Joe Hilley (born June 1956) is a New York Times Best Selling author. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up on the Gulf Coast in the town of Grand Bay, Alabama.[1] He is a graduate of Asbury College,[2] Asbury Theological Seminary, and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.[3]
Hilley began writing at night while practicing law as a criminal defense attorney. After completing two unpublished manuscripts, he quit the practice of law to concentrate on writing full time. His first book, Sober Justice (David C. Cook), a legal thriller, was published in 2004.[4] Four more books followed. The novels, which feature a down-and-out attorney named Mike Connolly, became popular in the Southeast, especially along the Gulf Coast where the stories are set.
In 2008, Hilley was tapped to write a leadership biography of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.[5][6] That book, entitled Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader (Zondervan/HarperCollins), reached The New York Times Best Seller list during the final two weeks of the 2008 Presidential Election campaign.[7]
Hilley's novels include Sober Justice, Double Take, Electric Beach, Night Rain, and The Deposition. In addition, his short story, Edgar's List, was included in the 2006 anthology Heartwarming Christmas Stories.
His nonfiction works include Sarah Palin: A New Kind of Leader[8] and The Walk, which he co-wrote with former NFL running-back Shaun Alexander.[9]