The Story of the Case, with William Landay

We can add today’s guest, William Landay, to the growing list of former lawyers turned authors who have come on Uncorking a Story to promote their work. While digging into this dynamic with William, it became clear to me why so many lawyers, especially trial attorneys, have a knack for writing—as he put it, you are trying to tell the story of the case and hope that you move your readers (i.e. jurors) one way or the other.

Meet William Landay

William is the author of Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the Los Angeles Times, The Daily Telegraph, and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston and joined me to talk about his latest novel, All that is Mine I Carry With Me.

How William transitioned from being an Assistant DA to writing full time. How telling a story to jurors is not dissimilar to telling a story to readers. Lessons he learned from his readers that impacted his storytelling. His approach to writing his latest book, All that is Mine I Carry with Me. Why he would tell his younger self to view his sensitivity as a strength, rather than a weakness.