The Rise follows a gladiator trapped in a collapsing society ruled by tyrants who has to battle enemies, inner demons, and a regime built on resurrection and control. What was the initial idea behind this story, and how did that transform as you wrote the novel?

The initial idea was I wanted to explore what would happen if man was able to wield a small portion of God’s power and what they would do that. How would they respond? Would they use for good or for selfish reasons? It became obvious to me as I finished book one (The Wall)… That I would need two more books to complete the story to satisfaction.

What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?

I think that the human condition seems to gravitate towards either love and goodness or power and evil. And that we need to actively hold our thoughts and actions captive.

The Rise begins in a traditional way but then takes a turn that defies traditional sci-fi storytelling, turning into a dark, emotional exploration of trauma, resistance, and sacrifice. What was your approach to writing the story?

The Rise is book 3 in The Wall Trilogy. It is an accumulation of all the trials, sacrifice, heartaches, and battles of good against evil from the first two books. I wanted to put the characters through trial after trial so they could finally emerge stronger at the end and learn what really matters.

Where do you see your characters after the book ends?

I see our main characters Asher and Sarai finally be able to live in peace with their son. For the first time, they don’t have the threat of war or outside forces trying to separate them. And although they still have the struggles from their past, they can finally move forward with love.

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