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Fear of the Unknown
Big Lies follows an astronomer whose discovery of an asteroid careening toward our planet reveals an even more devastating crisis here on Earth. Where did the idea behind this novel come from?
I previously worked with several government agencies, and during that time, I witnessed events that unfolded quite differently from how they were presented to the public. Information was sometimes deliberately distorted or framed in misleading ways. It was shocking at first, and it stayed with me.
I began to think about telling a story from the perspective of someone who firmly believes in science and facts—someone grounded in reality—who is suddenly forced to confront hidden layers of the world that most people never see. I explored the idea of what an ordinary person, armed only with general public knowledge, would do if they were pushed to uncover the truth behind events often dismissed as conspiracy theories—but which, in this story, turn out to be real.
From there, I gathered various conspiracy concepts and shaped a narrative around them. Big Lies was born from that central question: What if it were all true? And what if the protagonist experienced it firsthand?
What role does fear play in shaping both institutions and individuals in the story?
Fear—especially fear of the unknown—plays a central role in both individual behavior and institutional control. One of the most unsettling forms of fear is the loss of trust in the systems and people we rely on most.
Big Lies explores what happens when those institutions—ones that shape our lives and promise stability—are revealed to be built on manipulation or hidden agendas. When the structures we depend on begin to fracture, it forces individuals to question everything they thought was certain.
To me, the most terrifying realization is not external danger, but the possibility that the life we trust is built on layers of half-truths and lies. That psychological shift is at the core of the story.
Were there particular books or films that influenced your approach to this story?
The X-Files and the Deus Ex series were major influences, especially in their use of conspiracy theories and hidden truths. I was fascinated by them as a teenager—the sense of uncovering secrets and confronting deeper fears left a lasting impression on me.
However, those stories typically follow trained professionals—agents or operatives—who have the tools, authority, and support to investigate the unknown. They can act, defend themselves, and call for backup.
With Big Lies, I wanted to remove that safety net. I placed an ordinary civilian at the center of the story—someone without special training, resources, or protection. Thomas Jeffries is not an FBI agent like Fox Mulder or Dana Scully, nor a cyber-enhanced operative like J.C. Denton or Adam Jensen. He is simply a scientist caught in something far beyond his control.
That vulnerability was important to me. He must navigate events as they unfold, relying only on his intelligence, moral compass, and determination.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Yes, I’m currently working on several books simultaneously. My next major release is a cosmic science fiction horror novel titled Ghost Planet, which I’ve been developing for the past seven years. I’m aiming to release it within the next few months.
In addition, I have three other titles in development.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Inside the secretive halls of elite councils and engineered media narratives, Jeffries is tasked with engineering a cosmic escape for the elite while preserving the illusion of safety for an oblivious world. As he uncovers the truth about ancient bloodlines, synthetic political leaders, and pre-selected survivors, he’s also charged with finding a new home off-world for a civilization that may never know the sky is falling. With everything at stake, Jeffries must weigh the exodus of the few against the future of the many.
Big Lies is a dark, gripping thriller about the cost of knowledge in a world built on deception. Perfect for fans of Deus Ex (elite conspiracy), Altered Carbon (privileged immortality), and Don’t Look Up (satirical apocalypse), this is a chilling ride through the machinery of control—where truth is a weapon, and survival is a privilege reserved for the chosen—unless one man can rewrite the rules.
Big Lies
Stephen Wayne’s Big Lies is a science fiction thriller that starts with a clean, high-stakes hook: astronomer Thomas Jeffries discovers a massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth, only to find that the real crisis is not just the object in space but the hidden machinery of power on Earth. From there, the novel opens into a conspiracy-driven story about elites, manufactured reality, and the moral cost of survival, before landing in a final stretch that reframes the threat itself and turns the focus back to human choice, family, and freedom.
Wayne doesn’t ease into his ideas. He throws them on the table and lets them spark. That choice gives the novel an aggressive, sometimes feverish energy that fits the thriller side of the genre well. I felt that especially in the early scenes with Bailey and the false front of political power, where the dialogue is less about realism in the narrow sense and more about stripping varnish off institutions until only appetite and control are left. That directness can feel heavy-handed, but I also think that is part of the point. This book is not trying to whisper. It wants to make you sit with ugly possibilities and ask how much of modern life is performance.
I was more interested than I expected to be in the author’s choices around Jeffries himself. He is surrounded by grotesque power, yet the emotional center keeps circling back to his wife Carol, his daughter Amanda, and the question of what decency looks like when the system around you is rotten. That gave the novel a steadier heartbeat than I first thought it would have. Some of the conspiracy material is extreme by design, and readers will probably either go with that wavelength or resist it hard. I found the book strongest when it stopped trying to top itself and simply let people talk, doubt, and choose. The late turn with the asteroid works because it shifts the story from doom to perspective. It is a neat science fiction move, but also a human one. Small error, huge consequences.
I’d recommend Big Lies most to readers who enjoy conspiracy-tinged science fiction thrillers, apocalyptic suspense, and stories that push hard on questions of media, power, and manufactured truth. Readers who like their thrillers provocative, talky, and morally sharp will likely find plenty to chew on here. For that audience, this book absolutely has an audience, and I can see it sticking in their head long after the last page.
Pages: 188 | ASIN : B0G3XGPBDN
Resist And Survive
Steve the Zombie follows a seasoned detective infected with the undead plague who is trying to find a cure before he loses what is left of his humanity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Whenever I’ve read or watched a horror movie, I have always seen one perspective: the survivor’s perspective, their struggle, their will to survive. Then, once I watched a zombie horror movie where the unfortunate person who turned into a zombie had a past, a life, and a family, and was killed just because they turned into something they never wanted to be. This got me thinking: What happens if these people inside still retain some of their humanity? What if they can’t communicate it? In my opinion, good horror is when the main character is helpless, seemingly with no way out, so you have to root for the hero. And what could be more frightening than being surrounded by monsters, bound by something you can’t control, essentially helpless, and then the hero realizes they’ve become the monster too. This is how Steve the Zombie was developed – exploring what happens when someone realizes they’re no longer in control of their body, but still conscious, surrounded by monsters. As they roam with them, they become one of them. Deep within, while everyone wants to hunt them down, the hero tries to resist and survive. Getting into his perspective invokes the greatest fear, where horror isn’t just around the hero, but within the hero – the battlefield isn’t just the streets or the surroundings, but his own body as well.
Steve is not your typical zombie; rather, he holds on to his humanity and determination to save others. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
To draw the line between good and bad, between human and monster, I needed to keep Steve’s core ideals from his former detective self, to set him apart from the monster he ultimately becomes. While he is aware he is a zombie, he must hold strong to his humanity, to not become the true monster everyone fears and that he also despises and fears. One of the core ideals was to present that even if someone appears monstrous on the outside, they can still be a hero, a good person on the inside. In the book, as seen in a few scenes, those who appear human are often more monstrous and cruel than the hero zombie himself.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
I have always been drawn to the paranormal, the unexplainable. I’m only afraid of a handful of things, but I love to experience fear, like many others. I strive to find ways to scare even myself, which is likely why I write horror – to create scenarios that would frighten me too. Interestingly, my love for horror might have been influenced by my mother watching Alien in a theater while pregnant with me. Needless to say, the Alien franchise is a favorite of mine, with the second installment, Aliens, being my favorite movie. The blend of horror and action in that film resonates deeply with me. One of my other favorite scary movies is Screamers, notable for its isolation, where the heroes also have to confront the unsettling realization that anyone can turn into a terrifying evil monster.
Regarding the paranormal, as a child, I received a book filled with unexplainable mysteries, and I’ve always been captivated by the idea that there are things no one can rationalize, like the Bermuda Triangle or UFOs. Then came The X-Files, which brought visuals to many similar stories I had read and imagined. Horror and the paranormal are two intertwined genres for me, both dealing with the unattainable and often unexplainable. I have a passion for mysteries and constantly seek ways to uncover the enigmatic.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
My next book will be another monster story, but this time set in the Roman Empire. It follows a brave Praetorian Centurion tasked with discovering the true reason behind a madness that has befallen many emperors. The project’s working title is I, Praetorian, and I hope to have it completed this year.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Website
In a city ravaged by an undead plague, Steve, a seasoned detective, finds himself ensnared in unimaginable horror. His body, overcome by the infection, roams with the mindless horde. Yet, miraculously, his consciousness persists, distinguishing him as a unique aberration among the undead.
As his physical form drifts unchecked among the undead, his fragmented memories coalesce into a grim puzzle, providing vital clues about the onset of the apocalypse. Aware his time is limited, Steve’s mind strains relentlessly to decode the mystery of the epidemic that he failed to investigate and which has now seized his world.
Amid the unrelenting terror, he clings tenaciously to his dwindling humanity, driven by an insatiable need for answers and the faint glimmer of redemption before time runs out. His journey teeters on the precipice of danger; every breath he draws is borrowed, and each heartbeat could be his last, as survivors, determined to reclaim their city, pose a relentless threat.
Steve the Zombie invites you on a chilling, adrenaline-fueled journey into the heart of a dystopian nightmare. Witness a struggle where hope wrestles with despair, as a man trapped within his own body battles the living nightmare that’s consumed him to unearth the truth that eluded him in life. This haunting narrative exposes the stark reality behind the undead apocalypse, offering a perspective on horror that you’ve never experienced before.
Steve the Zombie
In Steve the Zombie, readers are introduced to Steve, a detective at the pinnacle of his promising career. This engaging tale pivots sharply when a mysterious illness descends upon his community. While investigating what appears to be the onset of a Zombie apocalypse, Steve makes a terrifying discovery: he has become infected. The fear of becoming a monster, once only a distant nightmare, is suddenly a chilling reality. Yet, even as the infection ravages his body, transforming his appearance and sapping his strength, Steve’s humanity endures.
The narrative then takes us on a thrilling journey as Steve wrestles with his metamorphosis and the urgent need to save his partner, Sarah, from the virus that is consuming him. Will he succeed?
One of the standout qualities of Stephen Wayne’s writing is his ability to craft a palpable emotional connection between the reader and the protagonist. Wayne’s portrayal of Steve’s thoughts and emotions is nothing short of masterful. Readers are privy to Steve’s mind, gaining intimate insight into his decisions, feelings, and the relentless pursuit of a cure. Steve’s selflessness and discipline remain awe-inspiring, even as he confronts his transformation into a zombie.
The novel presents a focused cast of characters that keeps the reader’s attention firmly on the main storyline. For those who appreciate the depth, the narrative’s emphasis on Steve’s experience allows an immersive understanding of his situation. The story’s pacing, filled with action and complex thoughts, provides an energetic and engaging experience for those who enjoy a more intricate read. Even for readers unfamiliar with the genre, the novel’s complexity may present an exciting challenge and a refreshing departure from conventional storytelling.
Steve the Zombie offers a rewarding deviation from the norm, even for those who do not typically venture into dystopian literature. Wayne’s literary prowess is genuinely impressive, bringing a fresh twist to the familiar zombie narrative by using a zombie’s perspective.
Steve the Zombie is a compelling read that will likely appeal to fans of fast-paced dystopian novels. If you have an appetite for a unique take on zombie lore, exploring resilience and humanity’s struggle against the monstrous, this book will not disappoint.
Pages: 146 | ASIN : B0C8692JP2
