What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Wetware?
Two things. First, after finishing my initial series about the commercial motivations for colonizing Mars, I began to wonder: “What about the next generation? How would Martian society evolve over the next 25 years?” Second, there’s a lot of societal worry about the singularity and artificial general intelligence. That led me to research the nature of consciousness and the theories about its origins. It became clear to me that a conscious computer, like Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation, was likely hundreds of years away, if possible at all. But what if an AGI could somehow tap into the consciousness of a human brain? The “what if” became my guiding star for Wetware and the Of Two Minds series.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Wetware, what would they be?
For the main character, Dusty: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
It’s a toss-up between Hard Sci-Fi and Thrillers. I love that with Hard Sci-Fi, I don’t have to check my brain at the door. And I love the intense action of a good Thriller. Since I couldn’t choose between the two, I mashed up both!
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
The Sword and the Sentinel by J.L. Hancock, All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Stay Gone by Kiera Mayock, Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, Roll Them Bones by Danielle Gomes, and five thrillers by Gary McAvoy: The Hildegard Seeds, The Magdalene Reliquary, The Vivaldi Cipher, The Opus Dictum, and The Devil’s Symphony.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
It came early—chapter two, to be specific. In chapter one, Dusty—or rather, two city security officers who happened to come along at just the right moment—had thwarted an attempt by half a dozen Miners and Tunnelers Guild members to “lock” (asphyxiate in an airlock) his friend and fellow geek, Tommy. In chapter two, Dusty comes face-to-face with those same hulking M&Ts after repairing an ore hauler that the Miners and Tunnelers had sabotaged. They snatch his tablet, delete any reference to sabotage from his repair report, and break the video camera off his helmet to destroy any evidence. I take pride in saying much with as few words as possible. In one short chapter, I showed how intense the conflict between the guilds and Management is, how the guilds are simultaneously at war with each other, and how utterly powerless Dusty is within it all.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I own a massive and ever-growing CD collection: classic rock, rock, hard rock, folk, Americana, jazz, blues, swing, and a bit of country. What I’m trying to achieve with my writing dictates my playlist for the day.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
In the end, good will always triumph over evil—and readers can count on that in my work.
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