Hastings author Simon James Houlton "delves into the human psyche"

“I think I’m naturally drawn towards characters that are outsiders, people who are kind of just getting by trying to make the best of what they’ve got,” he explains, “people who are struggling with all types of issues on the fringes of society often in a high degree of isolation. Bill Eckersley, the protagonist, is one of them. He’s unemployed, maybe drinks a bit more then he should, he has dreams and aspirations but struggles to achieve them. A theme that I think you see again and again in small towns across the country and might make the story relatable to many people.

“Then there is the sea. If you live in a small coastal town like Hastings and you want to ruminate something over, there are three main places, a pub, one of the hills or the beach. The Night Swimmer takes this to the next level, this isolated solitary figure swimming out into the darkness to find a feeling of calm or momentary emptiness.

“I’ve always enjoyed writing since I was a teenager. I used to write long letters to people just for fun really. This has become less of a thing as I have become older because there isn’t really much place for it in the modern world. I think this is a terrible shame as it a great way to clarify your ideas and put your thoughts in order.

“Anyway, over the years on various occasions people suggested to me that I really should write a book. I guess these suggestions stuck with me and I started to work on various ideas. Over the years I have started and discarded many novels before writing this one. Maybe it’s ironic that the first book I publish also follows the story of a writer struggling to finish his first manuscript.

“I wanted to capture the essence of the creative process, the search for inspiration, the highs and lows that come along with it, and the concept of a muse. An exploration of the line between artistic expression and madness but set against a backdrop of a sometimes-harsh life in a small English seaside town. If you love books that delve into the human psyche, the chaos of artistic ambition, and the raw honesty of working-class life, this novel will resonate with you.

“Ultimately, The Night Swimmer is about a man trying to write a novel—and trying not to lose himself in the process. Anyone who’s ever chased a dream, felt like an outsider, or battled their own mind will recognise something in Bill’s story.

“In terms of inspiration, I think it’s also relevant to mention that in the neighbourhood I grew up in there are a fair few blue plaques about various artistic types. Specifically, in the road I grew up (Plynlimmon Road) there is one for Robert Tressell. I was always little aware that people from working class backgrounds aren’t really encouraged or expected to have aspirations to write. In a way that plaque is like a form of permission – ‘See this guy lived in your street, he wrote books, so why shouldn’t you’

“This is a stand-alone novel although my next novel is also set in Hastings.”