Periodic East follows a group of survivors of “the blast” who are trying to survive in the second ice age and keep humanity alive. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

I was living in Los Angeles and I was devastatingly unhappy. I worked in a very hostile working environment at the time that I started writing the book. I was dealing with co-workers and customers who were (to put nicely) very unpleasant people. Despite their personalities being very volatile, I often imagined what would happen if they were forced to survive on their own or off the land. That’s kind of how “Periodic East” started.

Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?

When I write, I often get into a trance. Particularly when I write in first person and write from the perspective of a main character. They decide what happens. They tell me where they want to go. I try not to fight it. I just let the character guide me. I try to learn from them. I always knew I wanted to have lots of twists and turns in the story, but I wanted them all to make sense. To be possible in the world where “Periodic East” takes place.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

For me, forcing characters to see past and accept the differences of others was pivotal. If certain characters didn’t compromise or choose a more altruistic path, it led to their demise. The importance of being patient, which is something that I struggle with immensely, is also important for the survival and well-being of the characters. And also the fact that oftentimes, the most unlikely people can surprise you in the most amazing ways.

Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?

Book two will be titled “Parallax.” It takes place immediately after the end of Book one. As I respond to this email, I’m four chapters in and I can already tell you, I intend to make it darker than the first. I want my characters to mature and to be more fearless within their environments and willing to take more risks for better or worse. “Parallax” should be available sometime first quarter 2024.

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/31/forced-to-survive-on-their-own/