How an horrific injury inspired a Wigan author to write his first horror novella

Wigan writer John Togher is set to release his debut novella, Bound by the Salt, a cosmic folk horror story about a missing woman, a cursed coastal village and a secret that should never surface. The book, released on Amazon on July 1, was written during John’s recovery from a horrific shoulder injury.

What began as a difficult period away from normal life became the starting point for a dark and atmospheric story about memory, place and the unsettling pull of home. Bound by the Salt follows a man searching for his missing lover in Cairnshore, a remote coastal village where the locals keep old secrets, strange rituals still shape daily life and something ancient appears to be watching from the sea. John, who also works in education, said the idea for the book came from a conversation about hometowns and the strange hold they can have over people. “The thought that stayed with me was that your hometown never really lets you leave,” he said.

“I started thinking about places full of old stories, family secrets and things nobody quite says out loud.

“That became the heart of Bound by the Salt.” The novella blends folk horror, psychological dread and weird fiction, drawing readers into a coastline of salt, silence and sacrifice. It is aimed at fans of slow-burn horror, cursed villages, folklore, family secrets and unsettling stories where the landscape itself feels alive. John hopes the book will also show others that creative work can come from difficult circumstances. He added: “The injury was horrible, but writing gave me something to focus on. It reminded me that stories can come from unexpected places, even from pain, frustration and time spent recovering.” Bound by the Salt will be available from Amazon from 1st July on both Kindle and paperback, and is Book One in The Cairnshore Tides Trilogy.

Book Two, The Tidewarden, takes up a village cult member's story on what led to them choosing the woman, and is set for release later in the year.

Early review quotes from GoodReads:

"It's so well written that it will linger in your mind long after finished." "This book felt like poetry written in horror and pain." "Highly recommend for fans of folk horror, weird fiction, cosmic horror, occultism" "This folklore horror novel is beautifully written, with dark and haunting descriptions that create an eerie atmosphere from the very first page." A book launch is scheduled at The Old Courts on Saturday July 4, from 7pm to 9pm, which will be an immersive experience tied to the themes of the book, with soundscapes, ephemera, visuals, author Q&A and reading, and finished off by musician Lee Cullen's new project Adventures in Faith.