Off Script - Chapter One
In a future where charisma can be implanted and speech is sculpted by AI, authenticity has become an act of rebellion.
Rhea Calder was once a rising voice in the world of public speaking—unfiltered, unchipped, and unapologetically human. But when a powerful tech giant offers her a chance to step onto the global stage, she’s forced to make a choice: stay obsolete, or upgrade.
What begins as a “temporary enhancement” quickly spirals into something deeper and more dangerous. As her voice becomes more influential, Rhea finds herself haunted by the terrifying question: If your words aren’t truly yours, do they still count?
Now, she must fight not only to reclaim her voice, but to remind the world what it means to speak—and live—without a filter.
Back to the Pond: The Place That Built Me
Before billion-dollar code and Silicon Valley boardrooms, there was a duck pond behind a library—and a half-sinking robot named Sir Sploosh-a-Lot. This is the story of how a childhood science project, a best friend, and a few rolls of duct tape planted the first seeds of a software engineer’s journey.