Final Eclipse follows a teenage boy and his emotionally distant father who must confront a global crisis sparked by a solar anomaly, blending space science, grief, and geopolitical tension into one unpredictable story. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I first thought of the premise for Final Eclipse when I was teaching upper-level physics courses at my university. I realized that combining some of the newest ideas in long-range space travel and radiation pressure with what we know about the mechanics of so-called “Lagrange orbits,” you end up with a potentially simple way to devastate Earth by casting the entire planet into permanent darkness. When I found that no other author had used this premise the way I envisioned it, I knew I had to write a story that would explore humanity’s struggle to survive such an apocalypse. And I knew that I could keep real-life science at the core of the story without resorting to highly speculative theories or pseudoscience.

Kevin’s voice feels incredibly authentic. Did you draw from any real-life experiences or teens you know to shape his character?

Some of Kevin’s character comes from memories of my own childhood, though there are distinct differences. Much of his character is an attempted departure from the cliché of the “reluctant hero” used in so many stories, or the “chosen one” with special gifts or powers who just wants to be normal, but is the only one who can save the day for some reason.

Kevin, on the other hand, is a smart kid, but otherwise, pretty normal. His story is of one who is determined do something anyway, trying to push in to the center of the action, wanting to be more special and heroic than he realistically can be, and struggling to believe that despite his limitations and the devastating odds against him, that he can still make a difference and that there is still hope for humanity.

The book shifts from intimate drama to global stakes seamlessly. How did you balance pacing and tone without losing the reader?

Any character-driven story needs to connect with the reader on an intimate, personal level. One of the best ways to do this is through family and friends. I start there in my story and then work outward to bigger and more global events, always circling back to the main characters. I have them travel to several countries and intersect with people of various backgrounds and cultures to give depth to the story. For me, it is more important to follow a handful of central characters, even if they are not always at the center of every important event around the globe. Any story like this has to bring a balance of complexity and simple life, despair and hope, mystery and discovery, tragedy and triumph.

Do you see Final Eclipse as a standalone story, or is there more to come?

Final Eclipse is the first book in the Shadow of Winter trilogy. The second book in the series, Leviathan Rises, will be released in the spring of 2026.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon