Create Destruction follows a 12-year-old boy with parapsychic powers who is turned into a tool at the hands of a scientist with evil plans. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The inspiration for this story was derived from attempting to have a compelling antagonist who constantly makes the protagonist and the reader think twice about things. Being that I wanted my characters to have great depth and resonating personalities, the antagonist, Dr. Larson, had to almost be stronger than the protagonist, Thomas. Hence why Dr. Larson is so assertive and authoritative despite creating a weapon more powerful than he could dream. Thomas of course being a child and having a sense of innocence that is slowly stripped away from him compels a reader to root for him even though the philosophical points are brought up by the antagonist. Thomas’s inner thoughts are meant to hopefully be the questions we sometimes ask despite being presented answers. Ultimately, I wanted readers to identify with both characters, each acting on two ends of the scale, but only one of them willing to tip it in his favor. 

What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?

For starters, I wanted Dr. Larson to embody evil in such a way that we as humans knowingly do evil things in order to discover something new. This is often disguised as curiosity and the all-consuming need to know the unknown. Dr. Larson just happened to find a way to manipulate a child and a parent desperate to help his child find his identity in an uncertain time in history. Thomas on the other hand is meant to encompass the humanity and innocence of children. As a parent, one of our main goals is to preserve that innocence as long as possible without sacrificing understanding and reality. Thomas, like so many, had to succumb to violence and torture to find his identity and purpose. Tragic as it may be, the idea of trials over tragedy is what Thomas’ father attempted to instill in him so that he could grow from his experiences. 

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

The two biggest themes I wanted to explore were control and choice. The irony is that they go hand in hand but when they are separated, they encompass two different influences. I felt these were powerful themes that resonate in our modern world, two concepts that all humans struggle with and experience throughout their entire lives. Dr. Larson being the one in control, brainwashing Thomas into believing that he no longer has a choice in his own decisions is a metaphor for the unquenchable thirst for power. All men who have power seek to have more of it and Dr. Larson creating a human bomb to use at his will is a form of control few will ever experience having. Meanwhile, Thomas constantly throughout the story appears to be stripped of his ability to chose by the overpowering control Dr. Larson has over him. While this seems to be the case, it is also meant to show that not making a choice is still choosing to do so. One can only make a choice or not make a choice by having control, symbolizing that we are all in control of our own destinies.

Where does the story go in the next book and where do you see it going in the future?

The next story in the Destruction Series is Destroy Creation and is the culmination of the consequences that fall upon Thomas from his past choices. Following a historical fiction timeline that puts Thomas at the center of the Sudan Crater, formed in 1962, he must learn to navigate life with these parapsychic powers. He crosses paths with two influential individuals who grant him perspective and love. It is not without tragedy, but the trials Thomas endures with people he grows to love shapes the conclusion of this story into a message I believe all should know and understand.

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