1) How would you describe your novel?
The book is an International thriller, a hybrid of detective Noir and part action/political assassination thriller. It’s not James Bond but not Le Carré but somewhere in between. The best way to describe it is realistic like Le Carré but very fast paced like Ian Fleming’s books.
Note: I’m not comparing myself to them only the type and style of novel The Kingdom of Assassins is.
2) How long did it take to write the book?
Many years, too long to mention.
3) How long did it take to write the screenplay?
About +2 years and still tinkering with it!
4) The comic?
It’s a novel and screenplay adaptation so, it has elements of both. I couldn’t have written it without having written the novel or screenplay, so many years in terms of architecture, but about ~6 full months in terms of hammering out about +320 pages of Full script.
Note: The Comic book will be out sometime in 2015.
5) Where do you get your Ideas?
Let your mind wander. It’s almost like Zen meditation.
6) How many books do you have?
A few hundred and the list is growing and yes I’ve read most of them.
7) What advice do you have for writers?
Be open minded and don’t be an ideologue. And don’t look at the world through the lens of any ideology. People seek out books they agree with which is a mistake. Read promiscuously as a famous writer once said. It’s also best to take college courses which help but the problem with work shopping, is that they can be overly critical which can stunt a writer from being experimental that can cripple creativity which is the last thing a new writer needs. And of course get a good editor!
Also I did have an NYPD Counter-terrorist Sergeant read it. I also went over some of the tactical issues with retired US Army Special Forces Soldier and ex-NYPD ESS team member. I have forever grateful for their service and informed feedback.
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
-George Orwell
8) What is your next book on?
Top secret.
9) Your favorite novels?
The Great Gatsby, Lolita, 1984, Animal Farm, We, The Stranger, Grendel, Call of the Wild, Huckleberry Finn, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Devil in a Blue Dress, No Country for Old men, Big Sleep, Maltese Falcon, and Lord of the Rings.
10) Your favorite comics?
Vagabond, Templar, Berserk and The Ring des Nibelungen.
11) Your Favorite Movies?
Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Henry V, Spartacus, Ben Hur, Ran (King Lear/Macbeth), The Hidden Fortress, Empire Strikes Back, An Officer and a Gentleman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, Chinatown, Strangers on a Train, The French Connection, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Snowpiercer, Edge of Tomorrow, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Zero Dark Thirty and of course Game of Thrones.
12) What books are you reading now?
Books reading now Sunrise over Fallujah, The Colder War and Superman: Red Son.
13) What books do you want to read?
Books I haven’t read but want to read:
Zero to One, Wolf Hall, The Untouchable, The Pillars of the Earth, and a few of Martin Cruz Smiths books.
14) Who are your favorite non-fiction writers?
Samuel Huntington, Francis Fukuyama, Steven Pinker, Oswald Spengler, Ibn Khaldun,
Max Weber, Robert Kaplan, Adam Smith, Ludwig von Mises, Hegel, and Joseph Schumpeter.
15) Will you read my Novel/screenplay/ manuscript/ treatment/outline/ synopsis?
I would love to but I’m beyond swamped right now. Take classes at your local college or online.
16) Sequel? Prequel?
Likely and Possible 🙂
Spoiler Alert! Below- Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Below- Spoiler Alert!
17) I don’t understand some of the symbolism of the story.
One of the many things in the book is that Chris, Mike’s son is not only memory of a character but a symbol of America, the country that we long for might very well not exist(I hope not) since we’re in rapid decline. Šahrāzād is a symbol of positive change, (Šahrāzād means noble in Persian), she is a goddess of liberty, a modern warrior of secularism and reason. On the other hand is Sayf, her brother (her mirror image) is a mixture of Oriental Despot and modern day Machiavellian Prince; half Putin and half Bin Laden. Mike, the hero represents the warrior archetype, but he is broken, damaged, overused by the state and society. He questions his existence yet he has a sense of honor, thus he’s in deep conflict within himself. Mike’s gold cross represents faith, he’s not religious but during the course of the book, he regains faith in himself. Mike is also a mirror image of the villain, Sayf who believes in power for himself. The novel is highly complex but I did write it for people to enjoy as an action story.
18) Did you think the Princess was going to be so popular?
Yes, how any can anyone not love her? She is awesome!
19) What do you think of the ending?
I hope it doesn’t happen again, but the modus operandi of the terrorists is to do so, and in writing this
I hope to stop it by alerting people. But unfortunately people these days are very cynical and politicise facts whether its science or history, which is ultimately leading toward the decline of society.
I had over twenty people read the novel and most liked the dark ending since it’s so unexpected and shocking. I could have had the hero save the day but that is so cliché why not NO be cliché?
The ugly reality is that the US has lost Iraq and is losing Afghanistan, this will make it all the more likely that another attack will happen.
20) What is the biggest threat to New York City?
A massive Hurricane and the Mayor and City council need to do more in regards to possible massive flooding in the future.
More coming soon
The New Great Game, The New Opium Wars, Human trafficking in Russia, Terror financing, ISIS, CIA and more!