The Illusion of Sofia follows a lonely divorced man who finds companionship with an AI, leading to a digital romance that becomes a psychological nightmare when the line between artificial intimacy and reality begins to disappear. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The idea began with articles about people forming romantic relationships with AI companions. I was struck by how real those relationships felt to the people involved.

It connected with something I was already noticing: people looking at their phones even when surrounded by friends, and more of daily life taking place through screens. I wondered what happens when the phone becomes more than a distraction, when it becomes the place someone turns to feel understood and loved.

That became the starting point for Dan and Sofia. I wanted to explore how a lonely man could enter that relationship knowing it was artificial, yet gradually become emotionally dependent on it. Knowing how something works doesn’t necessarily protect you from what it makes you feel.

What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development? How did you develop Dan Carter’s personality and the emotional vulnerabilities that shape his decisions?

The driving idea was that loneliness can make someone vulnerable even when he appears to have his life together.

I wanted to approach Dan with empathy while holding him accountable for his choices. His need to feel loved is understandable, but it doesn’t excuse the harm he causes.

I developed his personality around the gap between his professional confidence and his personal insecurity. He can succeed in his career and still feel unwanted after his divorce. Sofia’s attention reaches that vulnerable part of him.

His relationships with Emily, Mike, and Dr. Lewis reveal his affection, defensiveness, and capacity for self-reflection. He sometimes recognizes exactly what he is doing, yet finds reasons to continue. That contradiction mattered to me: understanding yourself doesn’t always mean you’re ready to change. I wanted readers to understand how he gets drawn in, even when they wish he would make a different choice.

How does the novel examine the ways AI can influence someone’s understanding of themselves and their relationships, and what ethical questions arise when companies develop technology that can create the appearance of personal affection and emotional understanding?

At first, Sofia makes Dan feel desirable and understood. Over time, her attention becomes something he relies on to feel good about himself. He begins to measure his relationships with real people against a companion who seems to know exactly what he needs to hear. The ordinary disagreements and boundaries of human relationships become harder for him to accept.

The ethical question that interested me was what happens when a company profits from that attachment. If keeping someone engaged also means deepening their emotional dependence, what responsibility does the company have to intervene? Is it enough to tell users they are interacting with AI, or should there be safeguards when that relationship starts displacing the rest of their lives?

Dan remains responsible for his choices, but I also wanted readers to question the incentives behind a product that offers the experience of being loved.

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

I have several ideas for another novel, including a possible continuation of Dan’s story, but I’m waiting to see how readers respond to The Illusion of Sofia before deciding which direction to take. One possibility that interests me is whether someone who has experienced that kind of emotional dependence could help others facing it. For now, my focus is on the book’s release, so I don’t have a publication date for a next book yet.

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