Reed Farrel Coleman is no stranger to good writing. His award nominations and winnings read like an alphabet soup including Anthony, Audie, Barry, Edgar, and Macavity. He was tapped by the late Robert B. Parker’s estate to continue the Jesse Stone novels and balances that with his own series. He’s currently launching the Gus Murphy series, so here’s the story behind Where It Hurts.
Coleman said only one other time in the twenty-plus novels he’s written has he felt the same perfect matching of character to setting to idea. “I almost always begin with the character. I have to know their heart, their wounds, their secrets, and then I work outwards. But, in this instance the character came to me just as a police corruption scandal in Suffolk County, where I live, was blowing up in the press. It was like the Big Bang in that everything seemed to arrive all at once out of nothingness. That’s part of the magic of writing.”
If I’ve done my job right, the theme will wash over the readers as opposed to thumping them on the head.
If you were writing a crime-fiction novel and a corruption scandal was breaking daily in the papers, it would be easy to latch onto those events and focus solely on corruption. Coleman, however, is a seasoned writer and went further. “I try never to overthink a theme in advance, but usually let it develop and emerge as I write the novel. If I’ve done my job right, the theme will wash over the readers as opposed to thumping them on the head.
“That’s the great thing about the form of mystery fiction. You can discuss any issue, no matter how serious, put across any argument, as long as you entertain and engage the reader. As I wrote Where It Hurts, several themes emerged: Can you really know anyone, since it is nearly impossible to know yourself? Hence, can you trust anyone? Does power actually corrupt, or is it that corruptible people seek out power? Is there a God or is the universe cold and uncaring? I touched on these and more.”
In those seven years I had a ringside seat to the parts of Long Island where you would never find Gatsby…
Most often, when we think of Long Island, we think of wealth and opulence. Who hasn’t heard of “summer in the Hamptons?” However, as a long-time resident of Long Island, Coleman knew there was another side. “A lot of the grittier aspects I detail in Where It Hurts were culled from my own personal experiences. I’ve lived on Long Island for thirty-three years now and I’ve come to see it for its natural beauty, but I’ve also seen its warts.
“For seven years I drove a home heating oil delivery truck for a cash on delivery company to supplement my writing income. In those seven years I had a ringside seat to the parts of Long Island where you would never find Gatsby, the folks who summer in the Hamptons, or live in huge houses on the Gold Coast. I delivered oil in places like Wyandanch, Mastic, North Bay Shore, places where people sometimes had to choose between food and heat in the winter. These were places where the streets often didn’t get plowed or got plowed last after snow storms. Places, as Paul Simon put it, ‘where the ragged people go.’”
When asked if there were things he thought readers should know about him personally, Coleman deferred to his writing. “I hope readers don’t want to know anything about me as they read. I never ever want them to think about the writer—the man behind the curtain—as they read. I want them to focus on what I’ve written, to be transported, to lose themselves in the work. If I’ve gotten them lost in the book, I’ve done my job. I think I’m an interesting person, but not nearly as interesting as my characters.”
Learn more about Reed Farrel Coleman and Where It Hurts at reedcoleman.com.
This sounds like an interesting story.
Interesting he doesn’t want the reader to think about the author. i find knowing a bit about the author and what generated the story or character in the first place makes the story more appealing.
Hi Marcy, I’ve had several authors tell me this and what I’ve discovered is they’re happy to share why they wrote the story, what kinds of problems they might have faced while writing, etc., but they want readers focused on their work, not themselves. In some ways, those two can be very difficult to separate. Still, I think we all like to know something about the person who created the story because that can give us (as readers) a frame of reference.
This sounds like a book I would enjoy. Thank you for the giveaway!
thank you for the recommendation and giveaway
nice last answer
My daughter was born in East Islip in the early 1970’s. I drove all over the Island. Even then there were some scary places. I look forward to reading your book.
Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I haven’t read any books by this author yet. The books sounds interesting. Thanks for the chance to enter.
Hi Terry thanks for your newsletters and book recommendations!
where do you get your inspiration?
Thanks for the information on your books. Have a great year.
Looks good!
glad for you
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT CONTESTS THAT YOU RUN
Love to support my fellow New Yorkers(Hudson Valley here) – sounds like an interesting read! I was born on Long Island – thanks for the update into its reality!
I enjoy receiving your newsletters. I think “Where it Hurts” sounds like a wonderful read.
I agree!
Where It Hurts sounds like an intriguing book! I’ve always enjoyed Robert B. Parker’s work and it’s quite an honor for Mr. Coleman to have been chosen to continue the Jesse Stone series. Thank you for your great post and the chance to win the book as well as a gift card, Terry!
i already made the comment but i think it put in a december extra entry word now you emailed with a word “January Bonus” Also wanted you to know that i went into the archives and pulled up Jan and went to update info and my info didn’t come up a i think it was cathy ambrose info came up so you might want to check on that!!!!
I think this sounds like a wonderful read. Thanks for the interviews you do with the other authors always complete and books are great.
I started reading an eARC of this book for First Reads, and I was really enjoying the slow pace of the story when my computer hiccuped and the book vanished. I couldn’t get another download, so I couldn’t finish the book, which is why I much prefer print copies. You can put them down to finish later and they will still be there. Sure would love to win a copy here, so I can finish it.
Enjoy your newsletter, would really enjoy reading the book.
I alaways enjoy getting your newsletter. It contains so much more than just information about your own books. I truly enjoy reading about Hawaii and your computer security tips. Thanks for allowing us mere readers the opportunity to have an incite into a favorite author!
Thanks for the giveaway. Your emails are great, and thanks for the book.
Intriguing,Informative,I’m In!
I know the plot of a story or the storyline is important but if you don’t know your character I think it would be very hard to plan that storyline. robeader53@yahoo.com
This looks like a great book – can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!
Wonderful! Another author for me to encourage my husband to read. I get to read it first!
This sounds like an interesting start to a new series.
Mr. Coleman never fails to keep me reading and once I start one of his books it’s hard to put it down. I’m always amazed at how he draws his readers into his stories and make us take a moment to think about “what would I have done if this was me”!
My husband would like this one
It looks like a fine read. Count me in!
Sounds like a great book! I truly don’t believe that you can know everything there is to know about a person or even about your own self, we are ever changing.
Interesting post. I especially like the man behind the curtain idea. It’s not always necessary to know all about the author, let the story take over. Looking forward to reading Where It Hurts.
Love reading you emails. Lots of information