Dear Reader,
I’m excited to bring you Steel Soldier! Book 5 was a blast to write, especially the new character POV of Shadow, the Rover with a conscience. She’s a character inspired by the adoption of my “shorty” Jack Russell terrier, Marty. Having a dog has shown me how intelligent, loving, and wonderful they are. If you subscribe to my newsletter, you’ll often see pictures of her. She’s my writing assistant, always by my side as I create new worlds and characters. (Newsletter sign up at: CameronCoral.com)
I also drew upon the mechanical hound from Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and an episode of Black Mirror where people are hunted by robot dogs (pretty scary).
The world’s technology is changing rapidly around us. When I started writing about Block’s adventures in 2019, I never would’ve imagined that the advances in AI would be so rapid and revolutionary. It’s certainly an exciting time to be alive.
Despite the post-apocalyptic setting, my writing will (I hope) show my optimism about AI's future. There are many more adventures to come in the Rusted Wasteland world, so please stick around and keep reading!
Cameron Coral
Illinois, August 2023