Much of this I will never be able to write about due to attorney-client privilege and a general sense of self-preservation. A good deal of what transpired is fair game for fiction. It was the latter that provided the inspiration for my latest book, Virtual Vice.
Do you write full-time?
Yes. Lawyers are wordsmiths by trade and training, and we write for a living: that's at the core of our work. I still consult as an intellectual property attorney, but am focusing most of my time and efforts on creative writing. I took a sabbatical from the practice of law to devote myself entirely to turning out this book in a two year period. I'm presently working on my second novel, also a work of creative non-fiction.
At what point in your life did you make up your mind you were going to become a published author?
Becoming a published author was never the focus of my work. If one is destined to write, I think it's almost a compulsion: you must express yourself through prose or verse. It's like breathing; it's not a choice. Notoriety, critical acclaim and commercial success are minor concerns and of little consequence, as historically both have been atrocious barometers of a work's literary merit. As I saw Virtual Vice take shape, I felt it was worthy of publication. Interest was expressed by a prominent literary agent in representation, but this was contingent on my making the novel entirely non-fiction, something I was unwilling to do. This made me even more determined to see that the book reached an audience on my terms. To help towards that end, in addition to offering the book on Amazon and through four other e-tailers, I released the work as an audiobook. May 2009, it was the second most popular download on Podiobooks.com, with 8000 downloads in four days, and remains on their top ten list, so it appears that it's finding that audience.
Was there anyone in your life that you can give credit to helping pave the way?
My high school English Lit instructor, Phyllis Elliot, the owner of my hometown bookstore, Port Book & News's Allen Turner, a college Shakespeare course instructor, Professor Anawalt, parents, fiancée and my feline muse, Consigliere.
What was your favorite book to read as a child?
Bram Stoker's, Dracula.
What is your favorite book at the present?
Article comments
1 - Bubbles
I'd like to read more of your writing, book and more.
Where can I find more?