- Home
- AUTHOR INTERVIEWS- CHECK THEM OUT
- In Conversation With Avraham Azrieli Whose Newest Novel The Plot To Save America Has Just Been Published
In Conversation With Avraham Azrieli Whose Newest Novel The Plot To Save America Has Just Been Published
- By Norm Goldman
- Published June 24, 2022
- AUTHOR INTERVIEWS- CHECK THEM OUT
Norm Goldman
Reviewer & Author Interviewer, Norm Goldman. Norm is the Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com.
He has been reviewing books for the past twenty years after retiring from the legal profession.
To read more about Norm Follow Here
Once again Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest Avraham Azrieli.
Avraham is a graduate of Columbia Law School and is also the author of several novels, his most recent being The Plot To Save America.
Avraham grew up in Israel, where he received extensive Talmudic education, served as an intelligence officer and, after attending law school, clerked for the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem. Residing primarily in the United States since 1990, he currently lives near Washington DC with his wife and children.
Norm: Good day Avraham and once again thanks for taking part in our interview for bookpleasures.com
Avraham: Thank you for
having me.
Norm: How did you become involved with the
subject or theme of The Plot To Save America? As a follow up,
how did you decide you were ready to write the book?
Avraham: The
violent attack on the United States Capitol, whose goal was to stop
the proceedings to certify Joe Biden‘s election as president,
was a traumatic spectacle.
However, it wasn’t an isolated event. Rather, it was the culmination of a two-months-long campaign by President Trump to reverse his loss in the November elections.
Watching those events unfold, it was clear to me then, and it has become more and more apparent to the public, that the whole “Stop the Steal” campaign was nothing short of an attempted coup, a well-orchestrated, richly-financed, and massively-concerted attack on American democracy, utilizing demagoguery, inducement, and violence.
As a creative writer, my mind began to speculate: what if these efforts were successful? What if they burned down the US Capitol building, killed the vice president and many members of Congress, and by doing so, gave Trump the excuse to declare martial law and solidify his authoritarian power?
Once this imagined reality was
populated with interesting characters and a suspenseful plot, I
had to write it.
Norm: What were your goals and
intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved
them?
Avraham: My primary goal with any novel
is to tell the story that’s in my head, to share it with my
readers in the most interesting and exciting way possible.
In addition, every book must be grounded in realistic facts and locations, which requires a great deal of research and verification.
These concrete elements allow my readers to trust the authenticity of the story and enjoy the journey. With this particular book, my goal was to create a realistic “parallel world,” if you may, of a post-January 6 Trump presidency – which almost came to be.
This novel gives me
and my readers a chance to experience living vicariously, through the
fictional characters, in a world that could have been (and, one
day, might actually be) our world, in which those
election-deniers, ultra-nationalistic, white-supremacist, right-wing
forces take America by force and rule over us.
Norm: What
would you say is the best reason to recommend someone to read the
book?
Avraham: As with every novel, the best reason
to read would be that it’s a captivating story about
interesting people involved in a series of unforgettable events –
a story that excites and intrigues and scares and amuses
and makes you think.
This particular novel
transports the reader to a reality that nearly happened on January
6, 2021: America almost experienced its first successful
anti-democratic coup by a sitting president, who refused to
accept his loss in the elections.
Had the coup been successful,
the ramifications would have been life-changing for every
American and, most likely, for every human being on the face of
the earth.
Norm: What obstacles did you have in
trying to tell your story?
Avraham: The first
obstacle was to make the story about people, not about politics.
I think this obstacle was overcome by the main character, the
investigator. He is a dedicated, well-intentioned
professional, who finds himself engaged dutifully in a case that
increasingly challenges his sense of right and wrong.
As the story
develops and the facts unfold, he is facing difficult choices
that gradually grow more and more difficult until, eventually,
he must make a heartbreaking, career-shattering, and possibly
life-ending choice.
Norm: How did you develop the plot
and characters? Did you use any set formula?
Avraham: My
approach to creating suspense is always to trust the reader’s
intelligence with a delightful chain of rising complications.
The Plot to Save America is first and foremost a
suspenseful mystery. Yes, the surrounding reality is an
authoritarian America but, at the same time, the story itself is
an exciting puzzle, or a series of intricate riddles, as any
good mystery should be: we have good people facing powerful,
clever villains, intriguing clues and vexing diversions, shocking
revelations and devastating reversals, and the constant
danger of further violence.
And humor—never forget our most
basic human need for a good laugh!
Norm: Did you learn
anything from writing your book and what was it?
Avraham: This
novel presented unique challenges, as the story takes place in a
dramatic “what if” reality, set in the near future, and
involves intertwined criminal, ethical, and personal
conflicts. Writing it was a daring journey, a constant learning
experience, but ultimately it was an opportunity to hone my skills
in telling a good story that keeps readers turning the
pages.
Norm: Did you hear from your readers much? What
kinds of things did they say?
Avraham: The
book has only been out for a couple of weeks, but the initial
response has been truly positive, both with respect to the
suspenseful story and the creative premise of a “successful”
January 6 attack on the Capitol and its consequences.
Norm: What
will you be doing for promotion of the book and how much of it is
your doing?
Avraham: The book has been submitted
for reviews and several competitions, but my main hope is that
readers enjoy the story, recommend it to their friends and
family, and spread the word. Clearly, the subject is
important and timely, and there’s a great urgency to help
people understand how close we came to losing democracy in
America and what it could mean for each and every one of
us.
Norm: What do you think up-to-now of the Jan 6th
hearings? Were there any revelations that surprised you? Do you
believe that it will change any of the minds
of Trump supporters?
Avraham: So far, the
congressional investigation has exposed many shocking facts that
confirm our worst fears. The scope and intensity of those
unconscionable efforts to reverse Trump’s loss while
destroying American democracy are being exposed in their full
mendacity.
Norm: Do you believe that the committee will
succeed in telling the story of Trump's failed coup, and use
these hearings to combat the ongoing efforts to disenfranchise
voters and destabilize future elections?
Avraham: While
the committee has been thorough and successful in uncovering the
facts and presenting them to the public, the political
fracturing of the American media and our information
delivery channels continue to divert the truth from reaching
everyone.
Millions of people listen only to news channels
and commentators telling them only what they want to hear.
Truth and facts are gradually losing their place in public and
private discord, replaced by versions of reality pushed by
special interests in order to divide and conquer voters.
Add to
that the chronic American prevalence of poor education,
cynical politicians, ruthless corporations, and the misguided
attraction many people have for populist authoritarian
strongmen, and it’s obvious that American democracy is in dire
peril.
Norm: Where can our readers find out more about
you and The Plot to Save America?
Avraham: The book
is available on Amazon.com and other book retail channels in
E-book and paperback. My WEBSITE
Norm: What is next for
Avraham Azrieli?
Avraham: I’m fascinated by the
resurgence of the abortion debate in America, which pits two
zealous camps against each other, each fully convinced of its
own righteousness and the other-side’s malevolence. Such
a life-and-death, sexually-charged conflict could be the seed
that sprouts a great story, I believe.
Norm: Thanks
again and good luck with all of your future endeavors
Avraham: Thank
you!
FOLLOW HERE TO READ NORM'S REVIEW OF THE PLOT TO SAVE AMERICA