One of the phrases that stuck with me as a reader was “monstrous for the ‘right’ reasons.” That is a concept many of us struggle with—circumstances can sometimes justify means, but it is difficult to determine where we draw that line. Why do you believe it is important to highlight that as a driving yet dividing factor in your story?

I believe it’s important to be reminded of this idea because sometimes we, as people, are hesitant to use tools of oppressors to eliminate said oppression. Often, we try to take an ethical or moral “high road” to distance ourselves from such oppressors. We don’t want to use extreme means to reach our ends, even if we truly believe those ends are noble or just. Sometimes, however, those extreme means might be, unfortunately, the only path forward to a kinder, more equitable world. If we do use such extreme means, we risk becoming the oppressors we railed against (of course), and, more subtly and insidiously, risk using those means more casually or more frequently in less dire circumstances. It’s not an easy line to toe, and one that I think all people everywhere need to approach with caution.

I love the imagery of the onyx scissors. I can think of a handful of things that the scissors figuratively symbolize, but what do they symbolize to you? Why did you decide to use scissors as the manifestation of power?

For me, they symbolize the many means of quick violence we have at our disposal. They’re a way to “deal” with a problem without having to actually tackle any underlying issue that’s created the problem in the first place. Yes, they’re powerful and can change the world in a quick snip, but ultimately they don’t stitch together a more durable (social, cultural, you name it) fabric. I think scissors work very well as a symbol of this quick violence because their entire purpose is to take something apart, to destroy and dismantle (even if in the service of an eventual creation).

What do you draw inspiration from when you put your stories together? They say art imitates life, and I saw more than a few parallels in this story.

I draw from everywhere and everything. If I experience something, I use it. If I read news or social media, I use it. If I watch a documentary or an interview, I use it. For this story, many of the aspects of the narrative are drawn from the seemingly global shift toward authoritarian rule and subsequent curtailing of freedom and disregard of common humanity that inevitably follows in the wake of such authoritarianism.

I love that the children seem well aware of the circumstances they are in, even when the power shifts. It made me wonder, why did you decide to tell the story from the perspective of the parents/villagers? You did have four perspectives to choose from between the villagers, the captured children, the blind missionaries, and Blanco’s men.

I wanted to tell the story from the perspective of the parents because I think their situation is the most morally and ethically difficult to navigate, so it provides the most inner conflict. The children are essentially prisoners to their environments; the missionaries are utterly amoral; and Blanco’s men have decided to abandon their humanity and become immoral, unethical people. So that leaves the parents/villagers as the group that might face hard decisions and hold some amount of power to change their circumstances, which makes them the most dynamic and, I think, interesting players in the story.

What literary or other forms of entertainment do you draw inspiration from to help mold your writing style?

I read just about any and every genre of literature, from horror and weird fiction to sci-fi and romance. I also read a great deal of nonfiction, especially books on the paranormal or the unexplained. I think these nonfiction reads influence my style as much—if not more than—the literary fiction I read, as I often take a more clinical, slightly removed perspective in my writing.

What can the fans of your work look forward to? Do you have any other short stories or longer projects that you are currently working on?

I have a new story collection, Everywhere Is a Horror Story, coming out in 2026 from Grimscribe Press. I’m always at work on several short stories (right now, I think I have five that are in-progress), a novel, and a collection of short fiction for middle grade kids.