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About David E. Gates

David E. Gates, who has interviewed the likes of Clive Barker, James Herbert and Terry Pratchett, has published several books and short stories and won prizes and awards for his work. His first book, Access Denied, is a true story. A deeply personal and heart-wrenching account of becoming a father and having to fight the mother and Family Courts to see his daughter and also battles against the incompetence and lies of the Child Support Agency who seem hell-bent on ruining him, emotionally and financially.. It has garnered 100% positive reviews. The Roots of Evil, his first horror novel, is a graphic, violent, intense and gore-laden horror story. It's sequel, The Deeper Roots of Evil, released on Friday the 13th of March 2020, has been getting rave reviews. His second fictional novel, The Wretched, is an original horror story set in and around Portsmouth. A short story, My Mother and the Medium, written by David, won The News (Portsmouth) Creepy Story Competition in December 2019. His memoir, Motorcycle Man, is a joyous reminiscence of his motorcycling days. He turns his attention to compiling a selection of stories, investigative reports and testimonies from witnesses and investigators from the wealth of material available, most notably that from recently retired or declassified records currently in the custody of the US National Archives and other sources, in his new book, UFO: The Edinburg Incident and Other UFO Stories. Mind Blood is a collection of macabre and spooky short stories, many of which have never been published previously. Realm of Rhyme is a collection of poems that have been inspired by historical events and includes some silly rhymes along the way and shows David's frustration and joy of the world around him. His recent memoir, BD and Thrashman: The Express FM Years, tells of his and his friend's adventures and experience hosting a rock radio show on Express FM. Following this, David released a short travelogue called The Horror of the Hebrides and a short story called 'Til Deaf Us Do Part. His latest novella is a haunted house story called Safe Place, based on real experiences. A unique selection of historical poems makes up Windows of Time. Featuring tales of fascinating and fierce women, such as Mary Ann Bevan, Susanna M. Salter, Mary Church Terrell, Harriet Tubman and The Mother of Angola. Poems telling of the cruelty of the Romans and the collaboration of two disabled men of different faiths. The survivor of a bizarre accident, Phineas Gage, is also remembered, alongside macabre events such as The Mary Celeste and poems that honour those lost in World War I and World War II. David has previously written film reviews for Starburst and Samhain magazines and interviewed the likes of Clive Barker, Terry Pratchett, James Herbert and many others and his work has been featured on Express FM radio and Solent TV. David's first book, Access Denied, was nominated for the 2017 Readers Choice Awards. His first horror novel, The Roots of Evil, was voted best to read on the Novel Festival site. His second horror novel, The Wretched, won silver in the AuthorsDB 2017 Cover Contest and Unzipped: The Mind of a Madman is currently a semi-finalist in the AuthorsDB 2019 Cover Contest. David's poem, The Magic of Mushrooms, made runner-up in the Grow Wild poetry competition. Other poems, such as Vape Away, Terminators and Outrunning The Rain, have been featured in The Poetry Festival and The Ode of Phineas Gage is one of the poems being featured on the PoetrySoup website. David also won the silver prize in the AuthorsDB 2016 Cover Contest for his short story, The Ghost of Clothes, and won best Horror Novel Logline for 2016 for The Roots of Evil. He’s previously won first prize (Gold) for The Roots of Evil and third prize (Bronze) for Access Denied in the 2015 AuthorsDB Cover Contests, and previously won a competition to write the second part of a short horror story, called Savages. The first and last parts were written by the famous horror writer Shaun Hutson and are hosted on Shaun’s website. David is currently working on a full-length novel called The Climbing Frame, producing a short film, and developing and writing the second sequel to The Roots of Evil.

More submissions…

Have submitted copies of the books to local radio and local papers as well as Simon Mayo’s Book Club and the Radio 4 Book Club. Not to mention a couple of internet book clubs.

Five star review on Kindle!

My first review on the Kindle version:

Five Stars

“I just finished reading this book a few days ago and as this is the first one I felt the need to review, I just wanted to say that it is nicely written and it is a book that every woman has to read it and lots of men will relate to it. David has been looking after his little girl as her Dad, since birth and for so many years him and his daughter have shared valuable moments of their lives. Despite the fact that the couple has been separated as soon as the baby was born, David has continue to support and love his little daughter and he still does it to the present day and time. David had the wright to know the truth but this has not changed any of his feelings for this little girl. Very moving poem at the end of the book, the most beautiful words have ever been said from a Dad to his beloved Daughter.

I wish things will work better for David and he will be reunited with his daughter for the fact that both are missing this valuable relationship and this girl is missing her dad, the only dad she ever had from her birth.”

Great positive feedback.

“Beautifully written… couldn’t put it down!! So heartfelt.”

“I cried buckets!”

“Very emotive, I’m feeling every high and low with you…”

“Couldn’t put it down! Unbelievable!”

“Every woman should read it and lots of men will relate to it. Amazing.”

Five Star Review! *****

An insightful, frank and deeply personal journey of one man battling red tape and bureaucracy to gain access to his daughter after the breakup of his relationship, only to find she wasn’t his. The emotional rollercoaster that follows, the court cases, the arduous struggles with the CSA and the affects this has on his personal life make it an engaging and compelling read.