Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I spent my formative years in Southwest Philadelphia where I played every inner-city baseball game imaginable to youngsters. I fell in love with the game.
I moved to Cherry Hill NJ. and later attended Rutgers College.I followed that up with a masters degree in teaching. I taught high school in Glen Ridge(the alma mater of Tom Cruise) and subsequently Cherry Hill East(alma mater of Orel Hersheiser). I created a course called Human behavioral patterns which combined social psychology, sociology, and psychology. For 1969, it was a bit ahead of its time.
I left teaching and went to law school and developed a love for criminal law.I was a prosecuting attorney for 30 years in Camden County N.J.where I handled literally thousands of cases including 25 murder trials. Upon retirement from public service, I worked in criminal defense for six years in the firm of Helmer, Conley, and Kasselman in Haddon Heights.
Now I am currently semi-retired. I know both sides of the criminal system and respect the roles both play.
This is my first novel and it combines my love of baseball and my passion for the criminal legal process.
The impetus for the novel was the increasing violence in sports and specifically retaliation in baseball. I was fascinated by the psychological dynamics of the unwritten code of baseball. I began to wonder whether there would ever be an incident so tragic in its consequences that it would lead to a criminal charge. In my book I examine how that process would occur, whether it would be warranted, and whether it would effect the game of baseball.
I never thought I was capable of writing a novel, but I did it on the suggestion of one of my daughters. This is one of my greatest personal accomplishments. For a self-published book, the reviews have been very good and I am so grateful to those who shelled out the three bucks and spent their time reading it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my book is A PITCH FOR JUSTICE.
What inspired me to write it was the increasing violence in sports.
I watched a Phillies and Mets game in 2010 and saw the Mets reaction to a take-out slide by Chase Utley of the Phillies towards Rueben Tejada the Mets shorstop. There had been bad blood between the two teams since 2007. I began to fear for Utley and the genesis for my novel soon followed.
What would happen in today’s society if a manager ordered his pitcher to intentionally try to disable an opposing batter with a pitch? What if the pitch turned into a lethal bean ball? Could a hardball be considered a deadly weapon under the criminal law?
Would the victim’s family or the press demand a criminal investigation? If so, what would be the appropriate charge?
If there were criminal charges, what impact would that have for the way the game of baseball is played?
Would pitchers be fearful of throwing high and inside pitches? Would they fear that a prosecutor would be watching over their shoulder? Would baseball fans believe it was just part of the game or would the public see the bean ball as retaliation and no different from the motive in any criminal case?These questions are debated and vetted in my novel A Pitch for Justice which I suggest is a thought provoking look into the psyche of major league baseball.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since this is my first attempt at writing novels, as oppose to legal briefs, it’s hard to say what is unusual. I know that as a reader, I like short chapters so that I can put the book down after reading a chapter. I write the same way.
I tend to write without too much emphasis on style. Rather I let my thoughts flow and then return after a few chapters to make initial corrections.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I can’t say anyone influenced my style of writing because it isn’t literary prose. I am a story teller . I’m not one who presents beautifully written paragraphs. I don’t like to read endless descriptive writing so I don’t write in that fashion. I was influenced by Mike Sowell and Paul Dickson who write about baseball. The legal suspense comes from nearly 40 years of actual legal practice.
What are you working on now?
I’m still working on marketing my book. It took four months to write it and endless amount of months and hours to market it. That is hellish. I had an offer from a publisher, but I declined when I found out that I would still be the primary marketer.
I am trying to decide whether to have a sequel with my protagonist or try another approach.That is yet to be determined.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon and Authorden.com
Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a novice, my advice may be unhelpful because I am still learning the ropes, but I would tell them to get books about how to market on Kindle etc. They should join forums on Goodreads and Amazon, blog if they have something to say, offer your book as gifts to bloggers or writers to get reviews, and keep marketing. With almost 500,000 new titles a year, you can’t just sit back and rely on your writing skills.
What are you reading now?
Camelot’s Cousin: An Espionage Thriller by David Stokes. I got it as a Kindle freebee. It has a very interesting and intriguing take on the Kennedy?Soviet confrontation during the Cuban missile crisis. I enjoy historical novels especially when they are free. Next up is a baseball book that I bought called A Talk in the Park by Curt Smith a former broadcaster.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I may be an unemployed writer if sales don’t improve. Nonetheless, I am gratified that I wrote a book that I loved writing, and that has gotten very good reviews on Amazon and goodreads. When I get inspired, I’ll start writing a synopsis and go from there.
What is your favorite book of all time?
That’s like asking what is your favorite Beatles or Frank Sinatra song? (yes I know I am aging myself.)
Foriegn: Crime and Punishment
Baseball:Ball Four
American nonfiction: Helter Skelter
American fiction: Fountainhead
Author Websites and Profiles
Harold Kasselman Website
Harold Kasselman Amazon Profile
Harold Kasselman’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile