The Last Orbit follows a crew of four astronauts aboard the ISS as they witness the destruction of Earth by an asteroid and realize they are alone in space. What was the first image that sparked your story — the asteroid, the ISS, or the idea of watching the end from a distance?

The distance.

I had the visual of the impact from space first — almost like a pebble dropped into a pond, with concentric rings radiating out from the centre. From that height, it looked strangely peaceful.

Then I played with the idea of the crown of water splashing upward at the point of impact — something catastrophic, yet quite beautiful when seen from a distance.

That contrast stayed with me: unimaginable destruction reduced to something visually serene simply because of how far away the observer is.

Each astronaut responds differently to catastrophe. How did you develop Ava, Greg, Koji, and Lena as emotional counterweights to one another?

I suppose they’re all facets of the same person.

I needed a commander in Ava — someone who could take charge when everything fell apart. Greg is the heart of the crew, the emotional glue that keeps them human. Lena is the workhorse, the one who keeps moving because stopping would mean thinking. And Koji is the voice of reason — reflective, grounded, and quietly philosophical.

Together they form a complete emotional response to catastrophe, allowing different ways of processing grief to exist side by side.

What balance were you aiming for between scientific accuracy and emotional storytelling?

I started with very little scientific knowledge beyond the basics, but I knew enough to research what I needed to make the setting plausible.

I didn’t want the technical detail to overpower the real story. The Last Orbit isn’t really a space novel at all — it’s a human one. Space is simply the environment that strips everything back.

As long as the science felt grounded and believable, it allowed the emotional side of the story to breathe. Once the reader accepts the reality of the situation, the focus can stay where it belongs — on the people living through it.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

It’s a complete change of environment this time.

The next novel is titled Mya, a traditional gothic horror set in 1880s England — gas lamps, fog, cobbled streets, and long shadows. It’s very nearly finished and is scheduled for release in early February.

This will also be the first story in a connected universe of horror I’m developing — not a strict numbered series, but a shared world with overlapping characters, locations, and events for readers who enjoy discovering those links.

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