Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an engineer by profession, with an ever-growing LEGO collection, what many would [correctly] call an obsession with airplanes, and an interest in post apocalyptic and zombie stories.
Writing not being my day job or even my first hobby, I have only written one book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest and currently only book is “Of the Flesh”.
The thing that got me into the post apocalyptic genre was seeing people build “apocalego” themed models and vignettes. The engineer in me was intrigued by the problem of surviving and making do with limited resources and whatever else happened to be available. Moving past the tech side of things, there were the political and moral questions regarding the balance of doing what was best for yourself and doing what was right. Thus I began exploring and enjoying post-apocalyptic-and inevitably-zombie fiction. Fast forward a few years and somehow, during engineering school, I had enough time on my hands to become bored. So I began compiling ideas for my personal “ideal” zombie story. The concept of using the rapture as the cause of the zombie apocalypse developed when my church started studying the book of Revelation. This provided a simple, if not convenient, answer to several important questions like “Why aren’t there many good Christian characters in the zombie books I’ve been reading?” and “How could a zombie outbreak be triggered to create the world-wide societal upheaval featured in most stories?” At that point I was positive no one else was ever going to write such a story, meaning it was my responsibility to make it happen. Challenge accepted. I overcame my abhorrence of words and writing (I are an engineer after all), and began piecing this thing together.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mira Grant’s Newsflesh series was the first zombie series I read. And it was also the first time I had seen a first person narrative perspective executed that way. I really enjoyed the format. The story was an interesting take on the zombie genre, and above the story was “smart”.
What are you working on now?
I have some ideas for sequels that didn’t fit into the first book. It’s not that they are the throw away ideas, they just didn’t fit. So I’m using those as my starting points. I also really enjoy time travel stories, so I have my own twist on time travel in the works as well.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Kindlepreneur is a hub of information that branches out to a lot of other places (such as Awesome Gang).
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write your story for your own fulfillment. Don’t go in with the intent of making it big or even making money. If you do that you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you’re going to do something, might as well do what it takes to be good at it.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Fire Season by VH Folland. It’s about aerial fire fighting, which is an incredibly dangerous task.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Slowly work on sequels and time travel.
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?
Bible
FEED by Mira Grant
Leviathon Wakes by James S. A. Corey
In Times Like These by Nathan Van Coops
Author Websites and Profiles
Thomas Lockwood Amazon Profile
Thomas Lockwood’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile