Author Interview: John Coon

1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!

I am a sports journalist by trade. I report on pro and college sports for the Associated Press and Athlon Sports. I cover everything from NBA basketball to Pac-12 football. I live in Utah where I get to enjoy beautiful outdoor scenery year-round. One of my favorite things to do in Utah involves finding mountain trails and snapping tons of photos as I climb the trail I picked out that day.

2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 (or more!) of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!

Winter, spring, summer or autumn?
I love early autumn the best. Leaves changing color. Cool air. Perfect for long walks and hikes. Nothing better.

Cat or dog?
I like both animals, but I prefer having a cat for a pet. My family had pet cats throughout my childhood and cats are so much fun. They’re fun to watch, especially when they’re playing. My dad has a little pet cat named Chloe – whom I rescued when I found her as an abandoned kitten – and she is literally the sweetest animal I’ve ever been around. Doesn’t scratch or bite at all and loves to be petted.

Library or museums?
I’m going with museums. There are so many interesting museums out there. They get a boring reputation, but that isn’t the case. When I went on a trip to New Mexico a few years ago, I visited a UFO museum in Roswell. There’s also a rattlesnake museum in Albuquerque and an aircraft museum at the Air Force base there. I’m a history buff and always enjoying learning new historical facts.

Mountains or beaches?
Mountains for sure. I grew up in the mountains and feel lost when I don’t see them on the horizon. I lived in Texas and Louisiana for a couple of years and missed the mountains so much. I love hiking and exploring mountain trails. So much fun!

Book or ebook?
I prefers reading actual paperbacks and hardcovers to ebooks. It feels relaxing to focus on something besides a bright screen, after working on a computer all day.

3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?

I have diverse literary tastes. I enjoy science fiction, horror, thrillers, mysteries, and adventure stories. As long as it is a good story, I devour it. My favorite books are ones populated with dynamic, believable characters, an intriguing plot, and a fictional setting that feels like a real lived-in world. Authors who can put an original spin on a story or characters will always earn my loyalty as a reader.

4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!

I specialize in science fiction and horror, but I have ideas I intend to flesh out into full-fledged stories that encompass other genres. I just finished writing Dark Metamorphosis, the second book in the Alien People Chronicles. Alien People is the first book in the series. This is an exciting series I’ve had in the works for several years. I plan to complete the third book in 2022 and give my readers a complete trilogy. I have some rough outlines kicking around for additional stories in the Alien People Chronicles, but the immediate plan is a single trilogy.

5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!

Alien People is my most recently published novel, released in September, 2020. The story offers an original twist on the first contact novel. Alien People is told from the perspective of aliens who live on the distant planet Lathos and chronicles their  journey to make first contact with Earth after they discover a probe from our planet. Their expedition to Earth goes awry when the Earthians turn out to not be the peaceful beings that theese Lathoans expected to meet. Alien People (https://books2read.com/alienpeople) is available at major booksellers worldwide in ebook and paperback formats.

6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!

A major source of inspiration for my stories is usually mythology, folklore, or history. I always find thought-provoking and exciting themes in those areas. My debut novel, Pandora Reborn, draws some inspiration from elements of Greek and medieval mythology with the primary antagonist. Characters in my stories are usually drawn from a blend of personalities of people I interact with in real life. That’s one perk of working as a journalist. I interact with people from all walks of life, so it helps me create dynamic and believable characters in my stories.

7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!

I don’t have a specific writing routine I follow each day. I write for a living so I’m basically writing all the time. I will say that I have to be organized in order to nurture a novel or short story from idea to publication. I typically start out with a working title and one paragraph summary of an idea. The next step is writing character biographies, outlining the histories, physical appearance, and personalities of every primary and secondary characters. Then I compose a chapter by chapter outline of all the major plot beats in the story. I’m able to stay focused and create a fully realized story through this process.

8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to become an author, what would it be?

The one thing I wish I had done earlier in my life is drown out the critics. Some members of my immediate family trashed my stories and characters when I was younger and ridiculed my desire to make a living as an author. It delayed me from publishing for many years because I had little confidence in my writing. If I could do it over again, I’d tell my younger self to not give up, not to listen to them, and do everything possible to make my writing dreams a reality.