What is your name, where were you
born and where do you live now?
My name is Tom Bane, born in England and
still living in this green and pleasant land!
Did it take a long time to get your
first book published?
It took over 18 months of countless
rejections and pestering agents and publishers, unfortunately it is something
every writer has to go through.
Do you work another job as well as
your writing work?
Yes, unless you inherited a vast fortune, I don’t know any
writer who can survive without a day job from the start, things get better
though as success comes.
What is the name of your latest book,
and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
It is
called “Masks of the Lost Kings” , it is a Da-Vinci code style thriller which
reveals the secrets of ancient tombs and the Golden Death Mask of Tutankhamun.
BLURB from Goodreads
Following the sudden disappearance of treasure hunter Ben Sanders in Mexico, beautiful archaeologist Suzy da Silva is snatched from the cloistered environs of Oxford University and thrust into a deadly maelstrom of intrigue and discovery. Joining forces with astrophysicist Tom Brooking she crosses four continents, to unlock the dark secrets of Tutankhamun's tomb, the Holy Sepulchre and the mysterious Mayan Temple of Inscriptions to reveal a mysterious truth. Together they risk their lives, pursued by martial assassins and renegade special forces, fighting the forces of evil to discover hidden knowledge so precious that it has lain dormant for over a thousand years....
Available at Amazon.co.uk
How long does it usually take you to
write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
I would say it
takes me 6 months to write a book, the editing and publication take about at
least the same amount of time though.
Do you have plans for a new book? Is
this book part of a series?
I am writing the next book in the Suzy da Silva
series, it will be out in December 2012, I can see another three titles in the
series.
Do you have a favourite character
from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I identify a lot with the
main protagonist Suzy da Silva, she is a mixture of opposites, polite but
forceful, vulnerable but strong and adventurous but pragmatic.
Where do you get your book plot ideas
from?What/Who is your inspiration?
I invent my own ideas, they are often inspired
from non-fiction, for writing inspiration I read a lot of poetry and old
classic books like Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie.
Do you have anybody read your books
and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner,
children, friends, reviewers you know?
I have them read an edited by expert
editors in their field, it is a bad idea to get friends to read them as they
may not want to hurt your feelings if they don’t like it, it is best to get an
expert independent and objective editor. Also some other writers can be jealous
or biased so I would avoid them as well!
What was the toughest/best review you
have ever had?
I had a one star review it was from a Christian zealot, who
didn’t like the discussion of the Mayan religion as it did not accord with her
Christian beliefs! The best review I had was from a reader called Cheryl Dalton
who runs a book club and is an avid reader.
How do you come up with the Title and
Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?
The
cover design was done by a talented US artist called Krystal Watters, the
design was supervised by me as there are some hidden secrets in the book cover.
Do you choose a title first, or write
the book then choose the title?
I wrote the book first then chose the title, it
is actually a good friend of mine called Lee who comes up with the titles!
Do you decide on character traits (ie
shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Yes
I decide all character traits before I write the book, I use an excellent book
called “Writer’s guide to Character Traits” by Linda Edelstein, it details all
the psychological nuances of people so that they are all internally consistent
within your desired character.
Do you basic plot/plan for your book,
before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and
see where it takes the story?
It is a combination of flow and high-level
outline plot. I don’t put myself in a strait-jacket by doing too detailed a
plan, however I think you have to be incredibly brave or stupid to just “let it
flow”.
What do you do to unwind and relax?Do
you have a hobby?
I do martial arts, I am a black belt in karate and an
instructor in escrima, I also do a lot of brazilian jiu jitsu. Besides all that
macho stuff, I like being in nature and I have a lovable golden Labrador who
likes swimming and rolling in the mud.
Are there any hidden messages or
morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of
"The moral of this story is..")
Yes there are a lot of hidden
messages and metaphors used in my book, I also use a lot of material from
ancient myths and fables as well as religious beliefs. I want to keep my reader
thinking and contemplating after they have read the book.
Do you think ebooks will ever totally
replace printed books?
No I think for the books you truly treasure you need to
feel the paper in your hands, maybe I am sentimental but I can’t see physical
books disappearing.
Is there a book you know you will
never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
I will never
read Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler it is safe to say and I tried many times to
read the whole of War and Peace, but I never managed to get through it.
What do you think about book
trailers?
I think they are an essential tool an author needs to get his message
across, the majority of people think visually, so a book trailer is the best
way for people to understand what’s inside the book cover in under a minute.
Do you or would you ever use a pen
name?
Yes my pen name is Tom Bane, which is not my
real name!
Where can readers
follow you?
Your Blog Details?
Your Blog Details?
And any other information you wish to supply?
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