Terry Kitto, born and raised in Cornwall, England, has long been immersed in the world of storytelling. In Sixth Form, he taught himself how to write screenplays, a skill he developed further at Falmouth University, where he earned a First Class Honours degree in Film. During his time there, he penned the first draft of his biopic Christopher’s Queen and studied postmodernism in long-running TV series. He then achieved a postgraduate diploma in TV and Radio Scriptwriting at the University of Salford.
In 2015, Terry won Best Writer at the New York 100 Hour Film Contest for his short film Can You See Me? and was shortlisted for the BBC Writers Room in 2016 with his comedy-drama Brunswick House.
Terry shares information about his writing projects and self-publishing journey on his Instagram and Tiktok accounts which are a wealth of information for those looking to write and self-publish their debut books.
The Frequency, is a dark, atmospheric paranormal thriller and the first book in The Imprint Quintet. Terry's vivid scene setting makes it deeply a immersive read and almost impossible to put down. I’m not usually drawn to sci-fi, but I’ve never encountered a book that blends sci-fi and horror so seamlessly. As a fan of psychological horror, I loved the way his expert world-building pulls you into a truly unsettling and eerie story, creating a book that feels entirely unique.
“Deep within the bowels of an abandoned Cornish mine a covert occult group, known as the Network, protects the living from the dead. Their mediums host a plethora of abilities — from telepathy to astral projection — because of their connection to an energy source called the frequency.
Fifteen-year-old Rasha Abadi and her mother are Syrian refugees granted leave to remain in Gorenn Village. The seaside town sprawls with beaches and idyllic coves, but the last thing Rasha finds there is peace. An impossible shadow visits her nightly and infests her mind with memories of the chaos that she and her mother fled in Syria. When she becomes possessed by the shadow, the Network intervenes to save her.
The shadow’s wrath knows no bounds and orchestrates a string of interconnected possessions across the south coast. Having survived the shadow, Rasha eagerly offers to aid the Network’s investigation. They must all act quickly to unearth its motive before it disrupts the balance between the living and the dead, and forges a new world from the embers of their own reality.
No choice will be easy for Rasha when thwarting a monster means becoming one herself.”
It was my pleasure to interview Terry about The Frequency, his self-publishing journey and upcoming projects.
Lucy (L): You paint a beautiful picture of scenery, even the more macabre, with words, I've noticed you get a lot of praise for it in reviews. What is your approach to world building in your writing?
Terry (T): Thank you so much. I’m always reminded of the advice I was given when I was a screenwriting student, which was to paint a picture in as few words as possible. You quickly learn to choose the right words for the most impact. Even though the economy of words in screenwriting is vastly different to novel writing, I’ve kept the sentiment in my approach. A good example of this was when I first introduced the character of Abidemi, a ghost (or imprint, as they’re known in my novel) who is pivotal to the plot. I remember having a short paragraph explaining how she swung from the noose in Sam’s bathroom, trying to describe something morbid moving in a graceful way. Despite giving that minute detail so many words, nothing really packed a punch. I considered what moves in majestic and precise ways: ballerinas. And then everything clicked into place and the line ‘… her neck gripped by a noose, pirouetting in an absent breeze’ was born. My personal favourite is ‘spearmint morning’, which replaced a very dull and overused ‘arctic winds’.
L: One of your reviews on Goodreads likened The Frequency to Stephen King novels, who are your favourite authors and how do they inspire your writing style?
T: I mean, what a review! And what an honour! King is definitely up there as one of my big inspirations – his depth of character building is unmatched, very few compare to him. Other role models are David Mitchell, James Herbert, Shirley Jackson and Dean Koontz. David Mitchell writes mind-boggling, multi-POV epics that transcend space and time, which hugely influenced the genre-mash in The Frequency and its sequels. I’m also heavily inspired by fantasy writers, particularly for their world building, so Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss too.
L: The Frequency has very diverse characters, why was that important to you?
T: Even as a gay man, I’ve never been one for diversity for the sake of it. Diversity should be woven naturally into stories. Even though it comes from a well-meaning place, sometimes authors can be heavy handed with it and characters end up being reduced to their sexuality, ethnicity or gender. When that happens, they read as caricatures which I think does more harm than good. My inclusion of diverse characters is more just a reflection of the world as I see it – it is rich with cultures and experiences, so it’s just odd not to represent that. Equally I think my sexuality is the least interesting thing about me, so I ensure that my protagonists’ diverse traits are just one facet of many.
L: What does a standard writing session look like for you?
T: This varies heavily depending on which stage of the writing journey I’m on. If it’s pure drafting, I usually write in smaller increments, using a Pomodoro video on YouTube. First drafts tend to be handwritten as I feel like my voice flows better that way – and the blank page is far less daunting when you can scribble and doodle! However, if I’m in the throes of editing I can do longer sessions as I’m using a more analytical side of my creative brain. I tend to be an evening writer as it’s the only time of day where I feel settled enough to write. I’m currently editing book two and I usually do 8PM – 11PM, Monday to Friday and then late mornings/ early afternoons through the weekends.
L: What made you decide to self-publish The Frequency?
T: I decided to self-publish The Frequency for two main reasons. The first is that I knew it was a hard sell – it is a mash of genres and looks at ghosts through a sci-fi lens. Horror seems to be a fickle genre in the traditional publishing space so, when you consider me incorporating soft sci-fi and political intrigue into the fold, it was only ever going to be an uphill battle. I felt I could reach its niche audience by myself.
I also wanted to have creative control over the project. I had recently been made redundant and forced to quit my masters degree. This came after years of submitting scripts to various competitions and industry events, with little to no success. I was determined to not let this creative journey be dictated by others who may not have my best interests at heart. I hired editors, proof-readers and a cover artist for the first edition of the book, so I wasn’t completely alone, but by hiring them it was a collaborative process with me as project manager.
L: How was the process? Did you come across any drawbacks?
T: Writing and editing can be challenging at times. I found the formatting and cover design aspect of it fairly easy – just double and triple check dimensions on your chosen print and distribution platform!
If anything, I found the printing and distribution the hardest. When I first launched The Frequency I used IngramSpark and Amazon KDP. IngramSpark was expensive, squeezing profit margins to pretty much zero and forcing me to sell the paperback for £1.50 more than I’d have liked. I think that damaged sales in the beginning. Ingram also had lots of hidden costs at the time – you couldn’t make edits without being charged. I understand that’s changed now, but it’s really put me off them. I also had issues with physical printing on Amazon KDP. They are an unreliable printer if you need books in bulk and as a result I lost out on a pretty substantial book box contract that really could have changed my life. But you don’t learn good lessons unless you go through the process; I now print my books in bulk with CIP, who print books for the top 5 publishers here in the UK. This opens up the options of selling on my own website and my store front on Tik-Tok.
L: The first thing that drew me to The Frequency was its amazing cover! Is it your own design?
T: Thank you! It is indeed, but it’s not the first iteration of the cover. When The Frequency was published in 2021 it was with a cover by LA based designer Daniel Iglesias. He is super talented, and I adored the cover – I still have a poster of it on my wall!
But this year I realised that cover trends in the horror space had shifted and I knew I needed to keep up or fall behind my peers. So, I designed a new one myself. I have a media background and I’m a wiz with Photoshop, so it just made sense. I used some paid assets from Envato Elements which I then manipulated and edited in Photoshop to get the desired effect. The book cover depicts a burning doll hanging from a noose, which represents my character Abidemi. The cover's format will be easily replicated across the sequels, meaning the series will be a cohesive, aesthetically pleasing set - hopefully!
L: You're great at marketing your work, what would be your advice to self-published authors looking to sell their books?
T: It’s still something I’m getting to grips with! I predominantly use social media at this point, with my focus recently shifting to Tik-Tok. I find the posts that go viral (at least, viral for me!) are ones where I am being honest and down-to-earth about my content. It says a lot about the marketing landscape in the face of social media: people want real. Real people, real content. Nothing too flashy or over-edited or stylized. For someone who hates being in front of the camera and talking about myself, it was a very difficult transition. However, I love being able to authentically connect with peers and readers alike. Tik-Tok is an underrated resource for writers, especially with the Book-Tok community which seems to grow by the day. I will always be blown away by the kindness of strangers. Just like this, we connected on Tik-Tok because of one of my videos and now we’re here. It’s amazing what that platform can do. So my advice would be: focus on a platform you enjoy, just be you and start to build a community. Everything else follows.
L: If I may ask you about your short film Can You See Me? I know some of my followers are also filmmakers or interested in script writing, You picked up the Best Writer award at the New York 100 Hour Film Contest for it in 2015, I'd love to know what it's about?
T: The 100 hour Film Contest was just that – a 100 Hour whirl wind. The premise of the contest is that the runners pull random words from a hat. If I remember rightly there would be an object, a setting, an item of clothing - things that you must weave into the script. You get 100 hours from the time the words are announced to write, storyboard, shoot and edit the short.
I wrote the script in one night, bouncing ideas off the crew. I would write a scene, my director Zuzana would okay it, then the crew would start storyboarding, and hunting for locations and props. It was a bit of a fever dream. I remember being so tired at around 5AM. Caffeine could do nothing more for me, and that’s when I wrote the scene on the beach where one of the characters describes the sea as ‘bedsheets caught in a breeze.’ Think I was hinting to the producer!
In terms of the actual story, the director wanted something with a strong moral core and two polar-opposite characters that find common ground. I had the idea to write a blind character who was uptight and particular, who hires an assistant that is a bit of a selfish slob. Through some comedic set pieces and raw conversations, they develop a unique friendship. The title soon followed, a double entendre for seeing people as they really are as well as not being able to see them physically.
L: Are you currently working on another book or more screenwriting projects?
T: I’ve got lots to come! I have just announced The Convergence, book two in The Imprint Quintet series and the sequel to The Frequency. I’m currently on draft six, doing some self-developmental edits before it goes out to beta readers this Sunday. It’s slated for release in late Spring 2025.
An exclusive for you – I’m also 45% through writing a short story anthology, which will tie into The Frequency. Some of the stories will feature background characters from the novel, others are based around events that are hinted at throughout the book. It'll be presented in a range of formats – from letters to transcripts to police reports.
In the new year work on book three in The Imprint Quintet will begin – then I’ll be halfway through the series. That’s kind of mind-blowing! And between all of that, when I have time, I’m also developing a six-part thriller TV series. The premise is that a family move into a house in an abandoned mining town as it slowly becomes gentrified. Strange events start plaguing the family, forcing existing tensions to rise. Is it a home invasion? A haunting? Or is it something else entirely?
Lots to come from me – this brain doesn’t stop! A blessing and a curse!
Follow Terry Kitto on Tiktok and Instagram for more advice, relatable writer content and updates on the release of The Convergence. If you haven’t read The Frequency yet, pick up your copy here.