“Is this the end of the world?”
That question ripples through the themes and plot of my new novel, The Artificial Conspiracy. In it, the protagonist, Mirai McGarry, is faced with the daunting responsibility of unraveling a series of mysteries all tied to a countdown clock on humanity revealed in the first chapter.
It’s a thriller, a mystery, a romantic drama, and a philosophical inquiry into the nature of belief. It asks tough questions. It offers humble yet honest answers.
Almost as soon as I finished my first novel, All the Moonlight on Earth, I was drawn to a new idea that eventually became The Artificial Conspiracy. There was so much I wanted to address: the nature of cults, the challenges of belief systems, the dangers of groupthink, and the power of beauty as a counterbalance to it all.
The novel’s paintbrush-wielding hero came easily to me. I knew she was a fine artist. I knew she had multiple sclerosis. I knew that the enemy of the story was one both internal and existential. As for her persona, I drew inspiration from my wife, Poe, who is Burmese—just like Mirai—and has many of the same virtues I admire, such as determination, compassion, and a keen sense of objective truth.
I’m looking forward to sharing more as we approach the release date. The conspiracy begins September 2nd.