Fade In follows a paralyzed ex-CIA operative who is reawakening into a web of moral decay, elite manipulation, and the creeping dread of power unbound by conscience. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Basically, the things I see around me every day. The world has become increasingly unpredictable, and the actions of people and nations seem increasingly self-destructive. On top of that, we have a ruling elite that, through technology, have power over the masses that’s unprecedented. They know everything about us—where we go, who our friends are, what we buy, what we watch on television, what news outlets we subscribe to. And with the rise of AI, they can use that information to control us.

Were there any real-world events or technologies that directly influenced the book’s depiction of surveillance and AI warfare?

All of the technologies in my books are real-world. It’s possible that they’re put together in ways that haven’t happened yet or they’re larger in scale, but I tend not to make things up. Frankly, there’s no reason to. In the current era, reality is more interesting than fantasy.

You balance gritty action with moments of quiet, existential dread. How do you approach pacing to keep that tension alive without exhausting the reader?

I’ve always liked the roller coaster feel of action books and movies. My gold standard is Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was the perfect mix of crazy action, character development, intrigue, and humor.

With Fade In, I add to that interesting technologies and commentary about the possibility that human society is headed for disaster. It’s a matter of carefully choosing where to insert those components with respect to one another.

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