Where were some places in your hometown you visited a lot as a child?
I DIDN’T GO TO MANY PLACES. I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE PARENT AND MONEY WAS TIGHT.
What hobbies did you have as a child?
I PLAYED WITH AN ERECTOR SET WHICH WAS A BUILDING TOY AND I READ. I WOULD GO TO THE LIBRARY AND TAKE TWO OR THREE BOOKS ABOUT HISTORY AND FAMOUS PEOPLE AND READ THEM IN A WEEK. THE LIBRARIANS WOULD LAUGH. I FINISHED WHOLE SHELVES OF BOOKS ABOUT HISTORY AND FAMOUS PEOPLE AND MYTHOLOGY.
Where did you get your degree in education? What was the most memorable part of college for you?
I GRADUATED FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO IN 1970. HAD A MILITARY INTERRUPTION AND THEN WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, HASTINGS COLLEGE OF LAW WHERE I RECEIVED MY JURIS DOCTORATE.
What inspired you to pursue your longtime dream of becoming an author?
MY TEACHERS ENCOURAGED ME TO WRITE AND TOLD ME I HAD A SPECIAL GIFT, BUT WRITING WAS SOMETHING I SET ASIDE WHILE I PURSUED MY CAREER AS A TRIAL LAWYER AND AS A JUDGE. I WAS IN MY FIFTIES WHEN I DECIDED TO MOVE FROM WRITING LEGAL ARTICLES TO WRITING BOOKS.
What was your reaction when your first book, "Hands Through Stone" became a bestseller?
FOR ME, AS A BOY, I DREAMED OF WRITING BUT MY LIFE WAS ONE OF PRACTICAL APPLICATION. MY ENERGY WENT INTO MY WORK AND MY FAMILY. WHEN HANDS THROGH STONE GOT THE REACTION THAT IT DID I WAS OVERWHELMED. IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A CHILDHOOD DREAM COME TRUE.
What are some great books you've read recently and who wrote them?
INTERESTING QUESTION. I STAY AWAY FROM MYSTERY BOOKS AND PRIMARILY READ DANIEL SILVA AND MARK GREANY, ETC. I READ CONSTANTLY.
According to you, what is the perfect recipe for a fantastic story?
ONE THAT CARRIES THE READER ALONG WITH THE PROTAGONIST. I LIKE HAVING THE READER IN THE ROOM WITH A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION THAN THE PROTAGONIST. I LIKE THE READER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE SITUATION IS GOING TO BE HANDLED. OF COURSE, THERE HAS TO BE A STORY THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT AND THAT MEANS CHARACTERS THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT. I READ ALL THE TIME AND IF I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS, I DON’T FINISH THE BOOK. YOU GET FIFTY PAGES FROM ME AND IF YOU DON’T PULL ME IN WITH FIFTY PAGES, YOU AREN’T GOING TO KEEP ME. I TRY TO WRITE THE FIRST FIFTY PAGES SO THAT THE READER WANTS TO KEEP GOING.
What is a common theme that follows all the books in the Matt Jamison series?
THEY ARE ALL BASED ON A PARTICULAR LEGAL CONCEPT THAT GIVES RISE TO THE STORY. IT ALLOWS THE READER TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CONCEPT WORKS IN REAL LIFE AND I ALSO WANT THE READER TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LAW OPERATES IN SHADES OF GRAY THAT AREN’T BLACK AND WHITE. I WANT THE READER TO FINISH THE BOOK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE. THE BEST COMPLIMENT I CAN GET FROM A READER IS THAT I MADE THEM THINK LONG AFTER THEY FINISHED THE BOOK.
Is the character of Assistant District Attorney Matt Jamison inspired by a real-life person that you might have come across in your legal career?
JAMISON IS A COMPOSITE. HIS EVOLUTION AS A PROSECUTOR IN SOME RESPECTS REFLECTS MY OWN MATURATION THROUGH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
If you were offered the chance to live one of your character's lives, but never be a writer again, would you take it?
PROBABLY NOT. MY OWN LIFE HAS BEEN INTERESTING AND EXCITING BY ALMOST ANY PERSON’S STANDARDS. BUT THE PERSON WHO IS ONE OF MY CHARACTERS AND WAS A REAL PERSON WAS YOUNG OAK KIM IN TEARS OF HONOR. HE WAS A REAL AMERICAN HERO AND I ADMIT THAT IN MY INTERVIEWS WITH HIM I WAS AWESTRUCK BY HIS ACTIONS. HE WAS THE REAL DEAL.
What is the most outrageous thing you've done to write or publish one of your books?
I DON’T THINK I HAVE DONE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. MOST OF MY BOOKS REFLECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS THE BASIS OF WHAT I WRITE ABOUT AND ALSO INTENSE RESEARCH.
Do you think someone can be an author without having discipline? Why or why not?
I GET ASKED THIS QUESTION ALL THE TIME. WRITING IS DIFFICULT. GOOD WRITING IS VERY DIFFICULT. TO WRITE A BOOK REQUIRES DISCIPLINE AND CONSISTENCY. SOMETIMES YOU RUN INTO A WALL. MY ANSWER IS TO KEEP WRITING AND THE INSPIRATION WILL FIND YOU. BUT YOU HAVE TO WRITE. I OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY, “I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK” OR “I STARTED WRITING A BOOK.”. MY ANSWER IS THAT YOU CAN’T WRITE A BOOK UNLESS YOU WRITE. KEEP GOING.
What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author?
THE READER REACTION. AT FIRST IT WAS A LITTLE WEIRD TO HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND QUOTE FROM ONE OF MY BOOKS BUT I REALIZE IT IS A TREMENDOUS COMPLIMENT. THE MOST REWARDING THING WAS AS A RESULT OF HANDS THROUGH STONE. I HAD A WOMAN FROM ALABAMA WRITE ME AND SAY THAT SHE KEPT MY BOOK ON HER MANTLE. HER DAUGHTER HAD DISAPPEARED AND HAD NEVER BEEN FOUND. MY BOOK GAVE HER HOPE THAT THERE WERE POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE WHO WOULD NEVER GIVE UP AND MAYBE SOMEDAY SHE WOULD KNOW THE TRUTH.
Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so, when can we expect its release or publication?
I AM WORKING ON A FOURTH BOOK IN THE JAMISON SERIES TENTATIVELY CALLED LEAVES OF MOONLIGHT. I AM ALSO WORKING ON THE SIDE ON A NEW HISTORICAL NOVEL WHICH I AM ANXIOUS TO START BUT HAVE TO RESTRAIN MYSELF SO I CAN FINISH THE CURRENT JAMISON NOVEL.
Before AllAuthor, what other websites did you use for featuring and promoting your books? Has AllAuthor been better or worse than some of these sites?
I HAVE MY OWN WEBSITE JAMESARDAIZ.COM BUT I LIKE THE EFFORTS OF ALLAUTHOR TO KEEP BOOKS OUT THERE. IT ISN’T JUST AN ADVERTISING SITE. ASKING PEOPLE TO READ YOUR BOOK IS REALLY ABOUT ASKING THEM TO GIVE YOU THEIR TIME. I LIKE TO THINK THAT THEY CHOOSE HOW TO SPEND THAT TIME AND ALLAUTHOR HELPS THEM TO DO THAT.
