From Code to Faith: How a Software Designer Became an Accidental Author

Photo: Software developer Alan Cherney is not interested in money or fame, he’s just trying to explain some deep truths to his kids. Photo by Doug Marrin

When Alan Cherney set out to explain the mysteries of Catholic faith to his teenage son, he never expected to become an author. A software designer by trade, Cherney was simply searching for a way to help his son make sense of difficult theological concepts.

What began as a father’s improvised analogy has since grown into Listeners of Libertas, a four-book allegorical series that has quietly resonated with readers far beyond his own family.

From Code to Catechism

Cherney recalls that the idea first took root during a conversation with his son, Joaquin, who was struggling with passages in the Bible. As an engineer, Cherney’s mind naturally reached for the language of systems and artificial intelligence.

“I proposed to him the scenario where a person, a fallible person, had to make decisions about a universe he controlled,” Cherney explained. “It was sort of a shot in the dark, but it clicked for him.”

That moment of connection, Cherney said, was the turning point. He realized that by reframing faith in terms his son could grasp, he was also teaching himself. “I didn’t always understand these things either,” he admitted. “Through the writing process, I learned alongside my kids.”

A Colorful and Engaging Landscape

Listeners of Libertas is designed to be approachable, with each installment running around 100 pages, short enough to be a quick read or an engaging listen, depending on your preference. The storytelling carries the immediacy of Andy Weir while weaving in the rich allegory reminiscent of C.S. Lewis.

Within its pages, readers are invited into the intricately crafted worlds of Primum and Libertas, each alive with unique challenges and wonders. The series follows complex characters who grapple with their own struggles, pursue growth, and strive for redemption. Along the way, Cherney layers in thought-provoking themes about creation, virtue, and the search for meaning, all while keeping the narrative pulsing with action, thrilling rescues, tense moments of survival, and gripping suspense that keep readers turning the page.

A Humble Author’s Journey

What makes Cherney’s work stand out is not only the unusual pairing of software design and theology, but also his humility about the whole endeavor. He never set out to become a writer, let alone one praised for his clarity.

“I don’t think of myself as an author,” he said. “I’m just a guy trying to help, mostly my kids. If it only helped my son, then it would have been worth a year of writing.”

Encouraged by friends, Cherney expanded his initial short story into a full allegorical world, complete with named characters and illustrations of his own making. He published the books through Kindle Direct Publishing, insisting that the goal was never financial success. “If it helps even one or two people understand their faith better, that’s mission accomplished,” he said.

Series Synopsis

The Listeners of Libertas series unfolds across three thought-provoking installments: Retter’s Fountain introduces the lush virtual world of Primum, where the harmony of a programmer’s AI creations is tested by Angela’s defiance, while in the harsher realm of Libertas, Pater and Victoria grapple with existence and the programmer’s role, exploring themes of creation, autonomy, and virtue through adversity.

In Casto’s Cycle, Rainha and Casto fight to survive on perilous Arbour Island, wrangling dangerous beasts as Rainha wrestles between her personal ambitions and a greater calling, a story shaped by themes of survival, obedience, and the transformative power of faith and purpose. Kaima’s Captivity follows Mudmin Pokol through cycles of hardship and unhealthy comforts as he, under the programmer’s guidance, struggles toward true purpose, a journey rich with reflections on forgiveness, the tension between comfort and virtue, and the weight of just consequence.

A Legacy Rooted in Faith

The timing of the books also intertwined with Cherney’s personal life. As his mother’s health declined, he was able to read parts of his first book aloud to her in the hospital. “She lived a very devout life, and I wasn’t sure what she would think. But she reacted emotionally to some of the story,” he recalled. “I’m grateful I got to share that with her before she died.”

For Cherney, writing has become more than storytelling. It is a way to navigate the most challenging questions of life and faith. “My ‘why’ is really simple,” he said. “I want to help my kids get to heaven, to know God, to hear Him in their lives. If these stories can do that for them, or for anyone else, then it’s worth it.”

Listeners of Libertas is available on Amazon and on YouTube as a free audio series.

To learn more, visit https://alancherney.com/