Humorous Thriller
Date Published: March 21, 2018
Publisher: Imajin Books
Synopsis: James Flynn is an expert shot, a black belt in karate, and irresistible to women. He’s also a heavily medicated patient in a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital. Flynn believes his locked ward is the headquarters of Her Majesty’s Secret Service and that he is a secret agent with a license to kill.
When the hospital is acquired by a new HMO, Flynn is convinced that the Secret Service has been infiltrated by the enemy. He escapes to save the day, and in the process, Flynn kidnaps a young Hispanic orderly named Sancho.
This crazy day trip turns into a very real adventure when Flynn is mistaken for an actual secret agent. Paranoid delusions have suddenly become reality, and now it’s up to a mental patient and a terrified orderly to bring down an insecure, evil genius bent on world domination.
Interview
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want
Readers to Grasp?
I played with a number of
themes in “You Only Live Once”. One is
the idea that if you believe in something hard enough you can create your own
reality. James Flynn believes he’s an international super spy and he believes
it so fervently that others do as well. Another
theme is the thin line between madness and rationality. I think you have to be a little crazy to buck
the status quo, but that’s the only way anything new or innovative ever
happens. Conventional wisdom can be a
strait jacket. (See what I did
there?)
Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing?
Structure is always a
challenge. It’s not always easy to build a story with enough propulsive power
to make sure the second act (or middle) doesn’t drag. Beginnings are fun, endings are fun, and
middle’s are difficult for me.
How many books have you written and which is your
favorite?
“You
Only Live Once” is my debut novel. And being it’s my only novel, it’s obviously
my favorite. I have written in many
other mediums though. I’m a produced
playwright and screenwriter and I design and write video games.
If you had the chance to cast your main character
from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
I worked in Hollywood
for a number of years as a screenwriter, so casting always crosses my
mind. In fact, I originally wrote YOLO
as a screenplay and it generated a huge amount of interest, but never was
made…which is the sad fate of most screenplays unfortunately. I loved the
character so much I decided he needed to live on, which is why I decided to
write a novel. Now it’s my new favorite
medium. I think Benedict Cumberbatch
would be great casting for Flynn. He
plays a genius on the edge madness very well. He’s very good at being heroic while also
feeling conflicted and vulnerable. And he’s excellent with comedy. (He did a
fantastic job as a contemporary Sherlock Holmes.) For
many of the same reasons, another good choice would be Tom Hardy.
When did you begin writing?
I started when I was a
kid. I’ve been writing ever since. I worked in advertising as a copywriter for a
number of years. I’ve had plays produced
all over the country. I’ve written
screenplays as I’ve mentioned. Two were
produced. And I write and design video
games.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
I first came up with
the idea for “You Only Live Once” over ten years ago. I first wrote it as a screenplay and then I
turned it into a novel. I rewrote it
multiple times. So I guess maybe 12
years. Hopefully, the next one won’t take
as long.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become
a writer?
There
are many authors I find inspiring. And I
have very eclectic taste. Here are some
of the writers who have inspired me the most.
Kurt Vonnegut. Raymond
Chandler. Ian Fleming. Joseph Heller. Larry McMurtry. Philip Roth.
What is your favorite part of the writing
process?
I
enjoy the initial brainstorming and outlining, but I really lose myself when
I’m writing dialogue. When I’m in the
zone, the dialogue writes itself. It’s as if the characters are doing their own
talking and I’m just trying to keep up and write it down.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Thrilling. Funny. Surprising. Touching.
Can you share a little bit about your current
work or what is in the future for your writing?
I’m brainstorming ideas
for a sequel to “You Only Live Once.”
I’m about to release a choose-your-own-adventure comedy audio game for
Alexa enabled devices. It’s called “They
Came in Outer Space.” And I’m working on
a new virtual reality video game for Sony and a company called Impulse Gear.
About the Author
Haris Orkin is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and game writer. His play, Dada was produced at The American Stage and the La Jolla Playhouse. Sex, Impotence, and International Terrorism was chosen as a critic’s choice by the L.A. Weekly and sold as a film script to MGM/UA. His original screenplay, A Saintly Switch, was directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starred David Alan Grier and Vivica Fox. He is a WGA Award and BAFTA Award nominated game writer and narrative designer known for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Tom Clancy’s The Division, Mafia 3, and Dying Light, which to date has sold over 7.5 million copies.
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