Hi, let me introduce myself. I'm K.F. Coffman a 53 year old husband, father of 3 and grandfather of 6 from Council Bluffs, Iowa where I was born and raised. My wife, of nearly 32 years, Vicki and I have lived in the area all of our lives and have raised 3 children here in Iowa.
I have a lot of people ask how long I've been writing...and believe me I wasn't always an author. I was an over the road truck driver for ten years, deciding that being gone from my family all the time was not a good thing, I stopped driving to go to school for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration.
I started my own company shortly after graduating from school and did sales, service and installation of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and restaurant equipment for some names you all might know. Among some of those names were TGI Fridays, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Runza, Village Inn and others.
I found myself disabled and unable to work following a third back injury, three falls, all flat on my back, all on concrete. After my third fall my doctor informed me that I would not be returning to work. My wife and I started our own restaurant, Mama C's Pizza and ran that for nearly two years until losing it to fire.
So...With nothing but time on my hands and a love of writing, I decided to take an English Comp teachers advice, write. Until now the only writing I had done was business proposals, correspondence and poetry for my family. My family is the center-point of my life and my staunchest supporters and fans.
In July of 2001, my wife Vicki and I took a weekend trip to Winterset, Iowa. It was the first trip we had ever taken by ourselves, partly to celebrate my birthday and partly to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, which we celebrated in June by renewing our vows.
Upon arriving in Madison County, we both soon discovered something strange and wonderful. The unexplainable magic and enchantment of Madison County soon overtook us and the idea for "Bridges Revisited" was born. My wife Vicki, the center of my entire being was the inspiration for a story that will take you back to those beloved bridges and Madison County.
When we arrived home I sat down at my computer and "Bridges Revisited" simply poured out of me. The book is sold at several locations in and around Winterset, Iowa, the people of Madison County opened their hearts, their minds and their storefronts to me and my book, it has been remarkable. I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I loved writing it. That was my first book...I now have three books out.
I am just trying to find friends that will help me reach a goal that I have been told can't be reached. So if you would like to help a man that's just trying to help himself...welcome friends, old and new. I am determined to do what I'm being told can't be done and since my last back injury, I've been told I can't do alot of things.
My wife has been thrown into the role of breadwinner and I feel like less than a man most of the time if you can understand that. Iowa pride and determination is very real and something you have to see and experience for yourselves...but I am full of that pride and determination.
I just know that with the help good people like you, I will do the impossible. So if you're from Iowa, live here now or are just a determined friend that would like to help...welcome aboard. I believe that this is going to be a wild and wonderful journey, and although thank you doesn't seem to be enough, it's all I have and it is heartfelt.
" Now the so called “Media Giants” we all know well, have told the me that I will never realize my dream of seeing my books reach the coveted “Best Seller” list because, to quote them, “you are a NOBODY from Iowa, and can’t generate enough sales to place your books on the Best Seller lists”, they further said, "we know who you are and if we ever have any interest in you, we'll let you know. Until then, leave us alone." their words, not mine.
This has only made me more determined to make these “experts” eat their words. This is where I need you all and the help you can give. I was under the belief that a book gets put on the best seller list purely on it's own merit...and how good it is. Boy was I wrong.
You reach the best seller lists purely on book sales and book sales alone. We all either love to read or know an avid reader. You know, that one person we all know that would read the back of a ceral box if they thought it was something they had never read before...lol.
SO…. Pass this along to all you know and let’s show those “know it all so and so’s" from the “Media Capitol of the US” that they don’t know Iowa pride and determination very well. I want to show them that with a little determination and hard work, not only CAN my dream be achieved, but it WILL be.
It can and will be if I can generate enough sales to put my books on that list. That is why I am asking everyone to tell everyone you know, tell anyone that will listen. Links to retailers are available on the bookstore page.
All three of my books are fiction and although catagorized as romance, I've been told they are good everyday stories that everyone can relate to. Also, e-mail this info to all the readers you know and ask them to keep it going, maybe together we can spread the word in a big way.
If 500 people send this info to just 10 people that they know would keep passing it along, we would already have reached 5,000 people. If those 5,000 send it to 10 people each...we reached 50,000 and the numbers just keep climbing. I know that most of us have at least 10 friends we can rely on tohelp with something like this...so please, pass the info on....Thank You