Introduction

Author Helen Hanson has put a unique spin on the mystery thriller, with her high tech mysteries, whose main characters are ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations.

Today we talk about why understanding the motivation for her characters is so important, the value of untethering from technology (even for an author who writes high tech thrillers), and why Helen is fascinated with ‘failure to launch’ syndrome.

You can find out more about Helen and her books at HelenHanson.com.

She is also on Twitter, and Facebook.

Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on iTunes. And listen on Stitcher.

You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube.

Transcription of Interview with Helen Hanson

Alexandra: Hi, Mystery Readers. This is It’s a Mystery Podcast. I’m Alexandra Amor and I’m here today with Helen Hanson. Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Alexandra. Nice to be here, thanks.

Alexandra: It’s great to have you here. I’m going to introduce you to our listeners. Bestselling Kindle writer Helen Hanson creates thrillers about desperate people with a high-tech bent. Hackers. The CIA. Industry titans. Guys on sailboats. Mobsters. Their personal maelstroms pit them against unrelenting forces willing to kill.

Helen directed operations for high-tech manufacturers of semiconductors, video games, software, and computers. Her reluctant education behind the Redwood Curtain culminated in a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrated studies in Computer Science. She also learned to play a mean game of hacky sack.

Helen is a licensed private pilot with a ticket for single-engine aircraft. She currently lives amid the bricks of Texas with her husband, son, a dog that composes music with squeaky toys, and another one that’s too lazy to bother. So welcome, Helen.

Helen: Thank you.

Alexandra: I hope one of the dogs makes an appearance, that would be exciting.

Helen: That’s very easy to do actually, she likes it. The other one I couldn’t get to get up unless I’m going to feed her, then the bowl has to be on the floor for her.

Alexandra: Yeah, not a very energetic dog, I guess.

Helen: No, no.

Alexandra: Why don’t we talk about starting with “Ocean of Fear,” and that’s a free book on your website if people sign up for your reader’s group, correct?

Helen: That’s correct.

Alexandra: And so, the main character is Baxter Cruise, and I love that you described him as a robotics expert and a spammer for hire.

Helen: Indeed.

Alexandra: Yeah, so tell us a bit about him.

Helen: Baxter lost his parents when he was just about ready to get launched as an adult. He was 18 years old, and both of his parents died in an auto accident. And he was thrust into this world. He was going to school at University of California at Santa Cruz, but he had to manage all these decisions on his own, and he had to figure out a way to pay for it past the first semester.