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Interview Overview
In the first-ever Twisted Tales Diaries episode, Daniel Willcocks and co-creator R.P. Howley sit down for an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes check-in on the creation of Twisted Tales — a short, sharp horror series designed as Goosebumps for grown-ups.
This mini-episode marks a milestone: the release of Jack, the first book in the series, and nearly four years of ideas, experiments, false starts and hard lessons finally paying off.
Together, Dan and Rob talk candidly about co-writing, creative pressure, learning each other’s strengths, building a sustainable horror brand, and why Twisted Tales is about far more than any single book.
Interview Transcription
Daniel Willcocks:
Welcome back, wordsmiths and story seekers. I’m your host, Daniel Willcocks, joined today by the one and only R.P. Howley — Rob — broadcasting from the shadowy halls of Devil’s Rock HQ.
Today we’re bringing you a special mini-sode and the first entry in a brand new feature: Twisted Tales Diaries.
These diary episodes are designed as little bookmarks — a way for us to check in, talk honestly about what’s happening behind the scenes, and share the decisions, wins, mistakes and lessons that come with building a horror series from the ground up.
Rob, anything you want to add before we jump in?
A First Milestone
Rob Howley:
For me, it’s a really nice reminder of what we’ve actually achieved. The first book of Twisted Tales is out. This is the first diary entry. We’ve both published books before, but this is the first time doing something like this together. It’s a good benchmark — a moment to pause and acknowledge what’s happened over the last year or so.
Where Twisted Tales Began
Daniel:
For a bit of context, Twisted Tales is nearly four years old in terms of its origin. The idea first came to me around 2020, when I was living in Lincoln. I was walking through a forest — of course I was — and trying to work out how to serialise horror.
Horror is hard to serialise. People die. Stories end. Outside of some YA examples, there aren’t many long-running adult horror series in the way other genres have them.
And then the idea hit me: arguably one of the most successful horror series of all time is Goosebumps. So why isn’t there a Goosebumps for grown-ups?
Shorter books. Fast, punchy stories. More blood. More horror. More bite.
At the time, there was a big swing towards novellas, and I kept thinking: why not 30–40k books that hit that nostalgic space but for adult readers? Something fast to write, fast to release, and fast to build momentum around.
I sat on the idea for a long time. Mocked up covers. Played with concepts. Wrote a completely different early version involving a pumpkin and a desperate man that bears absolutely no resemblance to what Jack became.
And then, over time, Rob started showing more interest in horror…
Why This Collaboration Works
Daniel:
For people who don’t know why I respect Rob so much, a couple of years ago Sam and I ran a flash fiction project. Hundreds of stories were submitted. We blind-read everything.
Rob ended up with 17 stories selected.
I hated it. Sam hated it. Rob hates hearing this. But the truth is, the stories were just that good.
One of the things we realised pretty quickly is that our writing styles complement each other almost perfectly. Rob is incredible at dialogue and momentum — clean, sharp prose that pulls readers forward. I tend to be… purple. Atmospheric. Moody. A bit indulgent.
Rob:
What Dan’s good at is everything I’m not. He brings the landscape, the atmosphere, the emotional texture. I hear the voices; he sees the world around them.
Together, it balances out.
Learning to Co-Write
Daniel:
I realised pretty quickly that Twisted Tales needed reining in. I wrote a book called Cock — which, despite the name, is not a Twisted Tales book. That was my “ah, right, I need help” moment.
So we decided to write Jack together and see what happened.
I sent Rob a draft. He sent it back with half of it crossed out. And he was right.
For this audience, we want page-turners. Tight. Focused. No excess. And that back-and-forth editing process — cutting, adding, reshaping — has become the strength of this collaboration.
Rob:
It was my first proper co-writing project, and at first I put a lot of pressure on myself. I kept asking, “Am I doing enough?” Now that we’re drafting books two, three and four, it’s much smoother. We know each other’s strengths. We bounce ideas. We plant Easter eggs. It’s genuinely fun.
Building the Series, Not Just a Book
Daniel:
We officially committed to this around January 2024. And from the start, I was very clear: Twisted Tales isn’t just a book series — it’s a brand, a universe.
We spent a weekend in a cottage in Oxford — much to the confusion of our host — turning the kitchen into a full-blown war room. Flip charts. Post-it notes. Launch timelines. Marketing plans.
We built an eight-week launch structure for each book, covering social media, paid ads, newsletters and outreach — and we’ve applied that structure to everything planned through early next year.
Rob hates structure. I love it.
That tension actually works. I build the framework. Rob keeps it flexible. Together, we adapt in real time.
What Success Looks Like (For Now)
Daniel:
When Jack launched, people kept asking, “Did it make loads of money?”
It made some money — but that was never the primary goal.
Book one was about foundations: funnels, visibility, reader trust. We wanted to reach people, climb charts, and establish credibility.
We deliberately targeted categories using Publisher Rocket to maximise visibility — and it worked. Jack hit #1 Hot New Release in the US and UK.
I was stranded in another part of the country with a broken car, sat in a café in yesterday’s clothes, feeling utterly miserable — and then Rob sent me the screenshot.
That moment mattered.
Who Twisted Tales Is For
Daniel:
We’re intentionally bridging two audiences: readers who grew up with 90s horror nostalgia, and newer horror readers looking for an accessible entry point.
The feedback has been incredibly encouraging. People are unprompted mentioning Goosebumps. Others are telling us Jack is their first ever horror book.
That’s huge.
Horror is often misunderstood as just fear, but it’s emotional, varied and deeply human. Twisted Tales is designed to be that gateway.
What Comes Next
Book two launches 17 September.
Book three is in progress.
Book four is underway.
Each story is different. Not every reader will love every book — and that’s okay. That’s the point. We’re building a smorgasbord of horror under a consistent banner.
Scarecrow. Werewolf. Christmas horror. Beyond.
It’s not about Jack. It’s about Twisted Tales.
Community, Collectability and the Long Game
Rob:
It’s been really nice seeing reader feedback in the Discord and engaging with people as the series grows. That community makes the work feel worthwhile.
Daniel:
And this is about the long term. Book ten. Book twenty. Beyond. Collectible editions. Easter eggs. Events. A universe that grows over time.
You can find everything at twistedtalesbooks.com — including a free short story, Thaw, which gives a taste of what the series is about.
Closing
This is just the first entry in Twisted Tales Diaries.
Every few weeks, we’ll check back in, share lessons, decisions and mistakes, and pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a horror series from scratch.
If you’ve got questions, you can reach us via the contact form on the Twisted Tales website — we’re aiming to be as transparent and useful as possible.
Rob, I’ve genuinely loved the last 18 months of working on this. Plenty more to come.
Thanks for listening — and we’ll see you soon.
