Silver Dagger Book Tours
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Win a Book Tour!
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Win a Book Tour!

Dunn - Book Tour and Giveaway

6/29/2018

21 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

Dunn
by Kay Jay
Genre: Psychological Suspense

Picture
Aidan Dunn is a man driven by money and power – he just doesn’t have any. What he does have - he thinks - is charm. He’s been honing his manipulation skills as a charity collector for years, earning enough commission to rent a bedsit and keep him in lager. But it’s time for bigger and better things. He needs a break or a meal ticket and rich, vulnerable looking Sophie Harris could be the answer.
The problem is, Sophie seems immune to his charms.
When she isn’t at work, she spends her time at a group which she won’t tell him about. Worse still, she won’t commit to seeing him. It’s infuriating and addictive, so when Sophie finally seems to melt and asks him to come with her to a Salvation program meeting, Aidan is putty in her hands.

Because Nobody's Perfect

At the meeting, ex-model front woman, Yvette Blake, and the program’s charismatic founder, doctor Jeffers, seem to be offering the route to money and power that Aidan seeks. All he has to do is climb the ladder and become a‘Savior’ with the chance of securing a lucrative ‘Salvation program’ franchise.
The problem is, it costs too much. Fortunately, Sophie is willing to pay for him. She needs recruits to progress in the program, so what has Aidan got to lose? Nothing but his sanity, his freedom and his chance of true love with fellow initiate, Lizzie.


Goodreads * Amazon

​
Picture
​Prologue

When does a story start?  When the action starts?  When a life starts changing?  Or when a life is formed?  Surely a story isn’t complete without the whole picture.  A background canvas on which a life is slowly painted, building up in layers as the years add depth and character.  But you won’t care about that.  You won’t care about my whole history.  You’ll only want the juicy stuff - the dirt on Yvette Blake; my reasons for joining the Saviours.  So, let’s start with why I joined.  Let’s start with my darling wife Sophie - the mad witch who ruined my life.

The best thing about trying to get money out of people for charity is that they usually trust you already.  You must be a nice guy if you are working for such a noble cause and for peanuts as well, they assume.  Because you already have their trust half the battle is won.  Sure, they often walk past with no more than a ‘sorry man’ but pick the right ones and you’re home and dry.  Pick the guilty ones and they’ll sign up without a fight.  Sophie looked like one of those, and I saw her coming a mile away. 


Picture
When I'm not being a mum, working or writing, I am a keen runner and open water swimmer. I am also one below black belt in Tae Kwon Do (Korean karate), though I tend to only make it to one class a week with my son these days, so won't be making it to black belt anytime soon.
I had the idea for Dunn years ago, when some one I knew had a friend who got involved in a similar cult. I started writing the first incarnation of the novel, whilst teaching English in China, but came back and changed most of it after my son was born. The beginning and ending have changed, thanks to the guidance from an award winning author and playwright who has basically tutored me. My writing has developed because of his guidance and I am now really happy with dunn. It's ready to go. I hope you will enjoy it.


Website * Twitter * Goodreads

​

Picture
A bit of background......
Back in 2004 I was thoroughly miserable. Fortunately, none of the events in Dunn actually happened to me. I didn't get embroiled in a psychotherapy cult. I just met someone who unintentionally made my life worse, and they knew someone who had.
And so the spark of an idea emerged. I wrote the first paragraph (which I have since abandoned), realised I didn't actually know anything about psychotherapy cults, and went off to China for 6 months to get over the death of one of my dearest friends ever, and various unsuitable love interests. Neither worked, but I did have a great time in China and get lots of research on psychotherapy cults done.


After 9 years + of actual writing/rewriting/scrapping/sulking/starting again etc, my debut novel 'Dunn' is finally released as an ebook on amazon/google play/apple iBooks.
here
And more to follow . There will be a paperback available on the matador-troubador website here next month too. So, now the hard work of trying to get people to read it begins.

But what are therapy cults?
I found out that various groups had lured people in to a cult-like 'self-help' and 'pseudo-therapy' scenarios over the years. Some of them were selling New Age ideas and treatments; some were pedalling methods for self-help; others counselling methods. I won't name any groups, but if you look, you'll find them mentioned all over the net.
As the name suggests, therapy cults are generally selling some kind of treatment, so they're targeting vulnerable people.
Examples include New Age therapy cults that promise cures for terminal diseases, often claiming that mainstream medical practices are ineffective; and counselling and self-help groups that offer pseudo-psychological therapies they claim will help victims to be more confident/successful/happy/all of the above.
'The Salvation Program' in 'Dunn' is based on the latter.

How do they get followers to join and stay?
Cults seem to employ various methods of recruitment, including direct invitation; the use of leaflets and advertisements; direct street recruitment, and even advertisements in mainstream magazines/TV in the States.
Most of these crop up in 'Dunn'.
My main character, Aidan Dunn, is invited to a 'Salvation program' recruitment meeting by Sophie Harris, who uses what Aidan perceives as their 'burgeoning relationship' to get him to join phase one.
Later in the story, Aidan uses leaflets and magazines along with a direct street approach, to successfully recruit to the program.
But why do recruits join and stay?
What these groups mostly seem to have in common, is the destruction of victims' perceptions of themselves and their history. Key relationships often suffer as a result, be that with family and friends or mainstream medical practitioners. Either way, the victim becomes dependent on the cult as a result.

Thought reform and control
I read an old psychology book by Margaret Thaler Singer, called 'Cults in our midst' whilst I was in China, and most of the 'thought reform' processes that I have tried to capture in 'Dunn' are based on those described in that book.
The author, Margaret Thaler Singer, summarises the objectives of these types of cult in three succinct points, which I have paraphrased above, and outlines the basic method used to get victims in such a state of dependence as follows:

1) Subtle behavioural changes introduced and reinforced with peer pressure
At his first 'Salvation program' phase one meeting, my main character, Aidan Dunn, is lured into a chanting circle - something not in character - by an attractive girl and the feeling that he is an outsider.

2)Time controlled
All Aidan's weekends are taken up with 'Salvation program' meetings and seminars, effectively controlling his social interactions. His only other contact is Sophie, who only wants to talk to him about the 'Salvation program'.

3) Rewards and punishments are used to reinforce the cult's ideology
This idea comes up again and again throughout 'Dunn', but perhaps the best example is that used on Jim by Mrs Tressel in an early chapter. She excludes him from 'the circle of love' when he won't say that he is a failure and is rewarded with her attention when he capitulates.

4) Members rewarded for rejecting their old personality and life view, and punished for non-conforming
Aidan is rewarded by Stephanie for changing his memories of his childhood and punished with her disapproval when he resists. She subsequently coerced him into confronting his parents about his childhood, resulting in isolation from his parents (though, actually, in Aidan's case, I think that may be a positive). At group seminars, members are also rewarded for sharing confessions about their past and punished with disapproval if they don't. I explore this theme a lot in 'Dunn', because it's so horrible!
I'll stop there for fear of accidentally dropping spoilers in.
Needless to say, this was an interesting, if terrifying topic to write a novel about. I would be lying if I said it was an entirely enjoyable experience, as it lays bare just how horrible and manipulative humans can be too each other, and highlighted just how dark some of the creatures lurking in my brain actually are.. This, and the fact that I'm exceptionally cynical, is the main reason that the novel is darkly humourous. I wrote it whilst teaching full time (thank goodness I can now be part time); raising a child, and getting addicted to running to keep myself sane. I needed to keep it fun and lighten it up in places. Some of the characters are deliberately unpleasant (more about that in a post next week) and so writing about them was not always nice. I quite enjoyed giving them a hard time.... More on that next week

​
Picture
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

June 29
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Mythical Books

June 30
Sweet Southern $avings
Twisted Book Ramblings

July 1
The Avid Reader

July 2
Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!

July 3
the bookworm lodge
A Pinch of Bookdust

July 4
Readeropolis – GUEST POST
A Mama's Corner of the World

July 5
Bedazzled By Books
Midnight Book Reader

July 6
JB's Bookworms with Brandy Mulder – GUEST POST
Write Through the Night – GUEST POST

July 7
The Book Dragon

July 8
T's Stuff

July 9
A Modern Day Fairy Tale
Books all things paranormal and romance

July 10
Book-lover
books are love

July 11
Girl with Pen
Inside the Insanity – GUEST POST

July 12
Viviana MacKade – GUEST POST
Books a Plenty Book Reviews

July 13
C Exley Books
Luv Saving Money

July 14
Teatime and Books

July 15
The Pen and Muse Book Reviews

July 16
Bound 2 Escape
Maiden of the Pages – GUEST POST

July 17
Aconite Cafe
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read

July 18
My Chaotic Ramblings
Rabid Readers Book Blog

July 19
Plain Talk Book Marketing – GUEST POST
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures

July 20
nanasbookreviews
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

July 21
Jazzy Book Reviews

July 22
Jessica Rachow - REVIEW

July 23
eBook Addicts
Scrupulous Dreams

July 24
Natural Bri - REVIEW
Declarations of a Fangirl

July 25
Stacking My Book Shelves!
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'

July 26
SnoopyDoo's Book reviews
411 on Books, Authors, and Publishing News – GUEST POST

July 27
Port Jericho - REVIEW
Read and Review – REVIEW, GUEST POST

July 28
Sylv.net

July 29
Triple A


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
21 Comments
Calvin
6/29/2018 11:18:02 am

Simple cover, yet haunts and is memorable.

Reply
James Robert
6/29/2018 11:58:16 am

I really enjoy these tours and all the terrific books I have been able to pick up along with my kids and sisters who love to read. Thanks for sharing with us, always great to find books my family enjoy reading. And thank you for the giveaway as well.

Reply
Victoria
6/29/2018 05:08:49 pm

Sounds like an interesting book!

Reply
Lisa Brown
7/1/2018 09:14:12 am

I enjoyed getting to know your book and thanks for the chance to win :)

Reply
shelly peterson
7/3/2018 12:51:06 pm

Sounds interesting!

Reply
heather
7/3/2018 04:14:01 pm

I would love to read this one on vacation this summer.

Reply
wendy hutton
7/3/2018 05:13:46 pm

nice cover no questions for the author thanks

Reply
Debbie P
7/3/2018 11:19:14 pm

This sounds really interesting.

Reply
Janet W.
7/4/2018 06:20:01 am

Sounds like a very thrilling read! Great cover!

Reply
Kelly Nicholson
7/6/2018 03:58:34 am

What do you think of the book or the cover? Do you have any questions for the author?

reminds me of a george harrison album

Reply
Denise Higgins
7/10/2018 02:19:21 am

Love the cover

Reply
Wanda B
7/10/2018 06:24:11 pm

I love this type of book. The cover looks so suspenseful !!

Reply
Mood Reader
7/11/2018 06:40:08 pm

Like the cover! :)

Reply
Jessica Whitehouse
7/11/2018 06:54:29 pm


I don't really put a lot of importance on book cover art. I'm more interested in the blurbs and reviews of the book to decide whether to read the book or not.

Reply
Wendy Jensen
7/15/2018 03:12:18 pm

I love the book cover. It would make me want to buy it.

Reply
Dina Stornello
7/23/2018 04:49:03 pm

love the cover!!!

Reply
Laura
7/25/2018 03:07:23 pm

I can't wait to read it. I like the cover!

Reply
shelly peterson
7/26/2018 03:14:18 pm

This sounds great.

Reply
Daniel M
7/26/2018 08:24:22 pm

really like the cover

Reply
Tiago Rosado
7/28/2018 01:31:35 pm

What do you think of the book or the cover?


the cover is very cool and reminds me of my favorite show Fringe,s thats a bonus

Reply
Jerry Marquardt
7/29/2018 04:07:16 pm

I enjoy this cover a lot.I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Dunn. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Win a FREE tour here!
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Sign up for tour updates!

    New tours. All genres. All ages. All the time.

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Action
    Activity Book
    Adventure
    African American
    Alt History
    Anthology
    Apocalyptic
    Audiobook
    Australian
    Bdsm
    Billionaire Romance
    Biography
    Chick Lit
    Childrens
    Christian
    Coloring Book
    Comedy
    Coming Of Age
    Contemporary Fiction
    Contemporaryromance
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Cozymystery
    Cozy Mystery
    Crime
    Cyberpunk
    Dark
    Dark Romance
    Drama
    Dystopian
    Educational
    Epic Fantasy
    Eroticromance
    Erotic Romance
    Fairytale
    Fantasy
    Fantasy Romance
    Financial
    Giveaway-hop
    Gothic
    Graphic-novel
    Health And Wellness
    Historical
    Historicalromance
    Historical Romance
    Holiday
    Horror
    Humorous
    Inspirational
    Legal Thriller
    Lgbtq
    Literaryfiction
    Mafiaromance
    Mafia Romance
    Magicrealism
    Magic Realism
    Mcromance
    Mc Romance
    Memoir
    Menage
    Middlegrade
    Middle Grade
    Military
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Native American
    Newadult
    New Adult
    Nonfiction
    Paranormal
    Paranormalromance
    Paranormal Romance
    Parenting
    Pets
    Poetry
    Politics
    Postapocalyptic
    Pulp-fiction
    Reverseharemromance
    Reverse Harem Romance
    Rockstarromance
    Rockstar-romance
    Romance
    Romantasy
    Romanticcomedy
    Romantic Comedy
    Romanticsuspense
    Romantic Suspense
    Satirical
    Sciencefiction
    Science Fiction
    Scifi
    Scifiromance
    Scifi Romance
    Selfhelp
    Shortstories
    Short Stories
    Special Needs
    Special-Needs
    Speculativefiction
    Speculative Fiction
    Sportsromance
    Steampunk
    Supernatural
    Suspense
    Sweetromance
    Thriller
    Timetravel
    Time Travel
    Travel
    Urban
    Urbanfantasy
    Urban Fantasy
    Western
    Womensfiction
    Womens Fiction
    Youngadult
    Young-adult
    Youngadultya
    Young Adult Ya

    Picture

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016