Author, Compulsively Readable Thrillers
Libby Fischer Hellmann 
The end of August can be demoralizing. Technically, there are still 3 weeks of summer left, but it often feels as if the season has flown, and I haven’t done any of the things I promised myself. Back-to-school sales are ubiquitous; so are pre-season football games, and my weekly trips to Dairy Queen have lost their allure. … Read more
With a world of exciting, mysterious and historic locations to write about, I’m often asked where I’ll set my next story. Happily, there are plenty of places on my agenda, and if I write a caper novel, which I’m considering btw, I might have even more places to discover. For now, though, here are my … Read more
I’ve been trying to figure out why I love doing research—much more than writing, btw—and I finally think I have an answer. Research is a free-form activity, especially on the internet. I Google a topic, scan a few articles, and if something catches my fancy, I click on the link or do another Google search … Read more
So I just got back from LA where I attended a film pitch conference. For those who don’t know, it’s kind of like speed-dating — you, the author or screenwriter – get five minutes with a production company rep to pitch your property, then you move on to the next. Most of the people who … Read more
It’s all Miss Lear’s fault. Linda Lear was my history teacher when I was a senior in high school. I was in Advanced Placement US history at a small girl’s school in Washington DC, with maybe 15 girls in the class. I had already taken European history as a junior, and I enjoyed it a … Read more
A couple of weeks ago I brought up the concept of karma, in relation to a colleague who helped me a lot in the early stages of my career. Now it’s come up again, this time regarding Cuba, a place close to my heart. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that the … Read more
Un thriller en gran parte ambientado en Cuba, que se extiende por tres generaciones de la misma familia. ¡Mas de 200 comentarios in inglés! Ahora disponible en audio. En vísperas de la Revolución Cubana, la testaruda Francesca Pacelli, de 18 años de edad, huye de su despiadado padre, un Jefe de la Mafia en La … Read more
I love that moment when, like now, I’ve finally finished the first draft of a book, a draft good enough to send to my editor. But what’s next? The act of finishing a book leaves an empty, windy gap where all that daily hard work used to be, and like all vacuums it has to … Read more
Every coin has two sides. Last week I talked about the things I hate most about writing fiction, so this week I’m flipping the coin to look at the aspects of authorship that give me a buzz. Research – Hunting for facts and context I love the constant learning, the thrill of the chase, the … Read more
Imagine a writer, okay – me — sitting with my feet up, happily tapping on my keyboard, writing 1500 words a day. Nice idea, right? But that’s all it is. An idea. The reality is I am usually sweating it out, getting up from the keyboard, cursing, and maybe—if it’s a good day— sitting back … Read more