Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Tom Hall

There is one thing I've learned in life. I always joke around and say, "If I had nine days a week and seventy-two hours in a day, I might get everything done I need to do and still have enough time to average five hours of sleep." 

I saw a meme recently that said, "I added up all the time needed to complete my current TBR pile. I will officially complete reading all the books on my 842nd birthday."

I know the feeling. 

Of course, I know having enough time if only the days and weeks were longer is fallacy. Someone or something would fill up the time and then some, and we'd still be behind. 

The point is, l i fe is short. The Bible calls it a vapor (James 4:14). Compared to eternity, it truly is. A teenager may look at an old person and think otherwise. However, the old person knows better, for he was once young and ignorant too. 

This is why we must live life to the fullest, and that means living for God daily, hourly, every minute (Luke 9:23-27) by following His Son.

Our next guest on the Florida Front Porch gets this, I believe. I want everyone to welcome another fellow Word Weaver to the ABTS family, Tom Hall!

Tom, we have a tradition here, besides the virtual porch, the virtual sweet tea, the virtual ceiling fans, and the virtual Adirondack chairs. We ask each guest to g ive us a quick bio.In fifty words or less, who is Tom Hall?

I am a retired Marine with over twenty-five years andseveral continents behind me. I am also a retired state law enforcement officerwith over eighteen years and several investigations and trials in the rearviewmirror. I have taught at the elementary, undergraduate, and graduatelevels. 

Before you ever got a notion ofbecoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in thattime of your life?

I am the quintessential late bloomer. I didn’t really startwriting seriously until I was 60. Which actually works in my writing. When Idetail a felony arrest in one of my books, I’ve actually done one of thosethings. Further, when I describe the morale on a nuclear submarine, I’ve seenit with my own eyes. I started because frankly, I wasn’t ready to sit on theporch and watch life go by. 

What educational background do youhave?

My educational background mirrors my late-bloomer approachto life. I did not have a college degree until the year before I retired fromthe Marines. A pretty good trick under Department of Navy rules for acommissioned officer. Then I spent ten years in state law enforcement before Igot around to getting a Master’s in Juvenile Psychology. A few years later, Iaccidentally achieved a Ph.D in Criminal Justice. 

I didn’t know you had a doctorate…See?You learn something new every day.

I know you're married. Tell a little about your family.

I am married to the same wonderful woman (Patty) I met overforty-three years ago. Amazingly, she has remained through several worldwidedeployments, being the typical wife waiting on the Trooper to come home, andthrough it all kept the team together. We have a daughter (the lawyer) and twosons (the veterans). 

Does she get a Purple Heart for sticking with you all these years? :-)

For all the petlovers out there, answer this question: Do you have any?

Our home is one of a constantly rotating collection of petsand animals. From horses to cats to dogs. In the middle school years, our kidsseemed to collect an assortment of animals, including a cow for 4H. Our mostendearing pet is Scooby, who is a massive Great Dane (what else would a dognamed Scooby be?). At present we are temporarily hosting an Australian Shepardcalled, Chilli Dog. Also, the world's most arrogant and overweight cat is called….cat.The cat has allowed us to feed her and remain in our home with her.

I saw a sign one timethat read: “Dogs think they’re human. Cats think they’re God.” I have yet tomeet a dog or cat that does not fit that description, so I get it.

You’ve done a greatdeal already, and I’m sure you’ve cross off a lot of items, but remains on yourbucket list? Or do you not have one?

I don’t really have a bucket list. Frankly, any sort ofplanning for this sort of thing really rests with Patty. I kind of aminterested in having her see some of the things I already have. Personally, Iam too busy with the day-to-day business of life to have a bucket list, or toput it another way, the honey-do list tends to occupy my time right now. 

Do you have afavorite line from a movie or book? If so, what is it and explain why it isspecial to you?

My all-time favorite line from a movie is from Jaws. When Roy Schneider’s charactersees the shark for the first time he says, “You’re going to need a biggerboat.” And that goes to my personal delight in seeing, hearing, or readingabout common people placed in extraordinary circumstances. 

If you had your lifeto live over again, besides being an author (which we guess would be yourobvious answer), what profession would you choose?

That’s an interesting question. One for which I do not havea good answer. From a secular level, I must turn to Hunter Thompson: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with theintention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather toskid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out,and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” From a Christianperspective, whatever the adventure, it must have our Father in mind first and foremost. I don’treally ponder about “Oh what might have been.” I’ve lived a blessed lifestarting with an upbringing that would cause Andy Griffith and Opey to be envious. Myhometown in Michigan was so boring that I couldn’t wait to escape, which is what I did at seventeen when Ileft for the Marines. Subsequently, of course, there are some regrets, like notgetting my formal education prior to becoming a fossil – that would have beennice.  I do admit a small, slight twingeof possible regret the first time I stepped out of a C-130 and parachuted ontothe drop zone at Fort Benning. However, upon a successful landing, I could onlythink, “Wow, what a ride!” I used to think that I was completely in control,but looking back it's evident to me that I was just a common guy tripping throughextraordinary circumstances. I also can see a divine aspect to this having donesome exceptionally dangerous things and through no action on my part managed tosurvive. The bottom line is that I lived the life that I was afforded (orstumbled into) and in the closing years managed to come to an understanding itwasn’t about me, it was about Him. My guardian angel is thinking, “It's abouttime.”

Besidesstorytelling, what talents do you have?

I have developed–or perhaps recognized–a talentfor listening and observing. It has taken me years to learn to shut up andlisten. To stop and observe this wonderful place and time. I really envy one ofthe Word Weavers of Lake County (FL) authors, Tracy Smoak. The talent, the patience,and the skill to capture those wonderful photographs. What she sees andcaptures has eluded me for almost a lifetime. Too busy moving from one point toanother, I forgot to stop and see. However, in keeping with my late-blooming skill sets, I am tryingto see and hear things that used to get lost in the hustle. 

Of all thestories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelledyou to write this story?

My favorite project so far is my book Liberty’s Echo. It started with a greatidea. I had to teachmy Constitutional law students about how they are part of the American systemof justice. I gave the class the U.S. citizenship test on the first day. Theresults were frightening. Only one student passed, and then barely. I spent acouple of years pondering this and came up with the book to present the ideasof a representative republic to the next generation of young people (old onesalso). I used the idea of a committed communist North Korean general talking toa retired Marine colonel and having a dialogue about their respectivegovernments. I also was able to base it upon the foundations of WesternCivilization and the Bible. This was a great vehicle to insert themes such assacrifice and how all things work for the greater glory of God.  

Do you ever receivenegative reviews from readers? If so, how do you respond when you see them?

Oh goodness, I’ve had some negative reviews. Theydon’t really bother me. I did enjoy the negative comment from someone inEngland who took exception to my description of the events leading up to theBattle of Concord. All I can say is, next time,tell King George to lay off the taxes. Another reader took exception to mynaming the submarine in Liberty’s Echothe USS Concord. His contention wasthat there was no USS Concord. By the way, it is a fictional story.  Wait until he realizes that the supply ship,the USS Duportail doesn’t existeither. You will have to look up the name to see its significance. 

Okay, so I did lookit up. Now, I wonder how many readers will…

As a writer, if youhad one thing you would do over again, what would it be?

As a writer, I think that I probably should have started earlier. However,that works against my writing in the present. Much of what I write is based onmy personal experiences. To be clear, I am not writing autobiographical stuff,but rather using my experience to place common men and women in extraordinaryevents. I would like to think that my background allows me to fully explore thecharacters, how they react, and why they do what they do.

Tell us about whatproject you are currently working on.

My current project(s) are kind of all over the place.  I have several books written but in one case,I need to write the prologue book – one that sets the rest into perspective. Thisis the Elliot (anglicization of the name Elisha) Heston series. The first bookin the series is nearly ready. In this series, biblical truth is applied to areal-world situation. Since you asked, Book One is Ephesian Sunsets, where I deal with the clinical depression of amain character. Book Two is Dining withPharisees, which deals with public corruption and a serial firesetter. BookThree is The Isaiah Decree, aboutartificial intelligence and murder at the Bushnell Technical Institute (only wecentral Floridians will get the humor).

What surprised youthe most during the research for the book you are currently working on?

My research for TheIsaiah Decree led me to the importance of language. This might seem strangecoming from a guy who wants to write novels, but the deeper I dug into thecurrent rage about artificial intelligence the more I realized that “words andtheir meaning” was the key to the evolution of artificial intelligence. Then,looking at the issue biblically, we find – “In the beginning was the Word…” WhenGod escorted Adam around the Garden of Eden, He asked Adam to name the variousitems and plants…the beginning of language. Our perception of reality is tiedto how we describe it. In the end, words matter.

Oh, I have an entiretalk around this topic. As well as with why Adam was tasked with naming all theanimals.

Tell us about yourwriting day. How do you go about writing?

I am an early riser. This comes from years of physicaltraining with the troops, who train typically in the morning before it gets toohot. Also, being an early riser affords me the opportunity to sit and think insome solitude before the mad morning rush.

Knowing what you knownow about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to theperson thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursuesince they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction bookin them that would be helpful to others?

Get a friend, get a beta group, and join Word Weavers. Finally,jump in. 

Has your writingcrossed over into other areas? If so, how? If not, will it?

I have already published in professional and scientificjournals. Most of that work would put most people to sleep. So, my writing hascrossed from academic and scientific work to fiction.  By the way, fiction is much harder. Anotheraspect is that I have had to learn to be descriptive in my writing as opposedto legally accurate. There are no official homicide reports that start out, “Itwas a dark and stormy night.” Interestingly, though, a few of the homicidesthat I investigated did occur on a dark and stormy night.  

How do you come upwith the names for your characters?

They are derivatives of actual person’s names. Those who arein the know, realize that I am using them as my characters. So far, it has beenmet with good acceptance. On a possibly interesting note, the real personbehind Colonel Sutton in Liberty’s Echocalled me to say how disappointed he was to have been killed within the firsttwo paragraphs. We both had a good laugh. Spoiler alert:  Some of my bad guys are people that I havemet, and my appraisal of their character matches their names. If one cared tolook into it, my protagonist in Liberty’sEcho is loosely translated from Korean as “Mangy Wolf.” But these names arenot derivative. They are known only to me. 

As a writer, what is“success” to you? And has that “definition” changed over time as you have traveleddown the writer’s path?

I have found that the hardest thing in life is simplyshowing up. I spent far too much time worrying about what others would thinkabout my writing. Through my association with Word Weavers in Lake County (FL),I became comfortable just admitting that I wrote the book. In the end, I feltthat success—to be authentic—had to be a genuine effort involving quality. Thequantity thing will take care of itself down the road. 

Looking back, haveyou ever wondered if choosing a different genre would have worked better foryou, as a writer? Have you ever thought about switching genres, or writing indifferent genres?

Yes! Writing in the Christian Genre is a very niche market. Writingnon-romance stories in the Christian genre is minuscule. Christian historicalfiction might be another route, and I have some ideas. In the end, to me, it isabout foundational beliefs, not success. I’m pretty sure that every struggling authorhas said something similar, but going back to a previous question, I write fora purpose.

If you had one person you couldmeet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wantedwith that individual, who would it be and why?

Benjamin Franklin. I suspect that Ben was an astuteobserver. We also know that he was an accomplished orator. Most of my studentsthink that Ben and I hung around Philadelphia back in the day. Not saying I’mold or anything. Regardless, to have a sit down with Mr. Franklin and just talkabout what those crazy founding fathers were thinking would be great. Also, Iwould love to drive him around and show him what their efforts resulted in. Couldyou imagine his terror sitting in the front passenger seat on the interstate? Doyou mean you can travel from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. in a singleday? 

If you had one person you couldmeet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as youwanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why?

Iwould pick Thomas. Not because we share a common name, but because I think thatI understand him. I cannot help but think that I also would be skeptical of allthose “sightings” of Jesus after the crucifixion. Yet, when shown the truth(and literally touching it), he went on to become one of the most adamantbelievers. Thomas takes some hits in history for his doubts, but I don’tbelieve that I am any better in the end. 

What’s the craziest thing you haveever done?

Ihave never done anything crazy. I have always carefully analyzed the situation,weighing different aspects of a probable result against harm or injury. See, Itold you I wrote fiction! The real answer is car surfing. That’s an underratedsport of standing on a car roof while the driver speeds down a road. Those thatsurvive go on to do other spectacularly stupid things.

I believe that’s why TikTok wasinvented. To display the “other spectacularly stupid things” people do.

Why do you live where you live?

I live in Floral City, which is probably the last of thecattle country in western Florida. I live here because that’s where the statesent me when I was a trooper. Prior to that, I lived in Brandon, because theMarines sent me to Central Command. Prior to that, we lived in Japan, becausethat’s where the Marines sent me. The fact is, someone else is always tellingme where to go. Particularly those who review my books. Since retirement fromthe Marines, the State, and academia, I kind of like not having to move foronce. So sleepy little Floral City is fine….for now.

When you are looking for a book toread, what are the things that are important to you?

Iam a voracious reader. In that light, I find myself having to limit my searchesto at least four stars and good reviews. 

What Bible scripture has impactedyour life the most, and why?

Romans1:19-20. The universe is a revelation of God. For me, it is a reminder that forall the supposed intelligence we think we have, God and His creation remain atestament to His Glory.  Further, andthis really comes out in my writing, we remain small, minuscule players in amuch larger cosmic drama.  Ernest K. Gannwrote in his book, Fate is the Hunter,“For all our technological prowess we remained small and insignificant men whostink in the sun.”

Tofurther elaborate, my favorite verses change over time with me. Occasionallyone can hear me shout, “Oh, that’s what that means.” It's been a process overtime. 

If you had life to do all overagain, would there be any changes? If so, what would they be?

This is kind of a difficult question for me. If I had to doit all over again, me being a gazillionaire would be kind of cool. But….then Iwould have to give up something I did. I am not sure that I would be willing totrade the places I went or the things I did for something else. On top of that,I would have to relinquish working with and knowing some of the greatest peopleour country has ever produced. I was never a hero, but I met quite a few. Interestingly,the real heroes never bragged about what they did. In fact, they kind of acteda little embarrassed about it. I had adult beverages with Michael Durant who wasthe helicopter pilot shot down and captured by the Somali insurgents. Two DeltaForce operators died and subsequently earned the Medal of Honor for theiractions to save him. This is all detailed in the movie Blackhawk Down. I found him to be thoughtful and humble. A commonman violently thrust into extraordinary circumstances. 

Is there anything else you’d liketo share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

My biggestkick in life is helping others. Looking back I see a trend of service to anation, to a state, to a community, to the church, etc. That’s why I reallylike the writing community. I get to read other believers' books, steal theirideas (just kidding) and learn from them. I like the Word Weavers format, andwhile I have no interest in being an editor, I do enjoy beta reading for othersand offering hopefully good advice. To that point, the Word Weavers of LakeCounty (FL) have been one of the best and biggest blessings in my life. Belowgrandkids but certainly above mowing the yard. 

Thisis another weird thing about me. I am not on social media for the mostpart.  But, I can be reached at thomashall887@gmail.com. Ephesian Sunsets will come out laterthis year.

Readers, you can find Tom's books on Amazon, so check them out, and if you have questions, or if you want to find out if and when he will have social media, a newsletter, etc., send him a quick note via email.

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, May God Bless America, but more importantly, May America Bless God first.

Kevin

 

PS - And just in case you didn't know, Kevin's Blake Meyer Thriller series is getting a reboot! Book 1, 30 Days Hath Revenge, came out in April 2023! Book 2, Triple Time, will be out very, very soon (by the middle of June)! Books 3, 4, 5, & 6 will be out this year! You can keep track by visiting his website:  www.ckevinthompson.com !

A Clandestine Mission.
A Cryptic Message.
A Chaste Moment.

Blake Meyer dreamed of a peaceful end to a dutiful career with the FBI. Married now, his life was taking him in a new direction – a desk job. He would be an analyst. Ride it out until retirement. Be safe so he could enjoy family life.

But when a notable member of the IRA is murdered in his London flat, Blake’s secretive past propels him into middle of an international scheme so twisted and sadistic, it will take everything Blake possesses – all of it – to save the United States from a diabolical terrorist attack.