Prima Nocta explores soul connections and relationships by way of interconnected stories presented from various perspectives and within different historical settings. Where did the idea for this unique novel come from?

It grew from questions I couldn’t quite let go of: how we misunderstand each other, how connection forms, and why certain relationships feel inevitable. And… what defines a soul? I was particularly drawn to the idea of “fated” connections, but not confined to a single lifetime. Using the concept of samsara (the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth), I imagined the same two souls meeting again and again across centuries, each time shaped by different circumstances, yet drawn together by something deeper.

Structurally, I wanted to explore that idea through multiple historical settings: grounded pasts, recognizable presents, and speculative futures. Examining how perspective shifts radically between two people experiencing the same moment. The result became a kind of metaphysical echo: the same connection, refracted through time, culture, and identity.

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

Interesting? More like fascinating!
What fascinates me most is how subjective experience is.

Two people can live through the same moment and walk away with entirely different truths. The tension between shared reality and individual perception is where I find the most compelling stories.

I’m also drawn to the mystery of connection: that instinctive sense of recognition we sometimes feel with a stranger. It defies logic, yet feels undeniable. Even in something as structured as dating, we often know within minutes whether a connection will mature or fade. That raises a deeper question: what, exactly, are we responding to?

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?

Voice was everything.
Each character needed to feel fully inhabited: distinct not only in personality, but in language, rhythm, and worldview. Language shapes perception, so their diction had to reflect their time, culture, and internal life. Dominique, for example, would never use a word like “guillotine” (it hadn’t been invented yet).

It also had to reflect who they were as a person. To write them honestly, I couldn’t remain at a distance. I had to step into each character’s experience and live it as fully as I could.

And, truthfully, many of those moments stayed with me. I found myself emotionally affected while writing them. Even found myself in a few restless nights, concerned for a character even though I fully knew what would happen to them.

Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?

Yes! Another novel set in the Prima Nocta universe is currently in beta review. While it connects to the first book, it stands entirely on its own.

It follows Dominique, one of the central figures, as he takes on a lifelong journey across medieval Europe and Asia, ultimately arriving at a Tantric ashram in the Himalayas. It’s a ‘bildungsroman’ in the truest sense: a story of both physical and spiritual transformation. The people who guide him along the way, especially two amazing women who shape his spiritual journey, are also central to the plot.

Where Prima Nocta explores connection across lifetimes, this next work explores what it means to seek understanding within a single life… and what must be surrendered to achieve it.

And yes, there’s more beyond that. Another book is in development, and a fantasy trilogy is beginning to take shape.

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