Toriko Tales: Toriko vs. The Crowned Paw follows a brilliant and eccentric catgirl engineer as she tests her groundbreaking AI-powered battle armor, who ends up in an emotional and ethical conflict when the AI goes rogue. There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?

The main characters—Toriko, Spark, Maro, Ujaku, Minea, Mini-T, Allia, and Ichini—originate from my main D’mok Revival series. They’ve long been among my favorites, so I was thrilled to dedicate an entire book (and side-series) to them. Even though I’ve “known” them for years, each revealed personal depths I hadn’t expected. As a mostly dedicated “pantser” in my writing approach, authenticity and consistency are the two most important factors for me. Beyond the usual character interviews I conduct to understand them, I also wrote numerous short pieces exploring their homeworlds, histories, families, and formative events—so I could portray how each character’s actions and choices would naturally unfold.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

I’ve been evolving my writing from simply telling an entertaining story to sharing a perspective and sparking conversations. My background—both in formal education and a career focused on crafting technologies and driving innovation—has taken me to the edges of AI research. I’ve seen firsthand how our culture is responding to it, and I have both possibilities and warnings I want to share.

In Toriko Tales, those ideas found the perfect home. The characters, the moment in time within the D’mok literary universe, and the events unfolding in our real world all came together to make this the right story at the right time.

Beyond technology, there are many all-too-human themes: deep roots in family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and hidden secrets coming to light. These elements ground the high-tech story and offer readers something relatable amidst the adventure.

I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?

This book is part of a much larger story arc within the D’mok Revival literary universe. It really showcases who Toriko and her family are, and helps shape the impact they’ll have in the future. Originally, I didn’t think there would be more—but this isn’t the first time an initial impression turned out to be wrong.

Based on how the story ends (no spoilers!), there are so many threads that could continue Toriko Tales—alongside the ongoing D’mok Revival series. I’m all about giving readers what they want, so I can’t wait to hear which topics and issues they’d love to see explored in a future Toriko Tales adventure.

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