Suggested questions

1You grew up in Beirut and later lived in the U.S.—was there a moment when you first realized how differently fear operates depending on where you are, even when people insist they’re just being “careful” or “patriotic”?

2During periods of social tension, what did you notice happening in everyday interactions—neighbors, casual conversations, small assumptions—that made you realize communities can start breaking down long before anything dramatic occurs?

3When you were writing your first novel, was there a particular incident or exchange that crystallized the idea that imagined threats can end up doing more damage than real ones?

4You’ve spent time close to homelessness yourself—what was the first practical thing that started slipping away that made you realize how fast stability can unravel?

5People often talk about homelessness as a slow decline, but from what you’ve seen, what actually happens in that first stretch when someone falls out of the system?

6In cities like San Francisco, extreme wealth and extreme neglect exist side by side—what do you think living there teaches you about what a society truly values?

7Your upcoming novel unfolds over just twelve hours—why did you want to confine the story to such a short window, and what does that compression reveal that a longer timeline might hide?

8You run a construction business alongside your writing—how has working with buildings, permits, and physical shelter changed the way you think about abstract ideas like dignity or safety?

9When readers sit inside a character’s fear or instability through fiction, what do you think happens emotionally that doesn’t happen when they’re presented with facts or arguments?

10After spending years writing about fear, housing, and social collapse, what feels most fragile to you now, and what, surprisingly, feels more resilient than people assume?