crushing revelations are only beginning. As he desperately searches for a way out, he starts to realise that the city isn’t in the habit of releasing its captives. And it seems to have a plan for him...

“This is, by far, the best book of 2016, possibly the best book of this decade... the bastard love child of Kafka and Rod Serling, throwing in a dash of Ray Bradbury for good measure. 5/5 -- brilliant. Just brilliant.” Kelly Smith Reviews.

“Darren Dash has opened a new artery of terror... unlike any book I have ever read... hints of The Twilight Zone, Pines, and Station Eleven.” The Literary Connoisseur.

“This book really did blow my mind... each page turn was both chilling and thrilling in equal measure... the conclusion left me with goosebumps. 5/5!” Rachel Hobbs, author.

"An Other Place is a deliciously quirky novel that is surreal and powerful in equal measure. This is by far Dash’s best work to date. It is challenging and absurd, artistically brave and politically conscious, but this abstract painting of a novel is one thing above all else… completely original." Books, Films & Random Lunacy.

“You can try and try but you will never guess the ending nor even 5 pages ahead as to where the story is going to take you.” Daniel Davies, Goodreads.

“This story had me hooked from the get go... an ending that sent my mind into a spin. 5 stars.” Reviews And Randomness.

“This book is utterly unique... I was amazed at how well Dash could create this baffling world from scratch and draw me into it so completely. 5 stars.” A Place In Which Jessie Writes.

"I have never read anything like An Other Place. It is truly a one of a kind... twisted and very disturbing in some parts. 5/5." Jessica Boehm, Amazon.

RELEASE DAY (BOOK REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW): "Sunburn" by Darren Dash

When three friends go on holiday to Bulgaria, protecting themselves from sunburn is their only concern. But when they run into a beast unlike any they've ever imagined, it becomes a savage fight for survival. They will burn in the day... but the night holds even darker terrors in store.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read Darren Dash's alter-ego ever since I was twelve. That's nearly a decade of dedication. When he moved into the adult horror genre and I was privileged to review The Evil And The Pure, I was so excited. When he contacted me to review his next book, Sunburn, I might have fangirled a little bit. Just a little!
I read Sunburn over three days, savoring each word, each scene. Not because I am biased by my longtime fandom, but because it was just that good.
Rarely in a horror novel does the reader get the chance to really get to know the characters like you do in Sunburn. You know every crevice of their souls, what they like and what they hate; what their hopes and dreams are; who they love. Usually, when a horror novel takes almost halfway through to get bloody, I lose interest. But the beginning isn't just fluffy filler, it's important. It's important that you get to know and love (or hate) the three main characters before the "creature" finds them.
Throughout the book, you get short chapters from the "creature's" POV, which is unique and extremely intriguing, making you want to read on and know just what this thing is, what it wants, and what it has to do with Martini, Newt and Curran.
I cannot go on enough about the book, how great it is and how entertaining. This is an author who knows his stuff, knows how to make the readers laugh, cry and scream in terror, whether he's writing for adults or teens.
To call this a must-read is an understatement!

5/5--introspective, interesting horror!





Purchase Sunburn via:

Amazon
Goodreads




My EXCLUSIVE Interview With Darren Dash:

1. What was the inspiration behind Sunburn?

I have pale skin and get sunburnt very easily, and I never seem to learn my lesson! After yet another scorching, I found myself wondering what it would be like to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, with a monster on the prowl, while completely naked, defenseless and terribly sunburnt. And it all grew from there.

2. You spent a good part of the novel taking us through the characters' daily life, letting us get to know them before getting into the action. What made you decide to do that?

Let's be honest here -- this is a schlocky story. I make no apologies for that -- I wanted to write a fun, over the top monster tale, that does what it says on the tin. At the same time, there's no reason why a schlocky story shouldn't be as carefully plotted and peopled as a more realistic, serious tale. The mistake many horror writers and movie people make is in assuming that the characters are unimportant, only there to be terrorised and torn apart by the monsters. I wanted to write a book where readers would grow to know and side with the main characters, where they would be interested in what happened for them, and rooting for them when the worst came to pass. As Stephen King has often proved, it IS possible to tell a throwaway story that manages to be a decent read at the same time, and this was my attempt to do that.

3. The "beast" is introduced to us slowly and vaguely, at the beginning of each section. Was that done to build anticipation for the reader?

Actually, in the first draft I didn't mention the beast at all, but the introduction of it was then too jarring. There needed to be a build-up and a gradual reveal, not least so that readers would know the nature of the story that they were committing to -- I didn't want to trick people into thinking this was going to be a gently-paced character study, only to suddenly drop them into the middle of a hellish man vs beast scenario.

4. How did you decide exactly what kind of creature you were using in the story?

I knew it was going to be some sort of Bigfoot-type creature, but I didn't have the specifics clear in mind when I started. They grew out of the storytelling.

5. Would you like to see this as a film? How would you want a studio to execute it?

It would be lovely to see it adapted, especially as I think it's a story that would lend itself neatly to film, except maybe for the nudity angle -- I suspect he'd keep his boxer shorts on in the movie! I won't be holding my breath, but hopefully it will happen one day...