Psychological tension lives beneath the surface—quiet, sustained, and often more unsettling than action itself. These posts explore how pressure builds within characters, where thought, restraint, and anticipation create unease, and what isn’t said carries more weight than what is.
They tell you to take a break. They tell you it’s healthy to “let off steam.” They tell you burnout is real, stress is dangerous, and pressure kills. But they never tell you what actually happens when the pressure reaches the point they warn you about. They just gesture vaguely toward the darkness and say,
Bottle It Up. Smile More. Pretend You’re Fine Read More »
Artists can learn more about themselves if they take the time to look in from the other side of their art. Photographer Mitchell is about to find out more as he recognises what’s been happening to him the moment just before he presses the shutter button on his camera. SEETHINGS and SEETHINGS 2 are the first two trilogy
Self Reflection In The Glass Of A Viewfinder Read More »
I’d like to welcome you to my pit of evil happenstance. This is where innocent people are lured away from the light and taken into the dark recesses of a dark dungeon. May your stay be disturbing as possible. Of course, no one is totally innocent. Even the most honest, hard-working of souls has something
Calling Lovers of Dark Fiction Read More »
When it comes to lovable evil characters, Hannibal Lecter is one I’d like to give one big ‘ol squeeze. Isn’t he just the best? You can’t help but fall in love with the good Doctor’s wit, intellect and sense of propriety. If it weren’t for the odd liver and fava-bean request, you’d be happy to
Redeeming Evil Characters Read More »
We all have our demons. Some of us are prepared to chase them to hell and back just to answer the questions only we can ask when writing. When I’m chasing mine, I never know if I’ll find evil or glory at the other end. I take a giant leap of faith and let myself
Let’s Find The Bottom Of Our Rabbit Holes Read More »
Empathy is often treated as something you either have or don’t. A natural gift. A moral compass that’s worth some value in what appears to be a gradually shallow world. But empathy can also be performed. Most people learn early what empathy is supposed to look like: the appropriate facial expression, the appropriate words, the
Can Empathy Be Faked? Read More »
There’s a strange comfort in familiarity. A known face. A familiar voice. Someone who has always occupied space in your life without incident. We trust these people not because they’ve passed repeated tests, but because questioning them feels unnecessary — even disloyal. Familiarity creates a shortcut in the brain. Once someone is categorised as safe,
Why Familiar Faces Are Harder to Question Read More »
It’s a question usually searched late at night, after reading or seeing something unsettling in the news. Usually it’s done without telling anyone else. The short answer is: sometimes — but not in the way people imagine. Psychopathy isn’t defined by violence or chaos. It’s a personality structure characterised by shallow emotional responses, reduced empathy,
Do Psychopaths Know They Are Psychopaths? Read More »
Most people think a secret is something you keep. Like an object.Like a locked box.Like something you place on a shelf and walk away from. That’s rarely how it works. A real secret doesn’t stay where it’s put. It moves. It follows. It breathes alongside you. At first, it feels manageable. Even powerful. You know
Keeping a Secret — Or Does That Secret Own You? Read More »
It’s a question many people ask quietly, after noticing something small but strange. An advert that feels too specific. A recommendation that echoes a private conversation. A sense that someone else is paying attention. Smart devices are designed to listen — at least sometimes. Voice assistants, smart TVs, baby monitors, and home hubs rely on
Are Our Smart Devices Listening Too Much? Read More »