Too much. The events that I found the most terrifying — I did not make those up. There is a house like this. There is a school like this. And the people who are involved — I worry about them. I also promised I won’t say where and I won’t say who. And I won’t. This is a work of fiction after all. It’s just that some of it is true.

I think there is a fascinating intersection between spirituality and quantum science. And I am always wondering — How can this be? Quantum biology, quantum spirituality, is shaking up the world. No one seems to talk about it in everyday life but consider the most important thing. Energy cannot be destroyed. So basically there is no death. Energy just takes another form. You’re not going to see that headline in The New York Times but I have hopes for The Guardian.

On the other hand though… and I always look at the other side of these things. I think Noah says it best. “Eight-five percent of the universe is dark matter, and nobody knows exactly it is. If that thrills you, then you are not thinking it through.”

Look, paranormal phenomena exist. I was fascinated and rather horrified when I researched the events that inspired this novel. And what I find over and over is that when something supernatural and terrifying happens… people in the real world have no choice but to take it in stride and get on with their lives. Sometimes they get in trouble. Where do they go for help? Because they have two choices. Religious ceremonies that may or may not work, that they may or may not believe in, and the hoops they have to jump through to even make it happen. And psychiatrists, who seem to have no other options than medications, that also may or may not work and come with a world of complications. There are not a lot of good options out there. Noah is a healer who listens. A man who was possessed as a child, who has no choice but to know these things can be true even when he is agnostic on religion. The incidence of people who feel they are under some kind of spiritual attack is rising. The world needs Noah Archer.

Events like this happen, and they bring a lot of media attention, and these are quite mysterious events where the people experiencing them are told it is all in their head. The symptoms are dismissed as being psychosomatic — which means what exactly? There are always wild theories and speculation on these utterly fascinating events, which are often followed up by accusations that people are faking, are being hysterical, are looking for attention. One thing Noah has learned to understand is the language of distress. He does not look at just a symptom, he looks at the whole human being and what is going on in their lives. And what he finds is that the one thing that runs true with all of the people who are affected in this town is fear. And fear creates physical symptoms that are real. And lethal.