Last year at this time, I posted My Ten Minutes With Lee Child, so I’m just going to have to follow up and make this a tradition! This year’s Guest of Honor at the Mystery Writers of America Holiday Revels was bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman.
I’ve deleted “My” from this year’s title since the “my” part of it may have been more like five minutes—I’m grabbing an extra five from the short and sweet speech he gave to the packed room at the Salmagundi Club after MWA-NY chapter president Laura K. Curtis introduced him as our Honorary Santa.
Mr. Coleman is so personable and approachable that, okay, I’m just going to start calling him Reed. Is that okay, Reed? I want to be on a first name basis with you, a man known as the “hard-boiled poet” and “noir poet laureate.” His accomplishments are many and impressive. At the podium, Laura went through the list. When she got to his three Edgar Award nominations—Best Novel, Best Paperback Original, Best Short Story—Reed was making the shape of an “L” with thumb and index finger on his forehead, a little smile on his lips, setting off ripples of laughter through the audience. Here is a photo from his website:
I have to say this: Reed looks better in real life. How many of us can say that we look better than our author photos in real life?
After the three “Losers,” Laura mentioned the winners, and there are many of them: he’s a three-time recipient of the Shamus Award for Best PI Novel of the Year, and has received Audie, Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards. His novel, Where It Hurts, is on NPR’s list of Best Books of 2016 in the Mystery and Thriller category! I can say it’s now at the top of my to-read list.
Reed is a longtime member of MWA and former executive vice president. Have I said how happy I am to be a member of this organization? Such talented, interesting writers at every meeting, new friendships forged. Reed’s five-minute speech was peppered with one-liners, a few of them about MWA. On being chosen the Honorary Santa: “I couldn’t be more honored… yes I could—buy the books!” and “Lee Child was too tall and has too much hair so they had to get me this year!” On his stint as executive vice president: “I was forced to join MWA, and then they made me king or something.” (He advised us to head for the hills if ever asked to fill that position.)
Later, of course, I was itching to go up to him and introduce myself. I had to wait until the crowds of friends and fans dispersed. I told him how much I enjoyed his speech and his writing. “Do you write a book a year?” I asked.
“Two!”
“Is that stressful?”
“Is it ever. 200,000 words a year!” He laughed and rolled his eyes heavenward.
(To myself: the stress of being under contract as a bestselling author? Maybe I’d trade in my current stress as a lawyer for some of that.)
“Well,” I said, “if the writing ever stops being fun, you could be a comedian. Have you ever thought of that?”
“I’m related to Henny Youngman, you know. ‘Take my wife … please!’”
No wonder! It runs in the family.
Reed was born in Brooklyn and lives on Long Island. I told him where I work in Brooklyn, and he related that he had a job in the same neighborhood years ago. We spoke of ideas for characters, and writing what we know. Before becoming a full time writer, Reed had several jobs, including driving a cab, and he draws on these experiences for the characters and locations in his novels. Many of his characters are everyday people from neighborhoods on Long Island—not the well-known areas where the rich people and tourists flock.
It was a pleasure meeting you, Reed!
Now, go out and buy his books!