The Extraterrestrial follows a boy from another world raised by loving Earth parents, as he grows into a secretive hero using alien technology to battle criminals while fighting to hold on to family, love, and his humanity. What were some sources that informed this novel’s development?

I was a scientist long before becoming an author in 2013, and much of my scientific background naturally found its way into the Sam Stanton trilogy. My work and research in areas such as invisibility, advanced propulsion, and high-speed aircraft exposed me to concepts that are far less science fiction than many people might assume. Those ideas became the technological foundation upon which the trilogy was built.

Rather than place such advanced capabilities in the hands of an ordinary human being, I chose to make Sam originate from Prime-Even, a highly advanced world associated with the exoplanet Kepler-452b, which has been studied by NASA because of its Earth-like characteristics. That decision allowed me to explore not only advanced technology, but also the cultural, moral, and philosophical consequences of a civilization far older and more advanced than our own.

Beyond the scientific aspects, the trilogy was also shaped by my concern about modern geopolitics, political polarization, and the fragility of democratic institutions. The broader storyline required a setting in which extraordinary events could plausibly unfold—particularly in Part 3, where the failed impeachment of the U.S. President and Vice President ultimately, leads to their abduction and appearance before a tribunal of the galaxy’s most advanced society.

That tribunal becomes far more than a science-fiction device. It is used to examine power, leadership, ideology, and the consequences of political extremism. The President’s “One & Only” policy is dissected before an impartial civilization capable of viewing humanity from an outside perspective, with the possibility that the outcome could trigger a new Cold War—or something even more dangerous.

At its core, however, the trilogy is not really about futuristic technology. It is about identity, secrecy, responsibility, love, and what it means to possess human-like feelings while carrying abilities and burdens that separate Sam from everyone around him. My scientific background provided the framework, but the emotional and moral conflicts of the characters ultimately became the heart of the story.

How did you balance the novel’s technical details, such as Sam’s aircraft, training, and medical knowledge, with the story’s emotional and romantic elements?

I always wanted the technical descriptions to remain concise, while still being convincing enough for readers to accept the world in which the story unfolds. My scientific background helped me create technology that feels plausible rather than purely fantastical, but I never wanted the novels to become technical manuals. The emotional journey of the characters always came first.

The storyline of each of the three books was developed before I worked out the details of the technology itself. Once I understood what the story required emotionally and dramatically, I then created the technological framework needed to make those events believable.

For example, invisibility was an essential attribute. Without it, the abduction of the President and Vice President in Part 3 would simply not have been possible. Likewise, Sam’s ability to protect Michelle in Part 1 against the full might of the Scorpion cartel depended on technology far beyond human capabilities. His extraordinary aircraft and advanced medical knowledge also allowed him to operate outside the limits of ordinary society.

At the same time, I wanted those abilities to deepen the emotional and romantic dimensions of the story rather than overwhelm them. Sam’s powers isolate him as much as they empower him. He is constantly forced to balance secrecy, responsibility, love, loyalty, and the desire to live as a normal human being. In many ways, the emotional conflicts became more important to me than the technology itself.

The technical elements therefore, serve mainly as the backdrop against which the human story could unfold. Beneath the aircraft, invisibility, and advanced science, the trilogy is ultimately about identity, relationships, sacrifice, and the struggle to remain human while possessing abilities no human should have.

Sam often believes secrecy is the best way to protect the people he loves. Do you see that as one of his strengths, his flaws, or both?

Sam was instructed from childhood to maintain absolute secrecy about both his origin and his mission. He was even told never to show his face to anyone if doing so could lead to his discovery. That conditioning became deeply rooted in who he was and shaped nearly every important relationship in his life.

In Part 1, secrecy ultimately leads to his breakup with Michelle because he chooses not to reveal who he truly is. His biological father had taught him that secrecy was essential for survival and for the protection of those he loved. Yet later, he deeply regretted not warning Sam that love changes the equation—that withholding the truth from someone you truly love can become destructive rather than protective.

When I created Sam as a character, I always intended secrecy to function as both a strength and a flaw. On the one hand, it is essential to his survival and to the safety of the people around him. If hostile governments, criminal organizations, or intelligence agencies were to fully discover who and what he is, not only Sam but everyone close to him would be in danger. In that sense, secrecy is a discipline, a responsibility, and even a form of sacrifice.

On the other hand, secrecy isolates him emotionally. It prevents complete trust, damages intimacy, and creates loneliness. Sam constantly carries the burden of protecting others while knowing that doing so may push them away. The very thing that makes him effective also prevents him from fully sharing his life with the people he loves.

So the answer is definitely both. Secrecy is one of Sam’s greatest strengths, but also one of his deepest personal flaws. Much of the emotional tension throughout the trilogy comes from that conflict.

What do you hope readers take away from Sam’s journey as a hero who is powerful but still vulnerable?

I have occasionally been criticized for creating a protagonist reminiscent of a Superman-type figure—the Kirkus Reviews, in particular, made that comparison. But I believe that interpretation misses the essence of who Sam Stanton and Junior truly are.

My protagonists are not invulnerable superheroes. They are realistic, emotionally complex, and deeply vulnerable human-like beings who happen to possess access to advanced technology that, in my view, is not entirely beyond scientific reach. They do not perform impossible feats through magical powers. Their abilities stem from technology, training, intelligence, and the responsibilities placed upon them.

More importantly, both Sam and Junior possess very human flaws. They hesitate, doubt themselves, struggle with moral choices, and suffer emotionally in ways that any ordinary person would. Compassion, loyalty, grief, fear, and love shape their decisions far more than their technological advantages do. Throughout the trilogy, I deliberately explored the moral ambiguity surrounding vigilantism—the question of whether individuals who possess extraordinary capabilities have the right to stand above the law when confronting evil. Their antagonists are equally grounded in reality. Rather than battling fantastical monsters or alien invaders, they confront recognizable threats from our own world: ruthless drug cartels, corruption, political extremism, abuse of power, and ultimately individuals occupying the highest offices in the United States government. That realism was important to me because it keeps the emotional stakes believable and immediate.

Another central thread running through all three books is the tension between secrecy and intimacy. Sam’s and Junior’s need to conceal who they are complicates every meaningful relationship they attempt to build. Their ability to love becomes both a source of strength and a source of pain. The secrecy required to protect others simultaneously prevents them from fully sharing themselves with the people they care about.

As a result, the emotional consequences of the story became just as important to me as the science-fiction elements. When Michelle, her children, and her mother are brutally murdered, Sam’s grief is not superhuman grief — it is profoundly human grief. Likewise, when Sam believes Junior has been killed in Part 3, the pain, despair, and emotional collapse he experiences are intended to feel completely real.

Ultimately, I would like readers to come away from the trilogy not with the feeling that they have read a conventional superhero story, but that they have experienced an emotional and morally complex human drama—one involving love, grief, sacrifice, political intrigue, moral dilemmas, and the psychological burden of carrying responsibilities no ordinary person should have to bear.

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