Interview with Daniel Lorn

Catch up with the latest author to sign with Silver Thistle Press

Silver Thistle Press is very excited to be publishing talented author Daniel Lorn’s latest psychological horror story in July. We’re looking forward to the cover reveal - keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, we caught up with Daniel to hear all about his writing inspirations and processes.

• Can you tell us a little bit about your writing background – how you got interested in writing stories, and some of the highlights of your writing journey so far?

I have always been captivated by horror. When I was ten, I secretly acquired several classic movies and books, including Dracula, Frankenstein, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. From then on, I was hooked and quickly developed a preference for the classic vibe over the more modern and mainstream visions of horror.

My writing journey began in 2015, while I was on a ferry from Belfast to Stranraer. As I was gazing out at the sea, a story idea (not yet released) began to burn its way into my mind from out of nowhere! It seemed like a fantastic concept, so I immediately opened my laptop and started writing. Since then, I have been regularly jotting down various outlines for future projects, but I never could see the process through due to my day job.

Eventually, during the UK lockdown, I managed to detox my mind from work for a while, and writing found its way back to me. This time, I saw the process through and completed See You Later, which was influenced by sleep paralysis, something I have suffered from since childhood. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the final draft of See You Later, so I shelved it immediately after its brief release and committed to developing my writing style.

A year later, I wrote Obsession (influenced by Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart), which I decided to release without any structured editing, to see if anyone would read my work and to gain some live feedback. Obsession performed much better than I anticipated, which motivated me to embark on my current journey as a horror author. I have now released five horror stories.

• Could you give us a brief summary of your latest novella, Formulation, which is coming out in the summer, and tell us how this novel came into being?

In Formulation, we follow an unfaithful husband suffering the aftermath of recent inebriated deeds. Although he has made mistakes before, he promises that this will be the last time he betrays his family. As he struggles to untangle himself from a web of his own making, he starts to question his sanity. A lingering sense of unease haunts every conscious moment, as does the sensation of something monstrous creeping steadily closer. From the dark and unwelcoming corners of existence, a creature observes him patiently, gathering shape with every desperate breath he takes.

The idea for Formulation took approximately a year to manifest. I wanted to create something with a similar atmosphere to Obsession, but I also wanted it to be a wholly original and more psychologically complex horror tale. Formulation was not my primary focus at the time, and I was ready to set it aside and move on until I woke up one morning with a prominent spider bite on my hand. That spider must have been enormous, but thankfully, it proved to be the missing part of the Formulation, allowing me to finish this story.

• Psychological horror plays a large part in your stories – was this influenced by your favourite books and films, or did this side of your writing come from a different influence?

After becoming increasingly desensitised to regular mainstream horror, I began to seek out more obscure and original horror. I started reading the oldest horror stories I could find and soon became fascinated by the works of Poe, Lovecraft, James, Bierce, and Grant, particularly their more subtle or psychologically disturbing tales. This triggered something within me, and psychological horror is now a genre I cannot escape from. Even when I write supernatural horror, which I love, the story is never complete without that psychological edge that truly gets under my skin. I enjoy having my boundaries tested when I experience horror, and I love to share these moments with others.

• Do you have a particular process for writing books – e.g. starting with planning and writing to a set routine – or is every book and story different for you?

Every story of mine has a different process, and I merely go with the flow here, trying to ensure I write for at least an hour each day. Some stories are easier to plan and shape out than others, but with psychological horror, it’s often more exciting to jump boldly in and see where the process takes you. Usually, after a few weeks of writing, I will know if a story has real potential.

• Lastly, is there anything you’d like to explore in your stories in the future that you haven’t yet written about?

I have a few scattered ideas for supernatural horror and folk horror that I would love to bring to life. These are likely to be novel-length stories, however, and I don’t currently have the time to commit myself to fully embarking on something of that scale... yet. My next venture is likely to be a holiday-themed horror tale, as I have been meaning to write something in this sub-genre for what seems like forever.

Thanks to Daniel for the insights into his writing.

Look out for the cover reveal for Formulation - coming very soon. In the meantime, follow us on Instagram and check out our website for all the latest news.