Today we’d like to introduce you to Walter Coffey.
Walter, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been writing for nearly 40 years, starting with Science Fiction stories in grade school. H.G. Wells was my favorite author, and I even won an award in the 6th grade for a short story about aliens invading Earth. I turned more philosophical in high school and college, studying the works of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley. It wasn’t until college that I became passionately interested in the American Civil War.
It was right around that time when Ken Burns debuted his epic documentary, The Civil War, on PBS. I sat glued to the television, fascinated that there was actually a time when this country split into two separate nations, each with different dreams for their futures. Each state had its own story, whether it stayed with the North or left with the South, and families were torn apart by differing allegiances.
To me, the Civil War is a saga on the level with Homer’s epics, the tales of King Arthur, and Shakespeare’s tragedies, all played out for real here in America. For the past quarter-century, I’ve spent countless hours reading and writing about this, the most terrible conflict in American history. I not only want to learn everything I can about this struggle, but I want to help others learn it as well, because there can be no true understanding of this nation’s history without an understanding of this conflict.
When I first began studying the Civil War, I compiled my research into a series of four novels based on a Union spy, a sort of James Bond-secret agent operating during the era. I then turned to non-fiction, putting over 20 years of research into The Civil War Months, a book that showcases all the major events in a unique month by month format.
From there, I decided to take it a little further and do deep research on the years following the Civil War, known as Reconstruction. I found this era just as fascinating and, unfortunately, just as tragic, as the war itself. It was also incredibly complex! In the hardest project I’ve ever tackled, I put together my notes and wrote The Reconstruction Years, a sequel to The Civil War Months which showcases the major events of that era in a year by year format.
Since then, I’ve devoted my research and writing to my blog, CivilWarMonths.com. This blog expands upon what I’ve already written in my books through new sources and references. The articles on the blog spotlight events as they took place exactly 155 years ago. I plan a massive re-launch of this blog, complete with even more research, maps, illustrations, and photographs, when the 160th anniversary begins in November 2020.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Researching and writing is always a challenge, but it’s one that I enjoy wholeheartedly. I love reading new books and writing articles based on what I’ve read.
As an independently published author, an obstacle that I’ve continuously worked to overcome is the stigma that because my books have not been published by a major publishing house, they lack the quality of major publications. I have worked for over a quarter-century to learn about the subject matter in which I specialize, and I think that my work stands up very well to any major work that is on the shelves of the main bookstores today.
Another challenge that I’ve always struggled with is attracting an audience. It takes years, even decades, for self-published authors to establish themselves in the writing business. During that time, they are required to market themselves and their work in addition to the research and writing that already takes up most of their time. This can be especially difficult for authors like myself who are introverts and would much rather sit at a quiet desk reading and writing instead of trying to connect with readers on social media, or at libraries and bookstores. To me, this is the hardest aspect of writing, and I struggle with it every day!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about WalterCoffey.com – what should we know?
My business consists of my books, which I sell online at Amazon and other online bookstores. I have written four novels:
– The Liberty Legion, which received Honorable Mention in Historical Fiction from Foreword Magazine
– Redemption in the Field, which was a Book of the Year Finalist in Historical Fiction in Foreword Magazine
– Roth’s Reckoning
– The Confederate Trust
I have also written two works of non-fiction:
The Civil War Months, which has received the following awards:
– Gold Medalist in Historical Non-Fiction from ReadersFavorite.com
– Book of the Year Finalist at ForeWord Reviews
– Book of the Year Finalist at Indie Excellence
The Reconstruction Years, which was a 2014 Book of the Year Finalist at Foreword Reviews’ Indiefab
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Tenacity! Setting aside time to read and write every day, especially on the days when I just don’t feel like doing it. Writing must be treated as any other business, with a routine that includes various tasks and a set operating schedule. The advice I give to all writers is to keep at it, no matter how discouraging or frustrating. New ideas, new stories, new articles, and eventually new books will come if you just keep at it and stick to your schedule.
Pricing:
- The Liberty Legion (softcover) – $12.95
- Redemption in the Field (softcover) – $14.95
- Roth’s Reckoning (softcover) – $13.95
- The Confederate Trust (softcover) – $13.95
- The Civil War Months (softcover) – $26.95
- The Civil War Months (hardcover) – $35.99
- The Reconstruction Years (softcover) – $23.95
- The Reconstruction Years (hardcover) – $31.99
Contact Info:
- Website: WalterCoffey.com
- Email: wltrcoffey@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/civilwarmonths
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/civilwarmonths
- Other: CivilWarMonths.com
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
