Marcus Kliewer is a writer and stop-motion animator. His debut novel WE USED TO LIVE HERE began life as a serialized short story on Reddit. Film rights were snapped up by Netflix, and it was acquired by Simon & Schuster in the US for publication even before it had been extended into a full-length novel.

His new novel, THE CARETAKER, comes out next year (April 21, 2026) and follows a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

In this interview, we talk about his horror writing philosophy and approach, his first book WE USED TO LIVE HERE, writing on Reddit, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!