English postgraduate Thomas Brown publishes his first novel

Thomas chose modules in creative writing during his undergraduate degree and went on to study for Southampton's MA in the subject. “I was an avid reader as a child, there were always books in the house and I started writing as a teenager,” he explains. “While I enjoyed all of my English degree, I really wanted to study creative writing and found the third year modules were an inspiration.”

Lynnwood, published by Sparkling Books, has been described as a beautifully crafted tale of the horror that lurks in a picturesque English village. “I had to know what was left,” Thomas explains, “…when we strip back society, civility, I had to know what we were, underneath. What I found wasn't pretty, or practical in any sense, but it was honest. It was wild and natural and that's beautiful, I think.”; among his influences are Friedrich Nietzsche, ST Joshi and the Russian novelist Andrei Makine. Literature enthusiasts have already posted online reviews praising the novel and recommending it to fans of classic horror stories and he has held a signing session at his local branch of the bookshop Waterstones.

“Everybody in English is thrilled that Thomas's first novel has been published,” says Rebecca Smith, a novelist and teaching fellow in English and one of Thomas's tutors “It's a marvellous achievement. His talent and dedication to the craft were clear from very early on and Lynnwood is such a good read - it's gripping, disturbing and beautiful. We wish him every success and are sure that this debut will mark the start of an impressive career.”

During his studies, Thomas also worked as a coffee shop barista in Southampton and says it was good experience for a novelist who wants to observe human nature. While working for his BA, he won the University of Southampton’s Flash Fiction Competition 2010 for his short story, Crowman, and was co-editor of Dark River Press.