Bestselling horror writer Marcus Kliewer has revealed that creating stories about fear helped him recognize and address his own obsessive-compulsive disorder. The author of We Used to Live Here discussed the connection in a recent personal account. His latest novel, The Caretaker, draws directly from that experience.
Kliewer rediscovered his passion for horror writing during the pandemic. Government support through Canada’s CERB program allowed him extra time to focus on his craft after a six-year break from posting on the r/NoSleep subreddit. One of his series, titled The Man in my Basement Takes One Step Closer Every Week, prompted a reader to suggest the narrative reflected OCD symptoms.