#PennedPossibilities 636 — Are your characters superstitious?

Not particularly. It's a cyberpunk (and SFF) universe, and while a few of the characters believe in various religions, the majority of them just don't have the capacity for either a superstitious mindset or different beliefs (relating to such a thing).

#PennedPossibilities 635 — Are there any specific cultural influences that shaped the world or characters in your story?

Many. Cultural influences play a significant role in shaping narratives and characters. I wanted to demonstrate an appreciation for diversity and invite the readers to explore the rich tapestry of (my) storytelling. (Ahem. I hope.)

I mean, I TRY to do that. The majority of us all do. That counts for something, right? Because diversity in all aspects is what I strive to get across and to showcase in my stories. Cyberpunk tales are no different. They're ripe for the picking. People of all different cultures, backgrounds, sexualities, money or status, walks of life, etc. They're are all there, and it's a beautiful mix of people, like a full-on cultural melting pot.

As for specific influences, I would have to say that I'm not really sure if I could stop and name any off of the top of my head. There are so many. Cyberpunk stories (like I already said) and science fiction fantasy tales are amazing that way. We can pull it all together, taking a little bit of everything to use. A variety of cultures can be found.

Here's just a few examples:
• Chinese
• African
• Italian
• Mexican
• Japanese

I think that's the beauty of it, finding inspiration from every walk of life and letting it guide and inspire your storytelling.

#PennedPossibilities 634 — MC POV: How much do you value companionship? Do you always keep people around, or do you prefer to be alone?

Alexios: It isn't about what I want or what I value. My friends stay close, and they always have. We're a family, choom. I'm thankful for it, too. If that means that I value friendship and companionship, then I guess so—the answer's yes.

#PennedPossibilities 633 — How did you choose the title for your story, and what significance does it hold for you?

The City of Opulence perfectly sets up the series. From this simple title, you can expect that there will be wealth in the city. The money, however, isn't for our characters, not really. It's for the rich, and they don't share it. That is by design, mirroring our society as well. And you know what we say, after all? Eat the rich. Our characters are struggling to get by, turning to a life of crime in order to survive, and trying to disassemble the carefully constructed system. They're a part of a gang, and it's exactly how a big family should be, and thus they take care of each other.

When I first came up with this title, I have to say that I fell in love with it. It suits the story quite well. Cyberpunk novels will all have catchy titles. Or, at the very least, they /should/. I've spoken enough about the various major themes within the genre, and this series (Digital Dystopia) is no different. "High tech, low life" is generally how the genre is described. Enough said. The rich only get richer while the poor get poorer.

Needless to say, this title is very important to me. The title of the series, Digital Dystopia, is one of my favorites as well.

#PennedPossibilities 632 — What originally inspired your WIP’s plot?

Oh, that's easy. For me, it was playing #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and finally moving on to GM the games as well. The universe used in the homebrew games I've created is the same one featured in the novel. I love creating original universes, worlds, and stories.

#PennedPossibilities 631 — What does your antagonist / villain do to relax?

There's a few options here. He could go to work in his lab. Work always clears his mind. He could visit a robohooker, too. That always does the trick as well. He might even just take the evening off from working in his lap and sleep if he desperately needs to relax.

#PennedPossibilities 630 — Is your MC receptive to warnings and advice given by others?

Hardly. The only time he ever listens is when either Junk or Dante give him any advice. Warnings as well, to be fair. A warning is generally taken as a challenge in his eyes, and advice can and will be either taken into consideration or discarded, one or the other. Sometimes he's an idiot. If the words come from Dante and / or Junk, however, he's liable to actually listen. He has a habit of doing rash, stupid things because of a fiery temper and they've been able to stop him. On occasion, Cosmia has been able to change his mind as well, but it's a rarity.

#PennedPossibilities 628 — Tell us about the trauma your antagonist / villain has endured. (If they have any.)

There was this one time that Dr. Death broke a nail in early adulthood...

This idiotic arsehole has never truly "suffered" in the ways we normies and peasants would understand. He's always had enough money to rid him of any troubles he might have.

#PennedPossibilities 627 — How does your MC have their home decorated?

Alexios has an interesting cyber-flat. His home is neat, decorated with a few posters from his days playing in bands, and he has a nice bedroom area and a small kitchenette. It's his private space. It's clean, well-kept, and cozy. There's even a sitting room area with a television, sofas, and some gaming equipment for whenever he actually has the time for relaxation. His musical instruments are there as well. Not that he spends much time at home, of course, but he enjoys it whenever he's there.

(I'm including a screenshot photo from #Cyberpunk2077 for reference, just to help.)

#PennedPossibilities 626 — MC POV: Are you afraid of your capabilities?

Alexios: Every. Single. F*ckin'. Day. I'm constantly terrified. Does it hold me back? Never. Could it? Yes, it very well could, choom, but I choose not to let it. I'm capable of terrible things and yet I choose to instead do /good/ sh*t. I mean, /good/ in terms of the Midnight City but hey. I might be a gang leader but I choose to help the little people, you know? I give back when I can. As for things that I'm physically capable of, in terms of fighting, yeah... Sometimes it scares me. It should scare the other guy, too. *wink*

#PennedPossibilities 625 — How physically fit are your characters? Does it factor into your WIP in any way?

It doesn't factor into the story, but here we go. Here's just a handful of the characters in the series.

FYI: Gang members and those in the criminal world tend to be on the thinner side, only because food with nutrition is more expensive and therefore harder to find (or afford). Cyberpunk works don't feature happy and peaceful worlds, after all.

• Dr. Death (Antagonist / Villain): He's well-toned, nice body. Everyone falls for him. (Yuck.)
• Alexios (MC): He's muscular but also on the taller side (and covered in scars and cybernetic parts).
• Noona (SC): She's scary and intimidating despite being thinner. No one f*cks with her.
• Junk (SC): He's a bit fluffy, on the chunky side, and he's adorable for it.
• Trick (SC later turned MC): He's thin and graceful.
• Dante (SC): He's tall (even taller than Alexios) and slim. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome in every way. He's in shape.
• Cosmia (SC): Short and well-toned (especially her arms). She works out. Often. Being a bar owner isn't the only thing she does at work. She's also a bouncer of sorts.

#PennedPossibilities 624 — Are there any mental health issues that run in your SC’s family?

Many complications come from bad chips and implants. It can affect the brain in the myriad of ways. Dante's family have suffered a lot in the past, and his father was one such case. The man went insane from a virus on his chip. His mother is still alive and well, though. What's more, since her husband's passing, she's done well for herself. Depression and anxiety also run in his family. Living on Citune, it's no wonder.

#PennedPossibilities 623 — In theory, what would be your SC’s weapon of choice?

Junk prefers knives. He has a set of cryo-blades and they freeze the poor soul who gets stabbed. It'll freeze, burn, and immediately "cauterize" the wound. Fantastic.

Dante is a lover, not a fighter. He's a doc, after all. He's ridiculous whenever he's somehow found himself in a fight, all long limbs and not a single ounce of grace in his body. He manages to stay alive, though. He's the type to choose a frying pan if it's the closest object he can find to defend himself.

Cosmia's a bar owner. An empty bottle works. She doesn't need a weapon, though. Her mouth is more than enough. She'll curse you on your way out of the door. You'll run for your life.

#PennedPossibilities 622 — Does your MC read? If so, what sorts of things? Do they have a preferred genre of choice?

Alexios reads. In his spare time, he likes to leaf through adventure stories. (Romance novels too, but that's something he'll NEVER tell another living soul, not even Junk.) During workdays, he spends time searching (and reading) the system database and combing through the warehouse archives for acquired books and other trinkets. It's all for black market clients, and it depends on whatever they want. Alexios' gang sell antiques and oddities to customers willing to pay for their desired items. If there's something they don't actually have, Alexios and his gang will do everything they can to find it for them. But yes, Alexios enjoys reading in his downtime. Comic books, novels, long or short stories, etc. All from the genres I mentioned as well.

#PennedPossibilities 621 — What was the bravest moment in your MC’s life? Were they known to be courageous from then on?

It was the moment Alexios chose life... He escaped slavery, becoming the sole survivor of his planet being destroyed and its people turned into slaves or experiments. He survived. It was the bravest he's ever been. Since then, courage has come easily. He's a man on the run. He's a rebel, a fugitive, a crime circuit boss, a gang leader, a salesman on the black market, etc. Bravery is a must.

#PennedPossibilities 620 — What have you enjoyed about writing your antagonist / villain?

Dr. Death is a smooth motherf*cker. His lines are excellent, but I'm biased. He isn't as much of a (noticeable) sleazeball as you would expect, honestly. It comes as a surprise, I'm sure, with the way I talk about him. He attracts women for a reason. That's the extent of it for me, though. Everything else about him is disgusting.

#PennedPossibilities 619 — What type of “accent” does your MC have? Tell us about their voice. Discuss speech patterns, vocabulary, slang, or their way of speaking, if you like.

Sorry but as a massive wrestling fan, I just have to say... "619! Booyaka, booyaka, that's my pueblo!" God, I love Rey Mysterio so much.

Alexios Jace comes from a planet that I've mentioned many times before called New Glasgow, where a group of people (Scottish families, obviously) left Earth as it was dying and claimed a habitable world for their own. That particular planet was destroyed by the Syndicate, and Alexios was the sole survivor. Now living on Citune, he's the only one with a voice quite like his. He has a distinctly Scottish accent, setting him apart from everyone else around. His slang is a mix of cyperpunk and Glaswegian. While he says "choom" like everyone else, he always throws around "mate" rather easily as well. That's just a quick example. I will say, on top of things, he's always a mardy, grumpy man, and he tends to grumble a lot. His voice is deeper, thick with an accent, and everyone automatically assumes he's pissed off. Go figure.

#PennedPossibilities 618 — Is your SC prone to jealousy? How might they handle any envious feelings?

Dr. Arcturius "Dante" Cason hates when the woman he loves is shown attention from anyone. He would never say it, would never voice the words aloud, but he'll burn with jealousy as he watches on. All of this is ridiculous, of course, because he'll never tell her how he feels... Maybe one day, if he ever gets up the nerve. Until then, he'll just suffer in silence. (Also, I've never mentioned this woman's name here. It's a big spoiler for Book 2.)

As for jealousy in any other way, Dante never experiences it. He's a fantastic doctor and others look up to /him/, not the other way around. "Workplace jealousy" never happens. Dante's Inferno is a med shop that everyone frequents.

#PennedPossibilities 616 — Name a bizarre and hyper-specific detail that you know about one of your characters but is completely irrelevant to the story.

I should have made a Marvel joke, but...

Junk is a Master (or Iron) Chef level cook. He's absolutely amazing in the kitchen, and that goes for both baking and cooking. No one makes a better crème brulée. The synthetic eggs he uses are a very high quality as well. (Not a bad idea for us struggling Americans right now.)

#PennedPossibilities 614 — SC POV: What is one phrase that you would really like to hear right now?

Dante: That everything is gonna be alright. That we'll all f*ckin' get through this. That she loves me, too. I don't know, just something. Some comfort would be nice right about now. It's been a tough year for the gang and I.