When the lines between everyday existence and the afterlife are blurred, a craving to get to the truth, while simultaneously running from it, takes the reader on an unforgettable spiritual and mind-bending journey with a satisfying ending.
Cain Quillman is a psychological horror author and narrative architect. His stories combine folklore, trauma, and emotional realism to create horror that lingers long after the final page.
Influenced by Stephen King’s truth under pressure and Chuck Palahniuk’s craft of narrative misdirection, Cain writes with precision and cinematic intent. His background in marketing gives him a structural awareness of pacing, payoff, and how stories live beyond the page.
He writes so the reader often knows more than the protagonist.
He designs legends for repeatable rituals and shared mythology.
He lives with M.E./CFS, so accessibility and focus remain central to his work.
His forthcoming novel Pentlockin blends psychological suspense with the mechanics of urban legend. Early readers have compared his tone and structure to Jennifer McMahon, Neil Gaiman, and Gillian Flynn. Known for intricate plotting and hidden architecture, Quillman builds narratives like blueprints—every reveal, every illusion, every emotional hit designed with intent.
Beyond fiction, he has published memoirs exploring fear, survival, and transformation. Those experiences give his horror its heart, grounding the supernatural in human truth. His aim is simple: to write stories that haunt, resonate, and demand to be read twice.
Cain Quillman is a psychological horror author and narrative architect. His stories combine folklore, trauma, and emotional realism to create horror that lingers long after the final page.
Influenced by Stephen King’s truth under pressure and Chuck Palahniuk’s craft of narrative misdirection, Cain writes with precision and cinematic intent. His background in marketing gives him a structural awareness of pacing, payoff, and how stories live...
Building Fear from Truth - Writing the Psychological Unknown
This workshop grew out of the research and writing behind Pentlockin.
It explores how lived experience, folklore, and moral distortion can shape authentic horror on the page.
Participants will examine how empathy, guilt, and realism create dread more effectively than monsters ever could - the same principles that drive the Pentlockin mythos.
The sessions are designed for writers who want to turn personal unease into narrative power....
