Troubleshooters: Headed For Trouble Part 29

SUZ: It was my hope that I'd create a stir with Sam and Alyssa. I'd hoped that people would connect to them-I actually had no idea, though, just how strong that connection would be.

The biggest shock-to me-came when quite a few readers a.s.sumed that Sam and Alyssa's story ended with Over the Edge. Because in my mind it was so clear that their story was far from over.

Q: Which character in the Troubleshooters books (aside from Sam or Alyssa) is the most popular?

SUZ: That would be Jules Ca.s.sidy. When I go on book tours, I do a Q&A session at nearly every signing. And one of the first questions asked-it doesn't matter where we are-is "Will we be seeing more of Jules in future books?"

Q: You've been accused of "waving your rainbow flag" in Hot Target. Care to comment?

SUZ: I happen to disagree. Yes, this book features Jules Ca.s.sidy, who is gay. Yes, this book features other characters who are gay. Yes, this book goes into those characters' backstories (their childhoods, their histories) in some detail-just as I do for all my characters in this book and in every other book I've ever written. And yes, the backstories for these gay characters deal with their coming out-which (as is the case for all gay people) required enormous courage.

I believe strongly that my books are entertainment. I hope you might learn a thing or two while reading them, but first and foremost, my job is to entertain you.

If I'm waving a flag in Hot Target, it's the same flag I've always waved in all my books-the American flag. And that's a flag that's supposed to stand for acceptance and understanding. For freedom for all-and not just freedom for all Americans, but freedom for all of the diverse and wonderful people living on this planet; freedom to live their lives according to their definitions of freedom. It's a flag that's supposed to stand for real American values like honor and honesty and peace and love and hope.

Q: Readers enjoy the diversity of the characters in your books. Jules is gay, Alyssa is African American, Lindsey is Asian American, Max's grandfather came from India ... How hard is it to write those characters?

SUZ: Not hard at all.

Here's the deal: The world I live in, a fairly urban, blue-collar-ish suburb of Boston, is ethnically diverse. I chose to live here, on a busy street with buses running past my house, and neighbors and friends of all different colors, shapes, orientations, and sizes, because I love diversity. I believe it's what makes America great. (I believe that differences of opinion, too, are so important to a true democracy.) I love meeting people who, on the surface, appear to be different from me. But it never takes long for me to recognize that our similarities far outweigh those superficial differences. Bottom line: people are people. We all tend to want the same big things-love, security, adventure, success, peace of mind.

And yet at the same time, people are individuals. It's important to see people as individuals, without being burdened by the labels and definitions that our society imposes upon them. (Upon us!) Sure, you can define individuals by the color of their skin: a black man, a white woman. Or you can define them by their religion: a Muslim woman, a Jewish man, a Wiccan woman. There are dozens of labels we throw onto people all the time: gay, straight, bi. Democrat, Republican, Independent. New Yorker, Midwesterner, Texan.

What does this mean? To me, I don't see a black straight Christian man who's a Democrat from Chicago.

I see a man.

And that man has dozens upon dozens of individual characteristics-both those superficial yet easily labeled differences, as well as differences such as his love of mocha ice cream (Mocha Ice Cream Lover! There's a label!) and his dislike of peanut b.u.t.ter, his ability to do complicated multiplication in his head, his inability to spell, his fear of tornados, his musical talents, his need to check in on his children before he goes to sleep at night even though he knows they're all right, his undying love for the woman he first met at a party in college that time he was so drunk he threw up on his best friend's shoes and she wouldn't have anything to do with him for months but he knew she was the one so he didn't give up....

If you take the time to look beneath the labels and generalizations, you will always find a person who is more like you than not. (When Sam sat down and talked to Jules-really talked to him-he realized they were more alike than different.) This is why, to me, things like skin color and background and age differences aren't that big of a deal in terms of a romantic relationship, and why diverse characters aren't hard to write.

Q: Let's talk a little more about that-about looking beneath the labels and generalizations-as well as the facades that people create to hide behind. This seems to be a theme that runs throughout your books.

SUZ: That's absolutely right. One of the themes that I frequently tackle in my books is about how we deal with perception and facades. We present ourselves to the world in a certain way, and people identify us, judge us, and label us. This happens all the time in our society. It's easy, it's quick, and it requires little effort.

My goal with my books is always to grow tolerance and acceptance. To encourage people to look beyond the things that they expect to see, to try to see individuals instead of stereotypes.

Sam Starrett, for example, starts out as an alpha male who has some preconceived notions about other people-particularly about Jules Ca.s.sidy, who is gay. Sam is a little h.o.m.ophobic and Jules freaks him out. He doesn't see Jules-the-individual, he sees one of those creepy-to-him gay guys.

But at the same time, Alyssa Locke is doing the very same thing to Sam. She sees a white guy from Texas, with his cowboy boots and Texas drawl-a good ol' boy, or a "cracker," if you will. She jumps to some conclusions about him. Redneck. Small-minded, racist ... When, in truth, he's nothing of the sort.

Throughout Sam's journey in these books, he comes to know Jules. He works with Jules and learns that Jules is worthy of his respect and admiration. He gets to know Jules as an individual, and the two men become friends. Real friends. At the end of the story arc, Sam is no longer h.o.m.ophobic. His ignorance about what being gay means is replaced with understanding-and acceptance and friendship.

Likewise, Alyssa's a.s.sumptions are changed as, through her story arc, she discovers who Sam truly is.

Q: But at the same time, Sam has to stop hiding. He has to reveal himself to Alyssa.

SUZ: Yes, he does. You know, I think the ultimate human story is that of finding a true connection with another person-finding real, honest love. The thing about that is, in order to find such a real connection, you've got to be willing to reveal yourself completely, which takes true courage.

One of my favorite scenes in a movie is in Bridget Jones's Diary, where the Colin Firth character says to Bridget, "I like you very much. Just as you are." What an incredible moment!

We come from a society that infuses us with dissatisfaction and fear. Not only are we taught to believe that we're not good enough, but we're taught that we better pretend to be something better or we will be made fun of, or worse-ignored.

We also, as a society, are quick to label. Like I said earlier, we feel more comfortable putting people into categories-defining people in easy-to-understand ways. She's a lawyer. He's a science teacher. She's Jewish. He's Latino. She's the mother of three. He's a grandfather.

But the labels we give also judge. He's an ex-con-he's dangerous. She's well-endowed-she's a s.l.u.t. She's blond-she's a ditz ... etc., etc.

Of course, not all labels and judgments are negative. He's a Harvard grad-he's a good job candidate. She's a nun-she's kind and forgiving. But just like negative a.s.sumptions, these positive judgments may or may not be true!

Everyone who lives and breathes and walks the earth-and I'll include my characters in with that group, since I try my best to breathe life into them-has to deal with the labels that others in our society have put on them. They also have to deal with the labels that they put onto other people. Plus they have to try to see the truth behind the labels that the rest of the world puts on other people.

And they themselves can take advantage of others' needs to label and define-by playing into others' expectations. For example: Cosmo Richter is a Navy SEAL. He's tall and muscular with exotically colored eyes and striking features. He looks dangerous, and he's quiet-he doesn't talk much.

He also keeps what he's feeling to himself-he's very private. People look at him and see his lack of reaction and think, Yikes. He doesn't feel a thing. He's like a dangerous robot. And Cosmo lets them think that. He finds it's easier to go through life protected by that shield-people who are a little bit afraid of him tend to keep their distance from him. Right?

But what happens when Cosmo finds someone to whom he'd like to get close? What does he have to do to connect with her? He's got to reveal himself, to unpeel.

It's this unpeeling of layers that truly fascinates me-because no two people unpeel the same way. Some reveal themselves voluntarily and hopefully, while others resist, kicking and screaming. Some never really unpeel completely (like Nash in Flashpoint)-but they try. And sometimes that's enough for the people who love them-just knowing that they're trying.

Valentine's Day

An Essay on Navy Life Written for Valentine's Day 2002 Traditionally, Valentine's Day is about heart-shaped boxes of candies, romantic cards, a dozen roses, a candlelit dinner for two ... All lovely traditions, but face it, they just don't compare to the Valentine's Day gift that the servicemen and -women in the U.S. Armed Forces give-not just to their loved ones but to every American.

My friend Rob is a petty officer in the U.S. Navy, and his ship recently returned to port after six months at sea. He and the rest of the crew spent Thanksgiving and Christmas away from their families. They were all glad to be home in time for Valentine's Day.

Not that they needed Valentine's Day to make their return to port romantic. In fact, recently Rob told me about a particularly sweet Navy ritual called "The First Kiss."

As they approach their home port, all of the married men and women aboard the ship partic.i.p.ate in a lottery. And oh, the compet.i.tion for this is very fierce. Because the winner is the first to disembark, the first to greet-and kiss-his or her spouse after six very long months away from home.

It's the sheer romantic sentimentality of this custom that gets to me. The very first person to set foot on sh.o.r.e isn't chosen by rank or rate or power. That honor is given to someone lucky enough to be married and in love.

This is the big, bad U.S. Navy, an arm of the most powerful military force in the world. And yet everyone-from admirals to seamen recruits-unabashedly recognizes that the most important part of their homecoming lies in the arms of the men and women waiting for them.

But maybe that's not such a surprise. Anyone willing to sacrifice so much to serve their country, to help ensure that America remains the "land of the free" has to have a good understanding of the power of love.

For our servicemen and -women, love isn't about heart-shaped boxes of chocolate.

It's about spending every minute of your long-awaited sh.o.r.e leave desperately trying to find a telephone to call your daughter on her birthday.

Love isn't a candlelit dinner for two, it's a hurried meal at 1530 hours in the mess hall for fifty, because the ship's in hostile waters and you've got to get back on duty.

Love isn't a lacy greeting card, it's moving slowly in the darkness, one careful foot at a time, searching for b.o.o.by traps in a cave that was once a terrorist hideout in Afghanistan.

Love isn't a dozen roses, it's fifteen dozen nights at sea, sleeping in a rack in a crowded cabin, half a world away from your lover's arms.

Love isn't just the First Kiss-it's every kiss that every man and woman in military service willingly gives up when they volunteer. It's every moment away from home and family that they sacrifice for another love-love of country.

And love of freedom.

Happy Valentine's Day to all the servicemen and -women in all branches of the U.S. Military.

Thanks for the terrific gift.

And hurry home.

Glossary of Troubleshooters Terms

AK-47: An automatic rifle, first manufactured by Kalashnikov in Russia in 1947. Capable of firing 600 rounds per minute.

ALL HANDS: A meeting or an event where attendance is mandatory.

ALPHABET AGENCIES: Slang for government agencies identified by acronyms such as the FBI and CIA.

AO: Area of Operations.

AWOL: Absent WithOut Leave.

BATTALION: A unit of 800 to 1,000 troops.

BDUs: Battle Dress Uniforms.

BUD/S: Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs. The intensive training all candidates complete in order to become SEALs.

BEQ: Bachelor Enlisteds' Quarters. Housing for unmarried enlisted personnel.

BOQ: Bachelor Officers' Quarters. Housing for unmarried officers.

C4: An easy-to-carry, versatile, pliable plastic explosive with a texture similar to Play-Doh. Lightweight and stable, it can be dropped, shot, and even lit on fire, but it won't explode without a detonator. Often used in place of Sterno to heat coffee. Originally called Composition C, it was developed during World War II by the British.

CAMMIES: Military uniforms in various camouflage print patterns, including woodland, jungle, desert, and urban.

CDRNAVSPECWARCOM: Commander of Naval Special Warfare.

CHARLIE-FOXTROT: Radio call signs for the letters C and F, charlie-foxtrot is a more polite name for cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k. (See cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k.) CHIT:A permission slip, usually for leave.

CIA: Central Intelligence Agency.

Cl.u.s.tERf.u.c.k: A total screwup or disaster, usually caused by incompetence, ignorance, or sheer stupidity. This term makes good use of a word that is a favorite among sailors. (See also goatf.u.c.k.) CNO: Chief of Naval Operations.

CO: Commanding Officer. (SEAL Team Sixteen's CO was originally Tom Paoletti. Lt. Commander Lewis Koehl is the current CO of the team.) COMPANY: A unit of 150 to 200 troops.

COMSPESH: Computer specialist. Tess Bailey is Troubleshooters Incorporated's Comspesh.

CONUS: Continental United States. (See OCONUS.) COVER: Hat.

DADT: Don't Ask, Don't Tell-a misguided and obsolete law that forced LGBTQ servicemen and -women to lie about their s.e.xual orientation.

DECK: A floor of a building or ship.

DEFCON: DEFense CONdition. The USA's graduated security alert system. DEFCON 1 is the highest level of alert, DEFCON 5 is the lowest.

DIVISION: A unit of 10,000 to 15,000 troops.

DOD: Department of Defense.

DRESS WHITES: The U.S. Navy's white, lightweight summer uniform. Can be the Cla.s.s-A uniform or Service Dress Whites, or formal attire. Also known as an ice-cream suit.

DZ: Drop Zone.

E&E: Escape and Evasion.

EXFILTRATE: Departure of SEALs, usually with stealth, from an area of operations.

EXTRACTION: To be removed from an area of operations, usually by air. SEALs often extract by sea.

FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigations.

FIREFIGHT: A skirmish involving the exchange of gunfire.

FOB: Forward Operating Base.

FROGMEN: Nickname for U.S. Navy UDT operators. (See UDT.) GEEDUNK: A vending machine or ship's store selling soda and/or junk food. Geedunk can also be the soda/ junk food itself. The name comes from the sound of a can of soda falling from a vending machine.

GOATf.u.c.k: A total screwup, a mission gone bad, a disaster. (See also cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k.) Note from Suz: In compiling and researching this glossary, I think I may have found clues leading us closer to the answer for that timeless question "What is the difference between a goatf.u.c.k and a cl.u.s.terf.u.c.k?" I recently found a military definition site which proclaimed the definition of "goat" to be similar to "loser." This site identified a goat as the lowest-ranking man in a group of service personnel, but a goat could also be those officers from the very bottom of a military school's graduating cla.s.s. (Joke: What do you call a goat who graduates bottom of the cla.s.s from West Point? You call him "Sir.") So it's possible that a goatf.u.c.k is a slightly more inevitable screwup caused by the incompetence or stupidity of the partic.i.p.ating officers. But, if goat is interchangeable with loser, then anyone caught in a disastrous situation could, in a true military manner, with gla.s.s-half-full thinking, consider themselves to be the loser or goat who is getting, you know, disastered. Whereas "cl.u.s.ter" seems to imply a more impromptu screwup on a far grander scale ...

GRINDER: The a.s.sembly area at the Coronado Naval Base, designated for PT.

GWOT: Global War on Terror.

HALO JUMP: High Alt.i.tude Low Opening parachute jump.

HEAD: Toilet or bathroom on board a ship.