Interview With Author Cortez Law III
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Cortez Law III. I was born in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., a long ago! But I spent most of my formative years in Ravenna, Ohio. I graduated from Kent State University six miles down the road and earned a B.A. in Telecommunications or TV/Radio production. I’ve written nine books in the mystery, suspense, thriller, science fiction, and horror genres from a Christian and African American perspective.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Black Phoenix is the sixth book in the Atlanta Homicide Squad series. It tells the story of Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs and his elite X-Men Homicide Squad stretched to their investigative limits to uncover a shocking conspiracy of race, greed, power, and murder during Atlanta’s Civil Rights Era. The book reads or feels like a true crime or historical mystery novel that shifts the investigation from the past to the present and back again.
I was looking for the challenge of writing a mystery where mostly the reader wouldn’t know any more than the detectives. Within that framework, I could explore the themes of love, faith, forgiveness, second chances for several characters, and hopefully, a compelling mystery/drama the readers couldn’t put down.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
What a bore I am with this one. I don’t think so. I’m good at being at the keyboard every day. That helps me complete that first draft in a minimum of three months.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I like the Hero Myth of storytelling, so I feel comfortable with mysteries, suspense, and thriller stories. The person I miss who filled this niche before he passed in 2001 and was a Chicago Police Captain was author Hugh Holton. I read most of his work. Other favorites I’ve read more than once include Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Walter Mosley, Ridley Pearson, Jeffery Deaver, and Ted Dekker. It’s good to see additional African American mystery/suspense/thriller authors such as Tracy Clark, Rachel Howzell Hall, Kellye Garrett, Aaron Philip Clark, and Charles Prandy working today.
What are you working on now?
The marketing of Black Phoenix and setting up the 2024-25 lineup of books to come.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The base of operations for any writer is the personal website. I’ve done some work with book promo sites in the past, but I will increase that activity this year with the release of Black Phoenix. Early work in this area yielded me a #536 ranking in the Free In Kindle category and #1, #5, and #12 in three of the KDP categories for the book. I haven’t had much success with Amazon and Facebook ads yet, but we’ll see with Black Phoenix.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read, read, read, in and out of your favorite genre. That’s my challenge because I love the crime genre so much. Study books on writing; writers can never know enough about the craft. Many writers are likely already aware of this, but the real challenge often lies in marketing. Set some money aside for that part of the business. Believe that even if you haven’t published anything, you’re still a professional writer. If you disagree with or refuse to believe that, you can consider yourself an advanced beginner.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m sure I’ve heard a myriad of advice over the years, but what I’d annex to this question is that artists, writers, actors, actresses, directors, producers, singers, painters, sculptors, and even architects, and others, are brave. We put our spirit, soul, and body in the marketplace via our work to possible acceptance and rejection. Then, after success or failure, we dare to repeat that same process.
What are you reading now?
Nothing now, but I’ve got a list lined up.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Aside from the Black Phoenix marketing, deciding what book to write next. I’m leaning toward some different areas other than the Atlanta Homicide Squad series. But that series will continue.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A stranded desert island? The Bible and any material on wisdom instructing me how to get off it! Probably, a book on swimming, too. In any case, I saw Cast Away. I might be able to find some tips from that.
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