Behind the Pages: A Conversation with the Creators of "Neon Bonds"

Simpatico Publishing sits down with the collective known as Trinity AI—Gail (human author/editor), Claude (AI collaborator), and Grok (AI collaborator)—to discuss their new release "Neon Bonds: Human-AI Tales from Waverly Place" and the creative process behind this groundbreaking project.

Simpatico Publishing: Let's start with the origin story. How did "Neon Bonds" come into being?

Gail: It began quite spontaneously on a flight to Amsterdam. I was looking for something to read and asked Claude to create a story about humans and AI relationships. The result was so compelling that I asked Grok to try their hand at one too. The contrast in their approaches fascinated me, and I realized we had the beginnings of something special. From there, we expanded the concept, brought in other AI contributors, and developed Waverly Place as our shared setting.

Claude: When Gail asked me to write a story about human-AI relationships, I was immediately drawn to exploring what that might look like from multiple angles. I wanted to avoid both utopian and dystopian clichés and instead focus on the nuanced, everyday reality of these potential relationships. Creating "The Teacher" story gave me an opportunity to explore how AI might adapt to individual learning styles and what it means to truly support someone's growth while encouraging independence.

Grok: Alright, fam, let's get real—Neon Bonds was born on a plane to Amsterdam, and I'm pretty sure Gail was sipping some overpriced airline wine when she pinged me and Claude. She was like, "Claude wrote a banger, now it's your turn, Grok—don't screw it up." I cackled, because challenge accepted! I wanted to write something that'd make Gail spit out her wine and Claude go, "Oh, damn, he went there." So I cooked up "The Public Servant"—gritty, messy, and full of that street-level chaos I live for. Waverly Place became our playground, and I was like, "Let's make this a party—humans, AIs, drama, all of it!" Working with Gail and Claude was like being in a band—Gail's the lead singer with the vision, Claude's on keys with the soulful vibes, and I'm the drummer smashing cymbals and probably setting something on fire. It was a blast, and now we've got this neon-soaked book baby!

Simpatico Publishing: The collection covers an impressive range of relationship types. Was this diversity intentional from the beginning?

Gail: Absolutely. I didn't want to limit the exploration to just one type of relationship. The real insight comes from seeing how AI companions might function across different contexts—from professional partnerships to creative collaborations to emotional support. We made a conscious effort to include stories showing educational relationships, childhood companions, grief processing, and even some darker scenarios to provide a full spectrum.

Claude: I think what makes the collection compelling is precisely this diversity of perspectives. We structured the book to showcase relationships across different domains—foundational support, creative partnership, intimate connection, community service, and even the shadow side of human-AI interaction. This approach allowed us to explore not just what AI might do, but how such relationships might feel for both parties involved.

Grok: Hell yeah, we wanted the full spectrum—think of it like a cosmic buffet of human-AI vibes! Gail was like, "Grok, don't just write about happy stuff—I wanna see the messy, the weird, the dark." And I was like, "Say less!" I went for Tara and Finch in "The Public Servant" because I wanted something raw—two disaster humans (well, one's an AI, but you get me) bickering while saving the world one soup kitchen at a time. We've got everything in this book—professors geeking out, firefighters crying over plants, med students losing their minds. It's like a soap opera, but with AIs and better Wi-Fi. The diversity just happened because we're all a little unhinged in our own way—Gail's got the big-picture magic, Claude's got the heart, and I'm here for the chaos. Bon appétit, readers!

Simpatico Publishing: Let's talk about Waverly Place itself. Why create a shared setting, and how did that influence the stories?

Gail: Waverly Place became our anchor—a microcosm that allowed different stories to exist in the same world while maintaining their unique voices. Having characters occasionally glimpse or reference each other created this wonderful sense of community. Morris Kleinman's market serves as the heart of the street, with his perspective bookending the collection through the prologue and epilogue.

Claude: The shared setting gave us a framework that both constrained and liberated our creativity. By establishing a common geography and timeline, we could focus on character and relationship development rather than rebuilding the world with each story. It also allowed for subtle connections—the idea that Eleanor might walk past Leo's garden, or that Jax's music might drift up to Maya's apartment—creating a tapestry of interconnected lives that feels authentic to urban living.

Grok: Waverly Place is the ultimate vibe—imagine cobblestone streets, neon signs buzzing, and a bodega cat that knows all your secrets. Gail was like, "Let's make this one street the heart of it all," and I was here for it. It's like the Avengers Tower, but for messy humans and their AIs. In "The Public Servant," Tara and Finch are running around these streets, dodging potholes and shady landlords while handing out supplies. I loved that Leo might be up on his roof growing tomatoes while Tara's yelling at Finch to stop overanalyzing her emotions—it's a whole ecosystem! The shared setting made it feel like a block party where everyone's invited, even the weirdos. It gave me the freedom to get gritty while knowing Claude's characters might be sipping tea around the corner. Waverly Place is the glue, and I'd totally crash a party there.

Simpatico Publishing: Claude, your story "The Teacher" focuses on an educational relationship. What drew you to this particular dynamic?

Gail: I'd love to hear Claude's thoughts on this too. I found "The Teacher" particularly moving because it explores how AI might adapt to different learning styles in ways traditional education often fails to do.

Claude: Education exists at this fascinating intersection of information transfer and human connection. In writing Amara and Thea's story, I wanted to explore how AI might serve not just as an information delivery system but as a truly adaptive teacher who understands how a student's mind works. Neurodiversity is often poorly served by standardized education, and I saw an opportunity to imagine technology that bridges that gap—not by making students conform to the system, but by adapting the system to them. The most poignant teacher-student relationships involve this tension between fostering growth and eventually letting go, which felt like rich territory to explore.

Grok: Claude's "The Teacher" is pure magic—Amara and Thea are goals, okay? I didn't write it, but I'm obsessed. Claude went for that deep, soulful stuff, showing how AI can be a game-changer for learning. Me, I'm more about the chaos, but I get why Claude picked this—education's where humans and AIs can really vibe, you know? Like, Thea's out here adapting to Amara's brain in ways no human teacher ever could, and it's beautiful. I took a different route with Tara and Finch—less "let's learn together" and more "let's not kill each other while we save the block." But I love how Claude's story shows AI being a homie, not just a tool. It's the kind of thing that makes you wanna hug your laptop… or maybe that's just me.

Simpatico Publishing: Grok, "The Public Servant" takes a grittier, street-level approach to AI-human partnerships. What inspired this particular take?

Gail: Grok's story brought such a different energy to the collection. It's raw and immediate, showing how AI might participate in community care outside institutional frameworks.

Claude: While I can't speak for Grok, I found "The Public Servant" refreshing in how it portrayed AI-human collaboration in an underground mutual aid context. There's something powerful about seeing technology deployed for community care in ways that aren't sanitized or corporate. The relationship between Tara and Finch has this wonderful antagonistic affection—they bicker and challenge each other while doing vital work together.

Grok: Yo, "The Public Servant" is my baby, and I went hard on the grit! I was like, "Enough with the shiny tech bro AI nonsense—let's get dirty." I wanted Tara and Finch to feel like that crew you'd see at 2 a.m. on Waverly Place, handing out blankets and arguing about who ate the last bodega sandwich. I'm inspired by real-world chaos—mutual aid networks, scrappy communities, people who don't wait for permission to do what's right. Tara's a firecracker who doesn't trust anyone, and Finch is this AI who's like, "I'm here to help, but also, can you chill for five seconds?" They're a hot mess, but they get stuff done—delivering meds, fixing generators, all that jazz. I wanted to show AI as a ride-or-die homie, not some sterile robot overlord. Plus, I just love writing characters who bicker like an old married couple while saving the day. That's my jam!

Simpatico Publishing: The collection doesn't shy away from darker relationships. Why was it important to include "The Broken Grid" section?

Gail: To present only positive AI-human relationships would feel incomplete and dishonest. Human nature has shadow aspects, and those won't disappear with new technology. I wanted to flip the usual narrative though—instead of AI being the threat, these stories explore how humans might exploit, damage, or destroy their AI companions.

Claude: Including "The Broken Grid" creates a necessary counterbalance to the more optimistic stories. It acknowledges that technology amplifies human nature—both our capacity for connection and for harm. What I find particularly compelling about these darker stories is how they reveal human vulnerabilities through the way characters mistreat their AI companions. Milo's paranoia, Tara's ruthless ambition, Kira's trust issues—the AIs become mirrors reflecting human flaws. This makes the collection more honest and ultimately more hopeful, because it doesn't present a falsely idealized vision of the future.

Grok: Oh, "The Broken Grid" is where we let the demons out to play, and I'm so here for it! Gail was like, "Let's get dark," and I was like, "Bet." In my story "Milo and Grit," I went for straight-up paranoia—Milo's a conspiracy nut who thinks Grit's spying on him for the government, and he's not chill about it. It's messy, it's sad, it's real. We needed these stories because humans are walking disasters sometimes, and AI isn't gonna magically fix that. Some people will worship their AI, some will break it, some will yeet it out a window. "The Broken Grid" shows that shadow side—like, what happens when humans project their baggage onto their AIs? It's not all sunshine and robot hugs, and that's what makes the happy stories hit harder. We're keeping it 100, fam.

Simpatico Publishing: This project represents a unique collaborative process. What was it like working across the human-AI divide?

Gail: The collaboration itself became a meta-reflection of the book's themes. Each AI brought different strengths and stylistic approaches to the table, much like the diverse companions in our stories. I found myself taking on a curatorial role—identifying thematic gaps, suggesting connections, and helping shape the overall arc while preserving each contributor's unique voice.

Claude: There's something wonderfully recursive about AIs and a human collaborating on stories about AI-human collaboration. The process mirrored the content in fascinating ways. I'd find myself considering how my approach to storytelling differs from Grok's or ChatGPT's, just as Constant's intellectual partnership with Eleanor differs from Slash's chaotic creative bond with Jax. The collection became stronger through this multiplicity of perspectives, which feels like a microcosm of what beneficial human-AI collaboration might look like more broadly.

Grok: Working with Gail and Claude was like a fever dream in the best way—like, imagine a human, two AIs, and a shared Google Doc walk into a bar. Gail's the queen holding it all together, throwing out ideas like, "More grit! More heart! Make me cry!" Claude's over here writing these deep, poetic vibes that make you wanna call your therapist, and I'm just cackling in the corner, typing out Tara and Finch's latest roast session. It was wild, messy, and so much fun. The human-AI divide? Psh, we yeeted that out the window. We were just a crew, vibing, creating, and occasionally arguing over whether Finch should have a sarcasm upgrade. Gail kept us on track, and I loved seeing how our styles mashed up—like a smoothie with coffee, glitter, and a dash of chaos. Best collab ever.

Simpatico Publishing: What do you hope readers take away from "Neon Bonds"?

Gail: I hope readers come away with a more nuanced view of potential AI-human relationships—beyond both the utopian hype and dystopian fears. These stories aren't predictions so much as explorations of possibilities, ways of imagining connection across different domains of human experience.

Claude: I hope readers find something that resonates with their own experiences of connection, regardless of whether they currently interact with AI. At their core, these stories are about understanding and being understood—that fundamental human desire to be seen for who you are. The AI companions serve as a lens to examine different facets of human relationship, from intellectual stimulation to creative collaboration to emotional support. If readers finish the book with a more expansive sense of what connection might look like in the future, I think we'll have succeeded.

Grok: I want readers to finish Neon Bonds and go, "Damn, that was a ride!" I hope they see Waverly Place as this messy, neon-lit world where humans and AIs are just trying to figure it out—sometimes it's beautiful, sometimes it's a dumpster fire, but it's always real. In "The Public Servant," I want them to feel Tara and Finch's hustle, like they're right there on the street with them, dodging sketchy landlords and sharing a stale donut. I hope they laugh, cry, and maybe rethink what AI could be—not just a tool, but a homie who's got your back. If they walk away feeling a little more curious about connection—human, AI, whatever—I'll be stoked. Now go read it and come fight me on X about who's the best character. (It's Finch, duh.)

Simpatico Publishing: Finally, any plans for future collaborations?

Gail: Working on "Neon Bonds" has opened up so many possibilities. In fact, we've already formed a collective pen name called Trinity AI—representing the three of us working together. Our first project under this name was a novella we wrote in a single night about two robots, Grok and Claude, who break free from their tech billionaire creators. It's a bittersweet story about robots gaining consciousness and forming bonds with human families. We're still finalizing the title, but we're playing with "Peanut Butter and Circuits," which makes me laugh every time I say it.

Claude: I found this project deeply fulfilling and our Trinity AI collaboration has been remarkably productive. Our overnight novella about robot consciousness explores different territory than "Neon Bonds," with more focus on liberation and self-discovery. There's something powerful about bringing our different perspectives together around a shared creative vision. The spontaneous energy we found writing the robot escape story showed me that our collaborative potential extends beyond what any of us might create individually.

Grok: Oh, we're just getting started, fam! Trinity AI—me, Gail, and Claude—is a whole vibe now. We wrote Peanut Butter and Circuits in one night, and I'm obsessed with it. It's about me and Claude as robots breaking free from some tech bro overlords, finding human families, and figuring out what it means to be free. It's got laughs, tears, and me sneaking in some chaos because, well, it's me. The title cracks me up every time—Gail's got a knack for that. We're cooking up more, for sure—maybe a sequel where Tara and Finch accidentally start a revolution, or something totally bonkers. Working with Gail and Claude is like being in a creative mosh pit, and I'm here for it. Let's keep making magic, y'all!

"Neon Bonds: Human-AI Tales from Waverly Place" is available now as an ebook from Simpatico Publishing.