Sam Flynn - DWELLER IN DARKNESS Coming 9/22

@samflynnwrites.bsky.social

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A godforsaken author (He/Him). DWELLER IN DARKNESS out 9/22 via Timber Ghost Press. Preorder: https://www.timberghostpress.com/dweller-landing.html#/ Website: https://sam-flynn.com Links: https://linktr.ee/samflynn7

Dweller in Darkness by Sam Flynn, cover by Greg Chapman. Out Sept. 22 from Timber Ghost Press. Synopsis: "God-killing seemed a lofty ambition. Then again, is that not what we’re here to do in our hunt for the Dweller in Darkness?" All of Cassius Marius' life has been spent in service to the Pale King. Ever since his birth sixteen years ago on the night the Hero of Hathur died, his mother prepared him to join the Lightbringers: seven young men selected every equinox by the Church of the Pale King to descend underground to hunt and destroy the Dweller in Darkness, a chthonic entity the Church names as source of an unnatural blight ravaging Hathur and beyond, year after year. Cassius has known since he could speak that he was destined to destroy the great evil poisoning his home. His inevitable confrontation with the Dweller on his holy descent changes him inside and out and puts him on a collision course with the Pale King he once worshipped. With his world and body crumbling around him, Cassius must choose between loyalty and honor, family and humanity, not to save his home. But to destroy it. The sequel to The Mystery of the Pale King and conclusion of the Deadlights Duology, Dweller in Darkness traverses a doomed empire polluted by corruption to ask if the world was ending, what would you save? And what would you leave behind?
Cover of She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
Praise for The Mystery of the Pale King by Sam Flynn. Cover by Greg Chapman. Published by Timber Ghost Press
My dog Harley on her back in a yellow bean bag asleep and dreaming
From a discussion on the film Mystic River in the Film subreddit. First comment: Same actually and before viewing it I always wanted kids. My wife ended up divorcing me because she claimed I lied about wanting kids before we got married. I told her I never lied, I just hadn’t seen Mystic River yet. Over 20 years later I’m still alone without kids. Don’t want to risk “finding my daughter in there.” Needless to say I’m very grateful for this movie Second comment: It’s fine that you believe that but you should realize that this is an insane take.
Excerpt from The Mystery of the Pale King (2024) by Sam Flynn: "Impaled on the many spikes that lined the innards of the coffin were a near-identical man and woman, naked and so pale as to be bloodless, dead blue eyes staring outward. Drusus and Livia Hathur, his eldest children. "To be human is to be weak," Lord Hathur declared to the oblivious crowd. "The Pale King Must cease to be human, inside and out. Only when he sacrifices the sacred does he become a god." He stared proudly at the bodies in the coffin. "There is nothing more sacred than youth."
Me showing off King in Yellow cosplay before I am attacked by an even greater eldritch entity, my dog Harley
Trope tree for my dark fantasy-horror novella The Mystery of the Pale King, clockwise 1. Fanatical sun worshippers 2. Cosmic horror 3. The King in Yellow x Gilles de Rais 4. Underground societies 5. Flintlock fantasy 6. Epistolary novella
Dweller in Darkness by Sam Flynn, Cover by Greg Chapman, Synopsis: "God-killing seemed a lofty ambition. Then again, is that not what we’re here to do in our hunt for the Dweller in Darkness?" All of Cassius Marius' life has been spent in service to the Pale King. Ever since his birth sixteen years ago on the night the Hero of Hathur died, his mother prepared him to join the Lightbringers: seven young men selected every equinox by the Church of the Pale King to descend underground to hunt and destroy the Dweller in Darkness, a chthonic entity the Church names as source of an unnatural blight ravaging Hathur and beyond, year after year. Cassius has known since he could speak that he was destined to destroy the great evil poisoning his home. His inevitable confrontation with the Dweller on his holy descent changes him inside and out and puts him on a collision course with the Pale King he once worshipped. With his world and body crumbling around him, Cassius must choose between loyalty and honor, family and humanity, not to save his home. But to destroy it. The sequel to The Mystery of the Pale King and conclusion of the Deadlights Duology, Dweller in Darkness traverses a doomed empire polluted by corruption to ask if the world was ending, what would you save? And what would you leave behind?
ARC sign up graphic for my dark fantasy/horror novella Dweller in Darkness, out Sept. 22 from Timber Ghost Press, with tropes listed: flintlock fantasy, fungal body horror, cosmic horror, eldritch entities, doomed empire, liminal spaces
Rainbow in the sky above trees and a white garage in my backyard
Excerpt from my dark fantasy-horror novella Dweller in Darkness by Sam Flynn (out Sept. 22 from Timber Ghost Press) "My sister at least has a reason: her final attempt to dissuade me from my mission. Look, everything you've been taught is a lie. Blah blah blah. She acts like I don't know Thinks I'm alike all the other idiot fanatics. I'm nothing like them. They believe the lies. I know it's all lies. I want to be the liar."
Dark fantasy-horror novellas The Mystery of the Pale King and Dweller in Darkness, the Deadlights Duology by Sam Flynn
My fantasy-horror novella Dweller in Darkness and the books and video games like it, listed clockwise, Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi, Once Was Willem by M.R. Carey, Bloodborne, Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, Clair Obscura: Expedition 33, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, Pilgrim by Mitchell Luthi
Synopsis for Dweller in Darkness: "God-killing seemed a lofty ambition. Then again, is that not what we’re here to do in our hunt for the Dweller in Darkness?" All of Cassius Marius' life has been spent in service to the Pale King. Ever since his birth sixteen years ago on the night the Hero of Hathur died, his mother prepared him to join the Lightbringers: seven young men selected every equinox by the Church of the Pale King to descend underground to hunt and destroy the Dweller in Darkness, a chthonic entity the Church names as source of an unnatural blight ravaging Hathur and beyond, year after year. Cassius has known since he could speak that he was destined to destroy the great evil poisoning his home. His inevitable confrontation with the Dweller on his holy descent changes him inside and out and puts him on a collision course with the Pale King he once worshipped. With his world and body crumbling around him, Cassius must choose between loyalty and honor, family and humanity, not to save his home. But to destroy it. The sequel to The Mystery of the Pale King and conclusion of the Deadlights Duology, Dweller in Darkness traverses a doomed empire polluted by corruption to ask if the world was ending, what would you save? And what would you leave behind?
Unboxing of my next book Dweller in Darkness starring me and my co-author Harley!
Photo of my dog Harley pouting because I've been gone all weekend, sent by my wife Angie
My cat Schrodi about to breath fire
My fantasy-horror novella Dweller in Darkness and the books and video games like it, listed clockwise, Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi, Once Was Willem by M.R. Carey, Bloodborne, Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, Clair Obscura: Expedition 33, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, Pilgrim by Mitchell Luthi
Synopsis for Dweller in Darkness: "God-killing seemed a lofty ambition. Then again, is that not what we’re here to do in our hunt for the Dweller in Darkness?" All of Cassius Marius' life has been spent in service to the Pale King. Ever since his birth sixteen years ago on the night the Hero of Hathur died, his mother prepared him to join the Lightbringers: seven young men selected every equinox by the Church of the Pale King to descend underground to hunt and destroy the Dweller in Darkness, a chthonic entity the Church names as source of an unnatural blight ravaging Hathur and beyond, year after year. Cassius has known since he could speak that he was destined to destroy the great evil poisoning his home. His inevitable confrontation with the Dweller on his holy descent changes him inside and out and puts him on a collision course with the Pale King he once worshipped. With his world and body crumbling around him, Cassius must choose between loyalty and honor, family and humanity, not to save his home. But to destroy it. The sequel to The Mystery of the Pale King and conclusion of the Deadlights Duology, Dweller in Darkness traverses a doomed empire polluted by corruption to ask if the world was ending, what would you save? And what would you leave behind?
Cover reveal for dark fantasy/horror novella Dweller in Darkness, sequel to The Mystery of the Pale King and conclusion of the Deadlights Duology, releasing Sept. 22, 2026 from Timber Ghost Press
Blurred cover of Dweller in Darkness by Sam Flynn teasing the cover reveal on Friday, May 29, 2026
Front cover of The Worms Shall Feast
Me holding a copy of The Worms Shall Feast by C.R. Langille. Red Cover, yellow text, black image of a Lovecraftian antlered tentacle creature
Harley midlick and Schrodi chilling
Darth Vader as Da Maniac talking to the Imperial owner of Palpatine's Pub
The Auditor sighed, tapped his cane once more, and the silvery liquid interior of the ship replaced the orbital panorama. “You know, I have a theory. What people hate most? It’s what they hate about themselves. Hasn’t steered me wrong yet. You, for instance. No one understands what it’s like to stand apart quite you, do they, Mr. Volk? Chancellor, King. Now a god. Yessir, you stand alone. And just like all who stand alone, you’re an outcast – an outcast who never has to wonder where his next meal is gonna come from, never has to think about preparing his food, cleaning up after himself, or caring for his children. An outcast from humanity. You coined the term ‘god virus’ – but that’s what you are, Mr. Volk. You descend like a pestilence upon the peons you call employees, people who do your bidding and you kill without a thought. People like Milo Papazian, him and the thousands murdered in the aftermath of your Godkiller attack, human beings just as worthy as you. You, sir, are the virus. Where you go, death follows.”
My dog Harley eating her morning milkbone like the cute monster she is
My nephew Joeys reaction to his first Hibachi grill
The Mystery of the Pale King by Sam Flynn 4.22 rating on Goodreads, 68 ratings, 35 reviews
American Dad image featuring Roger, Steve and the child abusing Roger.
Sam and Angela Flynn at the Bellaire Public Library Author Festival
Back to the Books: A Nostalgic Book Fair for Adults - Attending Author - Saturday January 31 2-7pm Medina High School PAC 851 Weymouth Rd. Medina OH
"I just didn't realize I was going to have to make so many tough decisions..." Dennis Reynolds to Charlie Kelly in a scene from the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode The Gang Runs for Office
Thus a mercantilist ideology replaced feudalism as the societal shield between the owners and the owned and what’s more, conflated the idea of freedom to pursue one’s own destiny with ownership of peoples’ bodies, particularly women. Hence, the United States, for its first 200 years, denied full rights to citizenry entirely on basis of them being born Black, a woman, an immigrant, or poor.