The acclaimed novel “One Second After” by author William R. Forstchen envisions the catastrophic impacts of an EMP attack.
(electromagnetic pulse)
A strike against the United States — is currently undergoing adaptation for a feature film.
The script will be penned by acclaimed science fiction author J. Michael Straczynski, while Forstchen will take on the role of executive producer.
Fox News Digital had a conversation with Forstchen regarding the actual-world inspirations for his writing and why he cautions that an EMP attack represents a pressing danger rather than mere sci-fi speculation.
“I aimed to pen a precise, an extremely precise narrative about what transpired in a quaint town in North Carolina when the electricity failed, and it stayed offline indefinitely,” he stated.
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While completing his Ph.D. at Purdue University, Forstchen started working on a novel about an EMP assault on the United States.
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He mentioned that he found it difficult to start the novel and organize his thoughts until he experienced a “moment of clarity” during his graduation ceremony.
I refer to it as a ‘moment of divine inspiration.’ As I sat there, perspiring in my robes, gazing at the students and their families, it suddenly dawned on me – pen down our story, put into words the essence of my hometown.
The instant of inspiration brought him back to his hometown.
near Asheville, North Carolina
– where he started the work of composing a precise and engaging account of the sequence of events after an EMP attack had caused widespread destruction.
Forstchen began the process of writing and drew inspiration from key figures in his hometown.
“I began interviewing individuals extensively — including the police chief and the pharmacist — and I discovered just how profoundly every aspect relies on that intangible thread of electricity,” he stated.
He indicated the interview with the local pharmacist, noting that the person had been reduced to tears after contemplating the consequences of an EMP attack.
I began interviewing people intensively. I will always remember when I finished talking.
with the police chief
“And I asked him, ‘Okay, Jack, what would you do?’ He then took the phone, and he remarked, ‘Wait a moment, these phones aren’t working anymore, are they? ‘” he explained.
“He mentioned that pharmacists have insight into many individuals’ lives since they distribute critical medications like those for heart issues and antipsychotics. She began jotting down names of patients who might pass away within two to three months,” he stated.
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Drawing from numerous interviews, Forstchen composed his book. “One Second After,” released in 2009, continues to appear on the bestseller lists.
The book is currently being turned into an MPI original movie in collaboration with Startling Inc.
Straczynski is writing the screenplay for the movie, with Forstchen taking on the role of executive producer. The directorial duties will be handled by Scott Rogers, and filming is set to start in Bulgaria come September.
WATCH: Expert cautions US must ready itself against potential nuclear EMP assault
Previously, Fox News Digital interviewed Forstchen regarding an EMP attack, during which he stated that the danger is “quite serious.”
“When a modest nuclear device, ranging from 40 to 60 kilotons—approximately triple the yield of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima—is exploded approximately 200 miles high in space over the U.S., it produces EMP. This generates an electrostatic discharge that propagates downward towards the earth’s surface. The energy then enters millions of miles of wiring, turning them into antennae, surges through the power grid, causes an overload, and ultimately leads to system failure,” he explained.
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Forstchen, referencing congressional reports from 2002 and 2008, stated that up to 90% of Americans could perish within one year following an EMP attack.
The potential impact of an EMP became evident with the 1962 Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test. During this event, which occurred approximately 500 miles from Hawaii at an altitude of 200 miles, they experienced significant effects,” he explained. “It took them just a few days to restore the systems, but imagine how devastating it could be if repairs took one month, six months, a year, or even five years.
The late Peter Pry
A nuclear weapons specialist and ex-staff director at the Congressional EMP Commission concurred with this assessment. Prior to his passing in 2022, Pry cautioned that Kim Jong Un’s deployment of a high-altitude ballistic missile was intended as a trial run for North Korea’s electromagnetic pulse capabilities targeting the U.S.
Parking lots would fill with immobile vehicles,” Pry explained to Fox Business in May 2017. “Aircraft might plummet from the skies. There could be explosions in natural gas pipelines and meltdowns at nuclear reactors. Most devastatingly, should the power outage persist for an extended period, it would pose a severe risk to the wellbeing and survival of Americans.
Original article source:
A nuclear EMP attack takes center stage in cinema as an author contemplates the ‘unseen lifeline.’
