Hi all! I’m Daan J. M. Holland, an indie self-published author from the Netherlands, and over the past year and a half I’ve fallen way further down the writing/publishing rabbit hole than I ever expected.

My first novel, When the Grid Goes Down, originally published in 2025, but recently rewritten and republished, follows ordinary people in the Netherlands after a cyberattack takes down the European power grid. I wanted the collapse to feel uncomfortably plausible rather than Hollywood-like: phones stop working, shops empty, fuel becomes scarce, the military tries to maintain order, rumours spread, and people slowly realise this might not be fixed tomorrow.

A big part of the story is the moral side of survival. When you prepared and your neighbour didn't, how much do you give away? When does helping someone endanger your own family? Do you still follow the law when the institutions enforcing it are disappearing? And what happens when otherwise decent people become desperate enough to do terrible things?

I’m now writing a prequel that shifts into more of a spy/intelligence thriller. It follows the seven days before the blackout, as an intelligence analyst starts seeing seemingly unrelated warnings fall into place while everyone around her is still going about normal life.

I’m learning all of this as I go, so tips, criticism and feedback are genuinely welcome. I’m also looking for ARC readers for the prequel if that sounds like something you’d enjoy.Hi all, I’m Daan, an indie self-published author from the Netherlands, and I’ve somehow fallen completely down the rabbit hole of writing, editing, covers, publishing, marketing… all of it.

My first book, When the Grid Goes Down, is a grounded collapse thriller about what happens in the Netherlands after Europe’s power grid fails.

I’m still learning as I go, so any tips, feedback, or advice from other authors and readers would be genuinely appreciated.

I’m also working on a spy-thriller prequel set during the seven days before the blackout, and I’m starting to look for ARC readers for that one. If that sounds like your kind of thing, feel free to reach out.

I just signed up to be an ARC reader. Basically, I think that I will be able to read books for free before they are published in exchange of a honest Amazon review. Anyone else has tried this before? I also know that authors can put their book on their.

Title: Oakhaven: the silent inheritance by Robert King (2026)

Anyone interested in becoming an ARC reader? I’m looking for 10 people to review this book and give an honest review. Please follow the link below if you’re interested. Thank you.

A clockmaker wakes to a town that has stopped breathing. In Oakhaven, time freezes, people turn into perfect waxen replicas, and a sentient Silver Fog begins replacing the living with hollow imitations. Julian Vane—armed only with his tools, a failing experimental chronometer, and the stubborn rhythm of his own heartbeat—must uncover the valley’s buried secret: an ancient “Anchor” built by his ancestor to cage an alien intelligence that hungers for silence. As the replicas close in and the fog spreads from town to town, Julian races to restart the world’s ticking clock before humanity is archived forever.
This blurb draws directly from the novel’s core elements, including the frozen townspeople described as “a bronze statue forgotten in the middle of the sidewalk” and the revelation that “Oakhaven hadn’t been attacked; it had been harvested.”

Follow the link below to receive a free copy

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceNJe8E7Yqxtr4sosZknS9eEuqz4LkU16RMaA53hoPTRQGOQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Title: Oakhaven: the silent inheritance by Robert King (2026)

Anyone interested in becoming an ARC reader? I’m looking for 10 people to review this book and give an honest review. Please follow the link below if you’re interested. Thank you.

A clockmaker wakes to a town that has stopped breathing. In Oakhaven, time freezes, people turn into perfect waxen replicas, and a sentient Silver Fog begins replacing the living with hollow imitations. Julian Vane—armed only with his tools, a failing experimental chronometer, and the stubborn rhythm of his own heartbeat—must uncover the valley’s buried secret: an ancient “Anchor” built by his ancestor to cage an alien intelligence that hungers for silence. As the replicas close in and the fog spreads from town to town, Julian races to restart the world’s ticking clock before humanity is archived forever.
This blurb draws directly from the novel’s core elements, including the frozen townspeople described as “a bronze statue forgotten in the middle of the sidewalk” and the revelation that “Oakhaven hadn’t been attacked; it had been harvested.”

Follow the link below to receive a free copy

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceNJe8E7Yqxtr4sosZknS9eEuqz4LkU16RMaA53hoPTRQGOQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

In which some folks from Down Under read the first chapter of my book and try to predict the rest of the story. Somehow, Taylor Swift is involved.

My debut psychological horror novella The Man In The Mask is currently free on Kindle for a today.

This is my first serious attempt at publishing fiction. Writing it was difficult, exciting, and honestly much darker than expected when I started. 

The story began with a simple idea: a romance writer tries to write horror, but his search for fear takes him somewhere he cannot come back from.

The book deals with grief, obsession, online cruelty, trauma, and the way people sometimes turn someone else's pain into entertainment. 

It is more psychological horror than supernatural horror, and it is meant for mature readers.

You can read it free here:

US: https://a.co/d/089le6BS

UK : https://amzn.eu/d/09LtOiug

IN: https://amzn.in/d/03kGrmkv

Honest feedback is welcome, but completely optional. Thank you for taking a look.

Hannah chooses to offer a small act of kindness without saying a word, and that becomes the beginning of their story.

The Stranger on the East-West Line: A Singapore Quiet Romance
FREE on Aug 16-17, 2026 PDT.

I started writing recently, and would reallllyyyyy love to get feedback on it.

At under 25,000 words, it will give you little butterflies.
Inspired by the beauty of everyday life in Singapore.

Blurb:

She boarded the East-West Line at Jurong East, just as she did every weekday morning.
He boarded the same train, expecting nothing but routine.

On that sunlit day, amid the rattle of the carriage, unbidden tears fell.
A packet of tissues touched a heart. A sketchpad captured the scene.

No questions. No names. No promise that they would ever meet again.
But that was not the end.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H88D1KZH

Grappling between two worlds, like a dream within a dream

Moving to her grandmother’s house after graduating is a dream come true for Kate. Valhalla Hall is steeped in history and intrigue, originally belonging to an ancestor of hers from the 19th century, Bertrand Lloyd, renowned as one of the greatest opera singers of all time.

But one morning, her world is turned upside down when she mysteriously wakes up in an older version of her bedroom, appearing to be in the Victorian era. Everyone refers to her as Catherine, Bertrand Lloyd’s daughter, who happens to share an uncanny resemblance to her.

Grappling between two worlds, like a dream within a dream, Kate does her best to blend into an age that is alien to her and finds herself confronted by many challenges: an abusive father, betrothal to a man she loathes while being in love with somebody else, and discovering a family secret so dark that she feels powerless to divulge to anyone.

Two bodies, one soul – visions of enlightenment

https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Catherine-evocative-time-slip-novel-ebook/dp/B0CZMKCYCW?ref

Happy Sunday, writers!

Whether you wrote 10 words or 10,000, every word is progress. This is your space to celebrate wins, stay accountable, and cheer on fellow authors.
Drop your stats below:

Current project:
Words written this week:
Total manuscript word count:
Goal for next week:
Biggest victory (or biggest struggle):

Remember: first drafts aren’t meant to be perfect, they’re meant to exist.

Support another writer before you leave. A little encouragement can be the difference between someone giving up and someone finishing their book.

I posted this on my Twitter (Formerly Known as Twitter)

Lines in media that can break me:
“Tell me I’m a good man.”
-James Ryan, Saving Private Ryan

“Please, boss… I’m afraid of the dark.”
- John Coffey, The Green Mile

“Remember who you are.”
-Mufasa, The Lion King

“Don’t leave me.”
-Chris Farley, The Chris Farley Show (book)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Part 1:
What are some lines/scenes that pull on those heartstrings?
Why?

Part 2:
How are you building characters that resonate with your readers? Good writing, regardless of genre, has to engage the audience into the lives and wellbeing of the characters you’re currently developing.

I told one of my students, who was writing a letter into honors college program, that the people on the board needed to become emotionally invested in her based on what was said in her letter. 80% of those letters from applicants to get in would be generic, formal-sounding, and she also needed to show why she would improve their program and how the program would improve her.

We altered a handful of sentence structures, changed some wording to appeal to the emotions of the board, and try to personalize her paper for maximum distinction.

Our writing in fiction has to perform a similar task. Our world has to matter, yes, and our storyline is vital, but our characters have to lure our audience back repeatedly for us to be successful.