Daniel Lorn interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Daniel Lorn, and I am a horror author from Scotland. The stories I write have a dark psychological horror theme. I want readers to feel truly frightened and sometimes disturbed by the worlds I create. 

When did your love of books begin?

I have been reading horror stories my whole life and am particularly interested in the works of Edgar Allen Poe, Charles L Grant, H.P. Lovecraft and M.R. James. 

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Ten years ago, I finally opened up my laptop and wrote the first chapter of an unpublished story, 'Fear of the Devil’, which I plan to release next year. My previous career didn’t provide much free time for writing, but over the past three years, I have finally managed to complete and publish some of my stories.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It was very straightforward. 

Being self-published means I can write whatever I want, so there are no barriers to getting my work out there. The hardest thing is self-promotion, which takes a lot of discipline and time. I am not too worried about success at the moment. If a handful of readers enjoy my work, that’s enough for me. The eventual dream, of course, is for writing to be my full-time focus, and I have given myself a five-year plan to achieve that.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Give it a try, but accept that it's not for everyone.

If you have a story swimming around in your mind, then start writing and see it through to the end. You don’t need to be the best editor in the world either, as there are experts that can help with that. You will only find your writing voice through practice. It does take time, but it's worth the journey.

Tell us about your book/books:

My debut story 'Obsession’ has a dark psychological horror tone, influenced by Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and the mythical story of ‘Oedipus’. My second horror story, ‘Pact’ was initially an unplanned practice venture but soon unfolded into something I was proud to release. My recent release, ‘See You Later’, was influenced by Sleep Paralysis, something I have suffered with since childhood. 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

The writing community on Twitter is brilliant. All the writers I have met online look out for each other and are always there to assist, advise and share common issues. The reading community has been excellent, too. Many readers have reached out to me on social media and via my website to discuss, in particular, my debut novelette, ‘Obsession.’ This has enticed me to start writing blogs on my stories so that readers have somewhere to go after finishing one of my books.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Firstly a massive thank you for reading my work. Please continue interacting with me about my stories, and I will gladly respond to any queries. Finally, and especially if you enjoy my books, it is most helpful if you would kindly leave a review. This really helps other readers to stumble upon my world of horror.

Where can people connect with you?

My website, which contains all my current books, projects and blogs: https://daniellornhorror.co.uk

Feel free to send me a message/interact, and I promise to get back to you. I am also on Twitter but tend to use that only for interaction with the writing community.