What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
Count to Ten grew from my fascination with memory—how it can protect us, betray us, and shape the stories we tell ourselves. I wanted to write a tense psychological thriller in which the clues are not only outside the protagonist, but buried within him. The idea of ten numbered boxes, each holding a piece of a painful past, became the structure that let me explore fear, guilt, survival, and the unsettling question of whether we can ever truly know ourselves.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?
For Evan Morris, "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel: quiet, haunting, and full of things left unsaid. For the Chaos Killer, "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones: dark, relentless, and impossible to ignore.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Psychological thrillers and crime fiction are my favorite genres to read, and they are absolutely my favorite genres to write. I love stories that keep readers turning pages while also leaving them with something to think about after the final reveal.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
My TBR (To Be Read) pile is always growing faster than I can read it. It includes a mix of psychological thrillers, crime novels, and mysteries from writers whose work I admire, along with new releases I discover through reader recommendations.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
My favorite scenes to write were the moments when Evan opens one of the boxes and must confront what it reveals about his past. Each box raises the stakes, but it also forces him—and hopefully the reader—to question what is real, what is remembered, and what has been deliberately hidden.
Do you have any quirky writing habits?
I tend to write while listening to music that matches the mood of the scene. For darker chapters, I'll often use instrumental or atmospheric music to stay inside the tension of the story. I also keep notes nearby because plot twists have a habit of arriving at inconvenient times.
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
Keep going. Progress does not have to be perfect to matter.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
I hope readers remember that the past never disappears simply because we refuse to look at it. The truths we avoid can still shape us—and facing them may be the only way forward.
Raúl Quintana Selleras is the author of the new book Count To Ten
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