A New Dawn follows a soldier in training who is placed into cryostasis only to awaken to a world where Earth is a warzone with entities intent on wiping out all humans. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I wanted to give readers an insight into what would happen to us as a society if we continued to put our trust, fate, and livelihoods into institutions and entities that don’t have the best intentions for us. The only way I could do that was to create a story where I gave the audience a glimpse into a future where humanity did nothing to stop the corruption happening in our present day. Cryostasis has been a topic spoken about for years and research centers put forth effort to this day to make it a reality if they haven’t already. Celebrities have also spoken about such a method to preserve their body this way to live longer. Also, since I wanted the story to be as grounded as possible for readers to relate, cryostasis seemed to be the way to go to set the story into a dystopian future.

When Xander emerges from his cryostasis, he is immersed in a world he no longer recognizes and must adapt without all his memories. What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?

Our memories make up who we are. It reveals our past experiences, the decisions we’ve made, and the relationships we were able to form with others. Without it, who are we? This is the question I wanted to answer through Xander and other characters within the story. By approaching the narrative in this way with the characters, there would be no doubt for readers who everyone is since without the memories, it reveals who an individual is at their core. For example, Valeria is innocent and naive at heart, looking for a male role model and companion to fill the void her father created in her life. Joselyn wants to make sure the love she and her husband once shared is never lost again. By preserving it, she feels she is honoring the bond they once had, which is why she takes such a liking to Xander and Leona. With Xander, I wanted to show that even though he didn’t have the most fulfilling past, he still had the chance to change himself and the world through his actions. No matter how small the steps he took, he was still able to take the step without the past holding him down as he decided to step forward and be there for others. I believe a lot of people can learn from this concept.

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

One of the overall themes was that we all have a role to play when it comes to the degradation or success of society. Each individual plays a role that affects others throughout their life. Valeria, for instance, still has PTSD from what happened in her past with her father, mother, grandmother, bullies, and brothers. All of these people shared a residual effect on this one person’s life. Also, through Xander, you see that Valeria’s big brother, Henry, affected many people’s lives both in life and death. If Henry hadn’t made the sacrifices he did for everyone, Xander wouldn’t have been able to retrieve an artifact capable of turning the tide of the war, and he would’ve died. Not to mention, everyone else in space would’ve perished on the ships months later without a fighting chance against the entities on Earth. This is true in real life as every decision we make connects us in some fashion or form. There are a lot of other themes to explore throughout the novel, including religious ones, but taking accountability and being conscious of the decisions we make every day, no matter how small, plays a huge part in how our society becomes. That’s the main theme I wanted audiences to take away from this book.

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?

This is indeed the first book in the series. I originally wanted it only to be two books but based on how the story is going as I’m continuing to write, it may be four books. We’ll see. Unfortunately, I don’t have an exact date or estimate of when the next one will come out as of now. I’ve been doing a lot such as getting my master’s, taking care of my family, and finding a job; hopefully, as a creative writing professor. I’m hoping to be done with the manuscript at least for the next book by the end of this year. I also do music on the side. In fact, I made a soundtrack for this book that can be found on music sites such as these featured on this link: https://artists.landr.com/692531109323.

For the sequel, due to how it ended, it will feature both perspectives of Xander and Leona. Readers will get to see why Leona made the decisions she did which could end up playing a huge factor later in the story. Fans will also see how Xander copes with the current situation the rest of his comrades are in and how they move forward with every negative force attacking them from all sides. New characters will be introduced as well, which will reveal the ones really behind the war, setting up for the final arcs after this sequel. I thank everyone for being on this journey with me. The more support you give, the more time I can dedicate to writing this story. I hope you all enjoy it!

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