Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Brill.
Hi Larry, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in San Jose, California, with three goals in mind from my earliest days: to become a working journalist, to write a hit novel, and to pitch for a major league baseball team. As Meatloaf sang-“Two out of three ain’t bad.” I was an avid fan of THE HARDY BOYS as a kid, and John Steinbeck because he wrote about that part of California where I was taking my first timid steps to writing fiction. After getting my journalism degree at San Jose State University, I snagged my first job in the newsroom at KOTI-TV in Klamath Falls, Oregon. At that time, the Klamath Falls population was less than the student population at SJSU. But it was a start. I worked at stations in two other cities in different states before spending ten years at the NBC affiliate here in Austin, Texas.
One night after the late news, the crew and I went out for drinks and started swapping “war stories” about the crazy things we had experienced in the TV news business. It seemed like with each contribution to the running dialogue, someone would say, “I ought to write a book about that someday,” setting off another round of laughter. By the end of the night, I decided I would write it. It became my first, published novel, LIVE AT FIVE. It was a modest hit.
I left the TV business to start my own video production company. That gave me more time to write fiction. I followed up LIVE AT FIVE with three (soon to be four) more novels. One was a rom-com that won the gold medal from the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Two of my novels take place in my favorite period of history—around the American Revolution. The other two are contemporary. All of them fall into my self-described genre of “Funny, Feel-good Fiction.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
TV news can be a cruel business. Even with good ratings, I always worried that my job was at risk. Turnover is common, many times just because some talented anchor or reporter caught the eye of the boss. I loved the storytelling/reporting part, and that made the long hours worthwhile and the stress of turning a story under a severe deadline weirdly exhilarating. As for my fiction career, the publishing industry may be even more cruel. But the writing part is glorious.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been retired for about two years now and have turned my focus on writing what I call “Funny, Feel-good Fiction.” My favorite authors like Christopher Moore and Christopher Buckley, write lighthearted satire and humorous takes on life. My rom-com DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN won the Independent Book Publishers award for romance novels. My latest work, GOD’S DAY OFF has not been released yet, but it has been short-listed for a gold medal from the Book Excellence Awards. Given the current gloomy attitude of Americans on either side of the political spectrum these days, I really want to make them forget about life for a while and smile.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In-person conferences and author events are the best ways to network. When I’m not working on my own novels, I co-produce and host an internet program, AUSTIN LITI LIMITS, interviewing authors and promoting their books. That has helped build a network of support.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.larrybrill.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larrybrill
- Twitter: @larbrill
- Youtube: @larrybrill2608, @austinlitilimits6680
