John R. Cobb

Biography

John R. Cobb (1965-So far, so good) is a proud Mainer with a great affection for the woods and waters. John is a U.S. Army veteran and has worked in various technology fields for thirty years, including electrical, telecommunications, and data networks.

Presently, employed as an IT Infrastructure Analyst, John is a regular contributor to his company newsletter with articles about family outings in Maine.

After several years of writing, John's debut novel, "Judith: A Quoddy Tale", was released March 2012. The story has been mostly well received by readers and professional critics alike and selling modestly well in book and e-Book formats. Reviews can be found on Amazon and his website at www.johnrcobb.com.

In July 2013, John released his second book, "Tales of the Cemetery Trees", an eclectic collection of short stories, including crime, fantasy, mystery, and the supernatural. Early reader buzz has been very favorable.

Earlier this winter, John uploaded an e-Story, "The Pact", to Amazon Kindle. The story revisits two popular characters, Jasper Mann and Russ Ireland, from John's first book, "Judith: A Quoddy Tale". A prequel of sorts, we learn of an ugly event alluded to in the book, which reinforces an unlikely and indelible bond between these men.

Recently, John uploaded a free e-Story, "The Periwinkle Boy", to Smashwords, the latest in a series titled “Quoddy Tales”, another collection of short stories set in the farthest reaches of Down East Maine.

And, during the summer of 2014, John may release a children's book. "A Turtle Tale" is about a Spotted Turtle named Clemmie. This little known turtle species is endangered due to human wrought habitat loss, natural and unnatural predation, and reckless pet owners. Originally written some forty years ago when John was around eight years old, his mother safeguarded his story, but unfortunately, it was lost over the years. Recently, John searched his memories and has retold the tale in a rhyming, singsong prose, which should appeal to children of different ages, especially when read aloud.

Presently, John is working on his next manuscript, tentatively titled, "Birdmen", part family saga, fantasy, and the supernatural. Regrettably, writing is still a part-time vocation for John, so it may be a long while before this story is finished.

Smashwords Interview

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
My latest book, Tales of the Cemetery Trees, is an eclectic anthology, including short stories about crime, fantasy, mystery, and the supernatural. I actually wrote many while toiling away on my first book, Judith: A Quoddy Tale. You see…I get kinda bored when working on a long project, so I took frequent breaks from my debut novel and wrote short stories. Many of my reading preferences were influenced by my favorite author, Ray Bradbury. I love writing short fiction as much as reading. 500 or 5,000 words, you can bang out an entire storyline in a fraction of time as compared to a full-length manuscript. If the reader market was robust enough, I’d probably write nothing but short stories.
Many of my story inspirations come about from my own personal experiences—excluding, of course, the boogiemen and psychopaths. At least, for most stories… Many story settings are actual places that readers would recognize if they ever visited, and characters are usually composites of people I have known throughout my life. And, sometimes, I have no clue where certain story ideas come from. Nor, do I probably wanna know… ;-)
How do you get inspired to write?
I wish I could say that I write x-number of words every day without fail, but I procrastinate terribly. My regular job as an IT Infrastructure Analyst drains my mental energy, so it’s a challenge to find the right moment to finally sit down and focus on a new narrative. As a result, I’m not overly prolific. I suppose if I wrote fulltime, there would be more words written down by the end of the day, but even then, I’d have to exercise great discipline.
Thus far, writing is a tedious endeavor where the fulfilling part for me isn’t the journey but the world that’s finally created in the end—a world populated with empathetic characters and powerful stories. I’m most satisfied when the story is said and done. However, I always feel a small twinge of excitement when I begin writing my next one.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find John R. Cobb online

Videos

Tales of the Cemetery Trees
John speaks about his latest book, Tales of the Cemetery Trees, an eclectic collection of short stories delving into crime, fantasy, mystery, and the supernatural. John reveals the inspirations for several of his stories.

Books

The Periwinkle Boy: A Quoddy Story
Price: Free! Words: 1,560. Language: English. Published: May 25, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Adventure » Sea adventures
From the author of “Judith: A Quoddy Tale”, “The Periwinkle Boy” is the latest in a series of stories titled “Quoddy Tales”, an eclectic collection of short stories set in the farthest reaches of Down East Maine. Frankie had ventured onto the clam flats of Holmes Bay countless times in search of periwinkles, but on this night, he becomes lost in a strange fog with the powerful tide surging in.

John R. Cobb's tag cloud

down east    family    fiction    maine    maritime