Choice follows the Archbishop Gerhard and other key characters as they navigate issues of war, leadership, betrayal, and the ethical conflicts that arise when faith and power intersect. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Well there really isn’t any specific inspiration. You could definitely say a song of ice and fire and the age of madness but the one comparison that surprised me the most was when one of my critique partners said it reminded him of blood meridian.

I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from and how did it change as you were writing?

It was partly historical, a bit of reverse African colonialism, but it never really changed—it just expanded as I was writing. I thought, if they came from a distant land, wouldn’t they bring their animals? And if they hated the locals and thought of them as simple-minded savages, why? It all just kind of built from there.

I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?  

Yeah, I do that. The one big question I always ask the character is, ‘What do you want, and how far are you willing to go to get it?’ To me, that’s what makes the story.

When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?

My goal is to have the first draft of book 2 finished by summer of 2025 and, hopefully, have my editor done with it by fall. The events of book two will take place in Brevina, north east of Ustrabela, and revolve around the order’s defense from the savage invasion in the north.