Karen Corless asked Libby Fischer Hellmann:

I am a native Chicagoan and I've known Pascal Marco most of my life. I was on goodreads to write reviews on his books, and saw you are one of his favorite authors. I am curious about your book Havana Lost. What gave you the inspiration to write about Cuba? I've read Carlos Eire and spent 4 hours watching Che,the documentary, and even History will Absolve Me. My daughter married a Cuban so my grandkids are 1/2 Cuban.

Libby Fischer Hellmann Hi, Karen. Thanks for asking. I grew up in Washington DC in the 1950s. Back then Batista was in charge, and the Mafia ran the casinos. My parents used to go to Havana for the weekend to gamble (no Vegas then). But then he was overthrown, and Fidel came to power. And he turned the island "COMMUNIST" -- our mortal enemy. And then there was the Bay of Pigs... and then the Missile Crisis. Cuba became the country I always wondered about. So close and yet so far. I kept wondering what it must be like to live there, grow up there, behind the Iron Curtain (albeit the Western version). Probably because it was off-limits, I had an intense curiosity about the place. So when I was talking to my sister, who had actually gone there, about what to write after I finished A BITTER VEIL (about Iran), she mentioned Cuba! That's all it took! I started reading... did my research... then went there with my daughter. HAVANA LOST is the result. Hope that helps. Btw, there's a movie, I think it's on Netflix, called "Honey for Oshun" that you should watch. It's about a young man's journey across Cuba to find his mother. Charming! And educational. Hope that answers your question.

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