I cannot confirm or deny any of the material presented. But within these pages, the realms of possibilities for fact as well as fiction collide, reaching the zero point on the metaphysical titer scale of life. This is where a wonderful secret opening can be created within our vacuum of existence. – Who Okayed This?! The Riveting Life of Grant Davis
It was called one of the most intriguing mystery/thrillers of 2022: Who Okayed This?! The Riveting Life of Grant Davis by Philip E. Barrington. Why was a highly respected man who ordinarily wouldn’t even jaywalk attacked in his home, injected with a potentially lethal toxin, and forced to search the globe for an antidote, all while evading corrupt authorities? The rapid pacing and frequent turns in the novel kept readers guessing until the very end and resulted in it receiving the Stellar Book Award 2022. Now, Philip E. Barrington lets us in on the background of his book, including the surprising story of how it came to be written.
“A few years ago, I was in a horrific accident in New York City, where I grew up,” says Philip E. Barrington. “I was crushed between two cars, and when I woke up in a hospital bed, I was wearing a Philadelphia collar around my neck, two metal wrist-splints on both wrists, and a cast from my right knee down to my toes.”
Philip E. Barrington was incapacitated with multiple herniations in his neck and back and with concussion syndrome, and he could only get around by scooter. He says that in his greatest time of need, many people whom he had thought were his friends deserted him. Fortunately, he met a best-selling author who had made a full recovery from a serious illness, all by changing her diet and mindset, which gave him the inspiration he needed in order to believe he could recover, too.
“Around the same time, I had the story idea for Who Okayed This?! kicking around in my head, and with this woman’s encouragement, I set out to write my first book,” Philip E. Barrington says.
While Who Okayed This?! is at its heart a rollercoaster ride, Philip E. Barrington goes deeper and explores the complex thoughts and emotions that Grant grapples with as he searches for clues from one country to the next.
“You have to remember who Grant is: a regular person. He is not a member of the mafia, and he values loyalty and courage,” says Philip E. Barrington. “It is only natural, then, that when his world is overturned in such an extraordinary way, he ponders some very deep questions and comes up with his own answers.”
Chief among them is the relationships in his life, including those with his friends and family. Who exactly can be trusted? How far should that trust be extended? What do you do when you realize that not everyone around you operates by the same code of ethics?
Philip E. Barrington also delves into the meaning of time, with every second that Grant lives taking on new significance. All around him are people who seem to be moving more slowly than he is now that his time on Earth has presumably sped up.
“I think it all feels a bit surreal for Grant sometimes, as nothing has changed around him, yet everything has,” says Philip E. Barrington. “He is really on a very courageous journey, as he must fight to save his life and to accept internally that just like everyone else, his minutes on this planet are finite.”
In the midst of all this turmoil and intrigue, Grant finds something unexpected: peace. He may be disillusioned with those around him, but he learns something invaluable: by seeing with his heart and not with his eyes, he can experience a far deeper beauty, one that fills his mind and soul.
“I can’t give away the ending, of course, but I will reveal this: Grant is a far different man at the end than he was when he was first injected with the toxin,” Philip E. Barrington says. “He knows something that all of us learn sooner or later – in our darkest moments, there is always hope.”
Philip E. Barrington is the author of Who Okayed This?! The Riveting Life of Grant Davis, which is the Stellar book award recipient winner of 2022. Who Okayed This?! can be purchased on Amazon or on Barnes & Noble.
