Lawrence Kelter
has now authored several novels, including two internationally best-selling series, the Stephanie Chalice Series and the Chloe Mather Series. Nelson DeMille called him “an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum.” Kelter’s next book is Back to Brooklyn, the long-awaited literary sequel to the film My Cousin Vinny. It will be the first in a series of comic adventures featuring Vinny Gambini and Mona Lisa Vito. Kelter has lived in the Metro New York area most of his life and relies primarily on familiar locales for story settings.
Tell us about your latest work.
My big news is that I signed a deal with Twentieth Century Fox and the screenwriter of the classic comedy, My Cousin Vinny. I’ll be writing a series of novels based on the characters, Vincent Gambini and Mona Lisa Vito. Back to Brooklyn, a sequel to the film, picks up exactly where the film left off, with Vinny racing to get out of Beechum County before he’s found out and thrown into jail. It will be the first in what will evolve into a modern day Nick and Nora kind of series with Lisa investigating and Vinny litigating. My Cousin Vinny has always been my favorite comedy film, the one that made me late for appointments if it happened to pop up on the tube when I should’ve been walking out the door. Mention the film by name or parrot any of the classic lines and you’ll find that practically everyone within earshot is immediately on the same page with you, going tit for tat with smiles plastered on their faces. “Are you sure? Yeah, I’m pos-i-tive.”
When and how do you find time to write?
Funny that you should ask because I’m pretty sure my friends and neighbors have a vision of a full-time writer as someone who wakes mid-afternoon and sashays around the house in slippers and a silk smoking jacket, smoking a cigarette fitted into a cigarette holder, when in truth, I’ve never smoked. Actually, I’m pretty disciplined. I think of writing and promotion as a full-time job, and it doesn’t matter that I don’t have a boss standing over me cracking the whip. I’m the CEO, my wife, Isabella is the chairwoman of the board, and together we do whatever is necessary to keep the ship afloat. Before that, I used to plug away on my laptop while commuting back and forth to work in the city. I think the lack of elbow room on the railroad actually contributed to the creative process. No, come to think of it, that’s a lie.
What kinds of marketing for your books do you personally?
I’m on Facebook everyday doing my best to post interesting tidbits about me and my family, my writing, and the world at large. Does that world-at-large bit sound too much like Walter Cronkite? I do blog and find it fun — my website was just revamped for something like the sixth time. Anyway, tomorrow may be history but Twitter is my mystery. I’ve tried and tried, and I just don’t get it. I’ve had three different assistants help me with it, and it just doesn’t work for me.
What fictional detective would you like to be and why?
It’s gotta be Sherlock because the man is just so damn clever. I mean think about it — he exists in an age before computers, forensics labs, DNA analysis, CCTV, and tracking devices. He figures it all out in his mind. His powers of observation are second to none. And who else but Holmes is capable of catching Moriarity, “the greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of every devilry”?
In five words or less, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
How about six? “Retreat? Hell, we just got here!” — Captain Lloyd Williams