In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa is joined by bestselling author Will Dean to discuss his haunting psychological thriller Adrift — a novel that explores control, isolation, and the quiet terror of living with someone who manipulates from the shadows.Will talks candidly about his off-grid life in the Swedish woods, why he writes his first drafts in intense six-week bursts, and how emotional stories like Adrift can take years to fully realise.Together, they discuss:Writing while living off grid and why isolation fuels creativityWhy Will avoids the publishing “noise” and trendsHow Adrift took five years to complete, despite a fast first draftWriting claustrophobic tension without exhausting the readerThe psychology of control, gaslighting, and quiet manipulationWriting from a child’s point of view and the emotional toll it takesWhy Will leaves much of the violence off the pageThe fear and excitement of starting a new novelHow rereading favourite books shapes his writingThe current reading crisis and why encouraging children to read matters more than everWill also shares what he’s currently reading, why he rereads authors like Shirley Jackson and Sarah Waters, and answers the most important question of all: what powered the writing of Adrift (spoiler: frozen dates, not biscuits).A thoughtful, intense, and revealing conversation about storytelling, fear, and the importance of noticing unheard people in unseen places.Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.📧 Email: [email protected]📸 Instagram & Threads:@quick_book_reviews🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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