[NEW DATE]Michael Nayak — Sentient - with Erica Hines — at Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library

Michael Nayak, a former NASA planetary scientist and current DARPA program manager, brings his scientific expertise to the page with *Sentient*, the sequel to his 2025 sci-fi thriller *Symbiote*. In this event hosted at the Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library, Nayak appears in conversation with DCPL Library Associate Erica Hines to discuss the novel, which blends action-horror with real-world contagion scenarios. The story picks up months after the South Pole massacre: as the Antarctic tourist season begins, a classified CIA program's deadly microbes escape, spawning a new infestation of infected “sea people” at McMurdo Station. Survivor Ben Jacobs returns from the Pole to find Penny, an asymptomatic carrier, and the group must ally with the CIA to survive—while wondering when they themselves will become targets. The book is described as a heart-stopping combination of pandemic thriller and horror tropes, with twists rooted in plausible science.

When: Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM.

Showtimes: One event session at the listed time.

Tickets: Price not available; the event is free to attend as part of the library's partnership with Politics and Prose Bookstore.

Rescheduled note: This event was originally scheduled for May 9, 2026, and has been moved to the July 18 date.

Lineup: Michael Nayak (author) in conversation with Erica Hines (library associate and moderator).

Run time: Not specified; typical author talk and Q&A runs 60–90 minutes.

Ages: Open to all; content may be best suited for teens and adults due to horror themes.

Venue: Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library, 5625 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, United States. This is an offsite partner event with Politics and Prose Bookstore.

Note: Nayak’s background includes work as a space shuttle engineer, Flight Director for experimental spacecraft, skydiving instructor, planetary scientist at NASA Ames, and a U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School graduate with over 1,000 flight hours in 40+ aircraft. His novel *Sentient* is available in paperback for $19.99. Erica Hines connects readers with underrepresented voices and creates engaging book displays at DCPL.