Interview with Glen Hierlmeier, author of Honor and Innocence: Against the Tides of War, & Giveaway

1. At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?  

I have thought about being an author for many years, perhaps as early as high school where I was inspired by an outstanding English, writing, and literature teacher named Ms. Elizabeth Ritzmann, who saw potential in me I was unaware of.  I studied International Affairs in college, then a Masters of Business Administration, so I took a different path, although my writing ability served me very well in my business career.     I was always sought out to write proposals and business plans, as well as marketing materials, as well as many speeches which I presented.  Then in the mid 2000’s I had the opportunity to write a manual for rehabilitation of prison inmates and drug addicts which inspired me to continue my writing.

In 2009, I retired, meaning I had the opportunity to change careers.  I focused on my grandchildren and my writing.  I began with a book about my family, beginning with my fourth great grandfather, Thomas Sewell, who came to American as an indentured servant in 1773.  All my life I heard people say, “Someone should write a story about your amazing family!”  I set about to do just that, beginning with extensive interviews with relatives and research into the family ancestry.  That first book, We Had to Live: We Had No Choice, and a second soon after, Thoughts from Yesterday: Moments to Remember, were primarily intended for family and friends.

Being completely new to the writing and publishing business, I undertook an exhaustive study of the business.  I decided to use an independent publisher for the first two books, although that publisher, Xlibris, is now owned by Random House.  Publishing with Xlibris was a low cost way to get into the business while I tried to learn the ropes.  With the first two in publication, I set out to write the third, a novel I intended to be a commercial success, unlike my objectives for the first two.  I then engaged a publicist to help market the book.

2. Did you end up doing a lot of research while writing your historic fiction novel, Honor & Innocence?

Yes, I completed a very extensive amount of research, including many hours of interview with my oldest brother, Hank, who inspired the book with some of the stories he related to me about his experiences as a soldier drafted just at the end of WWII.  Hank was assigned to escort German prisoners of war back to Germany, and he became part of the forces overseeing the recovery of Europe.  Even with nearly ten years of higher education, I was completely unaware of much of what happened in Europe and Asia after the war.  I had to research each scene to include an accurate description of events and landmarks included in the story, ranging from Fort Wolters, Texas, to Hamburg, Germany, Zurich, Switzerland, Trieste, Italy, Kapsia, Greece, Singapore, and Sydney, Australia.  I would say that for every hour of writing there were two to three hours of research.

3. Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in the military in your writing?

Much of the philosophy and beliefs of the characters reflects my views, which were strongly influenced by my military experience.  I served entirely during the Viet Nam War, though I never served “in country”.  Seventeen of my graduate classmates at the Air Force Academy were killed during flying missions in and around Viet Nam—all young men in their early twenties.  I will never forget that they gave their lives and left grieving families, sometimes including wives and children, at such a young and aspiring stage. The war was very, very personal to me.  I also lost a cousin who was an Army infantryman in Viet Nam.  To this day, I am dubious about what our mission was in Southeast Asia that cost the lives of over 58,000 Americans.  I think Honor & Innocence makes a strong statement about the travesty of war, and how it effects common, innocent people.

4. Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic? How long did it take to write Honor & Innocence?

I think you would say my writing process is organic.  Although I am very organized, I don’t create an extensive outline until I am ready to write a scene, then it is only a brief topic outline to help keep me on track and be sure I include everything I have intended.  I do indeed plot, plan and outline, but nearly all in my head.  My process is to internalize my writing by carefully thinking it through, first the overall plot and main characters, then scene by scene where much of the detail is developed.  My research is completed just before I write a scene, and then checked and re-checked in the editing process.

Approaching my writing as I have described allows me the freedom to let my thoughts flow and present a scene as if I am directing a stage play or as if I were there myself, while adding as much prose as possible.  I find that a quality pen and paper allows me to be more creative in the initial writing, then as I transcribe the hand-written version into Word, I add a lot of detail and become more poetic.  I then edit the text before I turn it over to my wife and editor, RuthAnn, who adds immeasurably to the quality of the finished product.  I do this first scene by scene, usually a chapter at a time, then RuthAnn edits and I re-write; then in the same way we edit each Part at a time to be sure the flow or sequencing is correct and the plot line is consistent; then we do the same for the complete manuscript, which I will read several times, each with a different emphasis; first for grammatical correctness, then for consistency in the characters, then for development of the characters, and finally to sit back and enjoy— the acid test.

5. To date, what is your favorite (or most difficult) chapter you have ever written?

Without hesitation, the most difficult have been the chapters in the first book, We Had to Live, having to do with the many family tragedies.  One in particular was emotionally draining because my task was to reveal the true story of how my oldest sister, Phylis, died at the age of eighteen months and the agony of my parents and my brother who was only four.  The chapter is titled “The Rose”.  I describe little Phylis’ graveside ceremony where four year old brother Hank drops his rose into the grave and it lands atop the simple canvas bag holding the lifeless body of baby Phylis.  I tried to capture the emotion my brother felt as he recalled the story at the age of 85 when I interviewed him.  I cannot read the chapter myself without choking up.

There was little rest for Hank again that night.  His heart and his mind were being pulled in different directions.  He had made commitments to Max and Oliver, then to Captain Stein, and now to Roberta.  He had always been trusted by everyone, a pillar of integrity.  Now, he would surely destroy that reputation.  As he tossed and turned, and scolded himself for getting himself into such a quandary, his thoughts kept going back to Roberta, warm thoughts full of wonder and excitement.  But, as the night progressed, doubts began to creep into his head.

Hank couldn’t deny how he felt; he felt fantastic, incredible.  He had met the girl of his dreams—love at first sight.  He couldn’t wait to see her again.  She was everything he had always imagined she would be, everything he hoped for in a woman.  Yet, he began to wonder, is this real?  Could it be possible for two people to be in love when they’ve only known each other for two days?  Was he being foolish?  Had the events of the past five months and his absence from the comforts of home made him vulnerable in a dangerous way?  A frightful pang of fear shot through his gut as he thought: Is she just using me? Does she see me as her way out of confinement? Am I being fooled by her? Maybe she doesn’t care about me at all; she only needs me to get what she really wants.  Why should I trust her?  I don’t really know her.  Oh, what a fool I must be to fall for the first beautiful woman who shows an interest in me, who caresses me.  Am I that vulnerable?  Am I that foolish? Thoughts of Roberta dazzled and confused him; nothing in his young life had ever left him so unsure of himself.  No amount of concentration overcame the cascade of emotions flooding his chest.  He tossed and turned long into the night, soaked his pillow through with his sweat, though he wasn’t warm, and felt his pulse exploding his temples; alternating between visions of pure, romantic love and sheer foolishness.  The pull on his heart skidded back and forth like a tug of war.  That is…until he recalled his mother’s words, spoken on his eighteenth birthday, just after a high school sweetheart informed him that another man had won her heart.

Hank, you are such a precious son.  I adore you.  I am sad when you are sad, but you must know this pain you feel will pass.  Sometimes love is fleeting, it may disappear as quickly as it appears.  You have your whole life ahead of you.  I know you will meet the woman who will love you completely, and for your lifetime.  I have no doubt.  Love between a man and a woman cannot be easily defined; love comes in many forms and is never the same for everyone.  Almost always love charges into your life like a cosmic experience, even magical, it is so difficult to predict or understand.  Sometimes that special feeling in your heart really is true love—sometimes not.  When love comes suddenly, we can be swept off our feet.  It’s a dazzling experience that confuses us.  That’s often called love at first sight, but it’s never really love at first sight.  If it happens to you, don’t take it for granted, it’s very special and you won’t want to lose it.  It’s one of the best feelings you will ever have, and I believe the best beginning for true love.

Don’t be deceived, true love has to be built; it takes a lot of hard work and may take a very long time.  When two people stop working on their love, it fades, no matter if it’s the first month, the first year, the tenth or the twenty-fifth.  There will always be difficulties and complications, that’s how life is, not just marriage.  Use those difficulties to work on making your marriage stronger.  Don’t expect not to have challenges, welcome them and be ready to take them on together.  Everything really worthwhile in your life will require hard work.  Your marriage is the one very most worthwhile jewel you will ever have.

Laying silently in the darkness, eyes wide open, thinking warm thoughts of his mother, a smile came across his face.  Of course, he thought, mother is right.  I have to work on it.  Tomorrow I’ll have to find out if Roberta truly feels the same way about me.  Sleep finally came.

He should have been exhausted the next morning, with little sleep and tormented the whole night through with all his mixed emotions, but his adrenalin had taken over.  Hank needed to get things resolved, and though he wasn’t sure how to do that, he needed to attack his demons head on.  By the time he met with Oliver and Max in the evening he wanted to have his life back on track.  Since he was drafted there had not been a dull day in Hank’s life.  He never knew quite what to expect, and that day would be no different.  It would begin with his report to Captain Stein.

Hank was surprised to see the Captain waiting for him.  Stein motioned Hank to his office as soon as Hank appeared in the doorway.  Hank’s curiosity was aroused.

“Hank, we have to release everyone except the SS Officers.  The staff and family are being released as soon as possible.   We’ll have 30 days to hold the officers and unless we can get enough evidence they participated in war crimes we’ll have to release them too!  Something about the Geneva Convention says we can’t hold them unless we have sufficient evidence to take them to trial.  It’s foolish as far as I’m concerned.  What kind of fair trial did the millions of dead Jews get?”

Hank was stunned again.  His first emotion was that he was losing Roberta, but his first thought was that might be best.  He had to set his feelings aside and listen to Stein without revealing his feelings.

“I’m sorry, sir.  I know how important this is to you.  It really would be a shame if guilty men went free.”

“Ya, well, there’s nothing we can do about it but work our butts off to get the evidence we need to hold the bastards.  That’s our job, and by God, we’re going to make sure every last one of them hangs for what they’ve done.  Did you get anything out of the girl?”

“I thought I was really close…I mean…I think she was beginning to trust me.  I needed more time; maybe a few more days, but I’m not sure she knew anything.”

“Come on, Corporal, of course she knows things.  I’ll bet she knows plenty.  We’re losing a good opportunity by letting them all go.  It makes our job harder.”

“What will we do now?”

“We’ll get busy interrogating the officers.  The British have been at it for weeks.  They have files on all of them.  The Russians are sending men to help too, and we’re getting some young Army lawyers by next week.  Today, you and I are going out there to go through files.  We’ll make a list of the ones that look like they were in charge, in some position of leadership, the higher the better, then we’ll start meeting with them.  I want to get the top guys.”

Hank didn’t know what to think.  His emotions all melted together in a jumble of confusion.  All he could do was follow orders for the moment, until he could sort through all the feelings bombarding him.

Within a few minutes he and Stein were on their way to the compound, where they came upon a blur of activity.  Those who were being released were jubilant as groups of them gathered in the streets to celebrate.  There was pitched cheering, yet, others pushed against the fence separating them from officers, loved ones and former employers who they would be leaving behind.  There was sadness and tears, as well as questions about what may lay ahead for each of them, the uncertainty for those who were released to communities that may not still exist, and for those who remained in custody, facing the possibility of imprisonment or death.

As Stein and Hank walked into the officer’s compound, Hank did his best to keep Stein from seeing him looking among those being released through the fence.  In spite of his doubts, his heart told him he was in love and he was growing desperate about losing Roberta so soon, thinking she could be gone forever, and wishing he could know for sure if what they had begun was truly love, or whether he was just a fool.  They were moving too quickly for him to see clearly.  He couldn’t find her.  They were up the steps and into the meeting hall, leaving behind any chance he might see her again.  He was numb, unaware of anything going on around him.

“Hank, Hank, come on, get moving.  Pay attention!”  Stein gave him a nudge toward the stairway leading to a room above, where they spent the rest of the morning poring through files, assessing information that had been gathered by the British, looking for clues to help them decide which officers they would interrogate first.  Stacks of files were set aside, awaiting the lawyer’s arrival.  Hank couldn’t focus his attention; all he could think about was that he may be losing the one person who was right for him, the one he would commit his life to.  Convicting German criminals wasn’t important to him at that moment.

By noon Stein was satisfied they had enough files to get started.  They were loaded in the back of the truck and about to leave.

“Captain Stein, I’d like to see if I can find Roberta and make an appeal to her to give us the information you believe she has.  Once she is gone, it will be lost.  I think it’s worth a try.”

“If you think so, Hank.  There can’t be any harm in trying.  In fact, I like your attitude.  Go ahead, get what you can, and jump on another truck heading back later.  I’ll see you in the morning.  Good luck.”

Hank felt relieved that Stein went along with the idea, but he felt a tinge of guilt for taking advantage of Stein’s trust in him.

Trucks loaded with released detainees were rolling out the gate as Hank walked over to the camp.  He ran alongside each truck calling Roberta’s name but got no response.  Others were still loading near a barracks building to the rear.  He ran into the building asking each person he came to about Roberta until an older woman stopped him.

“Yes.  Roberta was here.  But she has gone.”

Hank’s world came to a sudden stop.  He just stood there as people pushed past him toward the trucks.  He lost her.  She was gone.  Maybe she didn’t love him after all.  Maybe she just didn’t need him anymore.  He really didn’t know what to think.  He only knew this was the worst day of his life.

As he walked back toward the gate past the office where he had met with Roberta, the guard who had brought Roberta to the meetings called out to him.

“Corporal!  Corporal Fischer!  Come quickly.  There is someone who wants to see you.”

Hank wouldn’t allow himself to believe it could be her.  He hurried into the building and found the front office area empty, but the door to the room in back was ajar.  He slowly opened the door and there sat Roberta.  She leaped from her chair and into his arms with a scream of delight.

“Oh, Hank, Hank!  I knew you would come for me.  I knew it in my heart!”

“They told me you had left.  I thought you were gone!”

“I couldn’t go.  Where would I go without you now that I have found you?  I love you, Hank, I love you!  I feel like I have loved you since always, and forever.”

Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her lips found his.  Her words washed away any doubt.  He had never known such elation.  He was in love.  It was real.  He was sure of it.

“I love you, Roberta.  I love you, too!”

Glen graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, then earned a Masters of Business Administration at The University of Wisconsin at Madison. He served in the US Air Force on the Manned Orbiting Laboratory space exploration program and on the design phase of the development of the F-15 fighter aircraft. After leaving the Air Force, Glen returned to Wisconsin and became Vice President of the largest bank in his home state, First Wisconsin National Bank. In 1979, he moved on to become President and CEO of several real estate development and management companies. Glen retired in 2009 to devote full time to his grandchildren and his writing. Glen is the author of Honor and Innocence, We Had to Live: We Had No Choice…, and Thoughts From Yesterday: Moments to Remember.

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