Helen Hynson Vettori
( pronounced: HELL-lun HIN-suhn Ve-TOR-ee )
When Helen is not writing a book, she’s reading one. Some of her favorite characters are Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Claire and Jamie Fraser, and Alice (in Wonderland). If there is a movie or show associated with one of her favorite books or characters, she might be watching it. Aside from literature and film, she loves art. Viewing it or creating it herself, she can spend hours in her studio. You can find several examples of her paintings along with images from her days as a paramedic at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and emergency management specialist at the Department of Homeland Security in the picture crawl below. However, perhaps the thing she loves to do most is to spend time with her family at home or while traveling.
"I didn’t know I would write Black Swan Impact when I retired from the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, where I had planned and prepared for biological threats." Helen stated, "However, when COVID-19 emerged, I was appalled by official actions or lack thereof, so I began writing as a cathartic measure. It quickly morphed into a cautionary tale."
Because of her unique bona fides, Black Swan Impact is credible and horrifying. Readers will find unnerving truths woven throughout this terrifying fiction. Using her background as a senior medical intelligence analyst, NSPP-EM fellow, award-winning emergency manager, and paramedic, she provides descriptions with visceral details that compel readers to turn each page with chilling captivation.
"When I completed Black Swan Impact, I realized the characters had more to say. Additionally, I decided to champion emergency preparedness blatantly, so that readers could understand how to reduce the impact of a catastrophe or avoid it altogether while also being entertained."
To advance that mission, Vettori ensured that the characters would demonstrate and express how to respond to disastrous situations. Then, in the book club section she included a way for the audience to evaluate their own readiness for calamities and how to improve it.
"As I was writing Black Swan Shock, I knew I had to close the Black Swan loop challenging the characters," Vettori said. "However, like the first book, the second novel had its own right to stand apart. I decided a third and final book would be my answer, so I set out to create a standalone thriller that would embrace the circular aspect. Currently, Black Swan Terror is in the editing phase.
My Story
My background afforded me unique first-hand knowledge to write the black swan trilogy. As a seventh generation Washingtonian I witnessed and discussed many aspects of the Federal government in the Nation’s Capital throughout my life. I served the National Capital Region first by joining the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad as an EMT/Paramedic. Then Post 9/11, I joined the Department of Homeland Security workforce as the Senior Medical Intelligence Analyst at the Protective Medicine Branch. When that branch was defunded, I transferred to a new position at the National Incident Response Unit. There I performed all aspects of emergency management duties but specialized in planning and preparing for biological incidents to include pandemics. Further, I performed duties as a National Security Professional Program-Emergency Management (NSPP-EM) fellow and was awarded “Employee of the Year” for my roles and responsibilities associated with planning and preparing for biological threats. However, everyone of us in the unit cross trained and worked in all areas of emergency management, so I am very familiar with ensuring continuity of operations/government when challenged by all hazards or threats.
