From an interview I did last week with a Middle Eastern men's magazine:
Q: Writing is always an act of discovery. What have you discovered about yourself, in particular, through your writing?
A: My books are all about dread. They really are. I think that is the overarching theme. And yet I am not especially depressed or morose. So, I think I have discovered I'm very good at compartmentalizing emotions.
For me, your stories are all about hope because your characters always seem to be hopeful. But now, I will be looking for "dread". Thank you for not naming your newest book, "The Dread in the Ruins." (smiles). "The Light in the Ruins" is much more appropriate. Hope must be the flip side of the dread coin?