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The Present World Situation
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Portrait of an Innocent Girl follows a man who transcends space and time and finds himself in Nazi-era Vienna on a mission to locate a haunting painting stolen during WWII. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
First, I want to thank you for having me. As for the idea, I was trying to come up with something that would flow from Volume 1 of the series, which also dealt with art. I also wanted something that felt current, and with the present world situation and the rise in hate, I felt that going back to Nazi Germany would resonate. That led to a natural discourse about the state of antisemitism in this country during the World War II years.
Can you share with us a little about the research that went into putting this book together?
Yes. The research revolved around art that had been stolen by the Nazi regime and remained missing. While the artist and the art in the story are fictional, I drew from real art that had been taken. I also drew from real life events as much as possible. The research into the state of affairs in the United States in the years leading up to World War II was quite eye-opening.
What challenges have you faced in writing complex plots?
The most challenging aspects are ensuring that a change, or new plot point, doesn’t adversely effect something which had already been written earlier in the story. I think my legal training, and having spent so much time drafting legal documents, which presents a similar issue, has helped. I know some authors who keep spreadsheets to assist them. I keep it all in my head. The middle-of-the-night awakenings are frequent!
Can we look forward to Volume 3 soon? Where will it take readers?
I think a Volume 3 may be in my future. I like to take time in between the books in a series to write something different, and I’ve just completed a new manuscript which is totally unrelated to the Watching series. As for where Volume 3 will take readers, that is still yet to be determined, but I do have some ideas swimming around the cranium. We’ll have to wait and see.
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Along with Watchings, this time Josh also experiences a new paranormal pheonomenon-visits-as he ventures into the past to discover the current whereabouts of the haunting painting.
Ignoring the physical toll and near-death dangers of non-corporeal time travel, he visits Nazi Germany, Austria, and South America, attempting to achieve a measure of justice for those wronged by the Nazi regime.
Assisted by his wife Adrian, FBI Special Agent Starling Herbert, and Interpol Investigator Dubois, they race a cabal of present-day Nazis to retrieve the stolen art.
Along the way, Josh is surprised to learn how family ties are wound into this story he could not ignore.
Novelizing a Screenplay
In Deep Cover – The Unknowing Agent, an Army Intelligence officer finds himself amid an espionage plot when he defies orders and follows a cryptic message. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story of how this came about is different from how my most recent book release, Watching Volume 1: The Garden Museum Heist, came about. With that one, there was a definite event that triggered the story. With Deep Cover, I did something I’d never attempted before. The story started out as a screenplay I’d written about 15 years ago. I wasn’t ready to start Volume 2 of Watching, so I was thinking about different possibilities for my next project. With that in mind, I decided to review some of those earlier screenplays and, when I came across Deep Cover, found that it resonated with me and was even more relevant today than when I originally conceived it.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
Because I had written the story so long ago, I had a general idea about where it was going. That being said, novelizing a screenplay has taught me that changes to the story are inevitable. With a novel, you are much more free to expand on themes, concepts, and background. One of my favorite things about writing is that the characters and events lead you in directions that you had not originally intended. Deep Cover was no different. So yes, many of the twists were new and came to me as I was writing.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I think I enjoyed writing for Stephen Beck the most. That character speaks in the first voice and so I was able to insert myself into his head, which leads to me trying to think like him. In doing so, I find that it leads to places I may not have otherwise gone, which is just so much fun!
I think the greatest challenge for me was writing for Pushkin. He is so different from anybody I’ve actually had contact with. In addition, I had specific goals for how I wanted the reader to react to him. While it was more challenging, it was also fun to come up with the various scenarios and backstories. He was one of my favorites.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m currently writing Volume 2 of the Watching series. Hopefully, it will be available during the early part of 2025.
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The Cold War, a period of history during which spycraft rules the world by substituting subterfuge and lies for actual war and mass death. The Soviet Union and the United States of America, the two major players, spend untold sums of money and put their best minds to work at attempting to gain the “upper hand,” whatever that means. Two distinct ideologies. One takes the long view, while the other prefers instant gratification. They find common ground only in their willingness to utilize experimental methods and the lengths to which they are willing to go to “win,” including using their own citizens in unimaginable ways.
During the Cold War, the Soviets plan to infiltrate the U.S. by placing deep cover agents into the country as everyday citizens. Was the plan successful? If so, with détente and the collapse of the Soviet Union, where are they today?
Lisa Jones and Jennifer Turner are two brilliant scientists working at United Genetics Research Lab, a state-of-the-art facility located outside of Washington, D.C., doing state-of-the-art genetics research. Lisa’s boyfriend, Sgt. Stephan Beck, works at the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) as an interpreter of intercepted Russian language messages. One such message, intercepted by Homeland Security, piques his interest due to what he, and no one else, perceives to be a hidden message. Unable to resist the challenge, he breaks protocol in an effort to unravel the mystery, unprepared for what he actually learns: a possible connection to the people he loves and an attempt to manipulate the next presidential election, only months away, altering the fate of the U.S., and the world.
Deep Cover, the second published novel by acclaimed author Jeffrey Jay Levin, author of Watching, Volume 1: The Garden Museum Heist, asks the question: Are the two countries, and the behind-the-scenes players, really all that different? Who can one really trust?
If The Manchurian Candidate and The Americans had a baby, it would have been the adult action thriller Deep Cover.
Deep Cover – The Unknowing Agent
Deep Cover: The Unknowing Agent, by Jeffrey Jay Levin, is a thoughtfully crafted spy thriller that delves into the lingering tensions of the Cold War era. The narrative is set against the backdrop of a dormant Russian spy program, which is suddenly reawakened to potentially disrupt a forthcoming U.S. presidential election. At the heart of this intrigue is Sergeant Stephen Beck, a character from U.S. Army Intelligence, who stumbles upon a cryptic message. His decision to pursue its meaning against orders leads him into a labyrinth of espionage.
Levin’s storytelling echoes the intricate spy narratives of John le Carré, infused with elements that might remind readers of The Manchurian Candidate, particularly the original version directed by John Frankenheimer. The novel primarily revolves around three protagonists: the policy-savvy Stephen Beck, his girlfriend Lisa Jones, and her colleague Jennifer Turner. These characters are portrayed with intelligence, dedication, and a nuanced sense of patriotism, adding depth to their roles in a world rife with subterfuge and ambiguity.
As the story unfolds, Levin masterfully introduces unexpected developments, maintaining a gripping pace. The enduring animosity between the U.S. and Russia is a central theme, portrayed as an unextinguished flame from the Cold War era, lending a sense of realism to the narrative, especially in light of recent global events. The novel’s strength lies in its meticulous plotting and subtle narrative progressions. Levin’s writing exhibits patience and precision, gradually revealing the intricacies of the plot. The story’s direction is confidently handled, ensuring that readers remain engaged through a slowly unraveling mystery. By the novel’s conclusion, Levin skillfully shifts the reader’s allegiances in tandem with those of the characters, showcasing his prowess as a writer.
Deep Cover: The Unknowing Agent stands as a testament to Levin’s ability to weave a complex and realistic spy narrative that resonates with contemporary geopolitical themes. The novel’s careful construction and compelling character dynamics make it a notable addition to the genre.
Pages: 198 | ASIN : B0CVMWR8XP
LITERARY TITAN 