Seijas recall attorney is author

Attorney Stephen Cody, in the news of late as one of the lawyers for ousted county commissioner Natacha Seijas, gets his political thrills fix between recalls via the pen. Or keyboard, rather. Cody is officially an author. And he pours plenty of political intrigue -- even if it is labeled fiction this time -- into his first electronic book, Lying in State.

Cody, who also served as legislative aide to State Rep. Bill Sadowsky and represented U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz Balart (Rep. Miami) in last year's lawsuit against redistricting, seems to also draw from his experience. Protagonist Jim Sullivan, a Miami prosecutor who defends his stepmother when his father a former governor, is murdered after a presidential fundraiser, is not based on anyone in particular, Cody says, but rather a combination of late Gov. Leroy Collins, who served during the civil rights movement, and FSU Prez Sandy D'Alamberte, who was a state rep and Cody's political father (Sadowsky was D'Alamberte's legislative aide)..

"Murder...Mayhem...Conspiracy...Death...Just another day in Miami," reads the synopsis on Barnes & Noble's website. Guess they forgot to add "recall fever."

Already, it's getting rave reviews among his facebook friends and family. No reviews yet, but 40 people "liked" it. Cody even has a trailer to promote the book on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88zAhifakuw).

Cody, 54, was an English major before he went to law school. "I always felt I really wanted to be a writer, but needed something to support myself with," he said. As he approaches his 30th year after passing the bar. He actually wrote it several years ago and a publisher sold 2,000 copies before he got the rights back. He tried to market it on and off. Now, with self publishing on the internet -- $2.99 to download -- he's off to other stories.

The next one features a team of mercenaries who invade a convent on the French Riviera and steals an ancient relic. In the process, the mother superior ends up discovering the thieves and being lulled into the niche and is buried alive. Then it skips forward 30 years and to a farm family in Nebraska, where another mercenary raid ends with the death of all the children, except the youngest. We wonder where Cody, who lives in Palmetto Bay, got the muse for this one.

"I have 10 or 15 outlined out," said Cody, adding that includes a three-book series for young adults he wants to write with his son, an award-winning playwright. Something about London and magic and the throne. Sounds like a winning formula. And if it is, Seijas and the Miami Lakes PAC seeking to recall the mayor there might have to find another attorney.

"I've been practicing for 30 years and I love it. But if I could make a living writing books, I'd retire," Cody said.

May we suggest some locally-inspired characters for your next fiction novel. Like maybe a billionaire property owner who finances the recall of an entire town council so he can turn his seaside video game arcade, we later learn, into a hotel/convention center built with tax incentives (or something like that). Throw in a gypsy con artist who rides his coat tails when she sees $ signs and a chance to repeatedly speak bad Spanish on TV as well as a half dozen second-rate politicians foaming at the mouth for the mayor's post. You can't leave out the neighboring town's mayor with shady business ties who looks and acts more like a bouncer or bodyguard and bullies the bagel shop girl and the landlady that evicts his deadbeat girlfriend (or someone like that).

Now Ladra is inspired. This stuff writes itself.