Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in London to Scottish and Irish parents, and spent most of my childhood and teenage years growing up on the move in the likes of Cyprus, Germany, Wales and England as an army brat. With a keen interest in both reading and writing I was diagnosed with the travel and writing bugs very early on in life.
Now, writing, traveling, reading, cinema and Scottish football are my main passions, along with cooking, yoga and meditation and health and fitness.
My main inspiration for writing today comes from living in such a beautiful, charming and hauntingly, Gothic city, such as Edinburgh. This awe inspiring wee city has given me so much amazing inspiration to write the more time I spend here.
At this moment I am working on a couple of screenplays and a sequel to my young adult, fantasy, indie sleeper hit – ‘The Fairy Boy of Calton Hill’ – The Fairy Boy of the Seven seas.
So far I have self published eight works of fiction –
Ugly/beautiful
Alone
Sarah Smiles
The Universe Doesn’t Do Second Chances
Cafe Independence.
Lust4Life
The Fairy Boy of Calton Hill
and my most recent novel
THE OLD MAN AND THE PRINCESS
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called ‘The Old Man and The Princess’. The novel was inspired by a lot of things, for example the old man in the book is loosely based on the brilliant Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and some of the more darkly humorous characters he has played throughout his career, in the likes of ‘In Bruge’ ‘The guard’ and ‘Calvary’
The other main, and most influential inspiration for the book, is actually another old classic sci fi tale, but I can’t really discuss it without ruining the story, and main plot of my own novel and the important role this old classic tale has throughout the narrative.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Thinking about it lol I’m not sure if this is gonna sound entirely unusual to any writers out there, and might just be the norm, but in order for me to get into the best possible mood for writing, I usually mediate for 20 minutes, followed by a couple of sets of hand stands, up against the living room door, (for health and safety reasons this is best done when my girlfriend isn’t home) then brew myself a nice wee delicious cup of of pure black syrupy coffee, listen to one excruciatingly cheesy feel good song or two, usually from the grease soundtrack/abba/ or Irish Celtic folk songs, usually the Malleys. And then I’m pretty much good to go.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Fante has been a big influence on me, especially Ask the Dust and The Brotherhood of the grape. I love a good Knut Hamson yarn too like Pan, Victoria, Mysteries or the Wanderer. Love a bit of Irvine Welsh too. More than anything I just love a bit of gritty raw realism and well grounded, simple writing, with complex, interesting and raw characters that I can totally relate too. I guess when it comes down to it I prefer my characters to be complex rather than the plot.
And I think there is no better example of this than in Stephen Vizinczey’s – In Praise of Older Women. A brilliant simple book, basically about his love life from the age of 12 right up into his twenties, played out to the backdrop of the second world war and the new communist regime in Hungary directly after.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sequel to my young adult, dark, fantasy novel – The Fairy Boy of Calton Hill. I’m about halfway through. It’s my first attempt at a sequel to any of my books and it’s proving to be a bit more difficult and complex that I originally thought it was going to be, or planned. That’s the problem with writing fantasy, prepare for your imagination and your writing to take you anywhere, and I mean anywhere, while you totally loose track of everything else that’s happening.
I’m also working on a play about a bitter, middle aged hermit, who lives with his sister after losing his legs in a mysterious accident after the second world war.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome gang of course 🙂
And then there is the goodreads giveaway program. When people add my book I take that for meaning that they might like to read it some day. So in order to build up reviews I try and touch base with them and see if they would like to read and review a free digital copy.
It’s a slow and pain staking process, but in the long run it works best for me. I see it like the giveaway has done the hard work of gaining the readers interest and warming them up, so it’s up to me to make the next move.
I could cold call e-mail a thousand online book bloggers and only hear back from two after days and days of sending out those emails. But then if 10 book bloggers add my giveaway to their ‘to read’ shelf, and then I send them a message about reading my book, then I usually hear back from 8 or 9. It’s a no brainer for me. Make them come to you.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get out now while you’re still aspiring. Go and start a book review blog instead, you’ll feel more wanted and less alone that way.
If not and you’re still determined, then grow a thick skin and beard. Talk to people about your book and hear what they have to say, like really bloody hear them. Become a good listener. Become a good people watcher. Travel as much as you can, meeting weird and wonderful characters and having crazy, great experiences that you can one day write about. All new writers should learn how to say yes more than no, even to the illegal stuff, that’s where you’ll find your best stories.
Get out more. Become more present. Take a look at what is going on around you. Mediate for at least 15 minutes a day with your eyes open. Procrastination is your cancer. Read, write or edit something, between 30 minutes and up to 4 hours a day. Make a schedule. Get into a routine. Make at least one other writer/artist friend. Read each others work, but never, ever socialize with them or make them your girlfriend, that is a disaster just waiting to happen 🙂
Read everything that is put in front of you, and read often, even if it’s just the first chapter and no more. Find a published writer who you think writes similar to you and emulate the hell out of them.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never bet on Scotland to win a football match, ever. You’re asking for trouble and an empty wallet.
Regarding writing – My dad always told me before he passed away, that I should try and have a back up career to writing, just in case things never worked out in author world, so in my early twenties I took a few years off and trained to be a plumber. And I’m so glad I did. It keeps me sane, grounded and alive, and gives me a steady/flexible income, when I’m still struggling to pay the bills with my writing. It’s a baseline platform to start a new way of life too, if I ever decide I’ve had enough of this writing lark.
Another piece of advice would be, always hire a proofreader before you publish anything, no matter how much you can’t afford it, get a credit card or 2 if you have to, but get it bloody proofread. Hell has no fury like a reader who purchased your book for 99 pence, or worse, for free lol and they find spelling and grammar mistakes. They will not let you forget it for as long as you both shall live.
What are you reading now?
Right this very second I am reading quite a few books all at once – The Wanderer by Knut Hamson again, for the second time. An autobiography of Joey Barton, No Nonsense, a kind of bad boy of British football. Point Doom, the final book written by Dan Fante before he passed away a few years ago. Leaving Las Vegas by John O’Brien. I loved the movie, it’s one of my favorites and I’ve always wanted to read the book. So now I am.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish another book, then get started on the next one. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Outside of writing –
Christmas in Edinburgh. Can’t wait. The city is turned into the most beautiful and awe inspiring, fairy tale, winter wonderland, this world has ever seen. And I get to see it from the inside.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Easy –
Ask The Dust, by John Fante
Pan, by Knut Hamson
Filth, by Irvine Welsh
In Praise of Older Women, by Stephen Vizinczey
Author Websites and Profiles
Sean-Paul Thomas Website
Sean-Paul Thomas Amazon Profile
Sean-Paul Thomas’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
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