Summer Augustine is an author you want to know. She’s been a trial lawyer for 20 years, having begun her legal career as a successful prosecuting attorney, then moving on to becoming a well-respected civil litigator. She brings all this experience into her books, giving readers an insider’s view of due process, and then some.
But that’s not all, through a tangled web she combines plot and the story setting better then all the rest. In fact all of her books are hot and steamy legal suspense knockouts, which you won’t want to put down. Recently we caught up with Summer to find out more about this fascinating author, and what’s coming next. This is what she shared up with us.
You have been a successful trial lawyer for 20 years. What made you decide to turn your gaze toward writing books that take readers’ breath away?
Wow. Thank you for the compliment. Yes. it was around my 15th year practicing law that I suddenly woke up with a strong desire to write a book. It really came out of nowhere. I literally woke up in the morning wanting to write. When I sat down to begin writing for pleasure, instead of for business, I found that I really loved it. When you love something, you want to share it with others. So, I guess my passion for writing a novel has transferred through my books to my readers. When you’re ready for your next phase in life, the thing just announces itself to you. I guess I finally decided it was time for my story-telling to move from the courtroom to books!
Your books are incredibly sexy, was this something that is just part of your nature as a writer or was it part of your master plan for your books?
I didn’t plan it at all. I just let my books take their natural course. So, it must be my nature as a writer!
So I have to ask, is the legal world really as hot and steamy as you portray it?
Ha! Ha! Ha! No, darling. Lawyers only get that sexy in fiction books. LOL. However, the angry and passionate arguments you see from the lawyers in my books are reflective of real life. Certainly, when an attorney feels passionately about a subject, the arguments can get heated, both inside the courtroom and outside the courtroom, between colleagues or opposing counsel – which you see a lot of in White Jr.’s Trial. But even in the romance novel, A Brush with Love, A Brush with the Law, you’ll occasionally see the dance between lawyers where one tries to encroach and the other stands their ground. For example, there is an intense moment when Sarah Cartwright is talking to the defense attorney who represents her soulmate, David. The conversation starts with the assumption that their interests are aligned, but then suddenly defense lawyer challenges prosecutor and prosecutor strikes back. The suspicion each one holds for the other is definitely something that would occur in real life. It would just have to. That’s the nature of lawyers. Even in seemingly friendly discussions, they keep their fists up, ready to fight.
Your characters are extremely intriguing and dynamic. Of all the characters you have created is there one that is your favorite? If you could meet up with them in real life, what kind of things do you think you two would do to have some fun?
This really is a tough question to answer. I kind of want to be in their whole world. I want to be on David and Sarah’s yacht in the South of France. I want to smoke cigars and watch football in Detective Jones’ man cave of all man caves. And I want to date Jack Wayne. Ha! Ha! Ha! Oh no, have I said too much?
We hope you have another book coming soon. Do you? Can you tell us a bit about it?
Absolutely! The Suspect will be released in the Spring 2021. That’s where you’ll get to see more of Jack Wayne (and find out why I like him so much). He’ll be taken on an adventure when he steps out of his role as senior prosecuting attorney (about to become District Attorney) and risks it all when he goes undercover to identify the female suspect who is leading a crime ring that targets wealthy, young inhabitants of Los Angeles. What he doesn’t know is that her crime ring transcends international borders. So, he’s going to find himself in a bit of trouble, outside his jurisdiction, when things get tricky.
“A Brush with Love, A Brush with the Law” is currently available on Amazon.