After I covered the Mike Tyson trial in the early 1990s, I decided to write a book about the experience and whether a black celebrity could get a fair trial in the Midwest during this time in history. Other events of note were the Rodney King case, the Anita-Hill/Clarence Thomas incident, and a vicious racially-provoked murder in New York City. The book chronicled the Tyson case in context with these events while exploring the lack of competence of his defense lawyer and the flawed evidence against him.

On the morning after the Tyson book was released, I was sitting in my writing studio as my beloved dogs lay asleep on the carpet. A radio program host I knew called and told me the review in the Indianapolis newspaper had appeared and wondered whether I wanted to hear it. I said, “Well, sure,” and then he said, “Are you sure?” This made me wonder a bit, but I said, “Yeah, Okay,” and then he said, “Well, the review headline is “Shaw’s book on Tyson Worthless.” I gulped, tried to make small talk, and then, after hanging up, walked outside by our pond and screamed so loud people must have heard me five states away. But then I thought, “Okay, I’ll just show this reviewer,” one whom I later discovered held a grudge over my not listing him as a source in the book, and write another damn book.” I did, and when Bury Me in a Pot Bunker, written with golf course designer Pete Dye, was a success, my career was launched.

Yes, all of the books have some historical significance to them, whether it is Miscarriage of Justice chronicling the historical implications of the infamous Jonathon Pollard case, Melvin Belli, King of the Courtroom, detailing legal developments in the latter part of the 20th century, or Testament to Courage, the story of a courage Holocaust survivor permitting a glimpse of the atrocities committed during the second World War.

I am, above all, a curious person, one who has never been afraid to take chances, to risk, to see if I can stretch myself to new levels. I have no idea where this trait came from since I was born in a small Indiana town where most people decide to live their whole lives. But early on, I wanted to explore, to learn, to grow, and through the grace of the Holy Spirit, I have led a most amazing life, one spanning careers as a criminal defense lawyer, a television correspondent and host (ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’ People, Entertainment Tonight), a newspaper founder and owner (Aspen Daily News), an entertainment lawyer (LA), a television and motion picture producer (a television program and two films), a radio talk show host, a seminarian student in theological studies, and, of course, an author. What an amazing ride it has been and even more amazing, new adventures occur every day. I am truly the most blessed man on the face of the earth.

During the early 2000s, I went through some tough times while living in Indiana. All at once, without much warning, I lost my marriage and became estranged from my four step-children while going through a difficult financial period as well. I was truly lost, confused, bewildered at the developments and immediately blamed everyone but me for the trouble. But a study Bible one of my step-sons had given me started me thinking about my spiritual beliefs. Then, while standing in a Border’s Bookstore, I was drawn to a pile of books on a table. The book was The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren, and after reading the first words in the book, “It’s not about you,” I was immediately drawn to learning more. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but from that time on, amazing things began to occur as I tried to decide what was wrong and how I could change some things in my life. Triggered by a true moment of epiphany when I actually heard mysterious words telling me to leave for Colorado, I moved there and began to cleanse a soul that surely needed cleansing. Soon I was actually considering attending seminary to learn more about religion leading to acceptance at San Francisco Theological Seminary. The three years there opened my eyes to a new way of life, and I have been a changed person ever since. The Holy Spirit has guided me along, and I thank God every day for transforming me from the old Mark Shaw into a much more spiritual Mark Shaw who enjoys more peace and love than ever before.

The Bobby Knight incident in 2000 served to only surface a spiraling trend of an ego-driven lifestyle where I had become too judgmental, too controversial, and too much of a “me” person. The telling point was being a radio talk show host where I was expected to be critical and this seeped into my personal life as well. I thought I was a pretty damn important person with the show, the books, and the national notoriety based on television appearances. I was still a good husband and step-father, but my spiritual being was suffering since I was not happy with the person I had become. Then the Knight war began, and I got caught up in it when he grabbed my step-son and tried to lecture him about manners. I had been too personal about the IU coach on the radio show, and now I took what he had done too personal and began a war with him I could not win. His loyalist bombarded me with hate emails and death threats and I fought back trying to defend my stepson but perhaps more myself for my conduct. Things got crazy and before I knew it, my wife and I lost a most important staple to any marriage – trust. When this occurred, a break-up was inevitable, and when it occurred, I was surprised but not startled. What did I learn from the Knight mess? Looking back, it is easy to see that a number of people and a university needed to be liberated, and I am certain the Good Lord used me to assist with that process. Knight needed to move on from IU where he was unhappy, IU needed to move on from him as he had become a liability instead of an asset, and my wife and stepchildren needed to move on with the kids needing to re-bond with their father. As for me, it was time for me to move on as well, and so I was hit over the head with a thunderbolt causing me to enter a new phase of my life, one much more spiritual in nature.

Yes, she was meant for me, and me for her. I had written a book about the history of Clydesdale horses (my brother Jack and his wife Sue raise them), and ended up in East Lansing, Michigan for a booksigning. While I was watching these magnificent animals perform, I stood next to a lovely Asian woman (turned out to be from Taiwan) with dancing brown eyes. Immediately captivated, and much more aware of being open to new opportunities in my life ever since the spiritual transformation, I asked for contact information to send her my book after learning her husband had passed away five years earlier. When I returned to San Francisco, I raced as fast as I could to my computer and emailed Lu (Wen-ying Lu) as to whether she would like to visit. She accepted the invitation, and within minutes of being with her, I knew she was the one for me, the one the Holy Spirit had in mind. After she met my dog, Black Sox, and fell for him, we began a cross-country relationship since she was a librarian at Michigan State University Libraries. In July 2006, we married on a lovely little ship in the San Francisco bay near the Golden Gate Bridge. After I graduated from seminary, I moved to be with Lu in Michigan.

When the marriage broke up, all I cared about was having Black Sox, a small black Labrador, with me. Money has never meant anything to me but my little friend was important and during the rough times, he was there to comfort me at every turn. People who have never owned pets don’t have much idea what they can mean, but without Black Sox, I am not certain I would have survived the dark days when nothing made sense. He was always there, smiling, playing with his ball and blanket for hours on end, ready to leap up on the bed and snuggle close to my leg as I tried to sleep. When I moved to Colorado, he went with me in a truck, and then to San Francisco as well. And, after I met Lu and we married, three cross country trips. Mr. Sox, as we call him, has swam in both the big oceans, the Snake River, the Colorado River, the Roaring Fork River near Aspen, and Lake Michigan. He’s a true wonder, a happy little fellow who is the best canine buddy a guy like me could ever have. What a blessing he has been!

First, a writer must write with passion for any subject chosen, whether fiction, non-fiction or poetry. But it is also important for anyone seeking a writing career to check the marketplace and see what is popular, what is selling, what publishers are looking for. Trends are cyclical in nature so keeping up to date is a must. One way to do this is by subscribing to an online service called publisherslunch.com. It provides sends a daily email newsletter featuring all of the news in the publishing industry, including recent acquisitions by publishers. Very valuable source - a must for the aspiring author.

Regarding the types of book to consider in hopes of establishing a writing career, fiction certainly is viable but the odds of a first-time author being published in the fiction world are larger than Newt Gingrich becoming a Democrat. But this doesn’t mean it is impossible – take for instance the international bestseller, The Shack. First time up – a winner.

Concerning non-fiction, I began with biographies and autobiographies, the latter written in collaboration with famous subjects. Some had sports themes. This worked for me but historical biographies are an excellent springboard to a writing career. Much more information is available on this subject in my book, How to Become a Published Author: Idea to Publication.” It may be downloaded free of charge on my hemingwaywantabes blogsite.

Through my experience of having worked with hundreds, if not thousands of aspiring authors, many of whom have become published using my strategies, the one characteristic that is most important is perseverance. Many try, but few succeed because writing a book with publishing potential is tough work, and may people either don’t have the discipline to do it, or give up too soon. Another problem is that many writers don’t want to spend the time, writing, and then re-writing, and re-writing some more. Recently, I read an interview with a literary agent who said writers who think their book is complete should spend another year working on it. Perhaps that is too much time, but when someone tells me their book is “done,” I wonder if this is really true since the more you work on the book, the more drafts you create, the better it gets.

Another key characteristics for those who succeed as writers is a never-give-up attitude, one where rejection is simply inspiration instead of a downer. Evaluation is so subjective, and the writer must take good constructive criticism, and use it to make the book better, but not give up when someone trashes a manuscript or sends a rejection letter. As I tell people regarding literary agents and publishers, it only takes one agent to say “yes,” regarding representation, and then only one editor at a publishing company to say “yes,” regarding publication. With many of my books there has only been one “yes,” and I’m thankful I never gave up when many rejected the book material.

Since I was curious about how many of the famous writers in history began their careers, and how they lived their lives, I began reading author biographies. Thus far, I have read biographies about Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer, Jack Kerouac, Thomas Merton, Albert Camus, D.H. Lawrence, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Thomas Wolfe. On deck are James Joyce, E. M. Forester, Henry Miller, William Faulkner, William Shakespeare, and Rudyard Kipling.