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What inspired you to start writing?
THE SUPERFLARE is my latest book, published also in German as DER SONNENSTURM. The initial idea was to consider what would actually happen if all digital devices stopped working overnight. We are becoming more and more dependent on AI and countless digital helpers – smartphones, navigation devices, laptops, iPads, tablets, smart TVs, smartwatches, Alexa, Siri, Cortana, smart homes, Google, the Internet, etc. But what if all those helpers suddenly stopped working? A worldwide EMP, triggered by a gigantic solar storm, could do the trick. Based on this idea, I started to design possible scenarios that branched out and condensed more and more during the writing process.
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Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
The fear of machines, robots, and artificial intelligence has been as old as humanity’s longing to simplify their lives, enhance their capabilities, or even – as “homo deus” – create a new life form: Artificial Intelligence. Professor Yuval Noah Harari describes this process and its potential consequences in his book “Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.” His concern is that artificial intelligence might not make humans all-powerful but rather render them obsolete. When I began writing THE SUPERFLARE several years ago, these thoughts were on my mind as I developed the character of TRON, an artificial super-intelligence that plays a central role in my novel.
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How do you create your characters?
Well, hard to say. I have a rough idea of each character, but after I started writing, they seemed to develop a life of their own, and from then on, it was a kind of dialogue between the author and the character.
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What has been the most rewarding part of being an indie author?
To be read, to connect with readers and receive their feedback, to initiate discussions with them, and to be understood.
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What’s one challenge you’ve faced in your writing journey?
While I start with a clear story idea and a basic outline, the writing process often takes unexpected turns. The story becomes more intricate, and managing multiple plot threads and characters can be quite a challenge. Sometimes, the characters seem to take on lives of their own, which requires me to follow their lead and see where they take me.
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What advice would you give to new or aspiring indie authors?
Let me quote Stephen King: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.“ And: “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story,” he said. “When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story.”
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What’s next for you? Are you working on a new book?
Yes. I’m working on several projects, but it would be too early to talk about any of them right now.
