What is a Black Swan?

A black swan is a catastrophic incident or event that no one could have foreseen or imagined because of its unprecedented impact.

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What books comprise the Black Swan Trilogy Thriller Novel Series by Helen Hynson Vettori?

Being a trilogy, three will be novels. Currently, there are two. Black Swan Impact (released March 2024) and Black Swan Shock (released August 2025). Black Swan Terror will complete the series.

 

What is the novel Black Swan Impact about?

Black Swan Impact is a sci-fi political thriller that takes place in 2113. Having recovered from the devastation of World War III and reaching new scientific advancements, people believe only prosperity lies ahead until an emerging deadly pandemic threatens all of humanity. Dr. Syia (sī-yuh) Case, National Institutes of Health Director of Epidemiology, is invited to advise US President Daniel Piper and the White House Crisis Action Team to try to mitigate the threat. Actions required to protect US citizens from the lethal virus become increasingly challenging. However, when Piper steers the country toward questionable courses, Dr. Case and the strident voices on the task force find there is more than a virulent virus to fight.

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What is the synopsis for Black Swan Shock?

Marla Case, an elite Olympic-bound athlete, finds her devotion to competition fading and chooses to step away. She considers becoming a medical responder and learns about the profession from a paramedic friend. Before committing to the rescue service, Marla accompanies her mother on an academic tour that ends abruptly when a massive earthquake strikes. The athlete reacts to save victims with her physical skills and newly acquired understanding of some emergency medical actions. She becomes a beacon of hope for the citizens of St. Louis, Missouri. However, personal tragedy affects Marla, as well, and she struggles to find catharsis herself.

 

When will Black Swan Terror be available?

There is no timeline established for a release date because it is in the draft phase. 

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​What genre is Black Swan Impact and how do I find it?

Black Swan Impact is a 330 page, sci-fi political thriller. You may find it at bookstores or Online in text or audio format.

ISBN 9798889100911 (Paperback), ISBN 9798889100928 (Hardback), ISBN 9798889100942 (ePub e-book), ISBN 9798889100935 (Audiobook)

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What genre is Black Swan Shock and how do I find it?

Black Swan Shock is a 335 page, sci-fi, speculative thriller. Beginning August 15, 2025, you may purchase it in bookstores or Online worldwide in text all formats. The audio version will be available in the first or second quarter of 2026. ISBN 9798895436257 (Paperback) ISBN 9798895436264 (Hardback) ISBN9798895436288 (ePub e-book) ISBN 9798895436271 (Audiobook) 

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​What made Helen Hynson Vettori, the author of Black Swan Impact, uniquely qualified to write the sci-fi political thriller?

A seventh generation Washingtonian (DC), Helen Hynson Vettori grew up in the shadows of the Washington National Cathedral, surrounded by the federal government and its political practices from her earliest days. However, her bona fides stem from her emergency medical knowledge as a volunteer EMT and paramedic in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and her career in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). While serving in DHS she was a senior medical intelligence officer and emergency manager fellow. She worked tirelessly planning and preparing for biological threats, including pandemics and received an employee of the year award for Excellence In Emergency Management in 2013. 

 

Why did Vettori write the first sci-fi political novel?

Vettori wrote Black Swan Impact as a result of her deep concerns regarding the US Federal Government’s response to SARS COVID-19. When COVID-19 emerged, she had already retired from the Department of Homeland Security workforce, but knew the plans and preparations for biological threats, including pandemics, that had taken place since 2005. During her years of service, she had played a major role in completing them. As the outbreak gripped the world, she became increasingly appalled by official actions or lack thereof and confusing messaging. The Federal Government’s miscues and confusion in response to COVID-19 caused her a great deal of exasperation, and she voiced her thoughts to her family and close friends. One day in 2020, her sister suggested that those statements sounded like the foundation for a book. Vettori put words on paper. They became cathartic for her as she confronted her disappointments ultimately writing Black Swan Impact.

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Why did Vettori write the second thriller?

Vettori realized that the characters in Black Swan Impact had more to say, and she was not ready to let them go. In her second book of the series, Vettori delves deeper into the characters, enriching the reader's experience. No longer a plot-driven thriller, it also tics the category literary fiction.

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What made Vettori uniquely qualified to write Black Swan Shock? 

Vettori was an Emergency Manager Fellow for the federal government and won employee of the year for her emergency management efforts. 

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What Does Helen Hynson Vettori like to do when she’s not writing a book?

When Helen Hynson Vettori 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. Here is an example of one of her recent paintings. However, perhaps the thing she loves to do most is to spend time with her family at home or while traveling.

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Did Helen Hynson Vettori weave some of her travel experiences into her books and, if so, give some examples?

Yes, Vettori loves to relive her travels, so she does place some of those memories in her fiction. She weaves Italy, Nepal, and Alaska into Black Swan Impact and Australia and St. Louis into Black Swan Shock.

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Where may I find reviews for the Black Swan Trilogy Thriller Novel Series by Helen Hynson Vettori?

Reviews may be found on this website along with many other relevant facts.

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Are book club questions available for the books?

Yes, there are book club questions. They may be found at the end of the books or on this page: Book Club Questions