Welcome to the Weekend With... Author Brian Cohen

Back in March, I did a brief review of Brian Cohen's book, The Life O'Reilly and today I give you the man behind the book.

First tell us a little about you-
A native New Yorker, I was born in Queens and raised on Long Island. I have been practicing law for over 12 years, specializing in complex litigation. I live with my wife and our daughters in the suburbs of New York City.

When did you first start writing and did you always want to be an author?
I have had a passion for all things creative, including film, literature, and music, since elementary school. During my Middle School and High School years, when I was introduced to literary classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Les Miserables, and The Count of Monte Cristo, I discovered both a love of fiction and a knack for creative writing. But it wasn’t until my first semester of law school that I truly caught “the writing bug” and knew I had to become a storyteller.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Having balance in my life is a top priority, so finding the time to write, while also having a family and a demanding legal career, is a challenge. When I'm writing, I usually wake up at 4 a.m. (as crazy as that sounds!), but with the busy life that I lead, it's not always possible to maintain that kind of schedule. After all, sleep is important!

The most rewarding aspect of writing is the wonderful reactions I get from readers!

When you sit down to start a new book do you begin with an outline or synopsis or do you just go with the flow?
I like to have biographical sketches for the main characters and a general outline that gives the novel structure, although as characters come to life during the writing process, they tend to take the story in new directions (which is a good thing!).

I know my readers really loved the cover of The Life O’Reilly. How involved do you typically get with regards to cover art for your books?
I had a vision of what I wanted the cover to look like, and shared that vision with my cover designer. She took that idea and ran with it and, after a few different drafts, we came together on the final product. She did an outstanding job, and I couldn't be happier!

Where did you get the idea for this book?
I am a huge fan of crime fiction, so as an attorney setting out to write a first novel, it naturally followed that legal suspense would be my genre of choice. I spent six months researching, plotting, outlining, and creating character sketches, and then another six months cranking out 150 pages of material. During that time, though, a lot was happening in my life – stories of people my age dying prematurely were being told with alarming frequency, the rat race had become all-consuming, and my wife and I were getting ready to welcome our first child into the world. Then one day, I appreciated that everything I’d been experiencing had inspired another story; I realized that, though writing a crime novel was something I wanted to do, telling the story of Nick O’Reilly was something I had to do. So that evening, I told my wife that I was shelving the thriller and starting on a new project and, the following morning, I began writing The Life O’Reilly and have never looked back.

How much research did you do for your book and how much ended up in the finished product?
I did a lot of research both before and during the writing process and a lot of it made it into the final version!

When a new book comes out, are you nervous about how readers will react to it? How much of yourself do you invest (emotionally and otherwise in your work)?
Sure, there is a bit of nervousness when a book comes out, but I pour my heart into what I decide to publish and do so knowing that there is an audience for my work.

What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?
I hope that there will be many more books and, of course, that I will continue to connect with more and more readers!

Do you have written any other stories and yet to be published novels, when can we expect your next book?
I am currently working on my second novel. It's hard to say when it will be out, but hopefully sooner rather than later!

You can influence any one thing in the entire history, the present or the future of the world (what has occurred, how something works, etc.). What would you choose to change and why?
I would prevent The Holocaust from happening.


Thank you for joining us today, Brian.
 

Be sure to check out Brian's website.

Just got an email from the wonderful Brian Cohen and he is offering a signed copy to one lucky commenter. I will announce a winner on the 21st. All you have to do is leave a comment (following would be nice too, but not required.)