From Dartford to International Bookstores
Author DDL Smith, born and raised in Dartford, marks the UK release of his latest novel, Decay, on the 10th October. This book launch also represents his first international listing, with the book available through major retailers including Waterstones in the UK and Barnes & Noble in the United States.
Smith’s creative path began in Dartford with youth productions at the Orchard Theatre. Performing in live theatre sparked his imagination and gave him a taste for storytelling. Script writing and short films carried into studies at North Kent College where ideas became more refined. Early adulthood saw DDL Smith move into the indie film industry working on short films which have gained recognition at international festivals. His debut Detective Dion series that followed established Smith as a novelist, laying the groundwork for more ambitious speculative fiction.
Decay takes readers to the remote forests of Sweden where a fractured family attempts to reconcile. But their fragile peace is disrupted by a relic that poisons the ground they walk on. The novel Decay blends an eco-horror with folklore. Within, readers explore humanity’s uneasy past with technology and the future lasting legacies we leave behind.
The release represents a creative milestone for independent publishing and aspiring authors. Decay demonstrates how a novel from a local author can find recognition well beyond its starting point, reaching readers across the UK and US through major online platforms. Smith’s journey highlights how determination and imagination can carry a writer from community stages to an international audience.
Decay will be available from the 10th October.
