📖Authors To Watch: Thomas White, Author of THE EDISON ENIGMA #authorstowatch #interview

 

 

Thomas White began his career as an actor. Several years later he found himself as an Artistic Director for a theatre in Los Angeles and the winner of several Drama-Logue and Critics awards for directing. As Tom’s career grew, he directed and co-produced the world tour of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out Of Their Shells”. The show toured for over two years, was translated into seven different languages and seen by close to a million children. Tom served as President and Creative Director for Maiden Lane Entertainment for 24 years and worked on many large-scale corporate event productions that included Harley Davidson, Microsoft, Medtronic Diabetes, and dozens of others. The Edison Enigma is Tom’s third novel following up Justice Rules which was nominated as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2010 Literary contest, and The Siren’s Scream.

Author Links  

Website | X (Twitter) | Facebook 1 | Facebook 2 | Goodreads

What was the hardest plot point or character to write in your latest book, The Edison Enigma?

   The hardest plot point for me in The Edison Enigma was installing the intrigue and danger once he arrived in 1904. In reality, if I were him, I would have kept my head down, not talked to anyone, and accomplished my task, which would make for a very boring novel. But for Tom, fate intervenes and he becomes entangled with several major players as well as getting involved in some very dangerous situations. Clarifying those situations in a realistic manner was very time consuming and difficult. 

What is your favorite part of The Edison Enigma?

Honestly, the epilogue. I love to know what happens to characters once the story ends. The Edison Enigma gave me an excellent opportunity to close out Tom’s journey and deliver it to the reader in a nice big red bow. I also find this ending very touching in a heart tugging way.

If you could change one thing about any of your books, what would it be?

I would have had a real publisher and not have to self-publish. The marketing elements of self-publishing are exhausting. Not that I don’t LOVE to be doing these virtual book tours, I really do, but a little professional marketing expertise would have been very welcome.

What is a snack you couldn't write without?

Lastly, and I do mean late at night, I find myself slipping away and driving to the local Circle K for some Snickers ice cream. I do a lot of thinking at night, when I am not actually writing, and it helps me to concentrate. For me there is writing, and there is thinking about writing. I continually ask myself where is the flaw, the paradox, the overlooked character and how do I rectify that situation. Tasting that creamy caramel and crunchy nugget helps me with that process. Of course, I have to limit myself to twice a week, my jeans are getting a bit tight. 

What's the first thing – ever – that you remember writing?

LOL! I was in high school and had been dumped by my girl friend. I set about to write the saddest romance novel ever written. I remember the opening line actually, “This is a story about heart break, hopelessness and pain so break out the gin and prepare yourself for the journey.” I don’t think I could have been more self serving if I had tried. I also think it was odd that I made a reference to drinking gin, which at the time, I had never done. 

If there was one thing about your writing life that you wish you could change, what would that be?

I’ve really come to enjoy writing. I have been asked what is my greatest motivation to write and the answer is always the same, boredom. When I get bored I have to fill my time with something constructive and that’s when I sit down and putter at the keyboard. However, at this juncture, I have published two books in the last two years and I have the next one percolating in my brain. So, the one thing I would change, is for my writing to become a life sustaining activity. I have several friend who are all pro writers and that is how they make their living. I view my stuff on par with theirs, I just haven’t gotten that break yet. And if I never do, well, there is a great amount of satisfaction in producing a novel and I take great pride in what I have done.

 

Edison, a Chicago physicist, manages to successfully transport an object through time. Almost immediately following this success Dr. Edison is shut out of the facility and told by benefactor Raphael Barrington, to take a vacation. He is contacted by Don Rivendell, a grizzled old man with a secret. Rivendell explains to Tom that he is not the first person to discover time travel. Someone else went back and changed history by saving a young girl from dying in an internal combustion engine explosion.

Dr. Edison is tasked with going back and fixing history. He travels back to 1904 to find the younger version of Rivendell and stop him from saving the girl. 

You can purchase your copy of The Edison Enigma at Amazon at https://t.ly/_NOoo.