We Watch All is a thought-provoking dystopian science fiction novel set on Neo Mars, where mysterious trials to select a new Priest expose the secrets, power struggles, and unsettling truths behind the colony’s seemingly stable society. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When I came back to the original idea for We Watch All, I started thinking about what would happen if an entire society relied on one person to preserve its history. History books can be rewritten, records can be manipulated, and even the same event can be told differently depending on who’s recounting it. I wondered if having one person responsible for knowing the truth might help prevent that.

That became the foundation for the Priest, someone entrusted with the history of NeoMars, from the first wars to the final wars. In Priest’s Last Call, Glen is presented as someone who carries that history entirely within his memory. The people of NeoMars trust him to know what happened, without necessarily questioning how one person could retain so much knowledge.

But even someone entrusted with that responsibility can’t serve forever. Eventually, Glen would need to retire, and someone else would have to inherit everything he knew. That question of how to choose a successor became the foundation for the Trials, and the story grew from there.

Did the story begin with the character of Glen, the succession trials, or the larger mysteries surrounding the Ones?

Glen was definitely the starting point. When I began developing the story, I knew I wanted someone who had spent decades carrying the history of Earth and was finally reaching the point where he needed to pass that responsibility on.

At the time, I had no idea what the Trials would look like, who the candidates would be, or even that the Ones would eventually become part of the story. Those elements developed naturally as I continued writing and exploring the world around Glen.

I think that’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed most about writing We Watch All. Some of the characters and ideas that became important to the story weren’t things I originally planned. They emerged as the world grew, and I let the story develop around them.

Which trial was the most challenging or interesting for you to write?

I’d have to choose two, because they’re both among my favorite parts of the book for different reasons.

The isolation rooms with the Ones were probably the most challenging to write. I spent a lot of time figuring out how to give each candidate a meaningful experience without making the scenes feel repetitive or spending too much time on one character at the expense of another. I wanted each encounter to feel personal and give the reader a better understanding of the person experiencing it.

The final Trials were just as important to me, but for a different reason. Sending each candidate to a different part of NeoMars gave me the opportunity to explore the world beyond the Great Hall and the Trials themselves. It allowed me to show more of the society I’d created while giving each character their own experience and challenges.

Both sections are among my favorites because they helped me develop the characters while expanding the world around them.

Are you planning to revisit Neo Mars, the Ones, or any of the characters in a future book? 

Yes, absolutely. While We Watch All: Priest’s Last Call was the beginning of the story, I’ve since completed the trilogy with The Priest and The Council and The Priest and The Ones. All three books are now available, and together they tell the larger story of NeoMars, its people, and the mysteries surrounding the Ones.

I’m also working on a companion project called Earth Archives, which takes a different approach to the universe. Rather than focusing on NeoMars, it explores Earth’s history and some of the events that eventually led humanity to establish the colony. It’s an opportunity to tell smaller stories and expand on parts of the world that the main trilogy only touches on.

I also finished a novella that takes place between the first and second books, The Silent Hall, that shows what happened in the brief period where the new Priest takes on the mantle and unlocks more of the world surrounding the Priesthood and what it represents to the universe as a whole.

As for returning to the characters or continuing the main story beyond the trilogy, I haven’t made any definite plans yet. I’ve grown attached to the world and the people in it, though, so I wouldn’t rule out another visit to NeoMars someday.

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