Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My grandfather was a lawyer. My dad was a lawyer. I am a lawyer. It’s in our blood. When I was young I heard stories of my grandfather and dad in the courtroom. I couldn’t imagine growing up and doing anything else. I’ve been a lawyer for 30 years and I have tried a lot of cases. The people whose lives are often dependent on the outcome of court cases have left me with a catalog of stories.
I have now written two novels. Legal Reserves was published last years and is a legal thriller that follows three friends from law school who end up being the two lawyers and the judge in the biggest case any of them had ever handled. The book has done great and has become an Amazon #1 bestseller. My latest, The Jersey, still has a lawyer as the main character, but it’s much more family-centric.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Jersey was inspired by my kids and their love of soccer and baseball. When my oldest was 9 he was the worst player on an all-star team but kept going to practice and in the last game of the summer finally got into a game. I couldn’t believe the emotions that one at bat generated for me. I wrote an essay about it which is now at the heart of the novel. Why do we as parents get so involved with our kids’ athletic achievements?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I’m in writing mode, I am very disciplined. With kids and a full-time job, I have to be. I block out 30 minutes a day for writing and during that period I churn out a lot of words. Some are actually worth keeping. I have written two books that way and now have begun a third
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Because I write so much about the law I have to say that the legal thriller stars like Grisham and Turow have had a huge influence on me, which is true. However, it’s the writers who can tell a saga over the span of years that really amaze me. Any author who can keep track of generations of characters each of whom have separate identities, gets my attention. I love reading books by Ken Follette for that reason. He can tell a fairly complicated story, but the story is always moving and fast paced.
What are you working on now?
Like I said, I am working on my third novel, tentatively entitled Desperate Decisions. I won’t give away too much but it was inspired by a family dinner conversation we had where we all gave our thoughts on the question of, “if you could send your son back in time to kill someone like Hitler, would you do it?”
the answers we had to that question were varied and lead to some great discussion.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning how to promote my books. It’s a real challenge and takes much more time than I thought it would. Getting bloggers to review my books is so time consuming and hasn’t yielded a lot of results. I have found that using social media and just keep pounding out the posts has worked. Obviously, the best way to get results is to write a killer book to start. I am new to sites like Awesome Gang, but so far, this site has been extremely easy to work with and hopefully will lead to more exposure.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just keep writing. I think everyone has a great story inside of them. It’s daunting when you sit down to write your story, but it’s in there somewhere. The only way it’s coming out is to get the words down. Your first draft is going to suck and it takes lots of work to get from that first draft until the final, polished product. I think taking it in small chunks works best for me. Some days, if i get one good paragraph down, I’m happy because I know I am one step closer to getting the story finalized
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write for your fans–ignore the people who may not love your writing. The vast majority of people aren’t going to like what you have written, but that still leaves lots of people who will love to sit down with your book. When someone posts a mediocre review of my book it stings, I have to admit it. But, for every person who doesn’t love what I’ve written, there are bunches who do who want to read even more. They are the ones you are writing for.
What are you reading now?
Washington Black. Awesome story. Amazing writing. Deserves all of the kudos it’s receiving.
What’s next for you as a writer?
i want to continue to evolve. The Jersey is much different than my first book. I want to try new stories, in new settings, with different themes.
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?
The Godfather. Exodus. The Kite Runner. And My Cousin Vinny (on video, I know, cheating).
Author Websites and Profiles
James Rosenberg Website
James Rosenberg Amazon Profile
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