The Hallowed Hearth Podcast - Unmasking the Dark Mind of Bestselling Author A.G. Mock

September 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

A. G. Mock does not outline his novels before writing them. He begins with a title, designs a cover, and then lets the characters decide what happens next. In Now Is the Time of Monsters, his psychological thriller set in 1960s San Francisco, he did not know the identity of the killer until roughly two-thirds of the way through the manuscript. "I can't think of anything more boring than sitting here for ten hours at a keyboard writing a story that I already know how it's going to end," he says. This approach, which he shares with Stephen King, means the characters regularly surprise him. When he tries to force a scene, he says the characters "literally stop what they're doing, they break that fourth wall and they just look at the person who's disrupting." When the writing is working, he feels they have finally "invited me into the room," and he simply reports what he sees, hears, and smells.

The Infection in the Sixties

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What you'll learn

1 The Hallowed Hearth Podcast - Unmasking the Dark Mind of Bestselling Author A.G. Mock
2 (01:01) **Show Opening & Host Introductions** - Hosts welcome listeners and set up "Frighteningly Fantastic Authors Month" on the Paranormal UK Radio Network
3 (07:02) **The Spark Behind "Now is the Time of Monsters"** - Mock reveals his unconventional creative process and the cultural tensions that inspired his psychological thriller set in 1960s San Francisco
4 (16:11) **The Paradox of the 1960s: Flower Power and Serial Killers** - Mock explores how Haight-Ashbury's love-and-peace movement existed streets away from Charles Manson and the Zodiac Killer
5 (23:46) **Writing as Discovery: The Pantser's Method** - Mock explains why he never knows his endings until two-thirds through and how characters take over the story
6 (30:07) **Characters Who Steal the Show** - Mock describes how secondary characters unexpectedly become fan favorites
7 (34:16) **Research Methods: From FBI Papers to Dirty Harry** - Mock reveals how he blends academic research with period immersion

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

We welcome internationally bestselling thriller author A.G. Mock, winner of the 2025 Bookstagram Author of the Year Award and a two-time American Fiction Awards winner. Known for his shocking twists and jaw-dropping endings, A.G. Mock will be joining us to discuss his award-winning psychological thriller Now Is the Time of Monsters, the art of suspense, and what it takes to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Come gather around the hearth where dark stories come to life.

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