Bruce
Robert Coffin is a former detective sergeant with more than twenty-seven years
in law enforcement. At the time of his retirement, from the Portland police
department, he supervised all homicide and violent crime investigations for
Maine’s largest city. Following the terror attacks of September 11th,
Bruce spent four years working counter-terrorism with the FBI, earning the
Director’s Award, the highest honor a non-agent can receive.
He is the author of the Maine Sunday Telegram #1 bestselling novel Among the Shadows, his debut and the first in the Detective Byron Mystery Series from HarperCollins.
He is the author of the Maine Sunday Telegram #1 bestselling novel Among the Shadows, his debut and the first in the Detective Byron Mystery Series from HarperCollins.
- Welcome
Bruce! Tell us a little about your background
Thanks ROCCO. In 2012 I
retired from the Portland Maine police department after 28 years to pursue my
dream of becoming a published author. At the time of my retirement I was the
detective sergeant supervising all violent crime investigations, including
homicides.
- Tell
us a bit about your Detective Byron series! How did the idea for that come
about?
I think it was only natural
for me to want to tell stories portraying the lives of homicide investigators
as realistically as possible. John Byron is the vehicle that allows me to do
that. Byron was created as a compilation of people I worked with and me. He is
a second generation Irish Catholic Portland cop raised on the city’s Munjoy
Hill. A twenty year veteran, Byron is currently separated from his wife and
battling alcoholism. In the first novel, Among the Shadows, we find Byron
trying to stop a killer from his father’s past.
- How
do you “get to know” your characters before and while you’re writing the
books?
Good question. It's really
hard to explain my relationship with the characters. I guess the honest answer
is that while I have a good idea of who I want them to be, and I write based on
that, often while composing the story, my characters reveal themselves in ways
I hadn't planned. I am currently writing the third Byron novel and my
characters are still surprising me.
- How
do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat
of your pants”?
Both. I do write a general
synopsis of what the novels will be about. I know how I want the story to open
and how I want it to end, but the path I take to get from beginning to end is
very fluid. I think writing in this way keeps the process fresh. Here again,
sometimes the characters will drive the plot in a way I hadn't planned.
- Which
do you consider more important, plot or character?
I think they’re both
important but for my money character is paramount. As I often tell aspiring
authors, if your readers don’t care about your characters they will never care
what happens to them.
- What
is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you
and keeps you motivated?
Back in college I was
basically told I couldn't write. Of course this influenced my career direction
greatly. Law enforcement was a long way from what I had hoped to become. After
retirement I had well-meaning people tell me how hard it is to get published.
Some suggested that I might have to consider self-publication. In my mind, this
advice was the equivalent of being told I couldn't write all over again. People
telling me that I probably won't be able to accomplish something has always
been my greatest motivator.
- What
are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?
Currently, I’m writing the
third Detective Byron novel, the last in my contract with HarperCollins. As far
as my future plans, I'd love to see Byron and his team live on. I hope my
readers feel the same. I know John Byron has more cases to solve and I'd love
to help him do it.
- What
is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you
devote to writing?
As with most authors,
there's nothing typical about my workday. Believe it or not, I'm writing this
at 3:00am! I like to begin writing as soon as I get up. I’ll get the coffee
going and start by editing what I wrote the previous day. This helps to get me
back in the groove. Like stretching before a run. I do have a seasonal quirk.
During the winter months I can write at home without a problem. In the
summertime I like to write at the local libraries. I find too many distractions
when the weather is pleasant. Getting in the car and driving to the library helps
to put me in the work mode and keep me there.
- What
advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?
Never give up. Writing well
is an art form. Like any artistic endeavor, it takes a great deal of patience
to master. The more you do it, the better you’ll get.
- What’s
the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Ha! Sorry, if I told you
that I'd have to kill you off in my next novel...
- What’s
one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?
Prior to writing full time I
was an accomplished artist. In 2008 I was commissioned by the New England
Chapter of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy to paint a
portrait of Special Agent Edwin C. Shanahan, the first agent killed in the line
of duty, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the FBI. The
finished portrait was presented to the Special Agent in Charge of the Boston
Field Office, where it is permanently displayed.
- Where
can we learn more about you and your books?
You can also find me on
Twitter: @coffin_bruce
And on Facebook: Bruce
Robert Coffin Author
- What
was your favorite book as a child?
I think the one book from
childhood that stood out the most was Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. In addition
to scaring the hell out of me, that book, more than any other, spoke to my need
to become a storyteller.
- What
is your go-to comfort food?
Shepherd’s pie.
- If
you entered the witness protection program and had to start over, what job
would you want to do?
This one! Maybe they’d let
me write under a pseudonym.
- What
would you love to have a never ending supply of?
Time.
- Whats
the last tv show that made you laugh?
The same one that made me
cry. MASH.
- What
store could you browse in for hours?
Any bookstore, art supply
store, or woodworking store.
- Who
is your favorite musical artist?
Sting.
Finish this sentence:
If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be my
great grandfather’s second cousin, Robert P. Tristram Coffin. I think we’d have
much to discuss.
Bruce will be giving away a copy of his latest release, to one lucky commenter! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address (entries without email will be disqualified). For extra entries, you can do any or all of the below:
* Follow my blog (+ 1 point)
* Follow me on Twitter (+ 1 point) (Link: https://twitter.com/RoccoBlogger)
* Tweet about the contest (+ 1 point)
* Friend me on Facebook (+ 1 point) (Link: https://www.facebook.com/ToniLotempio)#!/
* Mention the contest on Facebook (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)
* Mention the contest on your blog (+ 1 point)
Winner will be chosen at random using random.org. Don’t forget to mention all you’ve done in your comment. Good luck! Contest open to US and Canada residents only and ends midnight, March 24!
Thanks for hosting, Rocco!
ReplyDeleteA book about a homicide investigator should be an interesting read, especially since it's written by a former investigator. Rocco, following you on Facebook, Twitter and blog. Also shared on Facebook.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
A book about a homicide investigator should be an interesting read, especially since it's written by a former investigator. Rocco, following you on Facebook, Twitter and blog. Also shared on Facebook.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like a great series. I'm looking forward to getting into it. Thanks for the chance to win a copy. crs(at)codedivasites(dot)com
ReplyDelete+1 I follow by email: crs(at)codedivasites(dot)com
+1 I follow on Twitter: @carlrscott
+1 I tweeted a link: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/844268908173406208
+1 Friends on Facebook: Carl Scott
Thanks again!
Given the author's background, this should be a great read! mbradeen@yahoo.com
ReplyDelete