Stephen Fishbach played Survivor for the first time during Season 18. He and his alliance member, J.T. Thomas, made it to the final two during that season. However, it was J.T. who ended up clinching the win.
This seems a bit unfair in retrospect since it was Stephen, not J.T., who masterminded their gameplay. Still, J.T. ended up snagging every juror’s vote. Meanwhile, Stephen took another swing at taking home the title of “sole survivor” and competed again in 2015.
However, Stephen has since turned his focus to writing, and his debut novel, Escape!, was inspired by his reality TV experience.
Stephen Fishbach’s first book isn’t just for Survivor fans
Stephen, often noted for his smart and strategic moves, set his book in a world that he was already familiar with.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book, and I was writing this book based on my experiences in New York. And I realized that was quite stupid,” Stephen told PEOPLE. “I had this story to tell, into this world that I don’t think really has been told before.”
So, the author set his novel on a reality show, giving behind-the-scenes access to readers. “Initially, I wrote a draft that was entirely from the producer’s perspective,” Stephen explained. However, when he returned to school to earn a graduate degree, a professor gave him a different idea.
“Recognizing that the interiority of contestants was something I had to give and that I had not seen before is when the book really started to take off for me,” the Survivor alum stated.
The novel focuses on both the lives and motivations of the people in front of and behind the camera. “I’ve heard from a lot of people who have never watched an episode of reality TV that they’ve really enjoyed this, because it’s all about this human experience,” Stephen explained.
Escape! will be published on January 27 and is available for preorder.
Survivor Season 50 premieres on Wednesday, February 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
TELL US – DOES STEPHEN’S NOVEL SOUND INTERESTING? ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH SURVIVOR SEASON 50?
