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Featured Author- @ShaunAllan

What was your inspiration for Sin?

Well, the book came about in a fairly roundabout way. I've always been interested in science and space and all sorts of geeky stuff (stuff is the dark matter that holds me together lol). The Point of Singularity is the part of a black hole where the laws of space and time begin to fall apart. I find that fascinating (zzzzz, I know), and the name Sin was born. When I started writing the book, I didn't know if it would be a horror, children's or comedy I had no real idea what I was writing.

But then parts of me began to enter the character. In fact, without realising, I made Sin my own 'dark half'. Writing it became therapy. When I finished writing the original short story, he still had a distinct voice and didn't want to shut up, so the story became the prologue and he carried on!

Why did you choose to begin your story in a mental asylum? (As opposed to a modern hospital or institution)

I didn't. He did. As I said, I didn't know what I was writing. It took its (his?) own route. I think, perhaps, the Kevin Spacey film K-Pax may have had some influence, though. When I started writing the story, the movie hadn't long been out and it was set in an asylum with someone who isn't necessarily what they seem. And escaped. But so many issues and experiences of my own became interwoven with the character, the asylum seemed to be a natural setting.

You never formally diagnose Sin with a condition, just mentioned at the beginning (in the doctors notes) that he was 'extremely paranoid and intensely delusional' did you leave the diagnosis of Sin- and the other asylum patients- out for a reason?

I did, indeed. Having family with mental health problems made me believe it's not something you can necessarily label. There are dramatic ranges – within the same person – of what comes under the umbrella. I wanted to make them people rather than a delusion with an identity. It's more about the character than what they're suffering from.

What research did you do in order to portray such a realistic mentally unstable character?

The asylum in Sin is absolutely based on what was described, when I was young, as the 'Lincoln Looney Bin.' This was in the city of Lincoln, close to the town I lived (and live) in. Our parents would tell us the men in white coats would come and drag us away if we didn't behave. The original cover for Sin was a photo of the asylum.

For the book, I contacted the archivists (it's closed down now) for information. I've also had a long conversation, which was meant to be half an hour but ended up being over three, with the head of local mental health. He'd been in the career for over thirty years so had seen things change from the old fashioned places we see in horror movies to the modern day establishments.

I also contacted Broadmoor, the top criminal mental hospital in the country. I told them I was writing a book to do with a patient who escaped and people died. I said I was writing a book. I did. So I was surprised when one of the top people wrote back to tell me, if I have concerns over an escapee, I should contact my local authorities.

How funny! Thanks for the research tips! 

If you want to read Sin, head over to Shaun's profile now! @ShaunAllan