Next month marks the sixth anniversary of my horror/supernatural suspense novel, Cribbins.
Cribbins got its name from the story’s ghostly antagonist; a fictionalised blend of two old men from my past. I amplified and exaggerated their combined badness, rolling all their nasty traits into one persona. Voila, Ronnie Cribbins!
Let’s go way back to March 2016. I was in the grip of an aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse. My husband was working away, and since I was physically incapacitated, I went to stay with my folks for a few days.
Naturally, I slept in my old room. Not that there was much sleep to be had. The IV steroids I’d received earlier in the day meant I was wired and, combined with the pain, I just couldn’t switch off.
My folks live in a terraced house (one in a row of adjoining houses). Growing up, I used to hear the comings and goings of next door through my bedroom wall. On that very first night back in my old room, fevered and delirious, I didn’t hear any sounds coming from next door, but as I lay with my feet pressed against the adjoining wall, I thought I could feel a heartbeat. Probably my own pulse. But what if, I thought, what if…
The horrible old man who used to live next door, even though he died years ago, remains? And what if his ghost is so strong I can feel its heartbeat?
That was the first spark of a story idea!
So, what happens next?
What if this malevolent spirit of the old man next door goes on to attack my new protagonist (let’s say Sophie, because Sophie’s a nice name) so aggressively it sparks an autoimmune response in her, thus causing MS? Because no one really knows what causes MS.
Yes!
Immediately this idea excited me. It felt like an original concept and so very close to home. I could take everything that was happening to me, along with all the uncertainty and fear, and do something creative with it.
Overall, Cribbins became a hugely cathartic project. I applied anthropomorphism to MS and made it a human(ish) monster that I could fight. And in doing all of this, I made some sort of peace with my own diagnosis.
So, to celebrate Cribbins and the fact that I’ve been in remission since its launch (thanks to disease modifying treatment), I’ve given Cribbins a makeover! Check out its brand-new, fantastically creepy cover below.
It’s currently on promotion, so grab a copy now if you haven’t already read it.
P.S. My neurologist read and enjoyed Cribbins so much, she’s now a fan of my work. Which, I think you’ll agree, is a pretty cool endorsement!
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
MS is an incurable neurological autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakes the myelin sheath – the protective covering – around the nerves as a foreign body and eats away at it, exposing and damaging the nerves, and causing scarring to the brain and spinal cord.
R. H. DIXON 