A few months before she died, Dannye Powell sent me an email message in which she provided me with a tip for my Storied Charlotte blog. Over the years, she often contacted me when she had information about a new book by a Charlotte author, and I always followed up on her suggestions. In this particular email, she wrote, “I want to bring your attention to a man in my neighborhood—Webb Hubbell—whose new thriller novel is out. He served as Associate Attorney General under Clinton and also served as mayor of Little Rock, but now he lives in Dilworth and writes thrillers. His new novel is titled Light of Day, and it’s part of a series.”
Taking Dannye’s advice, I did a little research on Webb. I found out that he moved to Charlotte in 2010 after serving in high-level positions in government and industry. Drawing on his background as a lawyer, he started a new career as an author of legal thrillers. He launched his Jack Patterson series in 2014 with the publication of When Men Betray. The central character in this series, Jack Patterson, is a successful lawyer in Washington, DC, who often finds himself in the middle of complicated and dangerous cases. In Light of Day, he agrees to represent a young computer genius who happens to be the grandson of the head of the Louisiana crime syndicate. Almost immediately, Jack gets caught up in a life-threatening situation involving technology companies, the FBI, and Louisiana’s crime syndicate.
While researching Webb’s colorful life, I became curious about how an electrical engineering student at the University of Arkansas, turned college football player, turned high-powered attorney, turned politician ended up becoming a novelist in Charlotte. I contacted him and asked him about his decision to become a writer. Here is what he sent to me:
I am a bit nervous writing to an English professor. My high school English teacher is probably rolling in her grave at the thought that I’ve published seven books. As you might imagine, I was not her favorite student. Ironically, I studied engineering in college, where I didn’t write a single sentence for five years — perfect training for a lawyer and author. However, being a Southerner, storytelling comes naturally to me, and when my wife and I moved to Charlotte, I decided to write novels to keep myself out of trouble.
My first book, When Men Betray, begins with Jack driving to Davidson for Parents Weekend, but he ends up in Arkansas when his best friend murders a U.S. Senator. Each time I start a new Jack Patterson thriller, I consider setting it in Charlotte. However, after living here for fifteen years, I still don’t feel confident enough to accurately portray this wonderful city. My current project, following Light of Day, was originally set in Bat Cave, NC, but Hurricane Helene has forced me to reconsider.
That’s not to say the Carolinas haven’t influenced my writing. Every novel has been written at my desk in Dilworth, with occasional writing retreats to Little Switzerland or the Carolina beaches. Light of Day is a perfect example. During and after Covid, I was stuck. Finally, Suzy and I went to Pawleys Island to walk the beach and write. The sunrises and sunsets over the ocean and marshes provided the inspiration I needed to finish the novel I’d struggled with for two years.
In each of my novels I come up with a theme and setting, but I don’t outline. (I know, that’s not the right way to write.) Instead I put Jack and the other characters in a pickle and hope they will subconsciously help me figure out how to escape. I try to incorporate themes based on my experiences as a lawyer or at the Justice Department. Light of Dayexplores our loss of privacy, the cooperation between major tech companies, and the manipulation of justice. My oldest daughter lives in New Orleans, so our visits have introduced us to the city’s restaurants, the influence of organized crime, and the mysterious swamps and bayous.
A good trial lawyer, like an author, simplifies complex facts for an audience. I let Jack use some of my old courtroom techniques.
For more information about Webb and his novels, please click on the following link: https://webbhubbell.com
I thank Webb for sharing his thoughts on his writing career. I also thank Dannye for introducing me to Webb. Although Dannye is no longer with us in person, her spirit and her good advice continue to resonate in our Storied Charlotte community.