Author Interview – Brian Felgoise and David Tabatsky – Filthy Rich Lawyers

On The Table Read, “the best book magazine in the UK“, authors Brian Felgoise and David Tabatsky talk about the inspiration behind their new co-written novel, Filthy Rich Lawyers.

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed authors Brian Felgoise and David Tabatsky about their lives and careers, what inspired them to start writing, and the first book in their new series, Filthy Rich Lawyers.

Tell me a bit about who you are?

Brian

I am a relatively normal adult, married for 26 years to my college sweetheart, who I met in 1988 when we attended the University of Pittsburgh. We have two girls, 21 and 20. I came back home to attend Temple Law School while my wife got her master’s degree in Education at the University of Pennsylvania. I love my Philadelphia sports teams and try to attend as many games as possible.

For additional recreation, I play in an ongoing low-stakes poker group with about 10 guys in my neighborhood, which is really an excuse to meet friends and drink adult beverages.

David

I have moments of being a relatively normal adult, but according to my two kids, 28 and 26, they are rare. I have family roots in Philadelphia and remember my Pop-pop taking me numerous times to The Franklin Institute. My daughter graduated from Penn, and I have done with book projects with several people there.

After studying theatre and film in college, I performed for many years throughout America, Europe and Japan as a clown and juggler and wrote more than a dozen original solo shows. Once my kids were born, I transitioned into my career creating books.

When did you first WANT to write a book?

Brian

Doesn’t every attorney believe they are sitting on the next great novel? Seriously, I have always loved to write, and about a few years ago I came across David Tabatskly, who wrote a memoir for a local man I knew, and since I always knew that I had a great story to tell I contacted David and here we are. . .

David

I wrote a 125-page report on the Soviet Union when I was in sixth grade, which exceeded the assignment of five to 10 pages. “Did I ask you to write a book?” my teacher said. My response shall remain private, as I still worry about receiving more detention.

When did you take a step to start writing?

Brian

I guess the first step was when I contacted David.

David

Agreed.

How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?

Brian

A few years.

David

For me, the essence of Filthy Rich Lawyers began a couple years ago when Brian asked me to put together a non-fiction project on the subject of class action lawyers. Later, when we shifted this to a novel, it took about six months to get the first book done.

Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write Filth Rich Lawyers?

Brian

Not much has been written about the field of securities class actions, as I guess those lawyers want to remain below the radar and do not want to be exposed. I wanted to pull the curtains back and reveal some of the inner workings of the securities class action field. That being said, Filthy Rich Lawyers is a satire, and we purposely pushed the content to extremes.

One of the key characters in our book, Randy Hollis, is buying a Los Angeles professional football team for $4.8 billion, which is an outlandish sum. Putting Hollis’ purchase into perspective, in 2018, David Tepper paid a record $2.3 billion for the Carolina Panthers. He made his money by shorting the housing market before the crises in 2008 and allegedly made $10 billion during that time period. Hollis is of a similar investment acumen as Tepper, and he has a few peculiar habits, too.

David

I like exposing people’s bad behavior and there’s plenty of that in our book.

What were your biggest challenges with writing Filthy Rich Lawyers?

Brian

That’s easy, getting a publisher. Our agent is Nancy Rosenfeld who worked tirelessly to find Filthy Rich Lawyers a home. This is a good time to give a shout-out to our publisher, Speaking Volumes. David and I appreciate their hard work and dedication in publishing our book.

David

The biggest challenge is always sitting still long enough to write.

Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?

Brian

The lead character in the novel is Ryan Coleman. He is based on me, but certainly is not me.  Coleman graduated from Temple Law School and had the misfortune of his dad dying at a young age, as I did, too. David and I wanted the reader to be conflicted as to whether they like and are rooting for Coleman.

On a personal note, my wife read the manuscript and does not care for Coleman. Maybe, it is too difficult to separate Coleman from her husband. David and I felt that if the reader is conflicted about how they feel about Coleman, that would make a greater impact and be more lasting.

David

Agreed, although I have not been married to Brian’s wife.

Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?

Brian

Simple answer, Dick Cheney. The character’s name in the book is Dick Dickey, who was the CEO of a major miliary contractor after serving as the Secretary of Defense. I am willing to bet that people who read the book will totally get the fact that it’s really Dick Cheney because the names and backgrounds within the US government are alike.

David

Dick Dickey suffers from the same Napoleon complex as Dick Cheney.

What is the inciting incident of Filthy Rich Lawyers?

Brian

In the first chapters of the book, Ryan Coleman challenges the judge in a Dallas courtroom and literally gets his ass handed to him. However, he showed all of the lawyers that he had what we referred to colloquially as “balls” and that is why he ends up getting involved in the rest of the story.

Truth be told, what happened to Coleman was precisely the same thing that happened to me a few years ago. A rookie mistake, but that is the story of my life as I was always the kid to point out the fact that the Emperor was not wearing any clothes.

David

Coleman’s mix of innocence and street smarts incites a series of compelling conflicts.

What is the main conflict of Filthy Rich Lawyers?

Brian

The main conflict in the book is what Coleman has within himself, whether to do the right thing based on the values instilled from his parents. Another conflict is between Hollis and Patick Coyle, a federal prosecutor, triggered by a college love affair that left Coyle feeling scorned and seeking revenge.

Moreover, Dickey has a conflict with Hollis, too, as a result of losing on the bid to purchase the professional football team. There is an additional conflict between Coleman and his wife, which serves to add a bit of comic relief to the story.

David

Ditto. Lots of good and evil stuff.

Did you plot Filthy Rich Lawyers in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?

Brian

Yes, as part of the proposal, we created a Chapter outline of the story. We did not stick to it exactly as we wrote the book.

David

The creative process can undo even the best of intentions.

Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did Filthy Rich Lawyers need?

Brian

Yes, David and I each had some friends review the manuscript. Not much editing, but we did receive good suggestions here and there.

David

I only sent it to people who would praise it as the best novel ever written.

What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?

Brian

I think someone needs to be prepared for a rather lengthy process of writing a book and the long journey of obtaining a publisher. It is tantamount to running a marathon, certainly not a sprint.

David

Perseverance brings good fortune.

Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?

Brian

The agreement I signed with Speaking Volumes calls for a two-book series. David and I are in the process of writing the second book in the series, called In Due Time. David and I believe that readers are going to really enjoy Filthy Rich Lawyers and why should we stop after the second novel?Unless, of course, we leave the people wanting more. . .

David

Wake up tomorrow.

And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?

Brian

Damn right,we are proud. We are extremely proud that we created the Ryan Coleman character for the whole world to enjoy.

David

Yes.

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