Silas Caste is the pen name of Jason Witt. He is a father, an author, and a male survivor of domestic violence, and he writes domestic thrillers rooted in what he lived.

What happened

For years, he was the man everyone half expected to be the problem. His ex-wife reported him to child protective services again and again, and a judge ruled that domestic violence had occurred, on the strength of bruises he never caused. When he called shelters and hotlines for help, he was told their resources were strapped.

Then, on February 6, 2012, his ex-wife held him at gunpoint in his own home and shot him. She did it because she was afraid of losing custody of their sons. She was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He survived.

After

He raised his two small sons largely on his own, rebuilding a home, a legal record, and a sense of safety while carrying the truth mostly in silence. He turned that night into his first novel, Interrupted Dreams. Years later, he wrote the true version, Somehow, You’re the Danger.

He began writing as Silas Caste for personal safety while his sons were young. He has since spoken publicly about his story, including on Investigation Discovery’s Toxic with Elizabeth Chambers. He lives in North Carolina with his two proudest accomplishments, his sons.

Why he writes

Because almost nothing was built to catch men like him. According to the CDC, more than one in six American men has experienced physical or sexual violence, or stalking, from an intimate partner, and more than one in five has experienced psychological aggression.

His thrillers explore control, manipulation, and force, and the lasting damage they leave in the lives they touch. His nonfiction is for the men who need a way through.

As seen and heard on

• Investigation Discovery’s Toxic with Elizabeth Chambers
• Who the Bleep Did I Marry?
• The Perimeter
• ELITE University
• Cases and Cocktails

The books

Interrupted Dreams (Kindle) Interrupted Dreams (Paperback) Somehow, You’re the Danger (Kindle)

The second book in the thriller trilogy, Protective Shadows, is in progress. See everything on the Books page.

Podcasts and interviews

Silas is available for podcasts and interviews about male survivors of domestic abuse, family court, and the story behind his books. Get in touch.