The law and passion are always on the agenda for bestselling author Summer Augustine, and she serves up both in the most extraordinary way, so it’s not surprising that both White Jr’s Trial and A Brush with Love, A Brush the Law hit the bestseller list this year. Her books are smart, hot and thrilling, taking readers into a world they won’t want to give up when they get to the final page.
Besides being one of the best authors in the world, writing thrilling and passionate books, there is also an amazingly realistic aspect to her work because Summer is has been a trial lawyer for two decades. She started her career as a prosecuting attorney, rising to the top of her field, and then she switched gears to become a successful civil litigator. All of this combines to make her books a must for your reading list, this winter to not only keep you warm, but engaged and extremely satisfied. Summer recently gave us the inside scoop on her writing, her life and yes what’s next.
Both books, White Jr’s Trial and A Brush with Love, A Brush the Law are filled with passion and real world legal thrills, from your perspective what challenges did you face along the way when writing both books, especially from the legal aspect to keep it as real to the truth of what people can witness in a court of law?
I didn’t have any difficulty keeping it real. That just comes naturally in my writing. Although, I write fiction, I still take the law seriously and I want readers to do the same. My goal is to show them the legal world (using a fictional case), not to make a mockery of the law or the justice system. One of the best compliments I get is when people ask me if the stories are based on real life cases. That means the stories feel real to the reader, and I think that’s great! I save the escapism and fantasy for the personal lives of the characters in the books. The only challenge I found was that sometimes when writing a legal scene, it felt like I was at work stressing over a real case, instead of enjoying my passion for writing fiction! LOL!
Why was it important to release both books during the holiday season?
This year, it was especially important because of COVID. I think we’re all looking for something new we can enjoy at home. I’m a new author that offers something very different from all the rest. So, I wanted to offer readers a great new experience to explore. The books are part of the same series, Prosecutors – LA, but each book satiates a different appetite. White Jr.’s Trial is more for people who love legal thrillers and courtroom drama; and A Brush with Love, A Brush with the Law leans much more heavily towards the romance genre, while still intriguing readers with a legal case. It made sense to let both audiences enjoy the books simultaneously while also enticing them to explore a genre they had not yet considered, with another book in the same series. Of course, many readers already love the mix of the two genres, and I think they deserve 2 books instead of 1 – especially this year when we won’t have as many holiday gatherings and we will all be getting through our books much more quickly!
If you could go out to dinner with any writer, either alive or passed who would it be and why?
That’s a really tough one. I want to pick three or four: Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Danielle Steele, John Grisham . . . But I’ll settle on John Grisham. He’s always been an icon in my mind. I’ve been reading his books since high school. I actually remember the moment I was first introduced to his books. My Literature teacher said to me, “Oh, you want to be a lawyer, well there is this really great author who is a lawyer. His name is John Grisham, you should read his books.” I became really excited about the prospect of learning about the law from an attorney who was an author. Then, I remember my teacher saying, “Maybe you’ll become an author one day too.” I scoffed at her, and declared that I had no interest in becoming an author, because I only wanted to be a lawyer! Isn’t that funny? I was so certain of it. I remember my teacher was slightly offended by my response (because she taught Literature) and she insisted, “Well, you never know!” Mrs. Moore, where are you now? You were right! And, John Grisham, thanks for the many years of great reading experiences!
Now that both books are out and official number one bestsellers, when can we expect the sequel?
In the Spring 2021, we will release The Suspect. It is also part of the Prosecutors – LA series. The main character is Jack Wayne. You met him in White Jr.’s Trial. Jack is going to chase down an international crime-ring leader, who just happens to be an incredibly seductive woman.
Bonus Question
What are your top three romance movies or books of all time?
- Titanic
- Pride & Prejudice
- Cinderella
You can find Summer Augustine’s books on Amazon.
