In just eight days, every secret you've ever kept could be laid bare for the world to see. This is the chilling promise made by the shadowy group known as ‘The Horrible Siliconettes.’ Enter Flake, a prominent data-dystopian YouTuber and social media critic known for his prank videos. Now, he’s the NSA’s top suspect, accused of orchestrating what they deem a terrorist act. But to Flake, it’s a wake-up call for society. As the world grapples with the looming threat, Flake finds himself drawn to Leeza, a bright-eyed Silicon Valley insider who believes in the power of social media to do good. Their budding romance is set against the backdrop of a society on the brink of chaos. Together, they ignite a viral social media campaign challenging Big Tech’s ethics, drawing both admiration and adversaries. As users abandon social media platforms and stock markets waver, the impending data dump – dubbed ‘The Big One’ in Silicon Valley circles – threatens to dismantle lives, topple corporate giants, and even destabilize governments. Amidst this whirlwind, Flake and Leeza’s relationship is put to a test as they get pulled into a web of corporate intrigue and political machinations. As the stakes rise, they quickly realize they’re in over their heads, facing dire consequences. “Just because you are paranoid don’t mean they’re not after you,” Kurt Cobain screamed at us in ‘Territorial Pissings’. In a world where secrets are currency, how much are you willing to pay?
As a teenager, Ralf aspired to work on animated Disney movies (that was before they made them with a computer) and create the next Batman. Instead, he got into studying economics, aiming to solve the world hunger problem. He ended up as a corporate storyteller for a global IT firm, dealing with the benefits of information technology, ubiquitous access and artificial intelligence can bring to people in his day job and contemplating about the risks that come with it in his spare time. The Big One is Ralf’s debut in commercial fiction.