Coughlin's poetry collection, 'Driving at Twilight' hits shelves in December

Coughlin, who describes himself as an excessive road tripper, said the title comes from a poem that celebrates the otherworldliness he recalls from driving in his hometown of Rockland, Massachusetts, on cool, summer evenings.

“I have a romantic, nostalgic attachment to twilight. Things look different then. The world gets quiet at that moment of release,” Coughlin said.

News of the book’s publication was a pleasant surprise.

“It happened fairly quickly. I went with the publisher I know better. More important than being published, is finding a way to connect with an audience of readers,” Coughlin said.

Coughlin said not all good poetry gets published and some gets published that is not good.

“Just because your work doesn’t get published, doesn’t mean it’s not good. So many things need to happen for poetry to be published. You have to have the right pair of eyes on it at the right time. When that happens, it is exciting,” Coughlin said.

The artistic craft of organizing a collection of poems is something Coughlin says he enjoys, despite the time it takes.

“There needs to be an ebb and a flow, a tone to the collection. The poems have to echo off each other. There are pivots and shifts. It’s very important where each poem sits. The placement of each poem is very intentional,” Coughlin said.

Teaching at Chadron State has improved his writing, Coughlin said, and his writing experience also helps him in the classroom.

“I benefit greatly from the opportunity to work with students. It keeps me charged. I need to lead by example,” Coughlin said.

He also credited his colleagues with providing a supportive and collaborative environment for creative writing to flourish at Chadron State College.

Coughlin’s first book, “Another City,” was released in 2015.