Mysteries

Fred Hunter

An Interview with Fred Hunter, Author of Federal Fag

Fred Hunter is the author of the popular Jeremy Ransom/Emily Charters mysteries, as well as the new Alex Reynolds mysteries.

Q: The Alex Reynolds series seems like quite a departure for you. Although the Ransom books have some humor in them, they're still fairly serious in tone. But I found myself laughing out loud while reading Government Gay.

A: Thank you! That's very gratifying! Yes, I think of the Alex Reynolds books more as comedies than as mysteries. If I was forced to pigeon-hole them, I guess I would call them comic adventures.

Q: But people do get killed in them.

A: Oh yes, not to worry. There's the requisite number of bodies.

Q: What has the response been like to the fist Alex book?

A: Really wonderful. The mail I've gotten would indicate that there's a lot of people out there who like to have fun.

Q: What do you mean?

A: Well, the Alex books are meant to be fun. Ellen Hart described Government Gay as a "romp", and I can't think of a better term for it. Sort of like Raiders of the Lost Ark (which is a terrible example, but the only one I can think of off hand). I don't think you were supposed to find Raiders plausible, I think you were just supposed to enjoy the ride. That's the kind of thing I try to achieve with the Alex Reynolds books (with the understanding that there's no supernatural stuff in them!). Alex stumbles into mysteries or espionage plots quite by accident -- and the situations in which he finds himself might strain credibility a bit, but that's part of the fun. I've been fortunate in that it seems like a lot of people have "gotten the joke" and are willing to go with it. That really makes me happy, because I want readers to have a good time.

Q: Are there people who don't get the joke?

A: There've been some. Once when I was asked to describe Government Gay, and I said that if you imagined North By Northwest with the man of your choice in the Eva Marie Saint role, you'd pretty much have it. I got blasted by someone who thought I was seriously comparing Government Gay to North By Northwest. But it was a joke, for pity's sake!!

Q: Getting back to what you said earlier, why is it so important to you that readers have a good time?

A: Because far too much gay literature (and movies as well) is what I call "garment rending" stories where the characters are dealing with "the problem" of being gay. In fact, all too often they're not even about the gay characters, but more about how their sexuality effects the straight characters. In movies and television in particular we're presented as if our sexuality is the focal point of our lives -- like we don't go out to dinner and discuss books and movies and just live! It's as if we wake up every morning and think, "I'm gay. Now what will I do?"

Q: [laughs] That's one of the things I like most about Government Gay and Federal Fag. Alex and Peter are so secure in each other and in themselves. Their gayness seems to be taken for granted.

A: That's what I set out to do: their sexuality is a given, now get on with the story!

Q: Why did you choose for Alex and Peter to be happily "married"? Doesn't that cut out the possibility of our getting to see them go through their courtship?

A: Sure it does, but you have to remember, I wasn't writing a romance. At least, not in the way you mean it. What I'm doing is writing a romantic relationship between two people who are committed to each other. I wasn't exactly setting a precedent. There are other happily married sleuthing couples, like Nick and Nora Charles and Tommy and Tuppence Beresford (as well as other more recent couples, the names of which escape me at the moment). One of the things that make those books so enjoyable is the interaction between these couples who know each other so well. I'd like Alex and Peter to be thought of the same way. I think the relationship of Nick and Nora, at least in their movie personae, was much more important than the stories themselves. People just liked the characters and wanted to see more of them.

Q: You did set one precedent: Alex and Peter live with Alex's mother, Jean. What made you decide to do that?

A: I really don't know, except that Jean is based on a dear old friend of mine, who's British. It really isn't unusual for English families to live together all their lives (much like Americans did earlier in our history). There is something about the idea of that kind of family that appeals to me. So I thought it would be kind of fun to see that, only with a gay couple. But I can't say that I really planned it. When I started writing Government Gay, I had Alex and Peter already set, and a few pages into it Jean showed up. It just seemed natural that she was there.

Q: Natural is the word for it. I was really impressed by the relationship between these three people. The characters were a lot of fun, and despite their situations, they seemed very believable to me.

A: Thank you! That's what I was shooting for.

Q: Now, let's talk about the Ransom mysteries for a moment. Despite the fact that this is called your "straight" series, you're always careful to include gay characters ...

A: Well, I wouldn't exactly say I'm careful to do it.

Q: [laughs] You do include gay characters, though. Why?

A: Because visibility is important. I want Ransom to come across gay people the way you would in real life, and I want the gay characters to appear without necessarily making a point of their sexuality. For example, there's a continuing character called Lynn Francis who is a lesbian, although the term is never used. But we meet her lover during one of the investigations and their relationship is taken as a matter of course. I don't feel the need to have anyone say, "Look! They're lesbians!" I think it's important for gays to be visible both in fiction and in real life. It's the only way we're ever going to make a difference ... particularly in our own lives.

Q: So what's up next for you?

A: The next Ransom mystery, Ransom for a Killing, is due out in the fall. And Capital Queers, the next Alex Reynolds mystery, will be out next year.

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