Steven Deighan Updates

[Steven Deighan]

Hi all! Just taking this opportunity to mention my first book (which came out in January) entitled 'A Dead Calmness'. It's available from www.lulu.com (please don't be put off by that) and details about me and the book can be found on my site at www.stevendeighan.co.uk.

Really hope you get a chance to read it.


Steve.

[Demon]

Silly moo-moo, you can have your own thread!

[Steven Deighan]

Ace!

[Garry Charles]

I've been on your site a few times now. Nice work.
Keep it up.

[Demon]

As Steven Deighan has now been announced as Hadesgate's third signing, this thread has been moved from the Member Announcements forum to his own forum.

[Steven Deighan]

Just had a decent review of A Dead Calmness over at www.horrorwatch.com!

I'll paste it here anyway.

(Reviewed by BQueen)


This book is a collection of 14 short horror stories by newcomer Steven Deighan.

The stories here cover quite a few different themes. You have bad parents like in “Father and Son” which has no supernatural elements which makes it all the more evil for its normality. Monsters like in “Ungodly Cause” which is just one more reason to look inside for happiness rather than in a surgical blade. There are also demons, spirits, and worst of all, evil teenagers.

I’m not a huge fan of short stories. I generally don’t learn enough about the characters in such a short amount of time to really care for their fate.

Someone who really enjoys short stories would probably rate this collection higher than me. With that said there are a couple of people whose fate is so bleak that I did wind up caring about them only because you don’t want things that horrible happening to anyone, no matter who they are.

Some of his stories are almost like scenes clipped out of movies. There’s no regular beginning, middle, end, just smaller scenes of a big picture that’s lurking about offstage. Sometimes this was annoying as I didn’t really get what was going on but other times I thought it added to the story to have to wonder the reasons why.

The best story in the book is “Feels Like Stephen King.” I wanted to not like it thinking the title was too gimmicky but Mr. King is mentioned only once, when a struggling writer finally sells a novel. The story itself has an “In the Mouth of Madness” feel to it. It’s the most fleshed out of the bunch (pun intended!)

I think this writer has a lot of potential and will improve with age. Mr. Deighan is only 22 and while there isn’t anything wrong with that, he has a lot of years ahead of him for life to have the opportunity to smack him upside the head which can only improve a horror writer.

[Garry Charles]

She has taste, does that BQueen.

[Steven Deighan]

I know. Am very pleased with the review Garry, considering the lengths of the works. I just hope Things From The Past receives a similar treatment.

[Steve Dean]

Great review Steve, she sounds like she knows what she's talking about.

But let's hope you don't get smacked upside the head, it's happened to me a few times and I wouldn't recommend it!

[Steven Deighan]

Thanks, Steve. Yep, if you saw A Dead Calmness then you'd understand. It's not a massive book and the stories are quite short, so what I got was fair enough.

Safe to say now though that the first draft of the forthcoming Things From The Past has been submitted and the artwork is completed! Also noticed that the Edinburgh Book Festival commences mid-August this year, too, so I'll be looking to get some action there as well!!!

Bestest,

Steve.

[Garry Charles]

Steve Deighan,

I've seen Ian's cover and it is outstanding. With his and your permission I want to get it tattooed on my shoulder. I love it.

[Steven Deighan]

Haha! Of course Garry. And should it become an international best-seller (I wish!!), I may get it tattooed also! I don't think Ian would mind.

Are you serious?

[Garry Charles]

I never joke about a good tattoo.

I have 18 already and I want more, more, more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steven Deighan]

Well then Garry, you have my permission. Dunno how I'm gonna suggest it to Ian though! But, it is worthy of being on flesh (I think) so go ahead mate. And, like I said, if the book does really well, I'll get it done too. I mean, why not? I wrote it!

[Steven Deighan]

Hi guys! There'll be another review of A Dead Calmness on the 'Net very soon. The reviewer is Shaun Green and it's simply breath-taking! The guy really knows his stuff and couldn't have said things any better!

Seeing it's too long to list here, go to www.yetanotherbookreview.com and look for it there. Should be up the next few days.

Cheers,

Steve Deighan.