Highlights from the blog tour of Nightmare Asylum & Other Deadly Delights!

I recently had my first ever book tour, which was hosted, beautifully by Blackthorn Book Tours. It was an exciting experience as I didn’t know what was going to be posted in advance and my book is kind of weird, so it was always going to be a bit of a surprise!

Usually, the book tours are organised to coincide with the book’s release date from the publishers. But this didn’t happen in my case due to a couple of factors, I didn’t help that I was on a ship travelling t through the Suez canal with poor internet. This was also my first indie book that had a professional publisher, and I wasn’t quite sure where to start with promotion.

I paid for the tour with my first royalties payment, which felt a little self-indulgent. Still, I wanted to mark the occasion and celebrate after a long and tricky path to publication – the book was finally out there, on its own in book-world, which can be a dangerous and unpredictable place for little books that don’t really fit in…

Obviously, I have my favourite reviews and so did BlackThorn Tours. They very helpfully sent me a break down of the reviews, with highlights and quotes, which and would have been brilliant at the beginning, had I organised the tour sooner! (The first couple of days I had no sales or reviews, and this would have been amazing to have had at that time).

So as promised the highlights:

beauty

“Horror, more than any other genre, lends itself to short stories so perfectly. There’s no dragging things on and overstaying the welcome. Instead, we’re intrigued, hooked, surprised, and satisfied in short measure, ensuring maximum impact.

Nightmare Asylum and other Deadly Delights collects 18 stories, some as short as just a few pages, that pick at the scabs and scars of all-too-human horror. “Read more

Amy

“This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). This author is not just a writer but a great storyteller. The collection fit together with varying themes, but all with deadly twists and the unexpected. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews.”Read More

Books

“From the very beginning, I knew that each story was going to be unique and very well written. Overall, this was a fantastic read and it is something I highly recommend. If you are looking for horror or just some creepy reads, this is definitely an anthology for you. Especially if you can’t decide on a story to read and you need something nice and short to get you back into it. Read more…

reader

Reader Gal

‘… I am recommending this book because why not? It’s amazing. If you are looking for something action paced and horror and mystery then read this one here…. ‘ Read more…

anazstasia

Anastasia on Goodreads

‘… Do you like trigger warnings? (I don’t. I think they’re for snowflakes). But here you are: if you’re a snowflake you might not like this book….Read More…

And finally… this gorgeous photo and great review is from Dana at Open My Pages!

Dana

“Did you read Scary Stories to tell in the Dark as a kid? I did and loved them. I loved their dark and macabre nature and the abrupt often startling endings. Sonia Kilvington brings us the adult version of those stories. Haunting and dark, Nightmare Asylum will twist your mind and leave you wanting for more after the jaw dropping twist. The anthology continues with tale after tale of creepy stories that leave that unsettled tickle in your brain.” Read More

 

book cover

 

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

 

 

My first book tour was amazing! – Many thanks to Blackthorn Book Tours!

Blackthorn

 

Interview at Chat & Spin Radio & the “real” Nightmare Asylum!

In a recent radio interview with Ron Clark at Chat and Spin Radio, a station based in Washington Tyne & Wear England, I was asked what influenced me to write my short story Nightmare Asylum.

As I have mentioned in previous interviews, I experienced a recurring dream in my twenties, which really frightened me. I do believe the nightmare was associated with visiting a relative in a couple of scary-looking mental hospitals when I was young.

Winterton 2
I based the design of the building in my story on the Winterton Psychiatric Hospital just outside of Sedgefield, County Durhan (see photos). I remember it was such a chilling place to visit as a child. The building initially opened as the Durham County Lunatic Asylum in 1858. It had a dark, foreboding atmosphere, and many former patients were afraid of being admitted there, including a member of my family, who was terrified of not coming back out. This was in the seventies when electric shock therapy was used for many psychiatric conditions including, paranoia, agoraphobia and even postnatal depression.

 

winterton3

It remained a place for treating mental illness until it was closed in 1996 when something very chilling was discovered. During the demolition of the building, contractors broke through into a series of underground basements tunnels and discovered hidden rooms which contained, “various preserved specimens” which had been removed from unfortunate inmates…

 

 

 

 

Interview at Chat and Spin Radio

 

A new review of ‘Nightmare Asylum And Other Deadly Delights’ by Jason Beech at ‘Messy Business’

A great new review from Jason over at Messy Business – yes, I have been there before and a lot of fun it was too!

Here’s a snippet:

Sonia Kilvington’s Nightmare Asylum and Other Deadly Delights (Close to the Bone publishing) is a creepy beast of a book – all short stories, some flash length, every one of them delving deeeeeep into the characters’ psyches. And what dark, twisted and sometimes sad minds they are. Kilvington has really dug into motivation, though sometimes I’m not sure it’s motivation but some trauma which carries characters onto the rocks against any wishes they ever had.

That sense of uncertainty pulls and pushes until disaster strikes. Even when it turns out for the best, there’s that restlessness which means the character can’t quaff a nifty glass of champagne and enjoy the rest of their lives. They’ve got a shoulder to constantly look over to see what else is on their tail.

It’s unsettling…Read More…

A Wonderful review of Nightmare Asylum & Other Deadly Delights

This is my first blog review of my new book, a collection of short stories, Nightmare Asylum& Other Deadly Delights – and what a wonderful review it is! Many thanks to Lynne Amanda Piza!

Here is a snippet:

I really enjoyed this series on short stories! It so easy to pick up and read a story in between another book I’m reading to change it up, or to read while feeding the baby!

I love that about this book as it’s really convenient! Every story draws you straight in, there is no faffing, it’s straight to the point and you are set right in the middle of the action! It’s like reading a series of amazing horrors/and thrillers and just jumping to the best bits…WHO WOULDN’T LOVE THAT!

I found it really thrilling that every story wasn’t all horror, some thriller, some psychological! I really enjoyed jumping from a murder, to futuristic robots, to stalkers, to asylums, to being trapped in basements, to warnings through spiritual messages to missing people!…Read Review!

Paperback Publication Date & Amazon Pre-order ∼ Nightmare Asylum & Other Deadly Delights!

I am delighted to announce that the publication date of my new short story collection, Nightmare Asylum & Other Deadly Delights is 28th February, with pre-order for Kindle on Amazon∼ available now!

Nightmare Asylum – Despised by day, tortured by night.

A midwifery student’s life disintegrates into a terrifying nightmare, after a disturbing encounter with the notorious child killer, Evelyn Green. Dark secrets from Lydia’s past unleash a truth that conjures her fears into unspeakable horror.

Other Deadly Delights – Tales from the psychotically unsound and deadly deluded.

A stalker turns serial killer; a cleaning lady is imprisoned in the basement, there’s a prophetic warning for a woman in peril, and an android with love addiction, plus many more… a deliciously dangerous collection of short stories, ranging from psychological horror to paranormal, sci-fi and noir.

Dare you enter the Nightmare Asylum?

Pre-order the Kindle book:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon .com

 

 

 

 

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Book Cover Reveal – Nightmare Asylum And Other Deadly Delights

Book photo

I am delighted to reveal the cover of my story collection Nightmare Asylum And Other Deadly Delights, which will be published by Close To The Bone, in February! It is a collection ranging from psychological horror to paranormal, sci-fi and noir.
Obviously, I am very excited to have my own collection, and it’s been an enjoyable experience working with the publishing team at Close To The Bone! Many thanks to Craig Douglas for this amazingly creepy and atmospheric cover!

I will post more details when they are as soon as they are available!

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