Last follows a boy raised in a world where humans are no longer the dominant lifeform and the struggle for survival is harsh, who refuses to give up on hope and chooses to go on a perilous quest to the city of robots for answers. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The very first version of this story that I ever thought of was probably close to eight years ago, and was about a lone, conscious robot in a world of people. That idea was perhaps a bit too similar to the film A.I., a sort of Pinnochio adventure. But then I went through some very rough personal experiences as I was working on some other projects, and realized the story I really wanted to tell was about a flesh and blood boy who was living alone in a world full of metallic ones, which ultimately became LAST.

In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?

I lost my father when I was very young. That experience, growing up for a time without a father, then having a stepfather, and then, eventually, becoming a father myself has been an element that has informed all of my books, from the Jim Morgan series to Last. But at the time I was writing LAST, I had also just gone through a turbulent time in my adult life, grappling with overwhelming feelings of loneliness and failure. I felt like an exposed nerve in a metallic world, and that was really the genesis of the story.

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

If I were to pick one, it would simply be “we need each other.” Even though some of them are antagonists in the novel, robots, and technology aren’t Win’s real enemies. His greatest adversaries are loneliness and despair, and of course the realities of the world he lives in, where people and communities grew apart and then began to fade away. Technology can be a wall between people, but it can also be a bridge. We just have to remember that to really live as humans, that requires having humans in your life, even if they aren’t perfect and sometimes hurt us. The richest memories and moments in my life are almost entirely moments that were shared with others.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

It’s possible. I’ve thought a lot about where Win goes after the end of this story. Who does he find and what obstacles will still lie between him and his ultimate destination and goal? I have another idea for a stand-alone novel that I may tackle first, but if there was a big enough audience demanding more of Win’s journey, there’s certainly more to be told. For now, if readers are hungry for more of my writing, they might try Lord of the Wolves next, as I think it’s the closest in theme to Last, though it features no humans at all, only animals.

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