Skinheads, Norse Mythology Fuel New Fiction

Jack Hillman lives with his wife, Bonnie, in a Lower Macungie Township home that looks much like all the others on his block.

But inside, Hillman’s extensive collection of novellas and medieval weaponry give hints at more than suburbia. The collections are the wellspring from which his recently released e-Book There Are Giants in This Valley have grown. Published April 13 in conjunction with MUSA Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy that is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year.

Hillman’s love of books was born during long hospital stays in the 1950s when, as a child, he battled polio. He has shared and cultivated the love of adventure novels with his family. They love it, too.

During his childhood hospital stays he latched onto the books pass the time, “Simply because I didn’t have any choice in the matter…. There’s a limit to how many models you can build. There are a lot more options with books,” he said.

He says he writes for his grandson because of the dearth of male protagonists like Tom Swift and Danny Dunn characters who transported him when he was young.

His interest in mythology and martial arts philosophies led him to King Arthur, science fiction and fantasy and has profoundly impacted his life.

Hillman, 60, has trained in many different types of medieval weaponry. He has studied European, Japanese and Chinese swordplay.

“I grew up learning why we fight and then, of course, I learned how we fight,” he said. In addition to feeding his interest, the training provided a solid foundation for his books. He writes what he knows.

There Are Giants in This Valley tells the story of Eric Johnson, who moves to the Lehigh Valley after the death of his parents. Johnson becomes restless and while adventuring finds his way right into a war between Norse Gods and their enemy, the Frost Giants.

Actual violent activity by “skinheads” in the Lehigh Valley about 15 years ago provided a seed for the book’s plot. Some of the skinhead themes come from Norse culture. They sparked the idea for the trilogy.

And  plays an important part in the series. In the first book, Eric arrives at his new home in Longswamp Township and visits Leather Corner Post. In the second and third books, Hillman takes Eric to Lost River Caverns in Hellertown and to the Hamburg Observatory.

“I wanted something that local people would identify with. Absolutely anybody who reads it can pick out the places,” he said.

The third book will involve Raganorak, a Norse telling of the apocalypse, and Eric John will have to stop the Ice Giants from casting Earth into another ice age.

In addition to his writing, Hillman is an individual life underwriter for Reliance Standard Life Insurance near Philadelphia.

Find more information at his website.