Lawyer turned to a writer. Sounds familiar? Thanks to those kind of transformations we are lucky to understand better the law system and all the drama that surrounds big and not so big trials.
H. Terrell Griffin is part of the famous author’s club. He developed his trilling stories around the funny character of Matt Royal. His latest adventures were told in Chasing Justice that was released in September.
We are honored to have as a guest at Land of Books Mr. H. Terrell Griffin. Special thanks for arranging the interview to Mr. David Ivester from Oceanview Publishing.

– Mr. Griffin, what is your book Chasing Justice about?
– The protagonist, Matt Royal, is a highly regarded lawyer who, disgusted with the practice of law, retired early to Longboat Key, Florida, with the goal of becoming a beach bum. His friend the chief of police on the island calls Matt when the chief’s wife is arrested for the murder of a shady character with whom she is accused of having an affair that went wrong. Matt reluctantly comes out of retirement to defend the woman

– How did you decide to write Matt Royal series?
– I love mysteries and I love Longboat Key and I was a trial lawyer for many years. It seemed like a conflating of the three loves was a natural.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– Keeping the story going, imagining the plot and the characters. But, truth to be told, that wasn’t all that big a deal. The story just seemed to flow.
– Tell us something more about your main characters Matt and Abby? Are they close to someone from your real life?
– A lot of Matt is based on my feelings, my love of the island I live on and the people who inhabit it. Of course, my 38 years of trying court cases has a place in the story. Abby is a completely imaginary character, although many of the other characters are taken from the real people of Longboat Key.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– It took me about five months to concoct and write the story. It took another year to reach the book stores
– Do you have a plan how many books from your famous mystery series you will write?
– Chasing Justice is the ninth book in the series and the tenth, entitled Mortal Dilemma, will be released in April, 2016. I hope there will be more to follow.
– Who are you?
– I am a retired lawyer who is scratching a life long itch to write. I live on that slice of paradise that is called Longboat Key, with the same woman I married while still in college. I’m a former soldier, and carry with me all the lessons I learned in the three years I was on active duty. I think those lessons have made me a better man.
– What are your writing habits?
– Scattered is probably the best answer. I don’t have any set patterns I tend to write when the spirit moves me. Some days I don’t touch a key board and other days I write all day long.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of your books?
– Generally, but I’d always like to see more books sold.
– What are you doing to promote your book by the best possible way?
– Whatever my publisher asks me to do.
– When we will see your next novel and would you unveil something more about it?
– As mentioned, the next novel will be released in April, 2016. This one is more of a thriller/mystery in which Matt takes on some very bad guys. He’s not operating as a lawyer in the next one.
– Do you remember the moment when you decide to become a writer?
– When I retired from the practice of law, I decided to give it a try. I’d always wanted to try my hand at writing a novel, and once I retired, I had the time to devote to writing fiction.
– You worked for many years as a lawyer. There are many attorneys who became writers. Do you think that authors like you, John Grisham, Scott Turow, Robert Dugoni and many others inspired a new wave of young generation lawyers?
– I never really thought about that, but I certainly appreciate being mentioned in the same sentence with Turow, Grisham and Dugoni. I think, if anything, readers might be put off by how hard lawyers work and how difficult it is to bring a case into court.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what it will be? (Don’t forget to answer)
– Ha. Should I buy your book? The answer is yes.

To learn more about H. Terrell Griffin check out his Website
His Publisher
Facebook

Take a look at his books:
Longboat Blues (Matt Royal Mysteries Book 1)
Found: A Matt Royal Mystery (Matt Royal Mysteries Book 8)
Chasing Justice: A Matt Royal Mystery (Matt Royal Series)
The Assassin’s Game