How are we all?
Look, I've told you before, I'm not really interested. I'm just being polite get over it 😊😊😊😊
On my blog today I have the macho Mr fit Tom Winton (he works out you know. You didn't? Oh yes indeedee)
Here he is then and I won't steal his thunder. I'll let him tell you everything
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| Tom Winton |
I’m just a guy who decided at age 50 to sit
down and write a novel. After the completed manuscript spent eleven years
sitting at the bottom of a closet, I took it out and it was published. Since
then—seven years ago—I’ve put out seven more books and had the good fortune of
having them all become bestsellers.
Where do you live Tom?
I grew up in New York City, spent many
years in Florida, and now live in a quiet town in the southern reaches of the
Appalachian Mountains.
Any hobbies – apart from writing?
I love taking road trips to new places and
suppose that’s a hobby of sorts. I’ve also spent thousands of hours fishing the
Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and countless bays, rivers, lakes and
creeks. I love connecting with the natural world and believe early mornings on
the water or in the woods is as close as I’ve ever come to nirvana.
Pets?
Four months ago my wife and I lost our
beloved terrier “Ginger.” After being pals for 16 years, there are no words
that can describe exactly how distraught we were. But much sooner after Ginger
crossed the rainbow than we ever dreamed, the misses and I adopted a lovely
beagle. We named her “Solace”, because that’s what she has given us.
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| Tom and Solace in their own bit of heaven |
What do you do to chill out?
My favorite way to chill is to sip two or
three beers in the afternoon, usually when I finish a writing session at the
keyboard.
Do you work?
Aw c’mon, Tee! Work is a four letter word.
Tee: Sighs. You've got that right sunshine.
Tell me about your books. When you first
started writing. How many are completed. Is there a work in progress?
As I mentioned earlier, I started writing
at age 50 and now have had eight books published. Presently I’m 26,000 words
into a novel about a well-to-do man who suddenly finds himself penniless,
heartbroken about losing his wife and daughter, and living on the street. He is
befriended by a down-and-out ex-professional basketball player who has been forced
to hide from the law after being wrongly accused of two very serious crimes.
Known only as “The Prophet” by the homeless people in West Palm Beach, Florida,
the highly intelligent older man with mesmerizing gray eyes takes the main
character under his wing and together they have some wild-and-wooly adventures
as they try to right their lives.
Do you prefer the heat OR cold?
Now go figure this one out! Even though I
absolutely detest the heat, I lived in Florida for 35 years. It was largely the
once fabulous fishing that kept me there, but I’ll take the four seasons over
constant heat anytime.
Fantasy holiday… Where would you choose to
go if someone else was picking up the tab?
If somebody
was picking up the tab I’d like to spend two weeks in the-middle-of-nowhere,
Alaska, and after that shoot down to Las Vegas to spend another two weeks
yanking the arm of a slot machine. 
Tee: Now you’re
talking.
Tell me about self publishing, the highs
and lows.
I love being my own boss. And now, being an
independent author, I’m exactly that. But I’ll tell you this, if a
deep-pocketed publisher wanted to republish my books—and I was guaranteed they
give them a big marketing push—I’d jump at the opportunity. One of the biggest
downers of being an indie author is the mandatory, never ending marketing. It
eats up an awful lot of writing time. What are the highest of the highs I’ve
experienced, you asked. One has to be seeing all my books get on bestsellers
lists, along with names like King, Grisham and Patterson. Another high was being
listed quite a few times as one of Amazon’s “Most Popular Authors” in
Mystery/Suspense/Thrillers, Literary Fiction, and I believe Romance as well.
Tee: I loathe the marketing side as far as my books are concerned. It always makes us authors sound so needy. I'd much rather promote other folk which I find much easier.
Tee: I loathe the marketing side as far as my books are concerned. It always makes us authors sound so needy. I'd much rather promote other folk which I find much easier.
Favourite meal (hot and cold)?
I like my weather cool and most of my food
hot. Love Italian, Mexican and seafood.
Your favourite drink (hot and cold)?
I like my coffee in the morning, and in the
afternoon those few brewskies I mentioned earlier.
How hard do you find book promotion?
The only promotions that have really paid
off for me are paid promos on the bigger book site such as BookBub and Ereader
News Today. Unfortunately though, BookBub has now priced their features so high
that I can’t really afford to pay for them. “C’mon Random House or some other
big publisher! When are you going to come a knocking with a contract in your
hand?”
Any tips or hints you’ve found that were
successful for you in promotion?
Besides the paid features I’ve mentioned, I
also post on Facebook and Twitter for about a half hour each day.
Tee: Lord how I hate twitter. All that
twittering and twirling drives me nuts, and in my case encourages the nuts!!
Favourite genres to read and write?
Whether it’s reading or writing, I’m a
self-admitted genre jumper. But let me say this to any new writers who might be
reading this interview, you’re best bet is to stick to one genre, and write a
series of related books. If you stay with one genre it is far easier to build
your brand, and readers absolutely love series. Had I only written Florida-based
suspense novels for the last seven years I KNOW I would be selling far more
books today.
You’ve set up your own publishing house
using FB writer friends to help run it. What would you name it? Who would you
choose to run the different departments? As the owner, how would you ensure the
FB staff achieved success for you?
Okay, for starters I’d probably name my
publishing house something like Must Reads Press International. Ha! My
marketing manager would definitely be Sarah Jane Butfield, because her energy
is boundless and she’s done a terrific job at Rukia Publishing—her terrific
support group. For my editors/proofreaders I’d go with Hannah Warren, Suzanna
Burke, Sheila Belshaw and Ian Roberts, all of whom are exceptional writers.
Lastly, I’d signup you, Tee Geering, as my PR head honcho. We’ve been good
buddies for the past seven years that I’ve been back in the writing game and I
deeply appreciate all you’ve done to help advance my success. Thanks heaps for
having me here today. I had a super time.
Tee: My pleasure Tom and watch out for that Ernest Hemingway on your travels. I bet he's watching over your shoulder at times 😊
So there you have the lovely Tom Winton. He
was one of the better behaved victims of my cave.
Guess what? He used all my torturous instruments as a work out!!! What can I say?
Laters Potaters
Links to Tom Winton's books:
A New Dawn in Deer Isle
Amazon US - http://amzn.com/B01B8MZMQA
Amazon UK -http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01B8MZMQA
Beyond Nostalgia
Amazon
US – https://amzn.com/B00650O686
Amazon
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00650O686
Forever Three
Amazon US - http://amzn.com/B00S8JKS5M
Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/150767791X
Amazon UK -http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008FBXENQ
The Last American Martyr
Amazon US - http://amzn.com/B005GFM764
Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005GFM764
Within a Man’s Heart
Amazon US - http://amzn.com/B00B29JHR0
A Second Chance in Paradise
Tripping on Coconuts
7 comments:
Thanks so much for inviting me to your place, Tee! I had a really great time.
Oh that's great to hear Tom. Watch out for Ernest looking over your shoulder.
I'll try and remember the beers next time :-)
Good one, Tee and Tom! (Ha, 'Tee and Tom' would be a great book title!) Enjoyed this :)
Yeah, Elaina, forget "Jack and Jill", we could outdo that. Tee and Tom went up the hill and came down with TWO pails of water.
LOL you two :-)
Tom, Really enjoyed this. It is always good to learn just a little more about one of my favorite Facebook friends... but hot, spicy food and beer in the afternoons...oohh
I'm real glad you enjoyed the interview, Phyllis! Thanks heaps for stopping in. I'm not much for overly spicy foods, but I do like a hot meal. As for the beers, yes, I enjoy two or three in the late afternoon before dinnertime. Cheers, hon!
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