Why We Tell Dark Stories — and What They Cost | Westley Smith

In this episode of The Thriller Pitch Podcast, I’m joined by Westley Smith, author of They Came at Night, to talk about blending psychological thriller and action, and how lived experience shaped the emotional core of the novel.

We talk about writing characters shaped by trauma, balancing tension with restraint, and why some stories aren’t built from research alone. Westley shares how personal loss influenced his approach to story, and what he hopes readers carry with them after the final page.

This conversation explores endurance, resilience, and the ways dark fiction can become a form of processing rather than escape.

Westley Smith's book They Came At Night: https://a.co/d/aGFreg3

Follow Westley Smith online: https://westleysmithbooks.com/

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Mark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers

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