THOMASVILLE- For Thomasville attorney Joe Cargile, life imitates art. When not working at the office of Whitehurst, Blackburn & Warren, Cargile can be found writing his latest Blake County legal thriller. Cargile currently has two novels on the market, with his third book set to be released this November.
“My first novel, Legacy on Trial, came out in April and my second one, In Defense of Charlotte came out in May,” Cargile said. “My third one, The Wiregrass Witness, comes out in November. They are each part of a 4-part series.”
It was during Cargile’s time in law school he became inspired to write a novel.
“I don’t think it’s a unique dream,” he said. “I think a lot of people want to write a story. I was always a fan of reading fiction and when I got into college, I became turned onto the idea of trying to write.”
Cargile found the process to be difficult initially, saying he had to be extremely disciplined in his writing.
“Inspiration didn’t always strike me to hammer out 750 words that were great,” he recalled.
However, as Cargile progressed through law school, he realized all great writing takes discipline, including brief writing and novels.
He began to allocate his time differently, eventually developing a structure that he said really helped him begin writing his novel.
The process has taken Cargile through many twists and turns, but ultimately provided him with a sense of pride and love for writing.
“It’s been very surprising,” he said. “When I started writing Legacy on Trial, it wasn’t even called Legacy on Trial; it was something completely different. I had no idea what it would look like, I just wanted to try and finish a book.”
Cargile shared his initial manuscript with his wife and a few friends, before eventually finding an editor and publisher with Severn River Books.
While readers may find that Cargile took inspiration from a typical southern town, the novels were not inspired by any particular case Cargile has witnessed or worked.
“I wish I had a story like John Grisham’s in A Time to Kill, but I just don’t,” Cargile said. “There were a couple things that I incorporated into key characters, but the plot in Legacy on Trial and In Defense of Charlotte were not things I was exposed to in my work.”
Despite not seeing a trial of similar nature, Cargile was able to whip up a true thriller that focuses on an individual named Lee Acker, who is accused of killing his childhood best friend, who also happens to be the County’s District Attorney.
“The story begins with his daughter and wife waking up to the police searching for him, because he’s a person of interest,” Cargile said. “It shows the daughter and wife’s perspective and how it affects them. I have three daughters and a wife and I played with the idea of, when a parent or spouse is wrongfully or rightfully accused, how that relationship changes.”
The story continues to focus on Acker’s quest trying to clear his name and understand why he is being framed for a murder he didn’t commit. As he searches for answers, he is forced to stand trial with the local legal community’s rising star, Maggie Reynolds, in her first private case.
“It’s really a story about her, too and how she comes into her own,” Cargile said. “The first book really focuses on Maggie and Lee, and then In Defense of Charlotte is a true sequel with a few of the same characters and a similar theme.”
Readers have taken a liking to the dual perspective shown in Legacy on Trial, leaving multiple reviews on websites where it’s available for purchase, including both Amazon and Walmart.
Cargile has also gotten to experience some of the positive feedback in person, while holding a book signing at the Bookshelf, which also carries his series.
“I’ve been really grateful for Thomasville coming out and supporting me,” Cargile said. “I’ve lived here eight years and the community has come out and supported the book and supported me. I’ve considered this a huge success; it has exceeded all my expectations.”
With Cargile’s 4-part series, set to be completed by next year, he said he has no intention of stopping.
“I will write as long as I can,” he said. “I have really enjoyed my experience so far. It all started with me submitting a short story to the Georgia Bar and winning that competition, which gave me that confidence to push forward in my manuscript.”
Cargile said he doesn’t foresee a time where he will go a week without writing, whether that be short stories, fiction or non-fiction.
“I don’t know what will happen with my publisher or anything like that, but I will continue to write,” he concluded.