John Carlson asked Chase Connor:

I loved A Surplus of Light. How did these characters come to life? Based on real people?

Chase Connor Thank you so much, John. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Since I had an idea for two characters from very different backgrounds falling in love swirling around in my head, I wanted a stark contrast in them - sunny with fair features/a bit emo and dark features. One of them the sweet, amiable All-American boy and the other the slightly brooding artistic type. A bit trope-y, but always fun. While they were not based on real people, I did borrow some of my favorite parts of their personalities from people I know, like Ian's patience and placidity and Mike's optimism and curiosity. Additionally, it was important to me to show that what you see on the outside does not always match the inside - Ian's standoffish demeanor belied a delicate soul and Mike's looks and sunny personality contradicted his struggles with confidence. Ultimately, I think the most important thing to me with Ian and Mike was to show their willingness to discover who a person truly is on the inside, regardless of how circumstances try to get in the way.

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