One on One w/ Orsayor: Author Joseph Finder

Orsayor: What inspired you to write The Oligarch’s Daughter?

Joseph: It was seeing all of these billionaire Russian oligarchs buying up the fanciest real estate in
London and New York, huge mansions, and enormous yachts, and still having close ties to the
Kremlin. And I thought, what would it be like for an ordinary American guy to marry into the
family of one of these oligarchs? What would happen? That got my thriller instincts revving. . .

Orsayor: Were there any key moments in the plot that you hesitated to include because they might
seem too real or controversial?

Joseph: No, because I like to include scenes like that, that are very real and controversial! The one thing I
didn’t do was to mention Vladimir Putin’s name. I wanted this story to exist outside of the realm
of real-life politics. And I didn’t want to attract the attention of the Kremlin’s secret services,
because they’re known to be vindictive.

Orsayor: Are there any particular books, films, or real-life events that you drew from while writing
this story?

Joseph: One scene I wrote was inspired by the movie “Three Days of the Condor” and the book it was
adapted from, Six Days of the Condor. It’s a scene at the opening of the movie when the hero
goes out to get coffee and breakfast and comes back to find his entire office has been murdered.
That was a powerful scene and one that I felt free to borrow from.

Orsayor: Did you encounter any surprises during your research that changed the direction of the
story?

Joseph: That happens to me all the time. I’ll be talking to a source or reading a research file and I’ll say,
Hmm, that could take the story in a different direction – let me try it. So by the time I’m writing
the novel itself, I usually have already uncovered the surprises in the research. My only hangup is
trying to avoid predictability. If I’m writing a plot line and it feels too familiar, too predictable, I
will deliberately change things to avoid the predictable.

Orsayor: What was your writing process like for this novel compared to your previous works?

Joseph: Roughly the same. I brainstorm the story, the major moments, the high points, as if I were
writing a movie trailer. And then I do the deep research, talking to sources, and when I talk to a
good source I will often come up with plot ideas based on what they tell me. Then I do a rough
outline, a “beat sheet,” of the first 20-25% of the book. After that, I write without an outline and
feel free to surprise myself.

Orsayor: Many thriller writers focus heavily on plot twists. How do you craft twists that feel natural
and surprising?

Joseph: As I write, I think of what my readers expect to happen next and then I do the opposite. If the
reader expects me to turn right, I turn left. Also, I’ve learned that if I can come up with
something that surprises me, it’s going to surprise the reader.

Orsayor: How do you think fans of your previous books will react to The Oligarch’s Daughter?

Joseph: Well, we’ll see, but I think my fans are really going to love this book. It’s got all the hallmarks of
a Joseph Finder thriller – suspense, deep characterization, fast pace, and a lot of twists – but it’s
also got a real love story of the sort that I haven’t written before. And a female character
(Tatyana, the oligarch’s daughter) that I think female readers in particular will identify with –
even though she’s incredibly rich. Because she’s trying to live a regular life, the life of an artist,
and she doesn’t want anyone to know who her father is. Also, Stephen King, who’s a fan of my
books, says this is my best one hands-down. I’m hoping my regular readers will agree, and that
we’ll attract some new ones too.

Orsayor: If this book were to be adapted into a film or series, who would you want to direct it, and
which actors would you cast?

Joseph: This may actually happen – the book has been optioned by a very good producer, though I can’t
say anything more than that right now – so I’m reluctant to name directors and actors who might
not end up being chosen. But I think that Taylor Sheridan, who wrote the TV series
“Yellowstone” and my new favorite, “Lioness,” would be a great writer-director, because he can
do both action and deep characterization: Heart-tugging moments and heart-racing moments.

Last Question:

Orsayor: Would you ever consider writing a character named Orsayor Simmons after me, with the
condition that she can’t die in the book? If so, what kind of role do you think I would play
in your story?

Joseph: I don’t know, Orsayor. Any of my characters could be killed at any moment – that’s one of the things
that keeps the story suspenseful – so I always reserve the right to kill off a character. As for what
kind of role, I think an investigator, because you ask all the tough questions!

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