From Tom's website:
"Tom Threadgill was born and raised in Memphis back when the muddy Mississippi was less riverish and more streamish. His childhood was unremarkable. (Unless you count the concussion. Oh, and the time he nearly got arrested. And the time his dad made him smoke a cigar so he wouldn’t try cigarettes.)
After giving up on a calling as a professional Pong player, Tom married his high school sweetheart and moved off to Nashville. He attended Belmont University where he majored in English (because the sky’s the limit for English majors, right?), learned to type on an IBM Selectric, and helped his wife study nursing terms with flashcards.
While there, Tom began an almost thirty-year career working for a package delivery company, spending most of the time working his way up the ranks and looking for his stapler. The job took him to Indiana, Missouri, Florida, and Texas, before he opted to retire early and move to rural West Tennessee. Think Green Acres minus the farm but with the helpful county agent.
These days Tom spends his time piddling in the yard and writing novels. His hobbies include working jigsaw puzzles, trying out Dad jokes on his grown kids, woodworking, and using leftover potted meat cans from Y2K for target practice.
Tom enjoys riding his Harley in the mountains with his wife, who shuts off the microphone after the third 'I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.' He’s also a rabid hockey fan, following his beloved Predators as they chase their first Stanley Cup."
Self-deprecating Tom is now the published author of four books and I'm sure a gazillion on the way. I'm so tickled he has found success as a Revell author. His other three books were published by another fine publishing company, Lamplighter Suspense. Tom and I share a literary agent friend and critique partner, Linda Glaz, also a Lamplighter Suspense author and ACFW 2019 Agent of the Year.
Even though I know Tom a little, I still had some questions for him.
Karla: How long did it take you to write your first novel? And did you sell it?
Tom: My first "official" novel took me around two years to write. I wasn't too confident in what I was doing, and spent a lot of time learning the process. I also attended several conferences and tried to figure out what worked for me and what didn't. I actually signed with an agent (whom I love and still represents me) before I finished that first book. Yes, that story sold. It actually ended up being the second book in the Jeremy Winter series, "Dead of Winter."
Karla: I remember those years and even though we knew each other online, we finally met at an ACFW Conference. Why do you like to write gritty suspense?
Tom: It's what I like to read (and sometimes watch). The realism appeals to me, but I had to learn to do it in a way that didn't clash with my Christian values. That means no profanity and no graphic sexual situations. There is a tad bit of gore in some of my books, but I try to keep that to a minimum. I'm not a blood-and-guts kind of guy. The reader's imagination is far better than what I can write, so I try to point them in a direction and let them fill in the blanks.
Karla: Yes, well, you're very good at that! How many more books do you have in you?
Tom: Great question. If I'm knee-deep in the gazillionth round of edits, I'd say I'm done. No more books. But a week later, I'm itching to get back to my keyboard. I've got one trilogy done (the Jeremy Winter series) and just finished the second book in the Amara Alvarez series. I've had a lot of requests to continue with Winter, but my next novel will probably be another Alvarez book.
Karla: What is your process? Are you a panster or a planner?
Tom: I'd estimate I'm about 95% pantser. I try to do a little plotting, but it rarely works out for me.
Karla: What's your favorite part of being a writer? What's your least favorite part?
Karla: What's your favorite part of being a writer? What's your least favorite part?
Tom: I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from a book reaching the publication stage. There is so much work that goes into writing a novel, from the multiple drafts to the edits to waiting to hear that "yes" from a publisher. My least favorite part would be the days when the words just don't come. Writing becomes a chore and more often than not, whatever I wrote that day gets deleted the next time I sit down to write.
Karla: Thank you, Tom, for taking the time to visit with me! I'm eager to dig into Collision of Lies, and I'm so excited it's on audio, too!
If you love gritty suspense, you can find Tom's books everywhere books are sold. Come back to the comments and let us know what you think!
Until next time, I hope you're all staying safe and healthy! God is in control! Praise His Name!
