NK Chats To… M.D. Dixon

Hello. Thank you so much for bringing the blog tour for IKONA to Novel Kicks. What’s a detail, theme, or clue in your book that most readers might miss on the first read—but you secretly hope someone notices?

I hope someone notices that whilst the present-day chapters and future chapters are chronologically ordered forward in time, the chapters set in the past (early 20th century Siberia) move backwards in time, so that the earliest chapter timeline-wise for the past chapters reaches a climax at the latest period time-wise for the other chapters. Truthfully, there are many other details that might be missed but which astute readers will catch: recurring motifs, the recursive nature of the story, how Gutov’s chapter 26 is also IKONA’s chapter 26, for example.

When did this story or idea “click” into place for you—was there a single moment you knew you had to write it?

This story first came to me in 2012. I planned the structure and journeys for years before I sat down to write it. I knew from the moment I got the first few pages and the title that it would be my most mature work. It is my fourth novel, but my first published novel. It was a persistent inner voice which never left me no matter how many twists and turns my life took in the interim. I wrote it in 2022.

Which character or real-life person surprised you the most while writing this book, and why?

Finley Minor’s journey evolved in a way I didn’t expect. No spoilers so I will just say that his arc deeply moved me, and I was unprepared for my own emotional reaction.

If your book had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it and what scenes or moments would they pair with?

Jimi Hendrix’s All Along the Watchtower was a song that appeared in my mind the moment the title and first chapter appeared, as if guiding me with its revolutionary message – I feel that this song is the musical equivalent of IKONA’s message.

The song You Are a Memory by Message to Bears accompanied Part Three of the novel and always brings me back, emotionally, to Finley’s and Wallace’s final chapters.
Saeglopur by Sigur Ros takes me to the narrative’s climax and particularly Jia Li during one of her Shibari performances.

Music was a salve for the entire writing of IKONA and I created a public Spotify playlist for the novel called IKONA the Playlist.

What’s one belief, question, or emotional truth you hope readers carry with them long after they finish your book?

Hope. I want readers to experience hope and a sense of personal agency in the long road of societal change we currently find ourselves navigating.

Tell us about a moment during the writing process when the story (or message) took an unexpected turn.

Honestly, writing this felt like an experience of transmission. There was no unexpected turn – the consistency in message, tone and narrative arc was set and unwavering. There was always a sense of consistency, as if the river of words flowed, and I was merely the faithful witness. From a craft point of view, there was a fair bit of planning. It felt like a giant puzzle I had to arrange in precisely the correct order. Like sacred geometry. Which chapters went where, and in what order, and so on. But the narrative itself flowed without deviation.

If your protagonist (or the central figure in your nonfiction) could give the reader one piece of advice, what would it be?

Well, as my character Gutov says regarding his chapter the Bridge, “Read it again, this time with your heart.”

What real-world place, object, or memory helped shape a key element in your book?

I am a Russophile by training, albeit 30 years ago. I lived in St. Petersburg, did my doctoral research in Crimea, travelled a lot in Russia and Ukraine…
My experience speaking Russian with friends, speaking of the soul, of life, of destiny, on -35 degree nights in friends’ apartments, with vodka or strong coffee, has certainly shaped me, and by extension, my vision and prose. This was in the 1990s, a time of that society’s collapse – the atmosphere and weight of it permeates my marrow. So this definitely has shaped a certain ‘vibe’ of IKONA.

What’s something you had to research, learn, or experience to write this book that genuinely shocked you?

I can’t speak to shock; I don’t think anything shocked me! But I did a deep dive on the process of creating a metal crucifix –the how tos – and this led me to researching the life of iconographers in early 20th century Russia, and that was fascinating. I found a wonderful academic book on the subject matter with loads of photos, and it just really touched me. Iconographers were like monks, and lived as such and were part of the monastic community. I loved how when they created icons, it was a holy occasion accompanied by fasting and prayer.

SPOILER ALERT: I was surprised (and also not surprised as I know Russians and Russian history) that one of the chief investigators of the Tunguska Event was a famous (at the time) science fantasy author. The government actually invited this person to research and comment, because conventional science had found no answers, but they thought this author had some kind of insight into the field of reality beyond hard science. It always makes me chuckle when I remember this.

If your book were invited to join a shelf with three other titles, which ones would make you happiest—and what would that shelf say about your story?

I would place it alongside Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Teachings of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda, and The Overstory by Richard Powers. I think because it signals to the reader that while the story is a high-concept, multi-timeline puzzle, it is grounded in the visceral, feet-on-the-ground reality of a spiritual initiation. This shelf tells the reader that IKONA is an invitation to look beyond the shadows of our current reality and contemplate how consciousness itself can heal the future.

About IKONA – 

The interplay between ancient mysticism and a speculative future is examined in IKONA by M.D. Dixon. By following the lives of four strangers linked by a mysterious healing cross, the story investigates the boundaries of the human experience. It presents a framework for understanding how individual reckonings can influence the trajectory of a collective destiny across multiple timelines.

An inexplicable healing power emanates from a Russian Orthodox cross that begins to appear in various cities and lifetimes. This holy icon draws four strangers together—from Sydney, Hong Kong, Atlanta, and Berlin to the frozen stillness of a post-apocalyptic Siberian tundra. Kate Davies witnesses its power on a child in Atlanta, while Finley Minor is plagued by the quiet weight of visions in Sydney. Jia Li MacPherson, a Shibari performer with a secret past, holds information that makes her a target for dangerous forces. One hundred years in the future, Wallace Deng Moroz lives as a monk in a world where a genetic engineering catastrophe has brought humanity to its knees. Amidst political polarization, he clings to the hope of a cure.

The convergence of these four figures is fated, yet it is ultimately defined by their personal choices. As the cross’s resonance grows stronger, they must decide which version of the future they will inhabit and what they are willing to give up to achieve it.

IKONA was released in February 2026. Click to buy on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

About M.D. Dixon – 

M.D. Dixon is a novelist, somatic therapist, and explorer of the intersections between the psyche and the sacred, science and mysticism, trauma and transformation. Holding a Ph.D. in the social sciences with a focus on Russia and Ukraine, Dixon has spent nearly fifteen years in therapeutic practice in Sydney, Australia. Dixon’s debut novel, IKONA, weaves visionary fiction, myth, and metaphysics to illuminate the evolution of consciousness. Dixon also hosts The Shattering Place, a podcast on multidimensional healing and the awakening human story, launching in early 2026.

Visit M.D. Dixon online. You can also connect with them via Goodreads. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.