In this interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Adam Cosco, award-winning author and filmmaker, shares his journey from Hollywood to the world of novels. Known for his fearless storytelling and exploration of horror, psychological suspense, and dark satire, Cosco discusses the inspirations behind his work, including his latest mind-bending thriller. The Dream Killer. With a background in film, Adam brings a cinematic flair to his writing, creating suspenseful narratives that leave readers questioning what’s real. In this conversation, he opens up about the challenges and rewards of navigating different creative mediums, blending personal experiences with storytelling, and pushing boundaries to craft unforgettable fiction.
Adam Cosco is an award-winning author and filmmaker whose work dives deep into the shadows of the human psyche. A graduate of the prestigious American Film Institute, Adam cut his teeth in Hollywood before turning his focus to novels—crafting stories that blend horror, psychological suspense, and dark satire.
His novels—Little Brother, Say Goodbye to Jonny Hollywood, Lowlands, The Heart of a Child, and his latest mind-bending thriller The Dream Killer—have captivated readers with their atmospheric dread and sharp psychological insight. Fearless, provocative, and impossible to ignore, Adam Cosco writes the kind of stories that leave a mark.
You began your creative journey as a filmmaker and screenwriter, even pioneering VR storytelling. What inspired your transition from visual storytelling to writing novels, and how has your background in film shaped your approach to crafting suspenseful, immersive fiction?
I started writing books because Hollywood felt impenetrable. After years of trying the traditional routes to get my scripts made, I realized that repeating the same approach was a dead end. So I moved back to Canada and reassessed. Looking through my old screenplays, I realized I still believed in them, and I wanted to share those stories, even if it meant doing it a different way.
Many people have told me my books read like screenplays. That makes sense—I learned to write through film, and I still see the world in cinematic terms. My latest novel, The Dream Killer, reflects that. It’s structured like a movie, and even includes QR codes and real websites that link to short companion films. I wanted readers to feel like they were stepping into a world where the conspiracies in the book weren’t just fiction, they were part of something alive and real.
Your novels are praised for their vivid, cinematic pacing and psychological complexity. Can you walk us through your writing process—how do you develop and structure your stories, and in what ways do screenwriting techniques influence your prose style?
My writing process is different every time. For The Dream Killer, it started with a dream I had in the mid-90s. In it, I discovered the body of a girl in my basement. That image stuck with me, and I always knew it was the beginning of something. Over the years, I tried outlining the story in different ways, but nothing clicked. Then, decades later, I had another nightmare that filled in the missing pieces. That second dream became the engine of the story, and I translated both dreams into what is now The Dream Killer.
I wish it always came together like that, but most of the time it doesn’t. Usually, my process involves building a detailed outline, living with the concept for years, and slowly shaping it into something that feels true. It often takes me two or three years before I’m ready to sit down and write. But once I do, I’ve already lived with the story long enough that the writing flows naturally. Whether it starts with a dream or a structured plan, it’s always about finding the core truth that makes the story worth telling.Image Courtesy: Adam Cosco
You’ve spoken about nightmares and primal fears fueling your work, especially in your latest novel, The Dream Killer. What psychological tools or strategies do you use to create horror that lingers with readers long after they’ve finished the book?
I usually have to surprise myself first. As a reader, if I can predict where my story is going, chances are the audience can too. So I try to anticipate their expectations and then subvert them. I do that by sometimes by giving them what they expect earlier than they’d think, so they’re thrown off balance and unsure of what’s coming next.
When it comes to creating horror that lingers, I don’t look to movies or books, I think about real moments in life that scared me. Right now, I’m working on a story that began after I saw a disturbing real-life photo on Reddit. It shook me to my core, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. That emotional reaction—that unease that stayed with me—is what I am trying to capture in this next book.
Many of your stories blend horror with social commentary, exploring themes like trauma, faith, and moral ambiguity. How do your personal views on these subjects find their way into your books, and what do you hope readers take away from these explorations?
I wrote a book called Say Goodbye to Jonny Hollywood—my only comedy so far—and it started out as a horror story. It was meant to capture my feelings about the entertainment industry after leaving Hollywood. But no matter how I tried to frame it as horror, it just didn’t work. It felt heavy and forced. Then I reimagined it as a satire, and suddenly it clicked. The tone fit the message, and the story came to life.
That experience taught me that my personal views always find their way into my work\, whether through comedy, tragedy, or something truly horrific. Sometimes those views are front and center, other times they’re hidden beneath the surface. But they’re always there. Jonny Hollywood let me say something honest about what I hated about the industry, just in a different voice.
You’ve successfully navigated multiple creative mediums and aren’t afraid to push boundaries. What advice would you give to other creatives, especially small business owners or independent artists, who feel stuck between mediums or are hesitant to take bold risks in their work?
And finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your journey or upcoming projects?
I’d say I’m still in the process of reinventing myself, so I don’t feel like I’m in a place to give sweeping advice. But if there’s one thing that’s helped me, it’s consuming as much as possible, books, films, shows, anything. People often talk about originality like it’s something that comes from nowhere, but in my experience, it comes from being aware of what’s already out there. You can’t subvert tropes or twist genres if you don’t know what’s been done before.
The more you absorb, the more your brain starts naturally remixing stories and ideas in new ways. It’s not about copying—it’s about building on a foundation and making something your own.
If you’re interested in checking out my work, you can find more about me and my books here:
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