I have a published a novel titled Neo-Kemet. It is a cyberpunk novel exploring Coptic Orthodox Christian identity in specific, and Orthodox Christian identity in general.

From the back cover:

“In the future where the Church faces an unprecedented wave of persecution, Christians grapple with their very identity. Amidst this turmoil, four young Copts are called into Neo-Kemet, a virtual reality version of Egypt where past and present collide. As they navigate this vivid and immersive world, they uncover hidden secrets of the Coptic and broader Christian heritage, embarking on a thrilling journey of discovery and faith.

As readers progress through this captivating cyberpunk narrative, they are confronted with the profound implications of our evolving relationship with technology. Neo-Kemet becomes a beacon for Christians, guiding them through the uncharted territory of a tech-driven future. This gripping tale offers a timely exploration of faith, identity, and the essence of our shared humanity.”

I would like to thank the Priest of the Oriental Church for being an inspiration to contribute a literary creation to a uniquely Diasporan Coptic literature, and for our discussions on the meaning of a true literature, and how we write such, and the process of literary and poetic inspiration itself, and for the edification. He has paved the way showing us what a Coptic diasporan literature looks like.

I would like to thank the Coptic Inklings for their friendship and discussion and encouragement throughout all our literary endeavors, especially when we began brainstorming heavily in the Summer of 2023 about what types of genres would carry well Coptic identity in literature. Prepare for several literary works coming from them over the next few years. I especially want to shout out Jean-Paul Markos; his heart for service is rare in this generation; his heart for people, even rarer.

I would like to thank Samuel Khalil, Peter Ibrahim, Michael Ragheb, and Katie McBratney for reviewing the novel in full during the review phase and providing detailed, constructive feedback. I would also like to thank Vanessa Dotinga for her professional work in thoroughly editing and carefully reading my novel and giving constructive feedback. Any remaining errors are solely my own.

I would also like to thank St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press and Catholic University of America Press for granting me to use excerpts of patristic texts in my novel free of charge. Their only request was to send them a copy of my novel. I would also like to thank Paulist Press for granting me use of another patristic text.

And of course, I would like to thank Hany Takla and Saad Michael Saad, for their work in preserving and educating the masses about Coptic Orthodox Christianity and the Coptic language. The years that I have known both, they have made available resources and knowledge, and communicated the ethnic Coptic way of seeing, and more importantly, the Coptic Orthodox Christian way of believing, but more than all of this, they have lived it and given us all a model of such a life. This material is what was fermenting in my mind as I wrote this novel.

I recorded an episode on my podcast The Mind of the Early Church announcing the release of my novel with Joshua Williams and having a discussion about early Christian literature and the role of literature in our lives.

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