About Cortez Law III:
Cortez Law III is the author of nine independently published books. The romance novel, My Brother's Keeper (2001), the Atlanta X-Men Homicide Squad suspense/mystery/thriller novels Kremlin Tide (2014), Cold Lick (2015), Serial Rites (2017), Shadow Doctors (2019), Threat Nexus (2020), and Black Phoenix (2024). He also wrote the science fiction/thriller, S.Y.P.H.E.N. (2015) and the supernatural thriller novella, Evil Realms (2019). He enjoys movies, TV, fishing, sports, reading and fitness.
What inspires you to write?
I started writing and self-publishing a Christian African American romance novel, My Brother's Keeper, in 2001. I thought that was my genre. Then, enter September 11, 2001. A light bulb went off. That tragedy galvanized a nation, and many people expressed their patriotism for this country via songs, music, movies, etc. I was no different, and looking back, I wasn't surprised either. When I was writing screenplays, they consisted of small-budgeted urban dramas but also police/crime stories as well. I like the Hero Myth of storytelling, so I feel comfortable with mysteries, suspense, and thriller stories.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
I like the Hero Myth of storytelling, so I feel comfortable with mysteries, suspense, and thriller stories. The person I miss who filled this niche before he passed in 2001 and was a Chicago Police Captain was author Hugh Holton. I read most of his work. Other favorites I've read more than once include Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Walter Mosley, Ridley Pearson, Jeffery Deaver, and Ted Dekker. It's good to see additional African American mystery/suspense/thriller authors such as Tracy Clark, Rachel Howzell Hall, Kellye Garrett, Aaron Philip Clark, and Charles Prandy. The Christian Mystery/Suspense marketplace doesn't have many, if any, African American authors. I hope to bridge that gap between the two markets.
Tell us about your writing process.
Writers are either pantsers, where they write the story and allow intuition to guide them, or you’re plotters or planners, where an outline leads you to your story’s desired end. I tend to plan or plot my stories on my PC in Word. Since this is the sixth book in the Atlanta X-Men Homicide Squad series, I've established the main characters. Their growth through the books and other major/minor characters adds flavor to each story. So, then it becomes a challenge of creating the best storylines I can, which can originate from anywhere.
It takes about three to six months for a first draft. It depends upon how steadfast I am every day with my writing schedule. Then, I could write five to ten drafts after that to get it as close as possible to perfection. The key for me to do that is to take breaks from the book between each draft. That may last anywhere from a month minimum to two or two and a half months. A writer needs that separation from the story to get some distance from the words, which surely needs additional editing. So, that's about nine months on the low end to about 12 months maximum.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I hear their voices in my head and go with that flow. I do ask them questions along the way. All the characters get thorough scrutiny in subsequent drafts, especially the secondary characters, who are new to the Atlanta Homicide Squad series world.
What advice would you give other writers?
Read, read, read, in and out of your favorite genre. That's my challenge because I love the crime genre so much. Study books on writing; writers can never know enough about the craft. Many writers are likely already aware of this, but the real challenge often lies in marketing. Set some money aside for that part of the business. Believe that even if you haven't published anything, you're still a professional writer. If you disagree with or refuse to believe that, you can consider yourself an advanced beginner.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I pursued literary agents, but the mystery/thriller/suspense genres merging into the Christian market from an African American perspective wasn't one I think the gatekeepers believed would fly. I also learned that publishing companies gave the big-name authors' books the marketing push they needed to succeed. Not so much for the other mid-listers or newbies. We get the belief of our talent from agents, book editors, graphic designers, and photographers, but don't get that same belief when it comes to marketing dollars? If I didn't get that same confidence in marketing dollars to get the word out about my work, why go that route? Self-publishing has gotten easier over the years, so that's a plus.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I hope it doesn't shrink anymore with all the mergers recently. Ebooks are here to stay, but print isn't going anywhere either. I want to get into the audiobook format soon. I understand it's scorching hot and has been for some time now. With film studios cutting back on productions, the increased streaming services offer another revenue opportunity for authors who have IPs that succeed as books and would translate into filmed projects. Good, bad, or ugly in this arena, I look at a book adaptation as a two-hour advertisement for that novel or non-fiction work.
What genres do you write?: Mystery/Suspense
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Cortez Law III Home Page Link
Link To Cortez Law III Page On Amazon
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
