ASCENT follows Ellie, Josh, and Sam into a realm of otherworldly dangers, as they grapple with external threats and inner demons. What were some things you wanted to explore in this book that were different from book one?

I wanted a closer look at the world they were trapped by. I wanted to extend the lore and continue to develop the characters. How would Josh adapt to life after the Circle? How would Ellie’s life be affected now she actually had people she cared about? How far was Sam prepared to go to learn more about this phenomena? Darker characters also came into play, those who had adapted in their own way to live with this curse. There was a lot to do.

Were there any challenges you faced in ensuring ASCENT stood out from the first book?

I wanted ASCENT to have that same driving force as the LIT. That becomes challenging when the story needs exposition to grow, so you need to plant seeds of information as the story progresses. Some explained, some implied and others, shown. LIT was a lot more linear than ASCENT. Keeping the three main protagonists front and centre felt more of a challenge, but I am happy that they all were able to hold their own as major characters.

How do the otherworldly creatures in ASCENT reflect or contrast with the themes you wanted to address in the story?

Some people deal with darkness by embracing it. By allowing themselves to become part of it instead of fighting against it. It’s a survival technique and we all have our reasons for adapting the way we do. As the Leviathans Ascend to a higher level of being, so do their Conduits. Another concept I thought was intriguing was how do Ellie, Josh, and Sam react to camaraderie for the first time in their lives. Now they have had a taste of friendship, how does that affect the life of misery that their inner monsters need to keep them in. Does it breed hope? Trust? Resilience? All these things need to be stripped from the Conduit to make it truly a vessel the Leviathan can use. Friendship and support are dangerous.

Can you share a hint about what readers might expect in the trilogy’s conclusion?

Although the end of the trilogy, it is not necessarily the end of the LIT universe. Remember, this has happened for centuries so the possibilities are endless in regards to place, time, and person. A hint? It is a War. Bad things happen in Wars. People are lost, people are betrayed and bitter. The Conduits can’t hide in the shadows any longer, they are being steered towards a battle where death is the nicest thing that can happen to them.

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