Joel Goldman

I started writing thrillers when one of my former law partners complained to me about another partner. I told him we should write a murder mystery, kill the son-of-a-bitch off in the first chapter and spend the rest of the book figuring out who did it. So, I did and I never looked back. That was in 1992. I retired from my law practice in 2006.

I became a ten-year overnight success with the publication of my first book, Motion To Kill, in 2002, introducing trial lawyer Lou Mason. Lou made his second appearance in 2003's Edgar®-nominated The Last Witness. He managed to keep getting in and out of trouble in Cold Truth (2004) and Deadlocked (2005), which was nominated for a Shamus award and has been optioned for film. I'm so excited to announce that I'm releasing the ebook versions of these books beginning in June with Motion To Kill.

I'm releasing my newest novel, Stone Cold, later this year, featuring Public Defender, Alex Stone, based on my short story, Knife Fight, published in the anthology The Prosecution Rests (2009) and which has been optioned for television.

Look for my short story, Fire In the Sky, in the anthology Top Suspense: 13 Classic Stories by 12 Masters of the Genre.

And check out my series featuring former FBI Special Agent Jack Davis, beginning with Shakedown (2008). In Shakedown Jack's world is coming apart and there is nothing he can do about it. One reason is a rare movement disorder that has come out of nowhere, causing him to shake when he should shoot. It's something Jack and I have in common, his story providing me with a way of understanding mine. The Dead Man (2009) continues Jack's struggles with the dreams that haunt his past and a serial killer who makes his victims' worst nightmares come true. In No Way Out (2010), Jack's search for two missing children leads him into a deadly web of deceit years in the making.

I have learned some valuable lessons since I started writing. First, rewrite, but don't argue, when your mother tells you that your sex scenes are a little dry. Second, be nice to all your relatives. You never know when one of them will make a connection for you leading to a fantastic relationship with an agent. Third, when friends and strangers ask if they can be in your next book, tell them yes, so long as they pick one each from these three categories: hero or villain; living or dead; naked or dressed. I guarantee you that dead, naked villain will be the most popular choice.

For those of you interested in the statistical, my wife and I have three kids, all out in the world happily doing what they want where they want to do it. We also have two cockapoos, Roxy and Ruby, sisters born on Valentine's Day that may never grow up.

I am a fourth generation Kansas Citian and am named after my great grandfather who came to the United States in 1881. Legend has it that he overheard his parents arranging his marriage and decided to take his chances in the New World, leaving under cover of darkness. I don't know whether the story is true but I subscribe to this quote from one of my favorite movies, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: When legend becomes fact, print the legend.

Follow Joel's blog, What's Shaking?, and find out what's on his mind about writing, publishing, life with a movement disorder and whatever else is shaking in the world around him.

Interviews with Joel

Read a Q&A with Joel
Interview at Bookreporter.com
Interview at Booked.TV