An Interview With Dylan James, Author Of Cedar Mills

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Dylan James is the published author of Cedar Mills, a gripping small-town sci-fi horror story following a group of grieving high schoolers and a disgraced detective as they uncover the grizzly truth behind a string of deaths and disappearances. To celebrate the release of Cedar Mills, What We Reading sat down with Dylan to talk about everything from his love for Adolfo Bioy Casares and the indie horror scene, to how his work has made people sympathise with his fictional beings!

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Thanks for speaking with us, Dylan! First off, tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to the world of writing.

I’m Dylan James, author of nonfiction, short fiction, and horror fiction. My upcoming sci-fi horror novel Cedar Mills is set to be published on August 1st, 2025 by Savage Realms Press.

In addition to authorship, I do a lot of writing and copywriting work in my career in marketing, and you could say that writing was an environmental happening for me. My mom and dad read so much to me as a kid. My oldest brother found a career in copywriting and my middle brother is an English teacher, too.

Talk to us about Cedar Mills. What is it about, and how was the process of writing it?

Cedar Mills centers around a small town experiencing deaths and shocking activity. When this activity gets stranger, a disgraced homicide detective gets involved, as do a group of grieving high schoolers. This rag-tag group sets out on a mission to discover the truth about the ancient secret(s) their town holds. A ruthless government agency catches wind of their curiosity and seeks to silence these answer-seekers at all costs.

During most of writing Cedar Mills, I worked at one of the largest dog shelters in the Midwest. The process of writing was spaced out and definitely effortless. Cedar Mills has a fantastical element regarding ancient creatures, and it’s funny, because in hindsight, there’s surprising sympathy for these fictional creatures in my writing. I definitely attribute that to my environment at the time.

What is the number one goal you want your work to have with readers?

I’m a reader first, and I sincerely want my readers to have a good time. My goal is for them to enjoy themselves, to get lost for a bit, and maybe be a bit scared, too!

What do you think makes you stand out as an author?

Without being some sort of active contrarian, my work has a natural way of subverting tropes and character arcs. My concepts come from a place that I take pride in, where they are original and entirely my own. I write what I want to ultimately I’d say. 

What would you say has been your biggest success so far?

Honestly? It’d be the connections I’ve made along the way. The independent horror community is niche and full of some really, really awesome people. I’ve had success in getting published, but that couldn’t have been done without the help of many.

If you could go back in time to one book you read for the first time, what would it be and why?

The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares. I had an awesome college professor put me onto that one. It’s such a singular, distinct piece of work. A must read in my humble opinion.

What’s one tip you would give your younger self if you had the opportunity?

I’d definitely tell my younger self to relax more and to just embrace the journey of writing itself. Whatever you’re working on doesn’t have to be perfect. At least not the first draft!

And finally, what do you hope the future holds for you and your writing?

For me, a few more published works I’m proud of would be perfect, all while continuing to grow as a writer.

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Follow Dylan and all of his work on his website, Amazon, and Goodreads!

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