Robert Hilliard
In Freedom’s Shadow
John Scobell risked everything to escape slavery at the outset of the Civil War. He thought he’d made his way to freedom – until the moment he was recruited and sent back to the Confederacy as an undercover Union spy.
DOSSIER: How in the world does a lifelong professional writer, who has articles featured in the baseball, basketball, and football pro halls of fame, go on to publish a historical novel about a Civil War spy that’s based on a true story?
HILLIARD: That’s a good question, but it might not be as big a departure as you’d initially think. Each of the articles that made it to their respective Halls of Fame were about the history of the sport.
I love history: learning about it, trying to understand it from all angles, and immersing myself in it when I can. One of my favorite sayings is “Nobody escapes without a history lesson.” Anyone who’s been on a car trip greater than one hour with me will absolutely attest that this is true. At least those who haven’t opened the passenger door and leapt to their death to avoid hearing yet another of my “Here’s something you probably didn’t know” tales. I definitely have a bit of the Cliff Claven gene in me.
Hall of Fame writer
DOSSIER: Tell us something interesting about these famous articles you’ve written that ended up in the halls of fame? Do you visit them? Is it like an achievement shrine for writers among all the jocks? We’re so curious.
HILLIARD: The one that ended up in Canton – OK, in the library in Canton, but still inside the walls of the HOF – was about the merger of the AAFL and NFL (NOTE: Browns fans may remember this period as the last time they were good). The backstory was an interesting one, involving a western Pennsylvania native who became one of the NFL’s leading referees and ultimately oversaw the rewriting of the football rulebook necessitated by the merger of the two leagues. But by far the coolest part of writing the article was getting to interview Dan Rooney, then owner and president of the Pittsburgh Steelers, in his office at Three Rivers Stadium. He couldn’t have been more gracious and accommodating, particularly for a green reporter who didn’t deserve any of that.
The article that wound up in the Basketball Hall was about a Pittsburgh professional hoops team who had a perfect 20-0 season in 1903-04 (to be fair, that was the last time Pittsburgh had a good pro basketball team). One of their players, Henry Liebau, may have been the man who invented the hook shot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t prove that definitively, which might’ve gained him some consideration to be enshrined in the Hall himself.
The story that made its way to Cooperstown was about the earliest history of baseball, which leads right to the Civil War. These were all fun projects, but that one gave me an excuse to actually go out and play “Town Ball,” as it was known in the mid-1800s. I went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a triple, and three RBIs. Or at least, that’s what I tell people now.
Writing while working 70-hour weeks
DOSSIER: When and where do you write, and what kind of environment do you prefer? (Music/silence/a secluded cabin deep in the Allegheny forest?)
HILLIARD: I sincerely wish it was in a secluded cabin in the Allegheny National Forest. As you know, that was the subject of my first book, so I’d sign up for that in a heartbeat. Instead, I do most of my writing at our old rolltop desk. The library where it sits adjoins our family room, so when I’m the only one home I’ll put a Pirates or Penguins game on in the background. The hockey playoffs and Steeler games require too much of my attention so no writing takes place during those. In fact, my family and friends know that I won’t even respond to texts during a Steeler game.
That said, In Freedom’s Shadow took me about seven years to finish. Because of that, and because I had a 70-hour a week job for much of that time, I wrote whenever and wherever I could. A lot of it was written in airports or on planes. Some was written in my daughter’s apartment in Colorado, a little bit at my in-laws’ in Florida, and even a few paragraphs at my daughter’s new house in Ireland. When inspiration strikes and you have a few minutes, it’s time to write.
Ohio State vs Penn State
DOSSIER: When Ohio State beat Penn State in college football this year, did you write a sad eulogy for Happy Valley or were you all like, “Pitt’s got your number, too. Just you wait!” (Note: The Dossier is based in NW Ohio but has connections to NE Pennsylvania. You’re in a minefield.)
HILLIARD: Full disclosure: My wife is originally from NE Ohio. It’s a dirty, little family secret I choose not to discuss publicly. Worse, she roots for Ohio State. And so does her mom. And so does her dad, who not only went there but met Woody Hayes in person. Basically, I’m surrounded. Because of that, when I root against the Buckeyes, I do so pretty quietly.
I should also note that my oldest daughter went to UMASS and the younger one went to Kent State, where they were both athletes. My son currently goes to Western Carolina University. I played football (mostly warmed the bench, truth be told) at Shippensburg University shortly after the leather helmet days. Collectively, those are four of the worst collegiate football teams in the entire NCAA. So I really don’t have much room to take shots at other college programs.
On doing research
DOSSIER: With the release of IN FREEDOM’S SHADOW, a historical novel based on the true story of slave turned Union spy, John Scobell, (available from Amazon.com on 11/17/2023 … wink), what was your research like?
HILLIARD: I like the product placement there. Very subtle.
The research process was…slippery – or “slippy,” as we say here in western PA. By that, I mean it was extensive but I had to be very cautious not to slide too deeply into it. For someone as enamored with history as me, it’s so easy to plummet into that rabbit hole that you risk never coming back out again to finish the darn book.
I read dozens of books about the Civil War to understand the backdrop against which John Scobell completed his missions. Then I read a dozen more about spying during the war and how it was accomplished with the technology and tradecraft of the era. Then I read another dozen or two books, monographs, and interviews about how slaves lived, how they were treated, what freedoms they were denied and what (infinitesimal) ones they were allowed. That part was simultaneously fascinating and horrifying.
Lastly, there are all the things you end up needing to research that you never thought you would: What did a fancy dinner party look like in Richmond during the Civil War? What did women who were mourning their departed husbands dress like, and for how long? What kind of sidearm would someone use for concealed carry in 1862? What did men’s hair tonic in the 1800s smell like? Let’s just say, I’m hopeful that the NSA isn’t checking my search history.
Thanks a million for including me in The Dossier. I’m honored to be included alongside the list of luminaries you’ve already allowed inside the soundproof walls of the safe house. I just hope I didn’t make too much of a mess of the place!
Website: Robert Hilliard | Amazon author page