Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been an Electrical Engineer for almost 44 years and an electronic music composer (Syemak on Soundcloud) for about 7. I’ve only been publishing for the past 3 years but before that I dabbled but never went anywhere. I only got started seriously writing after meeting the author Yvonne Marrs online. Via my eBay store. She acts as my editor and one of my books, as of 6/30/19, I’ve published four, she was a co-author. When I met Yvonne, I had had a story in mind and I sat down and started to write it. I’d say the first 150 pages came out in a rush. Then I kept going further. From those initial 3 months of writing, I had written parts of five books, three of which have been published in the Raven of Iskandar series: Raven: The Call from Central; Raven: Mirabelle and Raven: The Triballi Incident. The last was just published.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just published, on Amazon, Raven: The Triballi Incident. This is the third book of a series. The series revolves around the most popular sport of the future in which teams of ten players compete with each other in stadium sized simulations in events such as Team Deathmatch and Assault. The books were inspired by my own ‘team’ of bots on Unreal Tournament 2004. The Triballi Incident concerns the Tournament Champions taking a tour of several worlds. My beliefs on politics and culture are prominent, so I’d guess you say it was satire but I have a tendency to write laugh-out-loud satire.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not sure if this is unusual, but I tend to write incidents, then collect them into a story line and then write lots of bridge scenes. I’m most chagrined that the bridge scenes tend to be better than the incidents.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Yvonne Marrs is a great cheerleader and instructor. My favorite authors and Gene Wolfe and Jack Vance. I’d have to mention the George R. R. Martin has inspired me to keep writing my series and not make my readers wait for years!
What are you working on now?
I have two books in the works. One is the fourth book in the Raven of Iskandar series, tentatively titled Raven: Necris. After than will be the fifth book, which will actually have a different point of view and that tentative title is Vysse: Bestmartin. Readers of the series will actually recognize all those names. The other book will be a collection of thoughts on management and culture and I have a great title for it, which I won’t tell you because it’s so good someone would steal it!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Actually still looking, hopefully it’ll be the Awesome Gang! I’ve done paid advertising on Amazon and Facebook. I have yet to properly do advertising on Amazon but Facebook gets you lots of likes but little sales.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I hate to sound trite, but just do it. Get into the habit of writing and you’ll get better and better. You’ll need someone to read your stuff and offer suggestions. From my experience, someone from a different culture is a plus.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“You know what you have to do, just freaking do it!” That’s from one of my characters in the Raven of Iskandar series. And, no, I didn’t get it from some commercial but the exact origin is lost in history.
What are you reading now?
Trader Horn by Alfred Aloysius Horn. It’s an autobiographical story about being a trader in Africa in the late 19th century. And I constantly read various translations of the Bible.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Probably to finish the Raven story. I actually have the final two chapters written and they’re great. I cried when I wrote them and every time I go back and read them, however, they are very hopeful and not tragic.
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?
First, I’d bring a Bible. That will keep you entertained for years. Other than that, probably the Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe.
Author Websites and Profiles
Stephen Tomporowski Website
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