A.L.Lieske

If your dreams became evidence, what story would they tell?

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Copyright © 2025 by A.L. Lieske.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

A.L. Lieske

A. L. Lieske has long held a love for mystery, especially the timeless works of Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Carolyn Keene. A devoted admirer of Dickens as well, she finds inspiration in stories that explore the complexities of human nature.Fueled by a diabolical passion for pranks, avid people watching, and an obsession for peanut butter, when she is not writing, you can find A.L out in nature or engaged in some artistic endeavor with an altruistic end.Lieske holds an Associate’s degree in Health Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Science, with an emphasis on human development and relationships, and is actively engaged in a Master's in behavioral analysis.

Q & A

What inspired the Unseen Operative series?

I read this interesting study in elementary about how the brain takes all the stimuli happening around you, interactions, memories, subconscious thoughts, etc and pulls it altogether in dreams and I thought, neat…so it’s a mixture of all the truth you do and do not realize in a Hodge podge kaleidoscope. That stuck with me for years, back of my mind. When I discovered myself suddenly writing a mystery and the FMC was suddenly in a dream experiment it just clicked in my own subconscious, if dreams are this colleague of truth, what could we learn about or from others if we could see their dreams? Moreover, in a crime situation, what could their subconscious reveal that they had seen or known that perhaps they do not recognize in the conscious waking world or else are trying to suppress.
Think about that. More accurate eye witness accounts, admission of guilt, traumas, true feelings towards certain individuals because those emotions we have in dreams can sometime get pretty magnified or even revealed to us. Not always, of course. Dreams make a mix of things untrue as well because our imagination get thrown in but if someone were actively investigating the real from the unreal, separating those things out, what might they find?
That is where the idea came from.

What is your process of writing the dreams?

All the dreams in the Unseen Operative series are based directly or loosely on real dreams. Many of these have been recurring dreams during my youth, and others have been more recent. For the recent ones, I literally wake up, say my morning prayers, then email myself the dream I just had. I keep a running document of my dreams and insert, then tweak them ever so slightly as needed.

Tell Us about the Universe of the unseen Operative?

The world of The Unseen Operative takes place in the “near” future, during the late 2430s, in the aftermath of World War III. Society survived, but it did not emerge unchanged. Entire nations were forced to rebuild from the ground up, and as a result much of the world has reverted culturally and structurally to values and aesthetics reminiscent of the early 1900s.
Technology exists, but it is heavily restricted. Border control is severe, internet access is regulated, social media is tightly monitored, and most citizens only possess basic communication devices capable of calls and texts. The unrestricted technological expansion that contributed to the devastation of the war left governments deeply distrustful of innovation without oversight. Trains, similar to modern Amtrak systems, have become the primary method of transportation because fuel and electricity are expensive and difficult for ordinary citizens to obtain. Public telephone booths have returned, along with live phone operators.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the world for me is the restructuring of the American justice system. After the war, every federal and state enforcement agency was consolidated into a singular, layered system intended to maximize oversight and balance. The central structure is known as the Bureau, divided into Internal, External, and Compliance operations. Internal handles matters such as records, business security, intelligence oversight, and technological regulation. External fulfills the role of regional and federal law enforcement. Compliance acts as a judicial safeguard over ethics, surveillance, intelligence procedures, and intergovernmental cooperation.
Across every state are branches of these divisions, creating a unified but carefully monitored structure. Attorneys operate separately under the Federal Council of Attorneys, or FCA, which maintains its own hierarchy alongside the Bureau. I have an enormous amount of material mapped out for this system, far more than could reasonably fit into a single explanation, but I enjoy gradually revealing its intricacies throughout the series.
Azure begins her story in a modest Internal Division branch in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, working in case review operations. At twenty-five years old, it is essentially an entry-level Bureau position just above dispatch work. She lives a relatively ordinary life in a townhouse and initially sees only a small corner of the much larger machine surrounding her.
Then there is the second world layered beneath the physical one: the Dreamscape, or Dream State. This is the subconscious realm Azure enters while investigating dreams. Over time, readers discover other dreamwalkers with abilities capable of influencing cognition, perception, and subconscious constructs. One of the most significant realms introduced early in the series is Oblivion, the deepest layer of collective consciousness.
Each dream operates almost like its own contained mystery, allowing readers to move through constantly changing psychological landscapes while the larger conspiracy slowly unfolds in the background. I have done extensive research into oneirology and dream behavior, and I often incorporate elements inspired by real dreams to make those experiences feel grounded despite their surrealism.
So, in summary, it is a world rebuilding itself after catastrophe, balancing strict societal control with fragile human psychology, while beneath everything lies an unpredictable subconscious realm capable of altering reality itself.

How many books will be in the unseen operative series?

Currently, there will be at least five books in the Unseen Operative series. I am well aware of many plot points through the third. It could go longer, not sure yet. I am discovering it all the same as you.What is exciting is the different major themes occurring in each.
In the Lattice Scheme, we see a heavy theme of accountability, ethics, justice, mercy, and mistakes.Book two focuses on pain, micro-influences controlling our minds, the power of human fallacy, pressure, and a nice look at life and death.
Book three will have themes of love vs infatuation, loss of time, and some more in the making.

What is Azure PRescott about? What is her arc?

Azure Prescott is, in many ways, remarkably ordinary by appearance and background. She is intelligent and observant, certainly, but she begins the series as a low-level Bureau agent simply trying to gain a foothold within the criminal justice system. She is not introduced as some extraordinary prodigy or chosen figure. In fact, one of the central aspects of her character is how much of her remains undisclosed in the first book.
She grew up in Montana, spent time in foster care, struggles with insomnia, and owns two cats by the time of The Fallacy Web. Her insomnia eventually led her into a volunteer sleep study that gave her the ability to enter the subconscious dreams of others.
The difficult thing about Azure is that she is intelligent without always being wise. She thinks deeply, analyzes constantly, and often comes very close to the correct conclusion, yet she still misses critical pieces before acting. There is a restrained impulsiveness to her decisions, almost as though she reaches for the right answer a moment too soon. Her curiosity frequently leads her into trouble, and she can be exceptionally obstinate once she believes she is pursuing the truth.
At the same time, Azure is deeply loyal, compassionate, and meticulous in her investigative work. Much of what readers discover about her in The Fallacy Web centers on the sincere reason she joined the Bureau in the first place: a genuine desire to contribute something meaningful to society. Beneath her reserved and occasionally rigid demeanor, she is not selfish by nature.
What fascinates me most about Azure, however, is that she is not actually the central force behind the larger conspiracy unfolding around her. She is important, certainly, but not in the grand, heroic sense many protagonists are written to be. In reality, she is simply someone caught in events far larger than herself and determined to be the “side assistant” to the actual “heroes” of the series.
Perhaps the greatest challenge in writing her is exploring the emotional burden of her ability. Although she uses it for good, the power to enter the subconscious is steadily consuming her life, and that cost becomes increasingly difficult for her to bear.

Why a Post-World War System?

That is a funny thing I still marvel at. It was not supposed to be in my mind because the story itself is very classical in the style its written and many elements of the world are rather reverted to past times, like land lines and public wired phone booths, taking trains about, and so forth. But that didn’t fit with the experiment that occurred nor the background information that came out for the origin of the dreamwalkers. It had to occur after a war and there was a very important message that needed to be made from that war, its causes and outcomes, as well as war in general.
See, this is were my nonfiction observations come in. There is a literal war in all ages of time but esp in this age of technology against our minds and perceptions. Between marketing, political and social agendas, personal opinions, philosophies and so forth we are always being told by millions of sources what to think, how to think, what is real, what is not real, how to define ourselves and reality, and so forth. And its growing constantly, to the point that statistics on negative mental and emotional health are rising as well as the general ability to make and keep commitments by legal contract whatever they may be. Stability is becoming increasingly difficult to find in this world, and I really do believe a huge part of that is the many ideas being freely and often irresponsibly pushed out in technology.
Now, I am not trying to say all things should be controlled. That is actually an aspect of extremity that the series is going to look at as well, but for The Lattice Scheme, Book I of the series, WWIII is that idea of free-for-all extremity, when rights are given with little accountability and it goes too far. Societies collapse because there is little connected and firmly accepted foundations to hold everyone together. And that is when the future has to revert to the past. Responsibility and control must be taken to prevent overt misuse of technology in a manner that harms rather than helps society.
So, yes, everything is surveilled and borders are tightly managed in most nations but for America not in the sense of the government trying to control everyone. The motive is national survival and safety. Crime is kept at a low, but not a flawless low, because it is quickly identified and exacted. And not inhumanly; the US constitution holds, so there are not extreme and unusual punishment save for a few cases of what are now considered global crimes. Most of America becomes made up of small businesses, entrepreneurs, capitalism as it once was in the earlier years of the nation but without the barriers of inequality.
I set it up that way to let the reader determine some things. 1-is this a dystopia or a utopia or rather is it just the response that humans with their best judgement made to counter the extremes that previously caused millions of death while preserving the rights of the people? Government, as I see it, will always be imperfect and how we view it depends largely on our circumstances and experience in it. 2-I want the reader to explore with me both the virtues and vices of government without it being the current charge of politics. Post WWIII allows me to do that exploration without sparking one side directly.
The Lattice Scheme takes place in 2438, far enough in the future for me to write this now and be able to change WWIII to IV if it should happen in my lifetime but close enough that it is relevent.

As A Christian Author, How do you see god's hand in your work?

In recording that episode (On accountability, Major Theme of the Lattice Scheme part 1) and actually the entire Lattice Scheme book, I have seen God's grace.
Because I don't naturally automatically see that way, the ways I write, the charitable and profound depths I speak and write that are. On a regular day, by myself, I'm judgmental, bitter, broody, and I like easy like anyone else.It is He who puts the conviction in my heart and opens my eyes to see and learn.The truth is, 90 percent of the Lattice Scheme wasn't me writing. I tried to write it without Him and I utterly failed for half a year. But when I let Him speak words to my heart and mind and let him control the plot, the book was written.
I had NO idea of the plot, to be honest. I didn't. I wanted to try writing a mystery and got to the fourth or fifth chapter by merit of my repetitive dreams and ideas in me since childhood. I had the idea but not the order, not the details, not the interwoven story.But after letting God write it with me, I would be writing a portion and pondering, and He would suddenly connect the dots for me. Or I would be I the middle of exercise, eating, etc, and it would just pop onto me with this sudden realization and strong comprehension of exactly what fit where and why. Did I design the parallels between Isabel and Azure? No. I didn't design any of the characters ' stories. I based the characters on the individuals He put into my heart and mind and He wove how their stories interconnected. I have no outline for the Lattice Scheme that matches it remotely. I can show you where I first thought it would go, and it would make you cringe. Nothing remotely what it was.While I have an outline for the second, I can tell you it's still been a process of Him redirecting, changing, and weaving it as needed. Especially this latter part, and I am well aware He will have me revamp over half of it in the editing process because he needs me to break again and again to be humble and refine this the way it needs to be.The topics we discuss in the podcast are of interest to me, but not by my design. He has been teaching me these things in observation and writing.
What book inspired me to be an author? None. God did and does through people, prayer, experience, and constant construction.
I believe , no I know this is a powerful book, a 5-star book, because I didn't write it. God did through me. His work is superior to my own. That's why it's shocking to anyone who knows me that I wrote fiction at all. I don't write fiction. I read very little fiction compared to my youth. I don't resonate with fiction despite my vibrant imagination. I'm a movie and TV show kinda gal from time to time but mostly a hard-core nonfiction student of health studies, humanities, relationship science, human development, and theology.What it comes down to, my being an author, it's all Him. I am just a vessel with some experience which He has seen fit to do it with, and it is HUMBLING, EXILARATING, and FUN.

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One Scheme, One Web
Choose Wisely

Character Files: The Lattice Scheme

Character Files: The Fallacy Web

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Character Files: The Lattice Scheme

Name: Azure Prescott
Age: 26
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Department of External Investigative Support
Assign: Case Reviews
Status: Dream Study Volunteer

Name: Phineas Granger
Age: 28
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Unknown
Department: Unknown
Assign: Lead Detective, Pittsburgh Bureau Branch Missing Italian Case
Status: Active Investigations

Name: Alma Morales
Age: 34
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Internal Field Operations
Assign: Dream State Agent, Internal Operations Trainer
Status: In-office

Name: Dr. Williams
Age: 53
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Neurological and Psychological Research
Assign: Active developments in oneirology; Dreamscape medical oversight
Status: Active Pittsburgh Branch

Name: MArio Ramazzi/ alessio scigliano
Age: unknown
Employment: Interpol/ Carnegie Museum of Art and Antiquities
Status: MIA/ Museum coordinating director

Name: Isabel DeLeon
Age: Unknown
Employment: Homemaker
Status: Wife of Alessio Scigliano

Name: Stanley Lucas
Age: 58
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Compliance
Department: Pittsburgh Bureau Administration
Assign: Lead Compliance Division Officer
Status: In-office

Name: Chief Hanes
Age: 42
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: External
Department: Pittsburgh Bureau Administration
Assign: Pittsburgh Bureau External Division Head
Status: Active in-field and office

Name: Odyessa Habernacke
Age: 40
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Pittsburgh Bureau Administration
Assign: Pittsburgh Bureau Internal Division Head
Status: Active in-field and office

Name: Kelsey Lorenze
Age: 35
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Pittsburgh Bureau Administration
Assign: Pittsburgh Bureau Internal Division Deputy
Status: In-office

Name: Holden Wagner
Age: 46
Status: Presumed dead; Dreamwalker
Known: Former Marine Gunnery Sergeant; Volunteer European Dream Trials.

Name: Delanie
Age: unknown
Status: Dreamwalker

Name: Christofferson
Age: Unknwon
Status: Dreamwalker

Name: Shultz
Age: 27
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Internal Security; External Certified
Assign: Assist Ramazzi Case
Status: Active

Name: Gruver
Age: 28
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Internal Security; External Certified
Assign: Assist Ramazzi Case
Status: Active

Name: Devon Hastings
Age: 30
Employment: U.S. Bureau
Division: Internal
Department: Internal Field Operations
Assign: Monitor and partner to Agent Alma Morales
Status: Sick Leave