Hi there. I'm currently working on the following:
Editing an audio story yn Gymraeg for Priya Sharma.
Editing short stories for Piotr Świetlik and Eric Nash.
With upcoming copy-/line edits for Cristina Mîrzoi, Sophie Sparham and Joseph Elliott-Coleman
Want to join this merry band?
I'm proud of my work.
Here are the books I've helped bring to life:
Flames of Mira, by Clay Harmon
Coming soon
Born through life-threatening trials that bind chemical elements to the human body, Ig was forged in the boiling volcanoes under Mira’s frozen lands. One of the most powerful known elementals, he serves as an enforcer for Magnate Sorrelo Adriann, cursed with flesh binding magic that will kill him at the first sign of disobedience.
When Sorrelo is overthrown, Ig quickly learns he can do far worse than what has been asked of him so far. If he can’t escape the flesh binding in time, Ig will have to kill friend and foe alike to stop his master reclaiming the throne, or sacrifice himself trying.
The Headsman, by Cristina Mîrzoi
Available from: Amazon
Take a glimpse into the world of a headsman, a gloomy village in which each dweller has a secret: an evil witch, a shrewd florist, a naive young man, a foreign merchant, a dreadful husband, a mischievous maid, and a lustful duke. These stories are intertwined, weaving a dark narrative of love, trickery, brutality, and loss.
Under the bleak aesthetic, raw human emotions unravel themselves in a gripping story about moral decay. In a world that belongs to the wicked, how far can one walk this path while keeping a clean conscience?
The Coward by Stephen Aryan
Available from: Angry Robot
Kell Kressia is a legend, a celebrity, a hero. Aged just seventeen, he set out on a epic quest with a band of wizened fighters to slay the Ice Lich and save the world. He returned victorious, but alone. Ten years have passed and Kell lives a quiet life, while stories of his heroism are told in taverns all across the land. But now a new terror has arisen in the north - something has taken up residence in the Lich's abandoned castle beyond the Frozen Circle, and the ice is beginning to creep south once more. For the second time, Kell is called upon to take up his famous sword, Slayer, and battle the forces of darkness. But he has a terrible secret. Kell was never a hero - he was just lucky. Everyone puts their faith in Kell the Legend, but he's just a coward who has no intention of risking his life for anyone...
Trail of the Cursed Cobras by Barry Nugent
Available from: Amazon
Middle grade adventure. Ada Amaya gets more than she bargained for when she takes a short-cut to school through a graveyard. Entrusted with a mysterious box by a desperate stranger, she soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly mystery. Together with Bobby (her best friend), Tony (the new kid), DJ (the class clown), and Nikki (the terrifying loner), she must now face down a seemingly immortal man who will stop at nothing to find the key to other worlds, even if it means destroying this one.
Steadyard by Angeline Trevena
Available from: Angeline Trevena
A fugitive from the corrupt power of Silverworth Industries, Mads heads for the refuge of Altar City. But in her efforts to escape present dangers, she’s running headlong into a past she’s been avoiding.
Overwhelmed by emotions she thought were buried, her life becomes entangled with the fate of The Knot and the secrets concealed in its cavern. She’s the only one who can lead the revolution against Silverworth, and she’s risking everything to do it.
The plan relies on a fearlessness she’s struggling to unearth, while her guilty secrets threaten to consume her.
Can Mads pull off the ultimate deception and save the future for those she loves?
When the Cicadas Stop Singing, by Zachary Ashford
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
When the poison gas first leaked out of the ground, mankind thought the horror would be over in no time. The lizard-men followed, swarming the land, slaughtering indiscriminately, those who survived scattered to the hills and the forests. Most did not last long.
But Cora, who found refuge and made a home in the mountains where she lives with the memory of her dead son, still fights. Tenacious, she lives wild and protects that home from the lizards who seek to kill her.
Until now.
Because man has arrived, and he is not friendly.
Wild Hunters, by Stuart R. Brogan
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
Amid the worst storm in living memory, five Royal Marine reservists and a handful of civilians battle to survive.
But mother nature and the heavily armed mercenaries hunting them are the least of their concerns. A seemingly unstoppable Pagan force has been unleashed from the darkest depths of our ancient past - a phenomenon that will stop at nothing to see humanity reduced to ashes.
Low on ammo, no chance of rescue and surrounded by the unspeakable, it's going to be 24 hours from hell.
Let the hunt begin
The Thirty-third Owl, by Jane Burnard
Available from: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch
Deep within a wooded, Welsh valley, something magical is stirring. An ancient force, the stuff of myth and legend, has been disturbed, releasing powerful sorcery from the dark, troubled past. Soon twelve-year-olds Rose and Ianto are caught up in its spellbinding grip. Together with Ianto's unpredictable great uncle, Mr Williams, and Del, the loyal sheepdog, they must venture deep underground to battle the curse and finally solve the mystery of the Thirty-Third Owl ... An exciting, magical adventure story, woven from strands of the history, myth and language of Wales.
Silkwash, by Angeline Trevena
Available from: Angeline Trevena
Madalyn 'Mads' Cole is a diagnostics engineer for Silverworth Industries, charged with discovering underground pools, and directing the miners towards them. When she's pulled off her usual job and given a special assignment, a payrise, and a threat to keep her mouth shut, she discovers that she's become part of a corporate plot with potentially deadly consequences. Meanwhile, her personal life is falling apart, and the secrets she's keeping are mounting up.
Matryoshka, by Penny Jones
Available from: Hersham Horror
Lucy loves her husband and her daughter very much, no matter what anybody else says. Things have just been difficult of late. They hoped the new baby would help. They hoped to leave the past behind. But the arrival of a new neighbour sets Lucy's voices whispering once more and soon she doesn't know who to trust. Matryoshka is a taut novella probing the shadows between malevolence and mental health.
The Degeneration of Hortensia Phrigg, by Hereward L.M. Proops
Available from: Amazon
A burglary. A missing necklace. A bitter old woman. A gift that no-one wants to keep. A detective with a nose for trouble. Gruff Victorian detective Edmund Forrester returns for another strange case in this brand new novelette from the author of The Sound of Shiant and The Willowbrook Terror.
Weed, by Joseph D'Lacey
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
Statement: This book has been pulled from publication in light of irresponsible misinformation and conspiracy theories that the author has been promoting on social media. Whilst the author is free to express his worldview, it is not one with which the publisher or editor wish to be associated. Our relationship has now been severed.
There Goes Pretty, by C.C. Adams
Available from: Dark Minds Press
For Denny and Olivia, life is good. Like many relationships, theirs is one that needs love, trust and commitment – qualities that are slowly and surely tested by insidious forces. And gradually, the couple and their relationship start to suffer. The cracks begin to show.
...and so does something else.
Phoenix Point: The Briefing, by Jonas Kyratzes & Allen Stroud
Published by: Snapshot Games
No longer in print: Limited edition backer perk for global crowdfunding campaignThese accounts have been gathered by Phoenix Project operatives and collated by me. Additional records can be found in the Phoenix Archives, subject to possession of the proper clearances.
The Return of the Samurai Slasher, by Mike Garley
Available from: Big Cartel
You’re hoping for a night of drugs, drinks and debauchery, but it soon becomes apparent that you and your friends are not alone. You've all heard the myth of the Samurai Slasher but you never thought it could be true... Drugs, booze, gore, and a deadly killer samurai are all just a page turn away in ‘The Return of the Samurai Slasher.’
The Cold, by Rich Hawkins
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
Within hours, the entire country was buried beneath a freezing white blanket. And hidden within the blizzard conditions things began to move and kill and feast. Seth is one of the few passengers to survive the train crash. Now he and his fellow survivors face a new world of snow, ice and freezing fog, where they will be hunted like prey in the ruins of Great Britain.
Downwind Alice, by C.C. Adams
Available from: LVP Publications
After two years away, a chance encounter with her ex-boyfriend Kieran proves awkward and sours when Alice lashes out at him, before storming off. An unfortunate turn of events that would soon blow over, right?
Wrong. Because, unfortunately for Alice, Kieran is...different now.
Fearless, by Allen Stroud
Available from: Flame Tree Press
AD 2118. Humanity has colonised the Moon, Mars, Ceres and Europa. Captain Ellisa Shann commands Khidr, a search and rescue ship with a crew of twenty-five, tasked to assist the vast commercial freighters that supply the different solar system colonies.
Shann has no legs and has taken to life in zero-g partly as a result. She is a talented tactician who has a tendency to take too much on her own shoulders. Now, while on a regular six-month patrol through the solar system, Khidr picks up a distress call from the freighter Hercules…
The House of Frozen Screams, by Thana Niveau
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
When Liz and Nick Holland buy Wintergate, an isolated, long-empty Victorian seaside house, they believe they have found the perfect home. However, it isn’t long before it begins to have an unsettling effect on Liz. She hears the sound of crying babies in the dead of night, and a sinister presence seems to be stalking her, making her doubt her sanity.
Wintergate has a dark secret. Something evil lives there, and Liz must unravel the house’s twisted history before she becomes its next victim.
High Cross, by Paul Melhuish
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
High cross has lain empty since World War Two. Deserted, abandoned. Until now.
Lady Grey has woken. As human as sin but as eternal as the devil, Lady Grey enslaves the hearts and minds of these new villagers using their sins, secrets, fears and desires. And they harbor some very dark secrets indeed.
Unless Mark can stop her, Britain’s Newest Village will become a hell on Earth.
A Warning About Your Future Enslavement...
That You Will Dismiss as a Collection of Short Fiction and Essays by Kit Power
Available from: Amazon
Kit Power has no idea who (or what) K-POX is. Or The Ministry of Information, come to that. He doesn't know what The Information War is/was, or when it is supposed to have happened. He has no idea at all why a book that appears to have been sent from the future is so insistent that his stories hold the key to recovering the history of that time.
You Will Grow Into Them, by Malcolm Devlin
Available from: Unsung Stories
The world is a far stranger place than we give it credit for. There, in the things we think familiar, safe, are certain aspects. Our fears and desires given form. Moments that defy explanation. Shadows in our home.
In Malcolm Devlin’s debut collection, change is the only constant. Across nine stories he tackles the unease of transformation, growth and change in a world where horror seeps from the mundane. The demons we carry inside us are very real indeed, but You Will Grow Into Them.
The Veil (Testaments I&II), by Joseph D’Lacey
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
Statement: This book has been pulled from publication in light of irresponsible misinformation and conspiracy theories that the author has been promoting on social media. Whilst the author is free to express his worldview, it is not one with which the publisher or editor wish to be associated. Our relationship has now been severed.
The Rot, by Paul Kane
Available from: Horrific Tales Publishing
Something has happened to the world. People are going mad, the very foundations of society are crumbling... Only Adam Keller, testing a prototype environment suit, apparently remains safe – but for how long? Can anything be done, can any of it be reversed, before everything goes to Rot?
Award-winning and bestselling author Paul Kane presents a nightmarish vision of a possible future, blending social commentary with page-turning action.
This Twisted Earth, by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Mike Chinn, Phil Sloman and others
Available from: Amazon
The Past flows into The Future. The Present is our constant home. But what if all that changed? If Time became tangled, history would be… havoc. Welcome to This Twisted Earth, a pulp-fuelled, shared-world anthology featuring brand new stories from Adrian Tchaikovsky (Shadows of the Apt), Jess Nevins (Encylopedia of Fantastic Victoriana), Mike Chinn (Swords Against the Millennium / Starblazer), and nine more talented tale-smiths.
This volume also features a stash of bonus material from Dion Winton-Polak - the world devisor, editor, and lunatic in charge of this ambitious project.
Sunny, with a Chance of Zombies, by Angeline Trevena, B.T. Joy and others.
Available from: Amazon
Sunny, with a Chance of Zombies: a sensational selection of strangely uplifting stories to help raise a smile at the end of the world. Our authors have dug deep to bring you brand new tales of anarchy, heartbreak and revenge, leavened with a little bit of love, life and laughter. Within these pages you'll find a variety of zombies, from the classic Shamblers to the Working Dead and the sentient Other. Ranged against them are a motley bunch of survivors. Some will take cynical advantage of the situation whilst others try to build a better life in the dead new world. We've got all sorts waiting in store for you here, from necromancy to technomancy; savagery to comedy; lovers, liars, looters, and the very tenderest of tragedy. All in all, the outlook's good.
He never forgets that this is your book.
Dion promises to help an author make their work the best that it can be. He achieves this through an excellent understanding of the writing process, plot, characterisation, and pace. Dion has an eye for details, picking up on small facts and inconsistencies to make it all the more believable. He balances the need to… Read more “He never forgets that this is your book.”
Paul MelhuishStrengthened the story.
It was fun. Glad to say, it wasn’t too traumatic. I knew there were likely to be a few tweaks to help continuity (since I was submitting to a shared world book that was evolving all the time) but you also made suggestions that strengthened the story on its own merits.
Mike ChinnI’d definitely recommend him.
I found Dion professional to work with and the book was all the better for his edits. I’d definitely recommend him.
Paul KaneI wanted to improve, and kept coming back for more!
You went into a level of detail that I hadn’t experienced before, which was difficult for me as my confidence is paper thin, but you dealt with it in such a way that I wanted to improve, and kept coming back for more! You were also far less dictatorial than it seems a lot of… Read more “I wanted to improve, and kept coming back for more!”
Jacob PrytherchA consummate professional.
He brings the open mind and patience to see what the creator is trying to convey, and work with them to deliver that vision – never losing sight of the fact that it’s the author’s story to tell. A consummate professional. I have no qualms in recommending his services to anyone looking to tighten and… Read more “A consummate professional.”
C.C. AdamsEasily the most comprehensive and forensic feedback I’ve ever received.
Easily the most comprehensive and forensic feedback I’ve ever received. Proximity sometimes breeds blindness and you’ve pointed out many issues that I was oblivious to. It was a lot to swallow, but I immediately saw the truth in it. You’ve done more for me with a simple essay on my manuscript’s strengths and faults than… Read more “Easily the most comprehensive and forensic feedback I’ve ever received.”
Joseph Elliott-ColemanValuable, comprehensive and thorough structural insights.
Dion gave me valuable, comprehensive and thorough structural insights on a project I’m working on. It was a worthy investment, and I would certainly recommend him.
K.T. DaviesYou need Dion. He’s there for you.
You need your writing to be as good as it can possibly be, while still being yours, in your voice. You need a suggestion on how to make that difficult and vital paragraph a lot clearer than it is now. You need to know that you’ve got the psychology of your characters straight – or… Read more “You need Dion. He’s there for you.”
David BaumeCat's Eyes / Road Safety / With All My Love / Dry Stone WallClear, concise, and extremely helpful.
Dion’s feedback was clear, concise, and extremely helpful. I wouldn’t think twice about using him again!
Mike GarleyI felt secure
Dion is a passionate and professional editor with a keen eye for detail. His enthusiasm and approachability made all the difference. I felt secure in the knowledge that any changes he suggested would ensure that my novella was the best it could be.
Penny JonesA fantastic collaborative experience
My story was all the better for his input. Any challenging advice or questions were always tempered with kindness, patience and humour. It was a fantastic collaborative experience, and I would use him again in a heartbeat.
Barry NugentI would heartily recommend him
Dion was very thorough, and his attention to detail was excellent. I would heartily recommend him to those seeking an editor.
Stephen AryanPersonable and approachable.
I must say that the biggest thing for me has been how personable and approachable you are (both via email and social networking) which is really important. You feel like a real person, rather than a red pen! I found your editing both sympathetic and strict, which is exactly the balance it needs to be.… Read more “Personable and approachable.”
Angeline TrevenaHis passion and enthusiasm shows through.
The thing with Dion is that his passion and enthusiasm shows through in every project he works on. From conception to final proof, his level of dedication is second to none.
Steve J. Shaw - PublisherInsightful, comprehensive and assured.
The Fine-toothed Comb isn’t just Dion’s business name, it’s his mission statement too. The editing work he undertook on our behalf was insightful, comprehensive and assured. Turnaround times were fantastic and the whole process worked like a dream.
Ross WarrenLoving grasp of the narrative whole.
As an editor, Dion is possessed of a keen eye for detail tempered with a loving grasp of the narrative whole. His passionate editorial approach is driven by the uncompromising desire to facilitate a finished work that is both as accomplished and complete as possible. Unlike other perspicacious and gifted editors of my experience, his… Read more “Loving grasp of the narrative whole.”
Andrew CoulthardA damned fine editor
Working with Dion was a pleasure. From the initial overview via Zoom to the final pass, he was dedicated to bringing out the best in my work. He was challenging when he needed to be, knowledgeable about the genre, personable and professional to work with. I found myself bouncing ideas off Dion during our discussions… Read more “A damned fine editor”
Zachary AshfordA lot less stressful than I thought.
This was my first experience with an editor (outside of academia), and you made it a pleasant one. I was worried that things would be changed without my permission, I wouldn’t get a final say in things etc. and you took those fears away. I procrastinate and am anxious by nature, but the process was… Read more “A lot less stressful than I thought.”
Nikki TannerDeeply responsive to a writer’s vision.
Courteous, professional, thorough – Dion seems to instinctively grasp that the role of a good editor is to help shape and hone the text into the best it can possibly be. Unafraid to make bold suggestions, he’s also deeply responsive to a writer’s vision and voice. Working with him on my frankly bloody awkward collection… Read more “Deeply responsive to a writer’s vision.”
Kit PowerImpressed by the speed and precision of your responses.
I’m amazed this is your first go as an editor. I’ve been impressed by the speed and precision of your responses, the organizational abilities displayed thus far and the excitement for the project you convey to all participants. I can honestly not think of a single interaction which could’ve been improved upon.
Chris BauerA very pleasant experience.
This is my first time working with an editor and you made it a very pleasant experience. I thought the editing process would be a bit overwhelming, but you made it manageable and relatively stress-free.
Marc KadushinEasily one of the best editors I’ve worked with.
Dion kicked my arse, editing-wise, but in a polite and really helpful way. Easily one of the best editors I’ve worked with. He’s so thorough he’ll probably edit this testimonial for me.
Rich HawkinsA tireless work ethic.
Dion is my go-to editor for UK novels. He has a great eye for detail and a tireless work ethic. He’s a joy to work with.
Graeme Reynolds - PublisherVery impressed
Professional, with a great eye for detail. I was very impressed and will be using Dion for future projects.
Stuart R. BroganEnglish is not my first language, so I was rather anxious
English is not my first language, so I was rather anxious about releasing a story for the English-speaking market at first. An excellent editor like Dion will give any non-native English speaker enough confidence to take a chance.
Cristina MîrzoiSuch a collaborative process.
I hate editing – I tend to put it off for ages. I’ve had other edits done on short stories I’ve published but they have largely been cosmetic changes and have certainly not been such a collaborative process. I was worried that I’d feel a bit ‘precious’ about making changes but your comments were so… Read more “Such a collaborative process.”
Hereward L.M. ProopsThorough and accurate.
Dion proves himself very thorough and accurate in his work with us and has shown a particular sensitivity to and respect for the author’s work. His enthusiasm for the project is coupled with his professional manner and reliability with deadlines.
George Sandison - PublisherMy first call for future projects
Dion is a dedicated editor who works with the writer to make their story sing. His respect for both the work and the authorial style, combined with his skill and professionalism, have made him my first call for future projects.
Eric NashExactly what a person would pay for.
There was never a change without a valid justification and you were open to dialogue which ended in a mutually approved draft. You were quite insightful and enthusiastic. The enthusiasm counted for a lot and eased the sting of any criticisms or change requests. All your changes seemed well-informed and came from a place with… Read more “Exactly what a person would pay for.”
Matt LewisExcellent attention to detail.
Dion is a fine editor. Excellent attention to detail. I feel very lucky to have had him on my side.
Malcolm DevlinA diligent and important contributor.
Dion was a diligent and important contributor in the development of my novel from draft to draft. Aside from picking up a few crucial mistakes, he also asked important and challenging questions, always with a view to strengthening the story and how it was being delivered.
Allen Stroud
