Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Matt Kozar, and Angels on the Bridge is my debut novel. I’m an Emmy-award winning journalist, who spent more than a decade working in local television, most recently at WCBS-TV and CBS News in New York City. Following graduate school, I worked in TV markets across the country, including Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, and Connecticut. I love great storytelling and feel excited to venture into the world of fiction.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Angels on the Bridge is an inspirational story about a young man who is killed by a drunk driver, and subsequently, is catapulted in the afterlife where he meets God. He’s given three choice that will dictate his eternal fate, and seeking a new adventure, he chooses God’s most challenging offer – act as a spirit guide for the man who killed him. The fictional story is inspired by my brother, Doug, who died in 2010 after he was hit by a drunk driver. I wanted to create a positive story following his death, and I let me brother guide my imagination with this book.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write best in the morning. Following a quick meditation, I’ll pound away on the laptop at my desktop for a few hours before jumping on the commuter train (laptop in my bag) heading to Central Terminal in New York City.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. His storytelling is simple and beautiful. In broadcast television, news scripts are short and succinct, so this style of writing influences me when I tackle fiction. I find myself most gravitating toward Coelho’s literary toolbox when I sit write every morning.
What are you working on now?
I’ve written an outline for a second book that involves a minor character from Angels on the Bridge. I’m hoping to begin writing that story (title TBD) later this summer.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a great connection with friends, colleagues, book enthusiasts, and fellow writers on social media, so I find myself gravitating toward Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share book quotes and ideas.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The true magic of writing happens during the rewriting process. Knock out a draft and write it over and over until you feel happy with the final version. I find that I’m most creative when I’m editing my own work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Failure is an important stop on the road to success. Most successful people, regardless of industry or trade, experience great failures. What separates them from the pack is that they learn from their mistakes and persist.
What are you reading now?
I just finished The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr, which is a sequel to The Alienist. It’s a great page turner. Carr has kept me hooked throughout the 700+ page novel. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Before I begin writing my second novel, I’m working on an essay about finding happiness in life. It does not yet have a home, but I’ll be submitting it to several newspapers and journals soon.
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 Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Author Websites and Profiles
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