Blog Archives
Depth and Detail
Pandemic Hacker 2 follows a stubborn and resilient woman who transforms her body to be unrecognizable to her enemies; she and her AI partner work to take down an extortion and trafficking group. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The original story idea was to have a hacker who figured out something significant that was part of the plot. It was my first novel, and learning about the process, I changed the plot. The original technical idea is part of the story and subplot, but not the main plot. I also wanted to create a character who wasn’t like the hackers on TV (click, click, click, I’m in.) There is depth and detail to the technology that a group of readers doesn’t get anywhere else. Then, to make it enjoyable, what if she found something, a group that was hidden, that operated outside of the law because they had corrupted the groups that could stop them (FBI). How could she navigate that kind of world? The pandemic setting helps and hurts in different ways, allowing me to present the reader with various viewpoints about our world.
Martha is a woman with strength and determination who refuses to give up. What do you think makes her a valuable and worthy heroine?
She is confident in her ability to do the special operations stuff. She is confident in her hacking, especially with Zoe’s help. She has a compulsion to clean. She grew up poor and won’t spend money on herself, even though she has millions. Partially because of the pandemic, she only has one read friend. She can’t just make friends with new people and expose them to the killer organization. She is learning and growing in Pandemic Hacker 2. By the end of the book, there are several people now part of the group fighting the bad guys. She is looking forward to living again, not just surviving. The ending aims to convey the completion of the journey that began with her asking if all the pain and being alone are worth it.
I find that authors sometimes ask themselves questions and let their characters answer them. Do you think this is true for your characters?
Yes. But my questions are sometimes odd to others. How could someone travel across the country in a few days without being tracked? How would you send a specific, untraceable message to the FBI that you are sure they will see and notice? What evil actions and behaviors would motivate people to help a stranger if they knew helping would be dangerous for themselves?
Where does the next book in the series take the characters?
The first two books dealt with the evil group and revolved around corrupt authorities. The idea for the next book is to explore cleaning up an organization that could be of help. That could start to turn the tide. Who can you trust, who can’t be corrupted? Can you help the good guys so they can help you?
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The group leaders operate with impunity. Their security and IT teams are formidable. But Martha is determined to dismantle their empire, stealing their ill-gotten money and learning their secrets. With each strike, the group’s IT experts get closer to knowing her and Zoe’s identities.
The engagements are not just on the internet. Every physical disruption puts everyone in danger. Rejoining with Claire, the chase has become a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Both sides believe they’re the top predator.
Innocent lives can be destroyed. Is the best option to expose the leaders to the authorities or work to remove the hydra heads of the organization? Martha must navigate the physical world, while Zoe works to dominate the virtual one.
Pandemic Hacker 2
Pandemic Hacker 2 picks up with Martha recovering in a secretive clinic in Mexico City, her body rebuilt after brutal surgeries that make her unrecognizable. What begins as a personal transformation quickly escalates into a battle with an extortion group exploiting patients who change their identities. At her side is Zoe, the AI she created, who takes on human personas like Aunt Tilly, Angela, and Andy to shield its true nature while navigating the human world. Together, they weave through deception, hacking, and survival. The book blends the gritty details of Martha’s physical recovery with the tension of digital warfare and the looming threat of being hunted, creating a fast-paced thriller that never lets up.
The descriptions of Martha’s surgeries and recovery were raw and vivid. I could feel her pain, her frustration, and her determination bleeding through the page. The way the author wrote her interactions with Zoe was fascinating. The AI was curious, literal, and sometimes naïve, and that contrast made their conversations both touching and eerie. The hacking sequences and background-building explanations were interesting, but occasionally slowed the momentum with heavy detail.
What worked for me the most was Martha herself. She is flawed, stubborn, and relatable, yet her resilience made me root for her even when she pushed people away. I liked the dynamic with Merisel, the nurse who reluctantly became part of Martha’s world. Their relationship brought in much-needed warmth and humor. It often felt like I was catching my breath only to be thrown headfirst into the next storm. That rhythm created suspense, but it also left me wanting a deeper pause to connect with Martha beyond her mission.
Pandemic Hacker 2 is a gripping and tense continuation of the series. It’s not light reading, but it’s engaging and thought-provoking. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy cyber-thrillers, stories of reinvention, or tales that merge high-tech intrigue with raw human grit. If you like protagonists who refuse to give up no matter how much the odds stack against them, this book will hit the mark.
Pages: 284 | ASIN : B0FNRWGBRZ
Alternative Perspectives
Nanite Evolution follows a cutting-edge space yacht that collides with a freighter, leaving they are left stranded while experimental nanites with unknown capabilities begin causing problems; in order to survive, they must find a way to become allies with the nanites. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
First, I would like to thank Literary Titans for the opportunity to share my thoughts. The inspiration for Nanite Evolution stemmed from considering the pace of technological change and what slows that rate of progress. Many discoveries are not intended but occur as a result of accidents. In the natural world, evolution can sometimes experience significant jumps forward in a relatively short period.
Nanites and AI are in the news, and if we project into the future, it will eventually become natural to have a direct interface with nanites from the human brain. Except that such a level of change has numerous ethical and legal implications. You don’t just experiment on humans. That is our resistance. But what if the situation doesn’t have the safeguards? What if the nanites decide? What if the nanites evolve?
To make that situation happen, the setting and circumstances would need to be extreme, which would probably not be what anyone wanted.
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?
The setting of the future was the natural choice, which led to it being in space. To create the conditions for the story to play out, I thought, what would be a progression from today, and how bad could it be? What extreme would provide the best conditions for the nanites to evolve?
I thought about things like, in 3,000 years, what drives space colonization and what are the political and economic norms that could drive more systematic colonization. Drawing on what we see in society today, I positioned the ultra-rich as the primary drivers of colonization. They have the money. They have the desire. But what would that look like?
Several things changed during the writing. The biggest one was realizing I needed to make the Dunks and some of the others more disgusting to convey the extremes that could happen with unchecked power. I decided to scale back on some of the world building, following the writing advice of experienced authors, to keep what is essential to the story. When there are world details, I wanted them to have a basis in physics to be real.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
I’m an engineer, and I love physics, but I know the average reader is not digging into how the universe works. I view explaining some of these concepts as having just enough so that the nerds will nod and say, It sounds plausible, and everyone else will read it and think it is interesting, but I don’t need all the details. I enjoy offering alternative perspectives on technology and its applications.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have two projects that are in active development. The first is the second book in the Pandemic Hacker series. It takes the protagonist from being hunted by bad guys to hunting them. It is set in 2021, immediately following the events of the first book. The first draft is complete, and I plan to release Pandemic Hacker 2 by fall.
The second project is my first book in the fantasy genre. The working title is “The Last Dwarf”. If we don’t have the legendary dwarfs today, there was a point where there was only one left. What was their adventure? I’m also exploring old ideas from traditional fantasy. Things like, why do dragons love gold if they never need to buy things?
I’m always exploring story ideas and constantly making notes to revisit in the future. This constant stream of ideas that may never be finished is why I have “No limit for your mind” on my website.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Blayden Dunk, the heir apparent of the Dunk family dynasty, is launching his cutting-edge space yacht—a fusion of luxury and nerd gaming showpiece—and finds himself in a dangerous situation. The yacht, plagued by malfunctioning systems, collides with a freighter and performs an emergency jump, leaving both vessels stranded amidst the stars. The crash releases experimental nanites—tiny machines with unforeseen capabilities. Instead of behaving in expected ways, the nanites suddenly make a dangerous situation even worse. Suddenly, Blayden and his guests are stranded, and the group’s survival hinges on turning the nanites into allies.
Cher is a spy for her independent colony, searching for details of the Dunk plan. Working to protect her planet and learn the Dunk secrets, Cher discovers someone else is also trying to track down the details of the Dunks’ plan, which makes her wonder whether they’re a friend or enemy and how the missing yacht factors in.
When Blayden returns in a freighter instead of his yacht and the nanites are revealed, Cher and other interested parties must alter their plans and improvise quickly.
But who controls these powerful constructs, and what was their intent? Are the nanites the ultimate tools for construction, salvation for humanity, or an unstoppable weapon poised to alter the balance of power?
Nanite Evolution
Nanite Evolution is a gritty and high-octane sci-fi novel that drops readers into a corrupt and hyper-commercialized galaxy where power, technology, and greed intersect with deadly consequences. The story revolves around the Dunk family empire, their ruthless expansionist goals, and the chaotic chain of events triggered by an advanced jump-drive yacht, corporate infighting, and a botched space collision. Through layered plots involving bodyguards, covert agents, advanced nanotechnology, and a bleakly humorous take on corporate culture, the novel unfolds with tension, dark satire, and surprising depth.
The writing grabbed me right from the start with its snappy dialogue and unexpected Australian lingo—Captain Nguyen’s “koala on a pogo stick” quips gave me a chuckle in a bleak universe. The pacing can be wild—one moment you’re neck-deep in political posturing, the next you’re in zero-g blood and guts. But that’s also part of the book’s charm. The characters, especially Oscar and Shamika, stand out against a sea of egotistical executives and sociopaths. Oscar, the underestimated tech guy, feels like the moral heart in a world devoid of one. The writing has a raw and unfiltered edge that adds flavor. It’s not polished in a classic literary sense, but it has a pulse. And I appreciate that.
Some parts left me feeling twisted up inside. The dehumanizing way the Dunks talk about women—and people in general—is unsettling. It’s effective, yes, but it made me loathe these characters with a real gut-level reaction. Blayden is one of the most despicable characters I’ve read in a while, and that’s saying something. The darkness in this story is brutal, but it feels earned. Murphy doesn’t shy away from exploring how unchecked power warps people. I found myself needing breaks just to breathe. But then again, isn’t that the mark of a powerful story?
Nanite Evolution is sharp, intense, and totally uncompromising. It’s a bold take on futuristic dystopia with a biting sense of humor and a grim view of what humanity could become when profit trumps decency. I’d recommend this to fans of The Expanse, cyberpunk thrillers, or anyone who loves character-driven sci-fi with a heavy dose of social commentary. If you like your sci-fi raw, real, and a little bit savage, this one’s worth the ride.
Pages: 400 | ASIN : B0DXTJGV5B
LITERARY TITAN 