SPOTLIGHT: STEVEN NEDELTON

[Fran Lewis]

Steven’s questions

Fran
How did you create your main character? How and why did you choose this topic for your plot?
Steven
The initial idea for my main character, Ben Kalninsh, might have come from conversations with a Latvian friend who told me about his family's plight during the World War II. I made him one of my central, fictional characters in the book. However, ‘Tunnel,’ itself, the ninety-nine percent of the novel, is purely my imagination.
Fran
What research did you do before writing this book and your other titles?
Steven
Tunnel required some looking into the plot locations, hotels and police precincts’ procedures. I looked also into the early methods of secret coding used by various agencies.
For Crossroads I read a lot about the investigations into paranormal at Stanford, Princeton, etc. That was also my first and only novel based on paranormal effects. The Midwest Book Review rated it Five Stars.
The Raven Affair required research about one of the infamous World War II mass murderers, not the most enjoyable work for sure. Yet, I’d say almost eighty percent of the novel was based on my imagination. Since I write fiction, I rely mostly on my personal ideas for the content of my novels. The book was rated Five Stars by The US review of books, Apex Reviews, etc.
Fear! is more of a historical and philosophical novel delving into the roots of tyranny, despotism and Man’s desire to dominate the multitudes since the prehistoric times. By the way, that novel received a special recognition from the Midwest Book Review Magazine.
Fran
How did you create the premise behind the The Lost Diary/ The Tunnel?
Steven
I build my novels in parts. I start them with an initial event and from there on I branch out into the action according to my feel for the interesting, be it a mystery or a crime case. The Latvian family gave me a few ideas because they lived in Europe and then came to the US. And, as you can imagine, there are always family secrets people never share with anyone.
In this particular case, I introduced their involvement with Andris, the AWOL soldier with the stolen gold, though the actual family connection to gold was only peripheral. Andris promised to share the proceeds if they helped him transfer the gold to a Swiss bank. However, to make the story more interesting, I introduced a diary full of secrets. At that point, being the author of several spy novels, I knew I had the central idea for ‘Tunnel.’
Fran
What starts the chain reaction of events?
Steven
Unknown to Andris, it turns out that one of the valises contains also a booklet, a secret diary which is actually the coded information about the Soviet agents residing in the US. Of course, if this information came into the hands of the American CIA or FBI, it would spell a disaster for all involved.
The disappearance of gold and, especially, of the secret diary, initiates the Soviets’ hunt for the perpetrators and the secret notebook, the main plot for this novel.
Fran
Why did Ben want to become a boxer? Why was he relentless about it?
Steven
Like most immigrants, Ben’s family was quite poor when they arrived to America. Ben’s father was a trained veterinarian and so he completed additional studies to obtain his license in the US. However, in the very beginning there was not much money in the family because the agreement with Andris stipulated the gold would not be shared until much later. Andris was afraid the Soviets would find out about it and pursue him.
Ben happened to be very athletic by nature and not too interested in studies. He knew about Joe Lewis and other famous, well to do pugilists. And so, he saw an opportunity for getting rich quick and decided to pursue a career in boxing. He hoped to become a top name, to get wealthy in the process and help his struggling family too.
When he defeated the European number two heavy weight in Minnesota, he thought he was on his way to stardom. Unfortunately, just then the Soviet agents have tracked down Dr. Gulbis, the man involved in the transfer of the stolen gold to a bank in Switzerland. Andris’ father and Dr. Gulbis were murdered the same day Andris defeated the European second best fighter.
Fran
How does he survive after his father’s death?
Steven
Andris fought his last fight for a considerable purse for those days and won it. Money was not an immediate problem for him any longer. Also, his mother decided to sell their property and so there was also additional revenue from the sale too. Of course, he planned to get away from Minnesota, including his boxing career because his life was at stake.
Fran
Why does his mother leave and start over again and why with Andris? Who was he and why did she feel compelled to trust him?
Steven
The day Andris met young Ben, the principal character, he had already stolen the two suitcases with gold and gone AWOL. He hoped to escape to America. He befriended Ben’s family hoping to transfer the stolen gold to a Swiss bank using Ben’s father’s connections. During those few weeks he was hiding in their home, he became romantically involved with Ben’s mother. It was a case of mutual attraction.
After her husband’s death, afraid of being pursued by the Soviet agents and murdered, Ben’s mother decided to go to Andris in Chicago and get his protection. Andris is the one who called her and offered her the refuge at his home. Eventually, they decided to get married.
Fran
What secrets are revealed about his father and his relationship with Andris?
Steven
Andris, Ben’s father and Dr. Goulbis made an agreement to share the stolen gold once Andris felt it was safe for them to do so. Dr. Goulbis provided a reliable courier who transferred the money to one of the Swiss banks. However, neither of the parties, except for Andris, was too interested in the stolen gold. They just knew that the Soviets agents stole it from the Latvians and thought that in the end it was better for them to profit from the thievery. Sort of a revenge played on the Soviets. No one could have identified the rightful owners anyway.
Fran
What is the significance of the bank account?
Steven
The bank account, where the two stolen valises were deposited by the courier in forty-five, was opened in three names, Andris’, Dr. Goulbis’ and Ben’s father’s. When the Soviet agents discovered Andris’ whereabouts, they put pressure on him to go to the Swiss bank, get the diary and return it to the Soviet agent who owned the two valises. There was the money issue too but the secret diary retrieval was the primary reason for Andris’ and Ben’s trip to Switzerland.

Fran
How does Andris become involved with Ben’s mother and why?
Steven
During his brief stay with Ben’s family, Andris, a handsome soldier at the time, was attracted to Ben’s mother. Actually, it was a case of a mutual attraction between two young people. The primary reason being a large age difference between Ben’s father and his much younger wife. Ben’s mother was about the same age as Andris was. Andris continued pursuing Ben’s mother even after their arrival to America but she stayed fateful to her husband until his murder.

Fran
Who is John Holt and what is his role? Who are Mina and Beatrice?
Steven
John Holt is a renegade Soviet intelligence officer who joined the American Intelligence in 1945, at the end of the war. Years later, when the FBI involved itself in the hunt for the secret Soviet diary, Holt was loaned to the FBI to help. He is one of the primary characters in the novel.
Bea and Mina are two retired school teachers. What makes them different are their children. The President of the United States is Beatrice’s son and also the son of the secret Soviet top agent Bayer.
Fran
Who is Marly and how far up does the corruption go?
Steven
Marly is Bayer’s beautiful and corrupt daughter, also the President’s sister from a different mother. Marly is deeply involved in the Soviet penetration of the US federal government. Thanks to her father, Bayer, she is elected to the position of the United States Secretary of State.
Fran
What is the Lost Diary?
Steven
It is a booklet consisting of a number of passages from a famed Russian Author Turgenev’s novel ‘Rudin.’ These passages are used to secret the names and identities of various Soviet agents operating under cover in the US. Of course, a special key is required to read the information.
Fran
Who is Bayer?
Steven
Bayer, also known as ‘Provider,’ is a top Soviet agent and the ‘Control’ for the soviet agents operating in the US. He obtains the top secret US government information through a multitude of corrupt Defense employees and politicians.
Fran
What are some twists you can share with our listeners without revealing too much?
Steven
During their search for the Lost Diary, Andris and Ben are forced to travel to the Swiss bank where the two valises with the stolen gold are kept. They don’t find the diary there, instead, upon his return back to Chicago, Andris discovers it in Ben’s mother’s possession.
Fran
What about a sequel?
Steven
I was already asked by several readers about the sequel. I might write it when I complete my present novel I am collaborating on with a friend of mine, J. Parente.
Fran
What is your next project? Where can everyone learn more about you and get your titles?
Steven
As I just mentioned it, I am working on a new thriller, a novel noir titled ‘Coma Sins/The madness of Ben Bluman.’ The book is presently in the final edit stage.
All my books and their brief descriptions are provided on my web site www.snedelton.com. The web site is also connected to all pertinent book sellers.