Exploring Noir, Folklore, and Real-World Fears – Exclusive Interview with DDL Smith

DDL Smith is a London-based novelist whose cross-genre, contemporary fiction reflects issues and fears in modern society. His creative roots started from a young age with theatre and scriptwriting for online content. When transitioning to novels, his goal was to use marketing techniques to ‘think like a publisher’ while staying independent. A tactic that has his books available in book chains across the globe.

DDL Smith, Author

Who is DDL Smith? Tell us something interesting about yourself.

I’m Dan! A novelist who loves writing in different genres to create stories that ground themselves in real-world issues. When I’m not falling down rabbit holes of knowledge, or falling down actual rabbit holes because I’m not watching where I’m walking, I’m travelling to get inspired for new stories to share with the world. I grew up a theatre kid, born in 1999, and that love of performance evolved into film, then scriptwriting, and now novels. Storytelling has always been a constant in my life, although the medium has changed as I’ve grown.

What makes your Detective Dion series different from other modern noir?

The Detective Dion series stands apart by blending the grit of classic noir with real-world fears we see today. Dion’s ADHD shapes his unique detective style, for better or worse. We get a glimpse of hyperactivity and an incredible ability to focus that sometimes creates friction and fixations. To balance him out, his partner, Detective Stevens, is vibrant and youthful. He allows readers to see the differences between Dion’s impulsive, inward-driven approach and Stevens’s more grounded perspective. The cases they encounter aren’t just standard “high-society” cases either, they confront fears that feel straight from today’s world, from abuses of power to the erosion of privacy. Detective Dion launched my journey as an author, giving me a way to tell stories that validate real fears while sparking bigger conversations about the world we live in.

How has your film and scriptwriting background shaped the way you build tension on the page?

My background in film and scriptwriting taught me to think in scenes, not chapters. I spent most of my teens, then through college, creating short films, learning how to write in a way for someone to frame a story, learning in editing where to cut a clip, when to let the silence do the work. One of my favourite film projects I worked on was with my good friend, Julian Shaw, in a short called Subject: Point Alpha. The film drew tension from slow, intense moments that built up. That’s generally how I envision my writing, I see the story play out like a film. Where’s the camera? How’s the lighting? How do the characters move? Where would be those intense on-screen moments. Then this gets written into the page. Most books are written and then adapted into films. I work the other way round. I see the film first, then write the novel, which makes the tension on the page feel cinematic from the very beginning.

What inspired Decay and the blend of folklore, family, and environmental horror?

The inspiration for Decay came in stages. At the time, I was already interested and advocating for nuclear power, yet I kept seeing how many people still fear it. With the style of my writing, to validate fears so people feel seen, it seemed like an engaging story. A story to bridge the fear with the reality that nuclear is far safer than most people realise. I settled on an orphan source for Decay, as it can validate the concerns of when nuclear is mishandled.

Next came the setting. I decided on Sweden due to its remote locations and vast forests. I travelled to Östersund to ensure I captured the setting authentically. Then, from discussions with old friends and conversations with making new friends, I decided to add folklore into the novel also. Folklore has a great way of teaching us about dangers, and to explain things we might not understand in the moment. These stories allowed family to be an emotional theme to tie everything together.

How do you research technology and folklore to keep your stories authentic and timely?

I tend to start a story with an idea of something I’m interested in and somewhat knowledgeable of to begin with. This is where one of Detective Dion's superpowers comes into play in the real world. Having ADHD myself, it allows an almost obsessive hyper focus on a topic, a need to know as much as I could possibly find out about a subject. The more I can find out and link together, the more excited and focused I become. I remember at one point when writing Decay, I had stacks of research papers scattered across my desk on nuclear power technology, medical research of radiation syndrome, all piled upon what felt like every folklore tale in existence. The research always begins with curiosity, then spirals until I feel I know enough not just to write in a way that resonates.

If someone is new to your work, which book should they start with, and why?

I would certainly start with Decay. It’s a fantastic stand-alone novel that highlights the themes and details I attempt to fill each novel with. If you like it, then there’s the Detective Dion series to look forward to after. My novels are available internationally through Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and more. Local bookstores can also order copies directly via my website.

Follow me on Instagram for more info!

Read more from DDL Smith