Harlan Coben: The Man, The Memoir and The Magic

Harlan Coben: award-winning writer, producer, storyteller … iconic … irresistible … suspenseful. There’s nothing missing in his mystery novels except people. His characters have often vanished, plots thicken and hope hangs onto a dangling thread.

In his newest work, “Plot Twist. Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft,” Coben artfully redefines the memoir, intertwines life lessons, and spills the DNA on how he writes. The book is a page turner for Coben fans and curious minds. If you’re a writer, you’ll be motivated to “just write.” No matter who you are or where you are in your journey of life, Coben’s visionary roadmap is a game changer for anyone needing a jump-start.

There are no spoiler alerts in this article. With 11 books on the New York Times Bestseller’s list, Coben has won an Edgar Award, a Shamus Award, and an Anthony Award — the first author to receive all three. His books have been translated into 46 languages and sold more than 90 million copies. In his newest book, Coben’s fans will love his sneak peek into his mindset and what makes him tick. He dispels outdated writing theories, obliterating them. He tells readers to never share your novel’s idea or first drafts with anyone. This fast-paced book leads you into his world of whirl-wind-writing.

So, what inspired Harlan to write this book? He commented, “I had just written two books back-to-back, “Nobody’s Fool,” and “Gone Before Goodbye,” with Reese Witherspoon and was not sure about another novel. I was thinking this might be an interesting idea, part-memoir and part-how-to. The third reason is in today’s world, we are scrolling and on our phones too much. Human beings need to create, not just consume. I hope this book inspires writers and painters, sculptors, entrepreneurs and scientists with a new vaccine and embraces all of that. Be creative. Ambitious.” He added, “This was the fastest book I’ve ever written and a stream of consciousness. I wanted it that way.”

Coben grew up in Livingston, N.J. Named after his father’s father, Hyman, who left Jerusalem in the 1920s to come to the U.S., Harlan was bar mitzvah’d at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, N.J., and enjoyed a full Jewish life. Rabbi Ely Pilchik and Rabbi Barry Greene officiated. Coben’s father, Carl, had changed the family’s original name from Cohen to Coben when he married (Barbara), nicknamed Corky, as she felt there were a lot of Barabara Cohen’s in that day. Harlan shared, “Cohen was like Smith and she wanted to keep Cohen, yet somehow different.” Harlan graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts, where in his senior year he discovered a love of writing. He married Dr. Anne-Armstrong Coben, an accomplished pediatrician and has four adult children.

Coben’s newest book stands on the shoulders of his endless blockbusters and sheds light on his craft. Coben graces readers with this ground-blasting memoir on writing. It’s filled with stunning insights, no holds bar why writers must write and how he does it. Plus, how he doesn’t do it. He dispels writing myths and advocates for creativity. Coben writes in Chapter Three: “The only thing worse than writing is not writing.” And he credits Dorothy Parker’s quote, “I don’t like writing. I like having written.”

“Plot Twist” invites readers into one of the most vivid imaginations of all time. Regarding all his books’ research, Coben shared, “Most of it is from my imagination. I’ve never visited a prison. I’m not interested in psycho or serial killers. You must be empathetic and understand what makes people tick. I’ve seen so many people who want to write. The key to writing is to write, and when I turn in a book, it’s usually my tenth draft. I hope my book makes you take an action in some positive way. Create. Think. Write. I want you to do a million things. I want to move you. Care about the characters. I don’t just want to just fool you. I want to spur you to action.”

The book includes life lessons, as he tells his adult children, “Remember every single person has hopes and dreams.” He stops nothing short of encouraging all readers to let your what-ifs and imagination run wild. The book is a masterpiece on creative writing.

Lastly, “Dear Readers”, as you’ll be called throughout “Plot Twist,” Coben is making a rare Atlanta appearance at the 35th Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 10. Come see for yourself. The man is a literary legend and a mensch. Tell everyone.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.atlantajcc.org.