Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a former golf instructor turned author from the state of Maine. I’ve self-published one novel, and have written and published several short stories as well.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Evergreen” is a story that I wrote for my two young children.
I asked myself the question, “what would I want them to know if I were no longer here to teach, and to guide them.” It is a difficult question for a father to ask himself, and in many ways one that’s even harder to answer. But it’s something that I kept in the forefront of my mind while writing, and those are the lessons I wrote into this novel.
The result, for me, is a story that is deeply meaningful and emotional. I’ve had readers tell me that it felt like I was speaking to them personally through the story. Others have said they need to purchase it for their own children to read as they grow and mature.
My hope is that “Evergreen” will one day mean a lot to my children – that it is something they will cherish for the rest of their lives as a reminder of their father, and something they will pass on to future generations.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I’m a stay at home dad, dealing with toddlers, so I try to cram as much writing in as I can during “quiet time” each day. I tend to think out my writing for the day in my head beforehand, since time is limited at the physical keyboard.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love literary fiction in general. I would say I was influenced by John Steinbeck, Hemingway, and Raymond Carver, but my editor says I remind him of John Irving.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a novel with a female protagonist that is psychologically far darker than “Evergreen.” It deals with the very difficult subject matter of sexual assault and rape, and the effects on the victim as years go by after the incidents, without any graphic or explicit descriptions of the events themselves.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll just say up front, I’m not very good at marketing. It’s certainly a weakness of mine. I try my best to be active on social media, but I’ve found doing some advertising on Amazon works best for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Embrace the failures, because that’s how you’ll get better. That, and tell stories every chance you get, be them written, or spoken. In the end, we are story tellers.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever got was to write for one or two specific people – tell the story to them. It’s impossible to please everyone, and someone out there is going to dislike your book. “A book for everyone, is a book for no one.”
What are you reading now?
I’m currently in the middle of The Count of Monte Cristo.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Beyond my current WIP, I have several other ideas lined up for future works. I’m going to continue to churn out books as long as people continue to read and enjoy them.
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?
Wow, I’d have to take those books that no matter how many times I read them I discover something new. So…
The Bible
Lord of the Rings
Watership Down
Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas J. Torrington Website
Thomas J. Torrington Amazon Profile
Thomas J. Torrington’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account