Since he was a child, Saul A. Lelchuk knew that he was going to dedicate himself to letters. His parents were writers, so he was "lucky enough to live in a house full of books, literary conversations and fascinating visitors, such as Philip Roth and Saul Bellow, who often came to our home in New Hampshire, United States," he reveals. the author to La Vanguardia. However, despite being clear about the profession he wanted to pursue, he did not imagine that he would be so successful with his first book, Save me from dangerous men (Grijalbo), far from it, that he would be the architect of a new literary heroine, Nikki Griffin.
Lelchuk explains that he has always been a man to meditate his ideas but, in this case, it was a sleepless night when this character was born. “It was night and an idea formed in my mind so powerful that I couldn't let it go. I stayed up for hours writing notes, and when I got up the next morning, I knew she was going to be the lead in the book I was planning to write. She had it so clear that I started with the pen that same day, ”she admits.
Nikki defines herself as a detective and a bookseller. The two sides of the same coin. She is empathetic and sentimental but, at the same time, she has a facet unknown to many, that of justice. Survivor of a traumatic past, her life has led her to become a kind of avenging angel whose mission is none other than to punish men who abuse her partners, whether physically, mentally or sexually.
Due to her way of acting, many critics and readers compare her with the unmistakable Lisbeth Salander, from the Millennium saga. Lelchuk acknowledges that “they certainly share some points, such as the feeling that a country's legal systems are not always adequate. A problem that they end up solving by themselves, sometimes violently”. However, she reminds her, there are certain differences between the two. "While Lisbeth is a hacker by trade and often relies on her computer skills, Nikki dislikes technology and doesn't even own a smartphone."
Despite the ferocity with which Nikki often responds to injustices, the writer defends her by claiming that “she strives to respond proportionately. She is only violent in situations where she or someone close to her is threatened, or when a domestic abuser has escaped the law with impunity. Her morality may not be identical to ours, but she has a clear moral compass nonetheless,” he teases.
The duality resides in its facet as a bookseller. “He has a side that is always vigilant and another that is calmer. The bookstore is not trivial. The reader will discover that the books saved her. And in a way they still do because they help her control her darkest impulses. In addition, she has a book club whose attendees are people who Nikki has helped to get out of dangerous situations. So here in the book club, the two sides of her meet."
Lelchuk combines his work as a writer with teaching. He teaches creative writing in a postgraduate program at Dartmouth College, in the US He admits that he loves his work as a teacher, especially now that he has the opportunity to teach a new course that he has created on crime fiction. However, he acknowledges that if his unexpected literary success goes further, he will have to reflect on whether or not he is capable of pulling off all of his commitments. Still, he admits, “I loved the positive reaction to the book from readers around the world. I am grateful that my agent handed the manuscript over to such fantastic publishers who helped shape and strengthen the story I had. As an author, one quickly realizes that there are many passionate people involved in the success of any book."
The author confirms that in the coming months we will have more news from him for the sequel to this saga. But, beyond that, he advances, "I just finished an independent book that has nothing to do with it and I'm also working on a non-fiction book and a collection of short stories." If one thing is clear, it is that Lelchuk has entered the world of literature with a bang and plans to stay for a long time.
