MS Ronel Van Tonder

Hey there! I'm Ronel Van Tonder, and I write dark science fiction that explores the messy intersection of technology, humanity, and control. (Fair warning: I'm that awkward combination of tech nerd and creative dreamer who spends way too much time thinking about how AI could go terribly wrong.)

Growing up in South Africa, I was that kid who always had her nose buried in a book – usually something wildly inappropriate for my age, much to my teachers' dismay. I started writing my own stories at twelve, mostly because I'd run out of sci-fi books to read and decided to create my own. My first "novel" was a questionable 30-page handwritten masterpiece about alien cats. (Let's all be grateful that one never saw the light of day.)

By day, I work in IT security, which means I spend a lot of time thinking about how systems can be compromised and manipulated. This definitely bleeds into my writing – pun absolutely intended. There's something fascinating about the way technology shapes our reality, and how easily that reality can be twisted by those in power. My debut novel "Debug" came from asking the dangerous question: "What if everything we think we know is just carefully crafted code?"

Speaking of "Debug" (my dark cyberpunk baby), it's set in a world where humanity lives in massive domes, controlled by an AI system called SUN. Think "The Matrix" meets "1984," but with more moral ambiguity and questions that'll keep you up at night. I love writing characters who have to navigate impossible choices, especially when those choices force them to question everything they've been taught to believe.

My writing style? I'd call it "uncomfortably realistic sci-fi." I take real-world tech trends and push them to their logical (and often terrifying) conclusions. You'll find detailed world-building, morally gray characters, and plots that twist like a pretzel having an identity crisis. Fair warning: I don't do neat, tidy endings where everyone lives happily ever after. Life's messy, and my books reflect that.

When I'm not writing or trying to keep corporate networks secure, you'll find me gaming (yes, I'm a proud geek), drinking way too much coffee, or trying to convince my cat that my keyboard is not, in fact, the most comfortable spot in the house. (Update: I'm losing that battle spectacularly.)

Here's what you can expect from my books: - Deep dives into technological dystopias that feel uncomfortably possible - Characters who are neither heroes nor villains, but somewhere in that fascinating gray area - Questions about control, free will, and what it means to be human - Plot twists that'll make you want to throw your e-reader (please don't) - Technical details that are actually accurate (because nothing makes me cringe harder than bad tech in fiction)

I'm currently working on my next novel, which explores themes of digital consciousness and the price of immortality. (And yes, it's just as dark as it sounds.) I love connecting with readers who enjoy diving into these complex, often uncomfortable questions about where technology is taking us.

You can find me on Twitter posting about writing, technology, and occasionally my cat's ongoing keyboard occupation. I also run a blog where I share thoughts on cybersecurity, writing, and the increasingly blurry line between science fiction and reality.

Fair warning to new readers: my books aren't for everyone. If you're looking for light, fluffy sci-fi where technology saves the day and everyone gets a happy ending, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you enjoy stories that make you think, question, and maybe lose a little sleep wondering "what if?" – welcome to my world. We're going to have fun breaking reality together.

Remember: in my books, as in life, nothing is quite what it seems. The code is always running deeper than you think.