The Thriller Pitch Podcast

How Do You Write a Thriller When Everyone's Stuck in Their Seats? | Susan Walter

What do you do when your characters are trapped at 30,000 feet with nowhere to go? Susan Walter wrote a locked room murder mystery on a plane and had to figure out how to keep it moving when everyone is literally buckled in.
In this episode we talk about her writing process, how she went from screenwriter and movie director to bestselling novelist, her brilliant character naming tricks taken from Hollywood, and the lesson her dad taught her about never taking no for an answer that has shaped her entire career.
Susan Walter's book Murder at 30,000 Feet: https://a.co/d/04tyglhl
Follow Susan online: https://www.susanwalterwriter.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markpjnadon_thrillerauthor/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

The Machine Will Forget You: The Reality of Writing 4 Thrillers a Year | Brian Drake

35-book veteran Brian Drake joins Mark P.J. Nadon to reveal a brutal industry truth: If you aren't publishing fast, the algorithm will forget you. In this episode, we deconstruct how Brian maintains a prolific pace and why he uses a manual typewriter for his first draft.
 
Inside the Episode:
The 90-Day Churn: The modern algorithm requires high-volume production to stay visible to readers.
The Typewriter Strategy: How Brian uses a manual typewriter to write his first draft
Character Mastery: Moving past "flat" characters to create stakes that actually make readers care.
Technical Research: How Brian researched nuclear security for The Murder Mind.
Featured Book: The Murder Mind (Sam Raven Book 11).
Brian Drake's book The Murder Mind: https://a.co/d/8nPvNqG
Follow Brian Drake online: https://briandrakebooks.com/about/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markpjnadon_thrillerauthor/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

Using Real Technology Without Overloading the Story | J.L. Hancock

J.L. Hancock joins me to talk about The Hawk Enigma and how his past work with special operations informed the technical foundation of the story, without letting detail take over.
We discuss how he approached researching the technology, how he decided what information belonged on the page, and why clarity for the reader mattered more than explaining everything he knew.
J.L. Hancock's book The Hawk Enigma: https://a.co/d/aImbPJx
Follow J.L. Hancock online: https://jlhancock.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

Crime Fiction Without Redemption Fantasies | Joel Nedecky

In this episode of The Thriller Pitch Podcast, I talk with Joel Nedecky, author of The Broken Detective, about the craft choices behind his debut crime novel.
We discuss building a story around a private investigator who knows he’s going to prison, writing character before plot, and allowing questions of addiction, family, and consequence to emerge during revision.
This conversation focuses on perspective, process, and writing crime fiction without easy redemption.
Joel Nedecky's book The Broken Detective: https://a.co/d/atzlbSo
Follow Joel Nedecky online: https://jnedecky.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

BONUS: 10 Lessons I Learned from Interviewing 27 Thriller Authors (2025)

To kick off Season Two of The Thriller Pitch Podcast, host Mark P.J. Nadon shares ten lessons he learned in 2025 after reading more than 45 thriller novels and interviewing 27 thriller authors.
In this bonus episode, Mark reflects on the patterns that came up again and again across conversations with writers, including the importance of support networks, consistency, flexibility in the writing process, letting go of book one, embracing imperfect first drafts, and why relying on luck is not a sustainable strategy.
The episode also outlines a few changes coming in Season Two, including a new biweekly release schedule and the addition of a clearly marked spoiler-full section at the end of future interviews.
This episode is for writers thinking long-term about their craft and what it really takes to keep writing thrillers over time.
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

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/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

Karen E. Osborne on Building Characters from Real Life and Writing Across Dual Timelines

In this episode of The Thriller Pitch Podcast, I’m joined by Karen E. Osborne to talk about how she builds characters from real life and structures stories across dual timelines.
We discuss Justice for Emerson, how observing people in everyday moments helps her capture physical detail and voice, and the way characters become so real to her that she rarely loses track of who they are. Karen also talks about writing across timelines without losing clarity, and how personal history and lived experience quietly shape the emotional core of a story.
This conversation focuses on character, structure, and the small, human details that make fiction feel alive.
Karen E Osborne's book Justice for Emerson: https://a.co/d/9P7NHXj
Follow Karen E. Osborne online: https://www.kareneosborne.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

How Adam Roach Turned a 100-Word Flash Fiction into a Thriller Series

In this episode of The Thriller Pitch Podcast, I’m joined by Adam Roach, author of The Ritualist. Adam talks about how a 100-word flash fiction piece he wrote for a horror contest became the starting point for his thriller series.
We discuss the original flash fiction, what judges said about expanding it, and how that idea eventually became a full-length novel. Adam also talks about writing scenes by visualizing them like a movie, how his approach to outlining changes depending on the project, and why he doesn’t focus heavily on detailed police procedural research.
The conversation also touches on writing villains, long-running antagonists, and how Adam thinks about continuing a story across multiple books.
Adam Roach's book The Ritualist: https://a.co/d/2hovKOO
Follow Adam Roach online: https://www.adamroachbooks.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

How Melissa F. Miller Blends Fairy Tales, Trauma, and Tension in Psychological Thrillers

What happens when a real encounter sparks the opening of a psychological thriller?
In this episode, USA Today bestselling author Melissa F. Miller explains how she built Cut Off from Sky and Earth around memory, trauma, and the dangerous weight of past relationships. We get into how she blended the feel of a fairy tale with a tense, grounded narrative, why she stepped away from legal thrillers for this story, and how she writes three POVs without outlining.
With more than fifty books behind her, Melissa shares the instincts she trusts, the tension she chases, and the character choices that shaped this novel.
If you’re writing psychological suspense or juggling multiple POVs, this episode is packed with takeaways.
Melissa F. Miller's book Cut Off From Sky and Earth: https://a.co/d/c5VEcU6
Follow Melissa F. Miller online: https://melissafmiller.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon

How Andrew Warren Writes Smart, Tactical Villains

In this episode, international best-selling author Andrew Warren, joins me to talk about how he created White Tiger — a villain who’s as tactically intelligent as he is physically dangerous. We dig into writing action that’s fast but clear, how to use strategy to shape a fight scene, and why a smart antagonist raises every aspect of a thriller.
Andrew also talks about returning to the Thomas Caine world for Book Six, keeping a long-running series fresh, and the choices that help each story feel different without losing what readers love.
If you’re writing thrillers or looking for a deeper look at how villains and action scenes work together, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
 
Andrew Warren's book White Tiger: https://a.co/d/j6QRo5f
Follow Andrew Warren online: https://andrewwarrenbooks.com/
Join the After Show on Patreon and get early access to episodes, bonus after-show segments with guests, and my free novella Cognitive Breach. You’ll also be able to support the show and help me keep bringing on great thriller authors.https://patreon.com/markpjnadon
Today's SponsorMark P.J. Nadon's novels including his psychological action tech thriller, The Genesis Project: https://mybook.to/marksthrillers
Authors: Want to be a guest?Apply here → https://markpjnadon.ca/the-thriller-pitch-podcast
Explore thrillers by Mark P.J. Nadon:• https://markpjnadon.ca/novels/
Follow on Social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markpjnadonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_pj_nadon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_pj_nadon