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