He’s been a trial attorney, a district attorney, and still is a law and ethics professor. In the past few years Carroll Multz has handled five tough cases where he not only had to come up with the defense for one client, but also design the motive, the crime, the trial, the verdict, and the public opinion surrounding the case.

Multz will officially release “Justice Denied,” the first of his five novels November 30. It will be available in major bookstores like Barnes and Noble, and Borders nationwide. In the meantime, “Justice Denied” is available at the publisher’s website www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore and the Mesa State Bookstore.

The first draft of his first novel was finished in just five weeks. He is now formatting the third and fourth novels, while working on marketing and sales of the first one. However, multitasking between several cases is no new task to him. He has always been a busy man, and tackled many other projects in this time like teaching three courses at Mesa State College, and taking care of a home and a cabin.

“It’s a cyclical process,” he said. “But after the first it’s easier because I know what to expect. With the next one I submit I get to skip a few steps.”

His editor described the first book as “powerful” and loved the plot of the second.

“The editor said the book contract would be in the mail the next day by UPS, and it was! So I have been very fortunate,” Multz said.

Multz and his wife, Rhonda, worked on the first book and half of the second together. He wrote, she typed. She also offered many ideas in the development of the case, which involves her profession, banking. The fifth page of “Justice Denied” reads, “This book is dedicated to my wife, Rhonda, my helpmate, my soul mate, my inspiration.”

The only time that his writing was ever put completely on hold was when Rhonda was diagnosed with lung cancer. For the four months before she passed away and two months after, the novels gathered dust.

“Since Rhonda passed, it has been my therapy. She insisted that I write them and keep with it,” Multz said. Rhonda was also a guest lecturer for the Mesa State business program. They were married for three years.

Before his venture as a fiction writer Multz authored and co-authored a textbook and technical books and manuals. The official publication of the Colorado Bar Association, “Colorado Laywer,” published 21 of Multz’s articles, and he has had 32 articles published in other law enforcement and legal publications.

Multz has been inspired by crime and suspense author John D. MacDonald, as well as James A. Michener.

“Michener’s books are instructive as well as entertaining. You learn something from it and you don’t even know it!” Multz said. “That must be why I like him so much, my books are the same way.”

He describes his novels as “textbooks in disguise” and this semester in his Journalism Law and Ethics course he has used passages from “Justice Denied” in his lectures.

The second novel is slated to release in mid-2011.

“Yes, there will be a sixth novel. I’m always one ahead doing the research and the plotting and planning,” Multz said with a chuckle.