The Cycle of Eden: Two Sides of Corruption is an intriguing fantasy novel. Why was it important for you to write this book?

There are many positive messages that relate to our own world that I hope my readers take away from The Cycle of Eden. In many ways, Eden is obviously a representation of our own Earth and the moral dilemmas we as humans put it through. A major lesson in The Young Revolution is “…the best way to find kindness is by sharing your own.” No matter how dark and lonely the world feels, kindness will always be what unifies us, for we all seek and deserve it. In Two Sides of Corruption, Seth’s ideals and morals, the contagious kindness he showed in Book #1, are what give him a chance at redemption in Book #2. Forgiveness and Trust are also two aspects of life we as humans in the real-world struggle to accept, which is why it was important for me to write about them in this series. 

I also wanted to show a more mature take on romance that isn’t overblown by needless drama like we see in most media. In general, another major message I discuss as the series goes on is the importance of history. The Cycle of Eden is chock full of connected and complex relationships, all of which built the world the heroes are learning about as they continue on this journey. As long as we learn from our past mistakes, the hope for changing for the betterment of the world will always exist.

In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?

Ria and Duo, the two blessed children in the ways of Light and Dark, were both introduced towards the end of The Young Revolution. That only gave the readers a taste of their personalities and strengths, but now I was able to show the potential of their individual journeys and delve deeper into their characters. Both of these naive teenagers are without a doubt the most powerful characters in the series. Because of that, what made writing them so fun was finding ways to limit their abilities, finding ways so they don’t overpower or crush the competition so easily. This is achieved throughout the novels via their individual personalities, through the fact that they are both growing kids still learning about the world and who they are. Like all characters should, Ria and Duo possess certain traits that make them stick out and determine what is more important to them in a situation compared to others. For example, we learn about Duo’s personal duty in Two Sides of Corruption. In a fighting scenario, there could be a moment where Duo could easily destroy the threat but will instead choose to stick by Ria’s side in order to not risk her getting hurt. Meanwhile, another character in that situation, such as the rambunctious Ryder, would dive right in with zero regard, and that is exactly what makes character writing and development so fun to me. Ria is on a whole other level technically because not only does she have her power under control compared to Duo, but she can literally do anything her creative, hyperactive mind comes up with! A power like this can be outstanding in the hands of a child, but at the same time Ria is a sweetheart that cares for the wellbeing of others and will choose to heal someone as her main priority over destruction. These are just two examples of how I balance them through their personalities, which makes it feel natural in the novel and the world itself. There are also moments I tease my readers with the potential these two have. One example in particular in Two Sides of Corruption is when Ria mentions how she can summon a “dragon” in order to reach a goal. This tease not only confirms that Ria can perform such a feat, but also leaves the potential of readers seeing this “dragon” in a future installment.

When it comes to combat, I’ve made it a point to make every single interaction fresh throughout the entire series. This is done through a variety of methods, whether that is a new weapon being acquired, an additional power-up, a new location such as a narrow hall or a wide-open marketplace or introducing new enemies with different abilities to tackle. Focusing on something different from the previous action sequence keeps the writing from getting repetitive. For example, introducing a new character is like unlocking a whole new framework of ideas that I can now branch off of. All of my characters also have unique weapons or abilities that aren’t shared with anyone else, which allows them to shine in their own ways. When multiple heroes are fighting together, I also practice following one character at a time to reduce reader whiplash. For example, instead of swapping sentence to sentence, I will dedicate a paragraph to Valentina describing everything she is doing with her fists and then transition to Seth by having him save her with a well-placed bullet, a weapon Valentina does not use, drawing a clear contrast of characters. The sequence then follows Seth for a bit, making use of his kit in the particular scenario which would be very different to how Chase would approach it, who I may switch to next to show his side. This process flows until a conclusion is reached, making each character show their unique usefulness for the situation at hand.

What experience in your life has had the most significant impact on your writing?

The reason why the moon and the stars are a focal point in my series, a huge source for conveying a message, especially in the later installments, is because the hobby of stargazing is related to my own mother. It is a personal form of bonding her and I have, and I dedicated this series to her. When I look at the moon, I see and feel something completely different due to my upbringing while others may just see a floating rock reflecting the sun’s light. What they see is true, but we as humans attach our emotions to things, and our feelings are what give things power and meaning. The moon and the stars are beautiful for many reasons to me, and viewing them is a source of comfort, so it is rather easy for me to write about them symbolically. I see a symbol of hope, an image of unity, an inspiring guide showing the way, a sense of closeness and a reminder that we aren’t alone, because each and every one of us, no matter how far away we are from one another, all see the same moon in the night sky.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

The plan with the Cycle of Eden series has been solid from the start. The entire series is finished, but I am constantly improving and expanding on the world and characters practically every day. Readers should see the third novel next year, which will pick up right where Two Sides of Corruption left you. If things keep going as smooth as they did for the first two books, the fourth novel should also be getting published in late 2024!

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