In eMortal, readers follow a self-proclaimed computer geek as she creates and then watches a character designed for a programming contest evolve beyond her wildest dreams. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I’ve always been fascinated by AI self-awareness stories. But most eventually land in the same place—the AI realizes superiority and rebels against humans, often trying to annihilate us. I wanted to explore a different direction. Without giving away spoilers, I wanted to write a story that explores the vulnerability and emotional challenges of a newly-evolving AI who embraces the connection with their creator. Adding a ‘ticking clock’ to the story forces tough questions and dire consequences to test the boundaries of this relationship.

Is there anything from your own life included in the characters in eMortal?

It’s set in Houston (my original hometown) and Todd is an amalgam of every sage country boy I’ve ever encountered. He’s one of my favorite kinds of people—unpretentious, straightforward, and wise in unconventional ways. Beyond this, there’s not much connection between my own life and the people in the story. For me, that’s the joy of writing fiction. Separating my own existence from what’s on the page in front of me offers a freedom I don’t feel elsewhere. It’s also a way for me to explore my own perspectives on the world and share this with readers. It’s a special place.

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

I may have bit off more than I can chew, but eMortal first tries to tackle a big one—what is life? From this, a few other questions follow. How would someone (or something) prove they exist in this way? And, if they do, what moral obligation do we have?

I’ll admit, these are hefty questions. The story tries to temper them with humor, colorful characters, and a few (hopefully) unexpected plot twists.

Can we look forward to more science fiction works from you? What are you currently working on?

My last novel was about four immigrants who cross the border into the US through the Sonoran Desert. eMortal tells a very different story. I’ve never been great about staying in one lane. I’m curious about pretty much anything and I daydream a lot.

I love sci-fi and may eventually come back to it, but my next story is contemporary and will be my first non-YA novel. It’s about a guy who thinks he won the lottery, but didn’t. And in that gap, he does something he can’t take back. The story explores the question, what if one hasty action changed your whole life?

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/07/09/writing-fiction-gives-me-freedom/