Libby Fischer Hellmann is a best-selling and critically acclaimed crime fiction writer. Hellmann writes what she calls “compulsively readable thrillers,” the latest of which is Jump Cut. Hellmann, who says her first priority is to always entertain readers, also writes with purpose. And, the reason behind Jump Cut actually began with her previous book.
Hellmann said, “Last summer I dipped my toe into World War II literature with the publication of ‘The Incidental Spy.’ I’d held off for years—what could I possibly add to the body of work that’s already out there? Particularly the wonderful fiction that is set in that time period. Then a story came to me which involved espionage—a German refugee is forced to spy on the early years of the Manhattan Project. So I wrote it. And entered into the world of spy tradecraft and espionage. I read a lot, visited the Spy Museum and Bletchley Park, and talked to a few people who are considered experts in that field.
“I always knew that eventually I would move to the present and write about espionage in what I call the ‘post-Snowden’ era. And once I knew that, I knew it was time to bring back my first protagonist, Chicago video producer Ellie Foreman. She was the perfect anchor for the story, especially after I decided she would produce a video for a giant Chicago aviation company that manufactures both consumer and military planes.”
[tweetthis display_mode=”box”]Great interview with @LibbyHellmann via @suspense_writer[/tweetthis]
Jump Cut is about the collection of personal information, specifically, the degree to which the government, particularly the intelligence community, collects information about ordinary citizens. “It’s not just about the decline in privacy,” Hellmann said. “It’s also the abrogation of our civil rights. What are they doing with all that information? Who’s looking at it? Why? Clearly it’s not always about terrorism. Which leads me to the issue of the Deep State – the shadow government that runs our country.
“It’s composed of the intelligence community, certain corporations, Wall Street and the big banks, and the Defense community. Mike Lofgren’s essay at Bill Moyers.com should be required reading for anyone interested in civics today. It teaches us that it really doesn’t matter who’s running for President or even Congress. The Deep State will persevere making sure its interests are always met first.”
When I asked him what was so funny, he told me he was a lawyer for Boeing.
Delcroft Aviation is the Chicago aviation company in Jump Cut. Hellmann said, “It’s a thinly veiled version of Boeing, of course. About six months ago I was in a bookstore selling ‘The Incidental Spy,’ and a lovely man came up so we started chatting about World War II and why we still love to read about an event that occurred over 70 years ago. One thing led to another and he asked me what I was working on now. I told him, and he started to laugh. When I asked him what was so funny, he told me he was a lawyer for Boeing.”
Hellmann’s reply was simple. “Oops,” she said. “Forget everything I’ve told you.”
The crime-fiction genre has many variations and Hellmann loves them all. “I enjoy a challenge in my writing. Which is why I say I’m writing my way around the genre. I have written an amateur sleuth series, a PI series, a series of historical thrillers, a police procedural, and even a cozy. I think that’s kept my writing fresh and, in some ways, original. Reading one of my novels is kind of like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates—you never know quite what you’re gonna get.”
After years away from Ellie Foreman, the protagonist in Jump Cut, Hellmann felt a desire to write about her again. “I’ve missed Ellie’s sense of humor—dry, self-deprecating, and occasionally sardonic. It took me only about half a page to ‘find’ her voice again, which surprised me, since it’s been ten years since I last wrote her.
Double Trouble Contest Code: #EllieIsBack
“I also missed Ellie’s support system: her daughter, her father, her best friend, and, of course, Luke, her significant other. She has people to whom she can turn when she needs help, and, of course, she takes care of them as well. I missed her spontaneity too—although it sometimes turns dangerous. Ellie is impatient, she wants results, and if they’re not in the offing, she makes them happen, regardless of the consequences. She’s a warm compassionate soul, and it’s fun to spend time with her.”
Learn more about Libby Fischer Hellmann at libbyhellmann.com.
Another interesting book and author for me to start reading.