John McNellis is the author of the new novel O'Brien's Law. He worked as a lawyer for 10 years and then became a real estate developer. He also has written the book Making It in Real Estate, and is a columnist for the San Francisco Business Times.
Q: You’ve described O’Brien’s Law as “about half fact and half fiction.” What inspired you to write the novel, and how did you create your character Michael O'Brien?
A: I love to write, my ambition was always to be a novelist—but life took me on a 40-year detour. When I concocted the story—again half fact, half fiction—I knew it could be a fun: a coming-of-age tale about a lovable but woefully misguided young man with no idea how ill-suited he is for the practice of law.
The hot-tempered hero O’Brien is like Dr. Frankenstein’s creation: that is, I stitched him together using a patchwork of friends’ characteristics—some charming, some not— some more personal traits and pure fantasy.
Q: The story is set in San Francisco in the 1970s. How important is setting to you in your writing?
A: I lived in San Francisco for six years in the 1970s, kept personal journals, and could thus ground the tale with a verisimilitude impossible with any other city. Setting the story in San Francisco enabled to write about what I know and, happily, avoid any location research. I think fiction works best when built upon reality.
That said, the story is not really dependent upon San Francisco or the 1970s; it could unfold anywhere or at any time.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: I knew the basic story arc from the first, did an outline before any writing it and yes—spoiler alert—I always knew it would have a happy ending. But I did make changes upon changes upon changes between pages 1 and 306.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A: A sense of enjoyment, pleasure over a couple days’ reading well spent. Maybe a moment’s delight over a well-turned phrase.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: A novel entitled “Scout’s Honor,” a more serious work than O’Brien’s, about crime and ultimate redemption. I do like happy endings.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Without resistance, there is no lift.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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