Author Spotlight: Brian Cohen

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen, for review (you can see my review here). Brian was also kind enough to answer some questions about his writing!

What made you decide to start writing novels?

I 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.

How did you come up with the idea for The Life O'Reilly?

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 had 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.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing this novel?

Writing The Life O'Reilly was an amazing experience, and I learned so much about all aspects of writing a novel - plotting, characterization, pacing, and all that good stuff. I also learned that nothing great comes without sacrifice. As a writer, you have to work as hard as you can to perfect your craft and then invite and embrace criticism from experienced professionals. If you are open-minded, their feedback will help you improve a great deal!

Are there any tips you would give to a book club when reading, The Life O'Reilly?

I have a Reading Group Guide on my website (www.briancohenbooks.com) for book clubs to use when discussing my novel. Other than that - relax and enjoy!

I hear you are working on a second novel, what is it about?

My second novel is an emotional story of love and redemption that explores the politics of a family business and the impact it has on the relationships of its inter-generational members who struggle to understand the differences in each others values. It also highlights the erosion of locally-owned businesses in favor of the absentee-owned chain stores and the resulting loss of character of main street.

What are you doing when you aren't writing? 

When I'm not writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing sports.

If you could have written one book is history, what would that book be?

To Kill a Mockingbird

If you think you would like The Life O'Reilly, or Brian Cohen's upcoming book, then check out his website for more information!

Author Spotlight: Lisa Rusczyk

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of a book recently called Sam the Night Person by Lisa Rusczyk. This novel is a supernatural fantasy about Azzy and Sam. To read my full review of this book, click HERE.

Not only was Lisa nice enough to send me a copy of her book, but she also agreed to answer some questions about her writing.

How did you come up with the idea of night and day people?

I spend a lot of time daydreaming and the idea came from a night of bored insomnia.

Why did you name the book after Sam?

I had a hard time deciding between naming it after Sam or Azzy, but my friend Joanie Gorforth said she liked the Sam title better so that’s what I went with.


Where did you come up with the name, Azzy? What does it mean?

I had a Himalayan cat named Azriel and his nickname was Azzy.

How long did it take you to write this book?

It took about 4 months..


What advice would you give young writer’s who wish to write their own novel?

You can write whatever you want, make all the mistakes you want. You can always change anything you want later.


What is your favourite book and author? And why?

My favorite book is Watership Down by Richard Adams. I love the story and the bunnies! I especially like the bunny mythology.


When you start writing a novel, what do you begin with first? Is it character, outline, plot etc.? What is your writing process?

That’s tough to answer because each book has been different. As far as starting them, sometimes I’ll just start writing and see where it goes. That’s what I did with The Blue Pen and another book that I have not yet published. Oh yeah, I did that with Full Moon in December too. With Sam the Night Person, I wrote it knowing the whole book, but not the ending. I also had my first book, not published, mapped out pretty much. A Dream of the Past, coming out next month, I think, had the premise worked out, but those characters wrote the details.


If you aren’t writing a novel, what would we find you doing?

Watching TV mostly. I also love reading and playing around on the Internet. I spend a lot of time playing FFXI, an online video game.


If Sam the Night Person was turned into a film, who would you want to play Sam and Azzy?

I think I want unknown to play them. Another blogger asked that and that’s what I said and when my fiancé read it, he said I needed to pick famous actors! So let me ask him who he thinks should play them.. He says, after much deliberation, Claire Danes and Jared Leto. I said, “My So Called Life! Yay!”


If you could ask your readers any question, what would it be?

If my cat is preggers, want a kitten?

Lisa’s book are available through Club Lighthouse Publishing. Check out her page to find out about her other novels!