Novelist finds inspiration traveling through London
Jun. 23—Author F. Coe Sherrard Jr., a former Navy pilot and business owner, traveled cross country — including Laurel County — gaining perspectives for his award-winning fiction novel Pedaling West, published in April.
The story centers around a thrill-seeking biker, Carrie Brinkley, as she cycles her way from Virginia Beach en route to Mendocino, California. The trip takes Coe's protagonist through London.
"(My wife and I) started in Virginia to follow the same route as Carrie," Coe said. "We loved it... It was fun, I'd do it again."
The journey to grasp the perspective of the main character brought newfound inspiration in discovering the beauty of Kentucky.
"It changed the trip (for us) and we met people who became characters," Coe said.
The novel also highlights other Kentucky towns, such as Hazard and Berea.
Coe found enjoyment in writing at a young age but pursued careers elsewhere. After returning home from the Navy, retiring in 1991 with the rank of Commander, and selling the restaurant he owned in Virginia, Coe returning to his childhood craft of writing — publishing his first novel in 2015.
Under the pen name E.A. Coe, he has since become the award-winning author of four full length novels (including Full Count, The Road Not Taken, and The Other Side of Good) and one children's book (Stay With Me).
Pedaling West is available for purchase in digital or physical formats on Amazon.com.
