Author Genre: Thriller
Website: Corbin Coltrane
Twitter: @CorbinColtrane
E-Mail: contact@corbincoltrane.com
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Author Description:
In addition to writing, Corbin has worked as a consultant on the production of the major motion picture, "Paranoia", starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Liam Hemsworth. The movie is based on the best-selling book by Joseph Finder.
Corbin is also an avid adventurer. Some of his exploits include: Backpacking through the Siberian wilderness, climbing the White Mountains in the dead of winter, traversing the jungles of South America, Kayaking the entire length of the Maine Island Trail, and diving on shipwrecks off the Atlantic Coast. He also served in the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the United States Air Force, and earned the Billy Mitchell Award presented to him by Senator William Gormley.
Corbin also earned the United States Marine Corps' Distinguished Athlete Award for Wrestling. His international relations include serving as a United States student Ambassador to the then Soviet Union while living in Moscow for a short time. He currently resides on the Jersey Shore with his wife, Jenny, and their two sons, Sawyer and Easton.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
First things first. Do you have another book on the horizon? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
Yes, I do have another book on the horizon. I'm currently working on a spin-off novel based on one of the minor characters in my first book, Entanglement: An International Spy Thriller. In this upcoming novel, Jack Clark is a former FBI agent, turned Private Investigator who has an uncanny knack for profiling the bad guys, partly because he's a medium and has clues passed onto him by his long-deceased brother. There's a serial killer on the loose and his former partner at the FBI has little choice but to hire Jack to help bring the murderer to justice. Along the way, Jack will also receive help from his genius, but autistic son while trying to hold on to what's left of his marriage. Stay tuned, this is going to be one wild ride!
You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?
Social media, Twitter in particular, has been a wonderful tool in marketing my book. I quickly built a loyal following by tweeting about the details of my book, alerting people to promotions and upcoming sales, sharing reviews, and by retweeting fellow authors to help them promote their books as well. It's very easy to get people interested in your book this way, and with one click they can be on your website or your sales page in mere seconds.
Do you do any book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?
I regularly attend ThrillerFest in New York City, where I attend Panels on the craft and sign books with many great writers in the field Like Joseph Finder, Lee Child, Anne Rice, and others. You can see me there this summer.Go to www.thrillerfest.com for more details.
Did you create the cover or farm it out? How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?
I actually have a computer and graphics background and I had a vision in my head of what I wanted my cover to look like. I knew nobody would be able to deliver exactly what I wanted, so I decided to create it myself. I'm very pleased with the result. The images create interest and also foreshadows the content of the book.
What writer support groups do you belong to? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?
I am a member of the ITW, the International Thriller Writers. They provide a lot of support for new authors and also sponsor ThrillerFest every year. It's a great group to belong to and I have learned so much through them.
What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?
I have run several free promotions and I love doing them. It's a great way to get a lot of people reading your book quickly, which translates into great word of mouth publicity. When I don't run free promotions, I keep my ebook prices low to encourage as many people as possible to read my book. More than making money, just knowing that thousands of people are reading and enjoying my book is the greatest pleasure.
How do you manage your plots, characters and timelines to keep your stories going? Do you use any software to keep track of your books?
I have a unique writing style. When I get an idea, I just go with and start writing. I write as much as I can before I finally have to stop and think "where is this story going?" I then map out or outline the rest of the book, chapter by chapter. Then, it's just a matter of writing each remaining chapter until the end. The real work is going back and editing and improving the book once you're done your first draft, but it's also the most rewarding because you can put on your polish and have something that you are very proud of when you are finally finished.
Being a self-publisher myself, I have to ask this question. How does doing everything yourself work out? Do you outsource much of the process?
I pretty much did everything from beginning to end, with the exception of the final edit. That was a big job and I was too close to the material to be objective, so I left that up to my sister who did a fantastic job. Sometimes you need someone who can be brutally honest with you... she was that person and the book is much better as a result.
What is your method of getting reviews for your novels? Do you seek professional reviews, use social media or do you rely on your reading audience to supply them?
As of this moment, I have 55 reviews on Amazon. Just about every single one is from people I don't know and who have read the book and felt like leaving a review. I don't actively seek out reviews, I just let it happen.
Between your book writing, marketing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do your sort of play it by ear?
Time is always a writer's worst enemy. You'll never have enough but that shouldn't stop you from doing what you love. If you are passionate about something, you'll make the time to get it done. Other people will see your passion and help you to achieve your goals.
Author's Book List
Entanglement
- An International Spy ThrillerDr. Shane Somers is a 28 year old physicist and engineer who develops a new form of telecommunications based on Albert Einstein's theory of Quantum Entanglement. His new invention makes the fastest internet connection look like the Pony Express by comparison and could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars if brought to market. Meanwhile, China's top secret agent is determined to acquire the technology for Mr. Chu, the ruthless owner of Chu Industries, a network of over-sized factories in China known for their disregard of the environment and inhumane treatment of its employees.
Magnus Gunnarsson, Shane's long time best friend and former high school rival, pays Shane a visit after not seeing him for several years. Magnus informs him that he now works for TAG, an organization that doesn't officially exist, but has the mission of countering international corporate espionage while also acquiring new forms of technology for the United States in the name of national security.
It is now up to Shane and Magnus, reunited best friends, to track down China's super spy and reclaim the technology before it's too late. But the infamous spy has a few tricks up his sleeve that neither of them see coming. Despite the odds stacked against them, they must succeed... America's economy and global dominance hangs in the balance.
Order the Book From: Amazon
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