What Inspired The Author To Write The Choking Book?

I've always been fascinated by psychological thrillers, and 'The Choking Book' stands out as a deeply unsettling yet compelling read. From what I gathered, the author was inspired by a real-life incident where they witnessed a close friend struggle with an abusive relationship. The way the friend's spirit was slowly suffocated by emotional manipulation became the backbone of the story. The book explores themes of control, vulnerability, and the invisible chains that bind people. The author’s background in psychology also plays a role, as they delve into the twisted dynamics of power and dependence. It’s not just a story about physical choking but the metaphorical suffocation of one’s will.

The inspiration behind 'The Choking Book' is a mix of personal trauma and societal observation. The author once mentioned in an interview that they grew up in a household where silence was weaponized, and this shaped their understanding of oppression. They wanted to write about the ways people can be choked without a hand ever touching their throat—through gaslighting, societal expectations, or toxic relationships.

Another layer comes from the author’s interest in horror folklore, particularly stories about spirits that suffocate their victims in sleep. They blended these myths with modern anxieties, creating a narrative that feels both supernatural and painfully real. The book also critiques how society often ignores subtle forms of violence until it’s too late. The author’s sharp prose forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about power and complicity.

What’s striking is how the book doesn’t just focus on the victim’s perspective but also delves into the psyche of the oppressor. The author studied criminal psychology to make the antagonist’s actions chillingly plausible. This duality makes 'The Choking Book' more than a thriller—it’s a dissection of human darkness.

As someone who reads a lot of dark fiction, I’ve always wondered about the origins of 'The Choking Book.' The author’s notes reveal it was partly inspired by a nightmare they had after binge-watching true crime documentaries. The dream involved a figure standing at the foot of their bed, pressing down on their chest. That visceral fear became the catalyst for the novel’s central metaphor.

Beyond personal fears, the author drew from historical cases of suffocation crimes, especially those where the perpetrator was someone the victim trusted. This duality of love and danger fascinated them. They also wove in elements of gothic literature, like the trope of the haunted house, but reimagined it as the protagonist’s own mind being the haunted space.

The book’s setting—a small town where everyone knows each other but no one intervenes—mirrors the author’s critique of bystander culture. They wanted to explore how communities often enable abuse through silence. The choking isn’t just physical; it’s the weight of collective apathy.