Interview with Douglas Corleone

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a 35-year-old former New York City criminal defense attorney, who now lives with his wife Jill and 18-month-old son Jack in Hawaii. I enjoy swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and anything else that involves being in the ocean.

Can you tell us about your writing?

My debut novel One Man's Paradise won the 2009 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Night On Fire, which will be released on April 26, 2011, is the second novel in the Kevin Corvelli crime series.

Do you want to give us a brief description about your latest book?

In Night On Fire, hotshot Honolulu defense attorney Kevin Corvelli narrowly escapes a deadly arson fire at a popular Hawaiian beach resort, only to land the prime suspect - a stunning but troubled young newlywed - as a client.

You have an impressive webpage and book trailer. Has that increased interest in your books? Is there some way to measure its effectiveness?

It's difficult to know what works in terms of promotion. Having a website these days is essential, and I'm fortunate in that I've received significant positive feedback from the readers of One Man's Paradise through my site. That goes a long way in boosting a writer's confidence.

If I can get some free legal advice here, if I write a book set in Hawaii can I get tax deductions for travel, food and lodging? (And If not can I stay at your house?):)

I'm not a tax lawyer, but I believe to some extent you can. Save your receipts and if the IRS comes knocking, blame your accountant. (I'm just kidding.) But of course, you can stay at my house...as long as you don't mind sharing a room with a toddler.

You maintained a steady pace throughout the book (no middle chapter sag) how did you manage to keep the energy flowing so well?

I attempt to write the second act of my novels with the same energy of my first. I don't like to read novels that sag in the middle, so I do everything possible to avoid writing them. In Night On Fire, part 2 marks the beginning of Kevin Corvelli's own investigation into the fire and there's a lot going on - a visit to the devastated crime scene, the gathering of witness statements, the searching for suspects - so maintaining the energy wasn't as difficult a task as it might have been if I'd written a different kind of story.

How does your background as a defense attorney help you with your writing?

My background as a defense attorney helps considerably in writing the Kevin Corvelli legal thrillers. I still need to research the laws and procedures of Hawaii since I never practiced in this state, but my training and experience aids me in getting that research done efficiently. And, of course, I have many memories from my days in the courtrooms of New York City from which to draw.

The link to the Amazon product page for NOF is http://tinyurl.com/6jlu89b

The link to the trailer on YouTube is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs9K1tlPFGw

The link to my website is

www.douglascorleone.com

Thanks Douglas, (I hope my snoring will not bother your toddler.)