BY THE BOOK

POLICE LIEUTENANT’S NEW BOOK RELEASE BRINGS SENSE OF HUMOR IN TOUGH TIMES

BY ERINNE MAGEE

There’s a breath of fresh air found in Tim Cotton’s writing. With an innate ability to give life to the ordinary, he teaches us how to laugh with compassion while turning the pages of his latest book “Got Warrants?”

The book is an extension of the writings that brought the Bangor Police Department’s Facebook page to a national audience. Written by Cotton, the page has since gained 327k followers. That’s led to a multi-book deal with Down East books for TC, as he signs off his posts, and a fanbase that will road trip across the country in hopes of catching a glimpse of him — or at least the Duck of Justice — at the downtown station.

And now the cop-turnedwriter is turning his attention to something new: novel writing.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT GOT WARRANTS IS HOW YOU’RE ABLE TO SHOW READERS THAT LIFE DOESN’T NEED TO BE TAKEN SO SERIOUSLY. WITH SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE IN FINDING HUMOR WHEN LIFE FEELS HEAVY?

As far back as I can remember, laughing took up residence in my life. Has it always been acceptable? Nope. Not with teachers during my formative years in school, nor was it accepted from the back pew of churches when my dad was in the pulpit. I’ve been able to find humor in some very dreadful and horrific moments of my life, and I firmly believe it’s the one common thread that has

Bangor Police detective Tim Cotton signs copies of his book, “The Detective in the Dooryard,” at Left Bank Books in Belfast in 2020.

allowed me to cope with some pretty heavy things. I moved a lot as a kid. Eighteen times before I was 18 years old. Worming your way into social situations at new schools proved to me that making people laugh, even a little bit, opened doors to some pretty good friendships. My humor is more self-deprecating and not focused on specific people. I make fun of myself, and of course the odd situations, but not people. I don’t like mean humor. I think that manifests itself in the “Got Warrants” series.

YOU’RE SORT OF A SOCIAL MEDIA GURU SOLELY BY RELYING ON STORYTELLING. TELL US YOUR SECRET.

My secret is that I don’t listen to social media professionals. True story. I write thousands of words in some posts, and I use very few photos. I believe that I have learned to write in a way that allows the words to create better pictures in reader’s minds. I also engage in the comment section. I read every comment and I respond to many. Social media should be a dialogue between those who take the time to read your stuff, and you, the person who writes that stuff. Basic psychology tells us that people thrive when they are noticed. I owe them that. When people are taking time out of their day to read what I write, I feel that I need to read what they are writing. There’s no better way to build an audience than to make them feel like they are part of the show. If you are too busy to respond, don’t expect even a modicum of loyalty from the people who read your page(s). It’s so simple, and it doesn’t need to be snarky. If they criticize, pay attention. If they praise, accept it in a self-deprecating way, but be thankful. If more folks would utilize social media with a focus on SOCIAL, and not MEDIA, they’d increase their readership, followers, likes or what-

ever they are trying to achieve. There you go. A free master class from a mope.

YOUR STORIES FROM MAINE SEEM TO REACH PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE INTERACTIONS WITH READERS THAT WE DON’T SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

I think the one thing that has made me turn away and tear up a few times are the ladies — from all over the country — who have told me that my daily writings, as pitiful as they can be, helped them get through cancer treatments. Or the folks who tell me that they spent time with dying loved ones in hospital rooms while reading to them from the pages that I write, or stories from my books. A lady from Indiana drove across country with her husband to meet me when she was found to be completely free from a bout with breast cancer. If that doesn’t make you humble and thankful, nothing will. It feels pretty good to have had a bit of positive impact on humans who are suffering. Selling books is nice, but that’s the stuff that catches me off guard. I didn’t set out with any intention of helping someone with my poorly worded sentences. To see that it did is humbling to me.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOUR NOVELS? WILL YOU BE INCORPORATING POLICE WORK INTO YOUR FICTION OR DO YOU PLAN ON GOING SOMEWHERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?

Well, my first novel (in the works) is a bit darker than people might expect, maybe a bit more sarcasm from the characters. But humor drives me, so it will not be avoided. My protagonist is a grumpy ex-cop who leaves the career field seeking solace in NOT being involved with anyone else’s problems. That doesn’t work out for him, even though he moves to an almost off-grid situation in the deep woods of Washington County. He surrounds himself with locals who he has been friends with for life, and trouble seems to seek him out. One of the main characters goes by the name Booger. Let that sink in. It’ll be fun, funny, dark, sarcastic and the criminal activity will be based on much of what I have experienced as a successful homicide investigator, polygraph examiner, and Mainer who loves Washington County, Maine.

I hope I can pull it off. If it doesn’t sell well I’ll just go fishing.