Short Mystery Fiction Society member Elena Smith has graciously offered to conduct interviews spotlighting members of the Society. Here is the second, with bestselling novelist and short story writer Bruce Robert Coffin. Take it away, Elena!
You are the author of three novel series - the John Byron series, 4 books, published by Witness Impulse (Harper Collins); Turner and Mosley Files, 5 books, co-authored with LynDee Walker, published by Severn River; and the detective Justice series, 3 books, published by Severn River. I need to catch my breath — such a long list in a fairly short time! The John Byron series and the Detective Justice series are both police procedurals, whereas the Turner and Mosley Files were action/ adventure. How did it feel to switch genres? What was your reason for this decision?
Seeing this as an opportunity my fab literary agent, Paula Munier, wanted me to step outside my comfort zone and try my hand at a standalone thriller. I think I started five different manuscripts before I finally found one that I loved and knew had legs. I was in the middle of writing that thriller when Paula contacted me about coauthoring a brand new action/adventure series with LynDee Walker. Long story short, it took about four months before agreeing to coauthor what would become The Turner and Mosley Files.
Your readers might be surprised to know that switching gears from the procedural to action/adventure really wasn’t the jarring transition you might imagine.
Though there are clearly differences in the two genres, the process of writing a compelling storyline with interesting characters doesn’t change all that much. I actually found it rather freeing as a writer to step outside the boundaries typical of a procedural mystery. The hardest part was writing with another established author. Once LynDee and I got to the point where we trusted each other as writers, the whole process became an absolute blast!
What did you like most about writing action adventure?
I guess the thing that was the most fun was really diving deep into my imagination. LynDee and I both knew we wanted to take the readers on a thrill ride where almost anything could happen. I guess it was our attempt to recapture that feeling of watching the original Indiana Jones movies. To write novels with a historic treasure — partly based in reality, fun characters, a plethora of bad guys — then stretch believability a bit to make each book a fantastical and exciting tale. The Turner and Mosley Files have been so much fun to write. Hopefully the readers have enjoyed them too!
What do you like most about writing detective fiction?
Probably the same things I like about reading detective fiction. I believe that the reason mystery novels have such a broad appeal is that the stories become interactive in that the reader gets caught up in trying to solve the crime right alongside the protagonists. I’ve had many readers tell me that they absolutely feel like they were right there with my detectives conducting an interview or chasing down a bad guy. When I read detective fiction I want to feel like I’m part of what is happening. When I write them, I want to give my readers that same experience.
What made you decide to stop writing each series?
As I alluded to earlier, it’s less about my wants as a writer and more about the business of writing. Every author hopes to pen a series that becomes so wildly popular that it never ends. But the harsh reality is that publishing is a business, and sales will always dictate the length of a series. Besides, I never like to think of my series as having ended, more like we pressed pause. 
Your second series, Turner and Mosley Files, was co-authored with LynDee Walker. Writing is often considered a solitary procedure. What aspect(s) of writing with a partner did you find easier to do? Any aspects that were harder?
Believe it or not, I didn’t find writing with another person all that different than writing alone, maybe due to the fact that we live so far apart. Some things LynDee and I obviously did together like fleshing out the early things about who the characters were and what made them tick, but much of the writing and plotting we did on our own then passed it off to the other. That’s why I say the trust aspect of coauthoring is so important. LynDee did the lion’s share of the plotting, while I focused on the first draft of the manuscript. Working that way required me to trust that LynDee would come up with a fabulous storyline, and she had to trust that I wouldn’t ruin her idea with too much improvisation. Coauthoring, regardless of how the work gets divided, is a true partnership.
How did you first meet LynDee Walker? I.e. - through your job, or through Sisters in Crime or another professional organization?
You know we’ve discussed this at length, and though neither of us is sure I think we first met at Malice Domestic years ago. Probably why Malice remains one of my favorite conferences. And of course neither of us could have imagined writing novels together! Just goes to show that none of us really knows what the future holds.
I am glad to see you writing a detective series again. I’d heard that some of the major publishers were steering clear of police procedurals. Did you find that to be true? Are these books “in favor” with publishers once again?
Thank you. It is nice to be back in the procedural saddle again, as it was where I began my writing career. It feels a bit like coming home. Getting to know Brock Justice, Chloe Wright, and the rest of my new characters has been great fun. I hope readers agree!
As for procedurals falling out of favor, I’m not entirely sure that was ever true. While publishers might worry about the winds of change in the industry, I think readers are the ultimate deciders of what is popular. Some good examples of ongoing popular procedural series would be Michael Connelly’s Bosch, Tracy Clark’s Harriet Foster, John Sanford’s Lucas Davenport, Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch, and Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache. Those are just a few of my personal favorites.
How often do you write short mystery fiction? Do your short stories come from ideas you want to pursue, or are you more likely to respond to prompts for anthologies?
It is really something I have no control over. When an idea for a short story comes to me I write it. Sometimes it’s due to an anthology invite or call, but more often the idea simply shows up like an uninvited guest. Normally, I write a short story just to exorcise the idea from my head. There is nothing worse than having a short story begging for your attention while you’re busy writing a novel under a deadline. I find the best way to handle that is to write it down quickly, while the idea is still fresh. If the story is any good, I’ll go back later and flesh it out into something I’m proud to share.
Are there any SMFS members you would you like to recommend for future interviews?
The very first name that popped into my head was the inimitable Josh Pachter!
