ABOUT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VINCE MURDOCK

Vince Murdock has been telling stories since sixth grade, when his teacher first read his writing aloud to the class—and he’s never stopped since. A lifelong lover of science fiction, fantasy, western, and southern gothic, Vince creates vivid, character-driven worlds that blend atmospheric tension with pulse-pounding action. His debut series, The Seasons of Darkness, follows a defiant heroine through a crumbling future San Francisco where interdimensional powers stir and survival means challenging everything she once believed. Vince lives in Northern California with his wife, daughter, and their cat, Archie. When he’s not writing, he’s exploring new ways to blur the lines between genres.

FAQs

The seeds of The Seasons of Darkness were planted over 15 years ago. Living in Northern California, I often imagined what the familiar landscapes around me would look like in a post-apocalyptic world. Later, during a daily commute to Folsom, I began to envision my protagonist walking the same route I was driving. With each trip, I layered more details onto the story—turning every bend in the road into a piece of worldbuilding. It became a kind of creative ritual—writing the world in my mind while moving through the real one.

I’ve always been drawn to stories with rich, atmospheric worlds—especially in science fiction, fantasy, neo-western, and southern gothic genres. The books I read and the films and shows I love all leave fingerprints on my imagination. When it comes to character development, I pay close attention to what makes a character compelling—their flaws, contradictions, and resilience in the face of impossible choices—and try to channel that into my own creations. My goal is always to make characters feel as layered and alive as the worlds they inhabit.

I’d write all day if I could—but life’s a bit fuller than that. Between a full-time job, my amazing wife, three kids, and everything else that comes with the territory, writing time is something I carve out deliberately. I make a point to write every day, even if it’s just a little, and I dive deeper on weekends. As I wrap up one chapter, my mind naturally starts sketching the next. By the time I type the last line, I’ve already got a running start on what comes next.

I’m a planner—at least in the beginning. I spent a full year mapping out The Seasons of Darkness before I ever wrote a chapter. That foundation gives me a strong direction, but once I start writing, something interesting always happens: the characters and scenes begin to evolve. They make choices I didn’t expect, or the tone shifts in new ways. So while I may stray from the original outline, that year of planning acts like a compass—I can wander a little, knowing I won’t get lost. It’s the best of both worlds: structure with room for spontaneity.

Yes – The Last Light is the first in a six-book series…. Once the series is complete, I plan to write a prequel that delves into the events leading up to the story. And if the creative spark is still burning, I may even write a prequel to the prequel—a standalone called The Lost Universe, which explores the ancient origins of the world I’ve built. It’s an ambitious roadmap, but that year of deep planning laid the groundwork. I’m excited to take readers on this long, unfolding journey through time, memory, and myth.