Split Second
- May 6
- 2 min read
By Bianca Rose
Book Notion
Douglas E. Richards is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science- fiction thrillers that have sold more than three million copies. Richards burst onto the literary scene with his debut novel, WIRED, published in 2010. The novel garnered widespread acclaim for its ingenious combination of scientific speculation and thrilling storytelling. A former Director of Biotechnology Licensing at Bristol Myers Squibb and a former biotechnology executive, Richards earned a BS in microbiology from the Ohio State University, a master degree in genetic engineering from the University of Wisconsin--where he engineered mutant viruses now named after him--and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Q: Welcome back to the House of Mystery. What are we talking about today?
A: We’re talking about my book Split Second and my other thrillers. Thanks for having me on.
Q: You’ve written a lot of successful books. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
A: I did, actually. When I was about ten years old, I tried to write a novel. I abandoned it and went into biotechnology instead. I earned an MBA from the University of Chicago and a master’s in molecular biology, started a PhD, then left to work in biotech. Years later, I wrote Wired, which became a New York Times bestseller, and that allowed me to write full-time. I’ve been doing that for about fifteen years now.
Q: How much does your science background influence your writing?
A: A lot. I write near-future thrillers grounded in real science. I extrapolate from current technology—similar to how Michael Crichton approached his novels. I include extensive notes explaining what’s real and what isn’t. Readers enjoy learning what’s scientifically plausible.
Q: Is it getting harder to stay ahead of technology?
A: Absolutely. Advances in AI, for example, are happening faster than I anticipated. What once felt like science fiction is becoming reality much sooner than expected.
Q: Why do you think science fiction has remained so popular for decades?
A: People are fascinated by possibilities. Technological change now happens at a breathtaking pace. Science fiction lets us explore both the promise and the dangers of that progress. It can be a warning—like dystopian fiction—or optimistic, like Star Trek. It also lets us put human beings into extraordinary situations.
Q: You wrote a unique time travel novel. What makes it different?
A: Instead of traveling years into the past, my physicist discovers a way to go back only 45 millionths of a second. That’s it. The mystery becomes: what possible use is that? His fiancée ends up on the run after he’s killed, trying to understand why this discovery is so important. The power of that tiny slice of time is far greater than anyone would imagine.
Q: Do you consider yourself a hard science fiction writer?
A: In many ways, yes. I try to stay within the realm of scientific possibility. Early on, I worried about going too far, but when you consider that a single fertilized cell can become a fully formed human being, you realize reality itself is astonishing. Progress often outpaces what we think is possible.
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