By Paul Ponce This week, A.I. Capone: The Digital Don was named Best Science Fiction 2026 by Indies Today . When I read the announcement, my mind didn’t go to rankings or badges. It went back to the early days. To writing scenes long after the world had gone quiet. To second-guessing chapters. To wondering whether the mix of cyberpunk grit, mafia swagger, satire, and tech anxiety would resonate beyond my own desk. There was no marketing machine behind it. No institutional

By Paul Ponce Last weekend, my debut novel A.I. Capone: The Digital Don hit #1 on Amazon’s Sci-Fi Cyberpunk chart. Yeah, it was during a free promo, but that little gold tag still shines. Cause for me, it’s more than a number. It’s a reward for taking the punches and still stepping back into the ring. Rocky said it best: it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. And I took my share of hits. A previous failed attempt at writi