The Thin Line Between Right and Wrong

Every story begins with a question.
For Planted, mine was simple:
How far would an ordinary person go to do what they believe is right — when the world around them insists it’s wrong?

During my years in corporate banking and technology, I watched brilliant people wrestle with decisions that never made the headlines but changed careers — and lives. Most didn’t start out corrupt or cynical. They started out decent, ambitious, and eager to make a difference. Somewhere along the way, pressure, politics, and power began to blur the edges.

That’s what fascinated me when I began writing Planted. Not the crime itself, but the justifications — the quiet logic that creeps in when we tell ourselves “just this once.”

In fiction, those moments make for gripping drama.
In real life, they’re far more uncomfortable — because they feel familiar.

So here’s what I’d love to know from you:
👉 Do you believe most people would do the right thing if no one ever found out they didn’t?

I’d be genuinely interested to hear your thoughts — readers, writers, professionals, anyone who’s ever faced a gray-area moment.

— David Dart
📘 Planted (available now: https://a.co/d/7QGAemz)