Luke Dalton's Debut Author Spotlight #NewBook #20Questions at Operation Awesome

The Nightmare's Truth by Luke Dalton

1- Which of your tattoos is your favorite and why?

My favourite tattoo? That’s a tough one! Probably Anubis on my right forearm because ancient Egyptian mythology is one of my oldest fascinations. This piece also holds personal weight as I had it inked shortly after a relative ended his life. It reminds me to treasure each moment… plus it’s cool AF.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Be wary of any advice which deals in absolutes. The only thing black and white about writing is the words printed on the page. ‘Rules’ are more like guidelines.

3- What ignited your passion for writing?

I think my passion for writing was always there, even at 6 years old writing about a fish called Freddy. But that passion became palpable when I realised how therapeutic and eye-opening the writing process could be and how much I could grow with my stories.


4- How are you supporting #IndieAugust?

I’m a bit late to the #IndieAugust party, and still (guiltily) working my way through the #IndieApril books I grabbed (oops!). That said, I've made a couple of new purchases from this month's tempting selection, and will be providing opportunities for my fellow indie authors to shout about their work and reach a wider audience.

5- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My handle on all my social media channels (Twitter, IG and Facebook) is @LDaltonAuthor. Shoutouts to @ladybrooklynn, @dzintrasullivan and @VillimeyS for being brilliant authors and even better humans.

6- Would you share a picture with us of your book on summer vacation?

While I might not have had a summer holiday to take my book on, a certain dedicated beta reader dragged The Nightmare's Truth all over New Zealand with him. These are some of my favourite snaps.

7- What are your thoughts on how some publishing companies manage print and ebooks coming out on the same day with presales on Amazon, even though it's impossible for Indie authors using KDP to do so?

Amazon KDP is a terrific platform, but the inability to link eBook and print books for presale and simultaneous release is madness. People expect professionalism and this limitation makes that goal unnecessarily tough for us indie authors. With my debut, I had a presale set for the eBook and hit publish on the print copy 48 hours before the intended release date (as Amazon advised). I think my print book was live 19 hours later… something along those lines, anyway. This meant some quick reacting to spin suitable announcements and, while it worked out fine, straying from the position of professionalism like that grated at me. Amazon really need to fix this, there’s no reason for it. KDP has the functionality built in already, it should be an easy update and would make a huge difference to indie authors everywhere.

8- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Recommendation from those I trust is the most sure-fire way to motivate me to a new read. I don’t like to judge on the reviews of strangers, cover designs or blurbs… but it happens, too. I like to look for books with more to offer than entertainment alone, so that’s another safe bet to sway me to read if I get that impression at first glance.

9- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

I'm so terrible at choosing 'favourites', so I'm going with the latest Indie book I read
Author name:Dzintra Sullivan @dzintrasullivan
Title: Once Upon a Death
Love because: I'd recommend Zee's latest book to anyone who enjoys supernatural tales woven into reality with style and skill. Dzintra nails everything in this mystery. Plus, come on, the reaper wears a Mickey Mouse watch - that's too priceless to pass up!


10- Who is currently your biggest fan? What does that person love most (or "ship") about your debut novel?

A few people jump to mind as my potential biggest fans, but I’ll have to go with the one who has officially labelled The Nightmare’s Truth as their favourite book. Her name’s Emma, and what she loves most about it is how it drew her into the characters' stories and lives, making her feel like she knows them all personally and really drawing her into their journeys.

11- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?

I do my best to charge my work with an array of emotions, from those which lift and warm a hopeful heart to those which crush you mercilessly under their heel. Overall, though, I hope to evoke feelings of self-confidence and reflection in my audience. I want them to question the good and the bad for true meaning and character evolution. There are too many scenes I could mention which I hope resonate with readers, and too many I’ve been told by fans have resonated. I don’t want to give any spoilers, I guess you’ll have to have a read and find out!

12- Do you have a favorite place?

Although I've visited some fantastic countries with breathtaking history (Italy, I'm looking at you!), my favourite place to be is the incomparable Download Festival. Come (frequent) rain or shine, that music festival strengthens my spirit like nowhere else in the world. Every time I'm there I feel like I'm home, living for 5 days with the most wonderful extended family of rock loving, genuine nutters.

13- How do you hope your book will help readers in their life?

I put my characters through the emotional ringer. I tear lives apart, collapse worlds on my characters, and take you on the journey of re-discovery – of their known and unknown strengths. Writing this story helped me to overcome depression and become who I am. I seasoned it with truths I’ve learned and existential notions which, I hope, all combines to help readers identify, find their own strength and stand up for it. I want my audience to realise they’re not alone, that none of us are, and that there’s always a way forward (even in the face of an impending apocalypse).

14- What is the most memorable trait or visual oddity of one of your characters?

The first which springs to mind is a character called Dante. He’s a powerful and savage immortal whose face becomes horrifically burned by an alchemical fire during the story. This fuels his rage to new heights through his inability to heal the wound with his own power and self-inflicted sense of deserving such gruesome scarring as punishment for his failures. This is his character art.

15- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

I aim to mix ample diversity into my storytelling, while also never labouring the point as I feel this is where the line blurs and it becomes about trying to be diverse, rather than it simply being a natural part of the story and character lives. In my main roster we have 3 female leading roles and many characters from across the world of varying ethnicity. I show characters with clear feelings of profound love for same-sex characters (romantic and non) and include numerous themes centred around the acceptance of our differences and diversity and the need for us all to stand as one - the human race.

16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

Oh wow, a favourite book review blogger? But there's so many talented reviewers out there! I think I'm going to have to say @wendy_wanner, because her review of my debut gave me so much confidence when I was still worried that my only audience would be family and friends. That was a big turning point for me.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

The deciding factor for me going self-published was creative control. I didn't want anyone else to have a say in the stories I could or couldn't tell. I knew that was the only way I could tell my story how it needs to be told. Plus I loved the idea of making it happen while flying solo, no pitching or waiting for acceptance, just running with the dream and self-belief. I don't like having to rely on other people to get things done, so self-publishing felt the most natural fit.

18- Why do you think readers should write book reviews?

Book reviews are the BEST way to help an author whose work you loved. Even a few short words of appreciation can be enough to bring a whole host of new readers to the story, and that's a pretty sure-fire way to guarantee you're going to get MORE stories from this author. Essentially, you're boosting awareness, whether it's with a full or short review, or even a 5 star rating on its own. You're becoming part of the story's story, and that's pretty badass if you ask me!

19- Do you have one question or discussion topic which you would like the readers of this interview to answer or remark on in the comments?

What entices you most to a new story as a reader? What do you NEED to see or feel to drop everything and say, "I HAVE to read this book, NOW!"

(and for my fellow writers, same question but also from an author's perspective - what draws you to write a new story?)

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I have a new book out this month on the 21st... HANG ON, that's TODAY!


It's a standalone short story set in the same world as my debut, The Nightmare's Truth. I wrote it to be (mostly) friendly to anyone fresh to the series, with as few spoilers as possible. I'm taking part in the Amazon UK Indie Storyteller Awards with it, so any support you guys can offer in the form of shares, purchases and reviews would mean the WORLD to me. I turn 30 next month and am so pumped to have released 2 books before then (#goalcrusher) and they're actually announcing finalists of the KDP competition the day after my birthday, too. Crazy timing or destiny? You decide.

You'll find a purchase link and extract from my new short story, Graveyard City on my website - https://ldaltonauthor.com/graveyard-city
And while you're there, you can treat yourself to a sample of the first 3 chapters of The Nightmare's Truth - https://ldaltonauthor.com/the-nightmare-s-truth

Also I appreciate you SO much for taking the time to read this interview. Thank you all, and a special thanks to J Lenni Dorner. Mr Dorner; bro, homie and Operation Awesome Interview Guy. I'm super grateful for this opportunity!
The Nightmare's Truth by Luke Dalton