Interview With Author Eric Coulson

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?

I had just returned from living in London for two years and wanted to hold on to that experience. I have always been a fan of British thrillers and spent much of my off time going to scenes in those various books. I wanted to create a part in that history.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?

 The Chrysalis Option is about Kiana Azunna, the first woman Royal Marine Commando, but when a mission goes wrong, she finds herself at loose ends only to find herself recruited by the British Secret Intelligence Service. It follows here on a journey of adventure, action, and personal discovery. This book is written for anyone that likes a good action book or movie. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

Our heroes do not need to look like us. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

The title went through several iterations, but what I was hoping to convey was the concept of change. I employed a graphic artist to do the cover and did his work based on my description of the book. He nailed it.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

Believe in yourself and your story.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

I think traditional publishing is breaking down much like the music industry has in that technology makes it easier for independent writers to get their work out without gatekeepers. The down side is that it all becomes more niche and harder to make a living writing books.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

My experience as an Army officer and Foreign Service Officer allowed me to really understand the places I was describing as well as build realistic action sequences.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

Terse but detailed. Think Frederick Forsyth. 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

Learning how to keep the reader always wanting more. My wife, and my other early beta readers really helped with that. 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

If you like action thrillers, The Chrysalis Option gives you both something familiar and something completely new. You will recognize the pacing, the action, the locations but with a completely new hero – Kiana Azunna. 

About The Author: Eric Coulson is a retired US Army Officer as well as a retired US diplomat, having served two tours in Iraq, as well as one in Egypt. He has lived in Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, and the United Kingdom while working for the US State Department. He authored the milblog Badgers Forward and was selected by Garry Trudeau of Doonesbury fame for inclusion in his anthology The Sandbox: Dispatches from Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and Egyptian rescue street dog. See this for more info:  https://linktr.ee/coulsonwrites

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.