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April 2, 2025 31 mins

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This week on Here's What We Know, we sit down with the brilliant Gregg Hurwitz—#1 New York Times internationally bestselling author of 26 thrillers, including the Orphan X series. Gregg takes us behind the scenes of his writing journey, the evolution of Orphan X, and what it takes to craft unforgettable characters. From his early inspirations to the emotional depths of Evan Smoak, he shares the intricacies of his creative process, character development, and even a few surprises about what’s next for Orphan X. Don't miss this fascinating conversation!

In This Episode:

  • Gregg’s Writing Journey: How a love for literature (and a deep dive into psychology) shaped his storytelling.
  • The Birth of Orphan X: What makes Evan Smoak so addictive to readers—and how he’s grown over ten books.
  • The Secret Sauce to Character Development: How psychology, mythology, and a bit of magic help create unforgettable characters.
  • Why Nemesis Hits Different: The emotional punch of Book 10 and why it might be the most personal yet.
  • Audiobook Alchemy with Scott Brick: How the right narrator can breathe life into a story.
  • Orphan X on the Big Screen?: Gregg’s take on Hollywood adaptations, dream casting, and the challenges of bringing Evan Smoak to life on screen.


This episode is sponsored by:

 Sterling Oak Cabinetry (Bring your dream cabinet to life!) 


Bio:

GREGG HURWITZ is the New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author of 26 thrillers including the Orphan X series. His novels have won numerous literary awards and have been published in 33 languages. Gregg currently serves as the Co-President of International Thriller Writers (ITW). Additionally, he’s written screenplays and television scripts for many of the major studios and networks, comics for AWA (including the critically acclaimed anthology NewThink), DC, and Marvel, and poetry. Currently, Gregg is actively working against polarization in politics and culture. To that end, he's penned op-eds for The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Bulwark, Salon, and others, and has produced hundreds of commercials and creative content that have gotten several hundred million views on digital TV platforms. He also helped write the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup.

Website: https://gregghurwitz.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregghurwitzbooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregghurwitzreaders

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/gregghurwitz


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